It was 60 years ago today!
The Kinks invade America on April Fools' Day…
Their cover of “Long Tall Sally” by Little Richard was released on April 1, 1964 and the rest is history!
The Kinks
Photo Credit: Getty Images. Source: independent.co.uk
Background
The Kinks were an English rock band formed in London in 1963 by brothers Ray and Dave Davies. They are regarded as one of the most influential rock bands of the 1960s. The band emerged during the height of British R&B and Merseybeat, and were briefly part of the British Invasion of the United States until their touring ban in 1965. The Kinks' music drew from a wide range of influences, including American R&B and Rock and Roll initially, and later adopting British Music Hall, Folk, and Country. The band gained a reputation for reflecting English culture and lifestyle, fuelled by Ray Davies' wittily observational and satirical writing style.
Source: Wikipedia.org
Breakthrough
Unfortunately, "Long Tall Sally" was almost completely ignored, despite the publicity efforts of the band's managers. When the second single "You Still Want Me" failed to chart, the band’s record label (Pye) threatened to cancel the group's contract unless their third single was a success. The iconic Ray Davies song "You Really Got Me", which would be the group’s third single, was influenced by American Blues and the Kingsmen's version of "Louie Louie". The song was initially recorded on June 15, 1964 at Pye Studios with a slower and more produced feel than the final single. Davies wanted to re-record the song using a lean, raw sound, but Pye refused to fund another session; Davies was adamant, so the producer Shel Talmy broke the stalemate by underwriting the session himself. The band used an independent recording studio, IBC, and completed the recording in two takes on July 15. The single was released in August of 1964; supported by a performance on the television show “Ready Steady Go!” and extensive pirate radio coverage, it entered the UK charts on August 15, reaching number one on September 19. Hastily imported by the American label Reprise Records, where the band was signed by legendary executive Mo Ostin, "You Really Got Me" also made the Top 10 (No. 7) in the United States.
Source: Wikipedia.org
Iconic
"You Really Got Me" featured a jagged, distorted guitar riff, created by Dave Davies' cutting the speaker cone in an amplifier. It was an Elpico amplifier (referred to by the band as the "little green amp"). The band’s next hit song “All Day and All of the Night” [my personal favorite] was released on October 23, 1964. Like their previous hit "You Really Got Me", the song is based on a power chord riff. Both songs are similar in beat and structure, with similar background vocals, progressions, and guitar solos.
Dave Davies claimed that the song was where he "found his voice":
“I liked the guitar sound on ‘All Day And All of the Night’, the second single we had. When they tried to develop amplifiers that had pre-gain and all, I thought it wasn't quite right, and I struggled with the sound for a while. I never liked Marshalls, because they sounded like everybody else. Then in the mid '70s I started using Peavey, and people said, ‘Nobody uses Peavey – country and western bands use them’ [laughs]. I used to blow them up every night. I used two Peavey Maces together, and it was brilliant.”
Source: Wikipedia.org
The Kinks would go on to release more legendary hits throughout the ‘60s, ‘70s, and ‘80s. I absolutely agree with those who contend that The Kinks were one of the most influential Rock bands of all-time. Arguably, their sound was the aural DNA for several of my favorite musical genres, namely Hard Rock, Heavy Metal, and Punk. Specifically, their music influenced Punk groups such as the Ramones, the Clash, and Blondie, Hard Rock acts including Van Halen [my favorite], Britpop groups such as Oasis and Blur, and a certain rollicking cover band from Kansas City. As a guitarist, I am drawn to Dave Davies’ fuzzy and edgy guitar tone. As a performer, I appreciate Ray Davies’ wit, satire, and often crazy persona; all courts need a jester [and a smart-a$s]… Be humble, a little wacky, and enjoy life...
Sir Ray Davies
My late mother always preferred the edgier acts from the “British Invasion”, including The Rolling Stones [her favorite], The Animals, and The Kinks. During the British Invasion, my mom and her family lived in West Germany, as my grandfather was stationed there with the U.S. Army. She heard these famous songs, including those by The Kinks, on West German and American-run radio.
West German Record Sleeve (1964)
Always entertaining…
Toxic A$$ets performing “You Really Got Me”
July 22, 2014
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