ALBUMS: Dave Davies — AFL1 3603 ( bar code album 1980); Chosen People (1983)
MVC Rating: Bar code — 4.0/$$$; Chosen People 3.5/$$
Dave’s brother Ray was the Kinks Kreative soul. Dave was the guitarist, and a pioneering one at that. The riffs in early 1960s classics like ‘You Really Got Me’ and ‘All Day and All of the Night’ were much copied (e.g. Van Halen). One could make the case the distortion laden pieces paved the way for heavy metal.
I have lots of Kinks records, bought mostly in my high school years in Athens, Ga. I’ll write more when we get to the K’s in www.myvinylcountdown.com
Ray wrote the lions’ share of Kinks song. One notable exception was Dave’s ‘Death of a Clown,’ one of the Kinks’ most poignant songs ever, and they did a lot of poignant songs.
The Kinks went through so many style changes, every album was like a new band although all decidedly Kinks. They did English folk whimsy, straight-ahead rock and roll and clever commentary songs.
Dave had a way of doing falsetto harmony behind Ray’s lead vocals. I thought it was the coolest thing. Listen to one of their most famous songs, ‘Lola‘ to hear the brother harmonizing effect. It reminds a lot of Ronnie Lane’s style of singing, though with a rocking edge.
These two solo albums I have are hit and miss. Dave shows off his guitar chops. On the bar code album, he puts the bar code on the the cover as the main art for the album, perhaps making the statement that his music is seen as nothing more than a commodity? I’m just guessing here.
Best song on bar code album, ‘Doing the Best for You,’ simple little melody on piano with crunching guitars. The Chosen People has a lovely song called ‘Give Me One More Chance.’
Counting down my 678 vinyl records before I die of brain disease.