The Kinks: A Thoroughly English Phenomenon

288 Pages·2017·2.3 MB·English

by  Carey Fleiner

The Kinks
Tempo
A Rowman & Littlefield Music Series on Rock, Pop, and Culture
Series Editor: Scott Calhoun
Tempo: A Rowman & Littlefield Music Series on Rock,
Pop, and Culture offers titles that explore rock and popular
music through the lens of social and cultural history, revealing
the dynamic relationship between musicians, music, and their
milieu. Like other major art forms, rock and pop music comment
on their cultural, political, and even economic situation,
reflecting the technological advances, psychological concerns,
religious feelings, and artistic trends of their times.
Contributions to the Tempo series are the ideal introduction to
major pop and rock artists and genres.
The American Songbook: Music for the Masses, by Ann van der
Merwe Bob Dylan: American Troubadour, by Donald Brown Bon
Jovi: America’s Ultimate Band, by Margaret Olson British
Invasion: The Crosscurrents of Musical Influence, by Simon Philo
Bruce Springsteen: American Poet and Prophet, by Donald L.
Deardorff II The Clash: The Only Band That Mattered, by Sean
Egan The Kinks: A Thoroughly English Phenomenon, by Carey
Fleiner Kris Kristofferson: Country Highwayman, by Mary G.
Hurd Patti Smith: America’s Punk Rock Rhapsodist, by Eric
Wendell Paul Simon: An American Tune, by Cornel Bonca Ska:
The Rhythm of Liberation, by Heather Augustyn Sting and The
Police: Walking in Their Footsteps, by Aaron J. West Warren
Zevon: Desperado of Los Angeles, by George Plasketes
The Kinks
A Thoroughly English Phenomenon
Carey Fleiner
ROWMAN & LITTLEFIELD
Lanham • Boulder • New York • London
Published by Rowman & Littlefield
A wholly owned subsidiary of The Rowman & Littlefield Publishing Group, Inc.
4501 FORBES BOULEVARD, SUITE 200, LANHAM, MARYLAND 20706
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Copyright © 2017 by Carey Fleiner
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any
electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems,
without written permission from the publisher, except by a reviewer who may quote
passages in a review.
British Library Cataloguing in Publication Information Available
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Names: Fleiner, Carey, 1965– author.
Title: The Kinks : a thoroughly English phenomenon / Carey Fleiner.
Description: Lanham : Rowman & Littlefield, [2017] | Series: Tempo: a Rowman &
Littlefield music series on rock, pop, and culture | Includes bibliographical references
and index.
Identifiers: LCCN 2016033939 (print) | LCCN 2016034764 (ebook) | ISBN
9781442235410 (cloth : alk. paper) | ISBN 9781442235427 (electronic)
Subjects: LCSH: Kinks (Musical group) | Rock music—England—History and criticism.
Classification: LCC ML421.K56 F54 2017 (print) | LCC ML421.K56 (ebook) | DDC
782.42166092/2 [B]—dc23 LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2016033939
TM The paper used in this publication meets the minimum requirements of
American National Standard for Information Sciences Permanence of Paper for
Printed Library Materials, ANSI/NISO Z39.48-1992.
Printed in the United States of America
Series Editor’s Foreword
The Kinks: A Thoroughly English Phenomenon
In 2017, the Kinks’ timeless “Waterloo Sunset” reaches its
fiftieth anniversary—a song ostensibly about the simple and the
ordinary in people’s lives, where the scene of a daily commute
becomes a paradise. Ray Davies has remarked that a song he
wrote about a Londoner now belongs “to everyone.” With its
serendipitous timing, I welcome this examination of the Kinks
into the Tempo series fold, in which Carey Fleiner reminds us
with her energetic, deeply informed examination of one of the
more popular—and populist—British Invasion bands that it is
thoroughly English to make the future keep up with a bit of the
past. The Kinks knew how to do the backward glance, not only
into the personal histories of its own Ray and Dave Davies but
also into the historically home-front concerns that felt
thoroughly English to the Davieses and, judging by their
success, with fans: a sense of permanence, place, and self-rule
for the ordinary man and woman, such that enough time in the
day was preserved for having a bit of fun as well. Keeping these
concerns central to any plan for the future felt right for the
Kinks, and it found some sonic inspiration for a way forward in
the traditions of American blues and rock. Challenging tides that
must have felt they could wash out the ordinary, homely values
of the commoner were part of the serious playfulness the Kinks
specialized in, and because the Davieses got neither too
precious nor too debauched to remain relevant, they
persevered as an influence on popular culture and as a
comment on what does, in fact, persevere.
