The Kinks have always been a fascinating enigma in rock history. Despite being one of the most influential British bands of the 1960s and beyond, they never quite achieved the same level of mainstream adoration as The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, or The Who. Yet their music, full of wit, observation, and a distinctly English sense of storytelling, remains as compelling as ever.
Reading God Save The Kinks: A Biography by Rob Jovanovic shed new light on just how chaotic, brilliant, and unpredictable their journey was. Here are ten intriguing facts that might just surprise even the most devoted Kinks fan.
1) Ray Davies’ Overdose and His “Last Kinks Gig”
In 1973, shortly after his 29th birthday, Ray Davies overdosed on a mix of Valium and alcohol—likely due to the emotional turmoil of his wife Rasa leaving with their two children. Just days later, he turned up at the Great Western Express Festival looking disheveled, yet still managed to perform with the band.
At the end of the set, in what should have been a dramatic moment, Ray announced that this was the last Kinks gig ever:
“I’m fucking sick of the whole thing. I’m sick up to here with it!”
However, his dramatic exit was drowned out by the start of a backing track, making the announcement inaudible to the audience. The Kinks lived to fight another day.
2) Ray Davies’ Brutal Review of Revolver
Ray Davies had strong opinions about The Beatles’ Revolver when he reviewed it for Disc and Music Echo in 1967. His takes were cutting, witty, and entirely in character:
Taxman – “It sounds like a cross between The Who and Batman.”
Eleanor Rigby – “It sounds like they’re out to please music teachers in primary schools.”
Love You To – “I was doing this sort of song two years ago – now I’m doing what The Beatles were doing two years ago.”
Yellow Submarine – “This is a load of rubbish, really.”
Harsh? Maybe. But classic Ray Davies all the same.
3) The Village Green Preservation Society – The Only “Real” Kinks Album?
Despite The Kinks’ vast catalog, bassist Pete Quaife considered The Village Green Preservation Society (1968) the band’s only true album:
“For me, it represents the only real album made by The Kinks. It is probably the only album made by us in which we all contributed something.”
Even longtime drummer Mick Avory agreed:
“It was more collaborative, rather than going in like session men and just doing it.”
4) The Kinks Could Have Made More Running a Grocery Store
By the late 1960s, The Kinks were internationally known rock stars—but their bank accounts didn’t reflect it. Around the time of The Village Green Preservation Society, Pete Quaife and Mick Avory had their contracts adjusted to earn just £40 a week (about £666 today).
To put that in perspective, Quaife’s stepfather reportedly made more money running a small grocery shop. Not exactly rock star wages.
5) Lola and the BBC’s Coca-Cola Ban
One of The Kinks’ biggest hits, Lola, almost didn’t make it onto UK radio—not because of its lyrics about a transvestite, but because Ray Davies sang, “It tastes just like Coca-Cola.”
The BBC, with its strict no-advertising policy, refused to play it. This forced Ray to fly 6,000 miles back to London just to re-record the lyric as “cherry cola.”
6) Banned from America – But Why?
It’s well known that The Kinks were banned from touring the U.S. between 1965 and 1969, but the reasons remain murky. Rumors include:
Fighting with promoters
Union disputes
Ray Davies’ sarcastic attitude towards American journalists
A scuffle involving Dave Davies and a TV producer
Whatever the truth, the ban cost them the chance to become as big as The Beatles in the States.
7) Dave Davies Invented the Power Chord by Accident
One of the most defining sounds of rock music—the distorted power chord—was pioneered by Dave Davies. He achieved the sound by slashing the speaker cone of his Elpico amplifier with a razor blade, resulting in the raw, aggressive tone heard on You Really Got Me.
This DIY innovation laid the groundwork for punk and heavy metal.
8) The Band Was Nearly Called The Ravens
Before settling on The Kinks, the band went through several name ideas, including The Ravens. They were also briefly known as The Boll-Weevils and The Bo-Weevils before choosing their final, more provocative name.
9) The Davies Brothers’ Legendary Fights
Few sibling rivalries in rock were as explosive as Ray and Dave Davies’. They fought constantly, both on and off stage. One famous incident involved Dave knocking out drummer Mick Avory’s tooth during a gig in Cardiff—Avory retaliated by smashing a cymbal stand over Dave’s head, knocking him unconscious.
The fight ended with Avory fleeing the venue, thinking he’d killed Dave.
10) Ray Davies Was Shot in New Orleans
In 2004, Ray Davies was shot in the leg while chasing a mugger in New Orleans. He was attempting to retrieve his girlfriend’s stolen purse when the thief turned and fired.
Thankfully, he survived with no major injuries—just another bizarre chapter in The Kinks’ wild history.
The Kinks’ legacy is one of brilliant songwriting, chaos, and a refusal to conform. Their influence stretches across generations, from Britpop bands like Blur and Oasis to punk pioneers like The Ramones. And yet, for all their success, they still feel like Britain’s best-kept secret.
Perhaps that’s part of their charm.
