The Kinks

The Kinks were an English rock group formed in 1963 by lead singer-songwriter Ray Davies and his brother lead guitarist and vocalist

The Kinks were an English rock group formed in 1963 by lead singer-songwriter Ray Davies and his brother lead guitarist and vocalist Dave Davies with bassist Pete Quaife. While not as commercially successful in the United States as the other three members of the Big Four of the British Invasion (The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, The Kinks and The Who), the band is frequently cited as one of the most important and influential rock bands of all time. The bands' early hard-driving singles set a standard in the mid-1960s for Rock & Roll, while albums such as Face to Face,Something Else, Village Green, Arthur and Muswell Hillbillies are highly regarded by fans, critics, and peers alike, and are considered amongst the most influential recordings of the era.

The Kinks first gained prominence in 1964 with the hit single "You Really Got Me", written by Ray Davies. The band's name came from their "kinky" dress sense of leather capes and boots worn on stage. The group's original lineup consisted of Ray Davies on lead vocals/rhythm guitar, Dave Davies on lead guitar, Quaife on bass, and drummer Mick Avory. Following Quaife's departure in 1969, the band centered around the three remaining original members and frequently changed bassists and keyboardists, until 1984, when friction between Dave Davies and Mick Avory resulted into latter's departure, leaving only the Davies brothers from the original line-up.