Fans and scholars alike still find culturally relevant
conversations buoyed by the Kinks and see in the wide-ranging
musical styles in the band’s catalog and in the Davieses’ solo
projects the accomplishments of artists. As popular music
makes a space for gathering around shared feelings, memories,
hopes, and dreams, it should also be where a critical
hopes, and dreams, it should also be where a critical
examination of all those things takes place, which Fleiner does
exceedingly well, bringing her understanding of the motifs of
classical literature to bear on her appreciation of the Kinks. She
looks beyond the heights of the Kinks’ success to explore the
quests each Davies brother found he had to take and how the
vital themes of popular culture tie into the most personal of our
quests. She helps us understand the epic in the ordinary in the
songs and lives of the Davieses and in their art, which is their
attempt to chart a course for fans through the 1960s and
beyond, which were, upon reflection, as much of an era of
change as every era, including right now.

Scott Calhoun
Timeline
Cultural events The Kinks
September 1939: Britain declares
war on Germany.
1940: Battle of Britain; evacuation
of Dunkirk.
1942: The Beveridge Report lays
the foundation of the welfare state in
Britain (which includes the foundation
of the National Health Service in 1948).
December 31, 1943: Pete Quaife was
born.
February 15, 1944: Mick Avory was
born.
June 21, 1944: Ray Davies was born.
May 1945: VE Day over Germany;
Hitler commits suicide.
August/September 1945: surrender
of Japan.
1945–1951: Clement Atlee (Labour),
prime minister (PM). Rationing
continued throughout his tenure in
office. Military conscription is revived,
and Britain is drawn into the Korean
War.
ca. 1947–ca. 1991: the Cold War February 3, 1947: Dave Davies was
between the Soviet Bloc and Western born.
powers
1948: Britain hosts the “Austerity
Games”—the name given to the
Olympics as rationing is still in effect.
1951: The Festival of Britain, a 1951: Ray attends Festival of Britain
morale booster for British confidence with his father; it has lasting influence on
during the postwar era (Ray remembers his love of the area of central London
visiting attractions on the South Bank of along the Thames near Waterloo.
the Thames that were part of this).
Winston Churchill becomes PM (until
1955), and rationing ends during his
1955), and rationing ends during his
tenure.
1952: Elizabeth II becomes Queen
of England. First televised coronation
followed by street parties in celebration.
1955: Rock-and-roll records land on
the mainstream music charts. Chuck
Berry releases rock-and-roll tracks
featuring the guitar as the main
instrument. Disneyland opens in Los
Angeles.
1956: Suez Canal Crisis (Antony
Eden, PM). Britain invades Egypt after
the country decides to nationalize the
canal, was met with international
disapproval, and withdraws. Egypt
becomes independent of British rule.
1957–1963: Harold McMillan 1957: Ray receives his first guitar
(Conservative), PM. Key events during from his eldest sister who dies of heart
his term include England’s application failure later that evening while out
to the European Common Market dancing. Her death contributes to his
(vetoed by the French), the Notting Hill musical inspiration throughout his life.
Race Riots, and New Commonwealth
immigration.
1962: The Profumo affair rocks 1961–1962: The band that would
British politics. The ban is lifted off sales later become the Kinks performs as the
of Lady Chatterley’s Lover. The Beatles Ray Davies Quartet.
sign a contract with Parlophone
Records; by 1963, “Beatlemania”
sweeps Britain and the rest of the world
bar America.
1962–1963: Ray attends Hornsey Art
School; he spends these years playing
with various blues bands in London.
1963: Great Train Robbery; Richard 1963: Dave forms what will become
Beeching closes many minor railway the Kinks with Pete Quaife. The band
lines this year. performs gigs throughout the year as the
Pete Quaife Band, the Boll-Weevils, the
Ramrods, and finally the Ravens. Mick
Avory auditions and joins the band as its
permanent drummer in early 1964.
Late 1963/early 1964: The band is
renamed the Kinks by their new
management and secure a three-record
recording contract.
recording contract.
