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 rhythm and blues and Merseybeat, and were briefly part of the British Invasion of the United States until their touring ban in 1965. Their third single, the Ray Davies-penned ‘You Really Got Me’, became an international hit, topping the charts in the United Kingdom and reaching the top 10 in the United States. 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’ observational and satirical lyricism, made apparent in albums such as Face to Face (1966), Something Else (1967), The Village Green Preservation Society (1968), and more.
After a fallow period in the mid-1970s, The Kinks experienced a revival with their albums Sleepwalker (1977), Misfits (1978), Low Budget (1979), Give the People What They Want (1981), and State of Confusion (1983), which produced one of the band’s most successful US hits, ‘Come Dancing’. The band’s original line-up comprised Ray Davies (lead vocals, rhythm guitar), Dave Davies (lead guitar, vocals), Mick Avory (drums, percussion) and Pete Quaife (bass), with the Davies brothers remaining with the band throughout its history. The Kinks have had significant chart success in both the US and the UK, with numerous top 10 singles and albums. The band has garnered over 50 million records worldwide and received accolades such as the Ivor Novello Award for ‘Outstanding Service to British Music’. Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the UK Music Hall of Fame, The Kinks continue to influence generations of musicians.