Ray Davies

Ray Davies is the former front man for legendary British band The Kinks and a member of the Rock n' Roll Hall of Fame. With a wealth of classics under his belt, the singer songwriter is often credited with bringing English culture to the forefront with his songs capturing ordinary British life.
The Kinks' early recordings of 1964 brought us proto-metal, proto-punk, power chord-based hard rock of the band's first two hit singles, "You Really Got Me" and "All Day and All of the Night". Then, from the… Show more intimate "Waterloo Sunset", to the wry sense of satire that shines through on "Dedicated Follower of Fashion" to the rollicking story of "Lola", Davies remains one of the most revered writers and performers the UK has produced.
In recent years he has toured with a solo acoustic show in America and the UK, with support from The 88, a young Californian band and Kinks aficionados. He's played Denmark with a symphony orchestra and choir and appeared on the Pyramid Stage at Glastonbury Festival, joined by The Crouch End Festival Chorus, for a rapturously received.
With five solo records in addition to his Kinks back catalogue, Davies latest work, "See My Friends" is a collaborative album of Kinks songs featuring the likes of Bruce Springsteen, Jon Bon Jovi and newer artists Mumford & Sons. It is a collection of collaborations with a formidable bunch of artists on tracks drawn from Davies' 46 years as a songwriter - with Bruce Springsteen on "Better Things", with Metallica on "You Really Got Me", with Mumford & Sons on "Days/This Time Tomorrow", with Paloma Faith on "Lola", and ten other equally inspired partnerships. Davies had no qualms about rebooting classic songs. His musical past is no foreign country, his catalogue no sacred cow. He was eager to open up himself, and his songs to other people's ideas and interpretations.
It's made me come out the other end wanting to write new songs," he smiles. "Because that's what I do.

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