February 1964: The Beatles appear 1964: After two failed singles (on Pye
on The Ed Sullivan Show in the United Records) and touring throughout Britain,
States, ushering in the “British the Kinks reach number one with “You
Invasion” of American popular music. Really Got Me” in August. Kinks is
They nearly don’t make their second released in October.
tour of the States in 1964 due to the
American Musicians’ Union’s protest.
Easter 1964: Mods versus rockers at
seaside resorts in Britain
1964–1970: Harold Wilson (Labour),
PM. Events during his time in office
include many social reforms including
the abolishment of capital punishment
and the decriminalization of
homosexuality. The Open University is
founded. Crisis of the trade unions over
prices and incomes.
January 1965: Death of Winston 1 June 1965: Kinks start their first US
Churchill; Mary Quant debuts the tour. Due to a contretemps between the
miniskirt. band and the American Federation of
Musicians, the band is banned from
performing in the United States for four
years.
Albums: Kinda Kinks; Kink
Kontroversy; key songs: “See My
Friends,” “Well Respected Man,” and
“Dedicated Follower of Fashion.”
1966: England wins the World Cup 1966: Face to Face; key songs:
against Germany and continues to crow “Sunny Afternoon” and “Dead End
about it for the next fifty years. Street”; John Dalton fills in for Pete
Quaife on bass.
1967: Summer of Love 1967: Something Else by the Kinks;
characterized by “Be-ins” in San key songs: “Waterloo Sunset” and
Francisco; the release of Sgt. Pepper’s “Autumn Almanac.” Dave has a massive
Lonely Hearts Club Band; and the hit over the summer with “Death of a
Monterey Pop Music Festival; the era of Clown.” Pete Quaife rejoins the band.
psychedelic rock begins. Pye release the live album Kinks Live at
Kelvin Hall.
1968: The Kinks Are the Village
Green Preservation Society; key songs:
“Wonderboy,” “Days,” and “Picture
Book.” Quaife returns for Village Green.
1969: Concorde, the first 1969: Arthur (or the Decline and Fall
commercial supersonic transport (SST), of the British Empire); key songs:
commercial supersonic transport (SST), of the British Empire); key songs:
makes its maiden flight; it is an Anglo- “Victoria,” “Young and Innocent Days,”
French joint development.
and “Shangri-la.” The Kinks tour America
after the ban is lifted. Pete Quaife quits
the band for good, and John Dalton takes
over on bass through to 1976 (and
briefly in 1978).
1970–1974: Edward Heath 1970: Lola versus Powerman and the
(Conservative), PM. Events during his Moneygoround, Part One; key song:
tenure include the Troubles in Ireland, “Lola.” John Dalton joins the band on
the Three-Day Week, the introduction of keyboards. John Gosling joins the band
the value-added tax (VAT), and as a keyboard player through to 1978.
problems from striking miners.
1971: Britain decimalizes its 1971: Last album on Pye/Reprise:
currency, replacing pounds, shillings, Percy. The band sign with RCA. Konk
and pence. Studios is founded. Muswell Hillbillies on
RCA.
1972: Everybody’s in Show-Biz; key
songs: “Celluloid Heroes” and
“Supersonic Rocketship.”
1973: Britain joins the European 1973–1976: The Kinks enter a period
Union (European Economic Community of producing concept albums and lavish
[EEC]); military coup d’etat in Chile stage theatricals.
leading to fears amongst certain 1973: Preservation Act 1. Ray adds a
conservatives in Britain that a similar horn sections, backing singers, and
dissolution of the constitution and dancers to the group.
government could occur there.
1974–1976: Harold Wilson (Labour), 1974: Preservation Act 2. This is the
PM. Wilson managed to end the miners’ first album created and produced at
disputes. The Health and Safety at Work Konk Studios. Ray acts in Starmaker for
Act comes into force. Granada Television.
1975: The Kinks Present a Soap
Opera, the studio version of Ray’s
Starmaker show; Schoolboys in Disgrace,
the conclusion of the Preservation
trilogy. The Kinks contribute to the
holiday season with “Father Christmas.”
1976–1979: James Callaghan 1976: The Kinks leave RCA and sign
(Labour), PM. with Arista Records. The group is
reduced in size to a five-man ensemble,
and the group embarks on arena tours.
Andy Pyle replaces John Dalton on bass
through to 1978.