To ray davies, america is still a land of opportunity npr. X ray is a more or less straightforward autobiography by ray davies, lead singer and songwriter for the kinks. Ray davies most recent album was 2010s collaborative see all my friends. As a boy in postwar england, legendary kinks singersongwriter ray davies was fascinated by.
Americana, is a career defining album from an artist whose writing has helped shape modern music. Ray davies contributed vocals and lyrics to the song graceville ill take you there on bill shanleys new solo album, midnight mission, in stores today. I know my kinksray davies story having been a fan and kontributing to fanzines and books so this book was a treat mr rogan interviewed many associates good, bad and sometimes it was ugly. Naturally, it was called americana, and thats also the title of this 2017 musical adaptation of the book. In 1963, he joined daves band the ravens on rhythm guitar and vocals. Read americana online by ray davies books free 30day trial.
Since the kinks disbanded, he has embarked on a solo career and continues to tour and record. As a boy in postwar england, legendary kinks singersongwriter ray davies fell in love with america its movies and music, its culture of freedom fed his imagination. Courtesy of the artist the newest album by ray davies finds him in a reflective mood. Ray davies has based both albums on his 20 book americana. He has also acted, directed, and produced shows for theatre and television. Read americana by ray davies for free with a 30 day free trial. May 02, 2018 ray davies has announced his new album our country. Ray davies explores americana in new book orange county.
The book is based around a fictional storyline where a 19yearold, insomniac, orphan reporter working for a corporaterun government known as the corporation is trying to track down and interview the reclusive singersongwriter. Following its release, he worked on adapting the book into song, recording an album with the jayhawks during the course of 2016. The story, it is about his thoughts on the music and culture of america, and his experiences of touring and living there. Not like everybody else is a critical biography of ray davies, with a focus on his music and his times. The unauthorized autobiography is the 1996 memoir from ray davies, legendary frontman of the kinks. Davies published a second memoir, americana, in 20. Americana act ii, the followup to the kinks frontmans 2017 lp americana. As a boy in postwar england, legendary kinks singersongwriter ray davi. Jun 29, 2009 americana is an album by english rock musician ray davies, released by legacy recordings in april 2017. In americana, davies tries to make sense of his long lovehate relationship with the country that both inspired and. The last time ray davies sat down to write a memoir, he invented a fictitious narrator, had the poor kid chase down a cranky exrocker and wrapped up the narrative around 1973.
February 1, 2019 ray davies featured on bill shanley album, midnight mission, available now. Like davies 20 book of the same name, it explores his lifelong fascination with the music and culture of the united states, and his experiences of touring and living there. Ray davies planning new album based on americana book. He is the seventh of eight children born to workingclass parents, including six older sisters and younger brother dave davies. It was 1965, and the kinks were on the verge of rivaling the rolling stones and the beatles, thanks to a.
Ray davies was born on june 21, 1944 in fortis green, which is located in muswell hill, north of london, england. No followup has been announced, but ray does have a new book, americana. Oct 03, 20 published on oct 3, 20 ray davies talks about his new book on bbc breakfast. Dec 05, 20 their generation ray davies of the kinks in 1965. That, said sinclair, was the question that dogged the writing of his 2009 book hackney, that rosered empire. As a diehard kinks fan who has everything they recorded up till preservation or so, i found it a fascinating read, though hampered at times by a fictional framework story davies constructs around the myth of his character.
The kinks frontman published x ray, his unauthorized autobiography, in 1994, long before his peers started telling their own tales of decadence and recovery. The last time ray davies sat down to write a memoir, he invented a fictitious narrator, had the poor kid chase down a cranky exrocker and wrapped up. Jun 26, 2018 davies, one of the greatest songwriters in history, is preparing to release our country. He was the seventh of eighth children, and with his younger brother dave, he was one of the only two boys in his family. Ray davies has 21 books on goodreads with 2054 ratings. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Ray davies published a memoir chronicling his lifelong affair with america in 20. Oct 15, 20 ray davies, lead singer and songwriter for the british invasions rock and roll hall of fame band the kinks, was a new yorker from the late 70s to the mid80s, when he called the upper. Dec 05, 20 world cafe welcomes british rock legend ray davies to the wxpn studio for this session. In support of the book, the singer performed a series of concerts entitled storyteller, which featured classic kinks songs, passages from the book, old stories, and new songs. Americana act ii is not so much a sequel to the very successful 2017 release, americana, as it is a continuation. The album features new studio collaborations of ray davies compositions, which were originally recorded by his band the kinks. Apr 11, 2017 ray davies new album, americana, is based on his 20 memoir of the same name.
Ray davies can pinpoint the moment he awoke from the american dream. Ray davies the british invasion musician discusses his lovehate relationship with america, from his first u. Americana is alternately a sequel and parallel companion piece to x ray, chronicling his later years and his lifelong relationship with the country and culture that inspired him. Ray davies releasing new book, americana, will be in nyc.
Nov 18, 20 decca label group ray davies recently released a new memoir titled americana. Americana is an album by english rock musician ray davies, released by legacy recordings in april 2017. As a boy in postwar england, legendary kinks singersongwriter ray davies. But the book dripped with creative energy, davies and his poison pen. Throughout the book, the legendary rocker intersperses lyrics from a wide variety of songs hes written, including many that hes never recorded or released.
Also that year, davies was knighted by prince charles. The man behind the kinks from 1964 to 1998 has a new memoir called americana. David magnusrex features a kindly teacher handed sinclair his first copy of on the road. The story and millions of other books are available for amazon kindle. Drawing on five decades of experience, the 15 tracks that make up rays first album of new material in nearly 10 years are as personal as they are rich in musical detail. Jan 03, 2014 ray davies dedicates waterloo sunset and days to pete quaife at glastonbury 2010 duration. He liked to hang out in pubs and was considered a ladies. Americana ii, the second of two albums serving as a companion piece to his 20 memoir which explored, in. Ray davies, lead singer and songwriter for the british invasions rock and roll hall of fame band the kinks, was a new yorker from the late 70s to. The book studies davies work from the kinks first singles. Oct 03, 20 an iconic rock legend, ray davies inspired generations of musicians from the who and the clash to the ramones and black sabbath as lead singer and songwriter of the kinks. The story, in which he discusses his lovehate relationship with the united states. The last time ray davies sat down to write a memoir, he invented a fictitious narrator, had the poor kid chase.
Davies plays a little fast and loose with his facts, which is perhaps a detriment in an autobiography but suits the condensed nature of songwriting. Ray davies new album, americana, is based on his 20 memoir of the same name. Ray davies dedicates waterloo sunset and days to pete quaife at glastonbury 2010 duration. The story essential reading for all fans of the kinks and davies. Apr 21, 2017 americana is an album by english rock musician ray davies, released by legacy recordings in april 2017. Published october 15th 20 by sterling first published october 1st 20.
131 558 963 1396 257 1023 1 991 907 22 611 916 614 1438 485 1042 851 832 711 249 124 332 1531 1020 667 118 891 605 1178 519 1129 413 265 923 792 1041 554 385 323 615 1222 466 563 131 789 1363 410