The Kinks' Ray Davies tells us about a massive reissue of the group's 'Arthur' album and their 'Project Kinks' reunion project
Ray Davies has finished up work on the upcoming 'Arthur' box set and has turned his attention to recording new songs with his brother Dave.. They’d just parted ways with original bassist Pete Quaife and their previous album, 1968’s, failed even to chart in their native England despite excellent reviews.
He teamed up with English playwright Julian Mitchell to write a television play about a British man that grows weary of life in his home country and moves to Australia with his family. The play never happened, but it did inspire Davies to write 12 songs that told the story across two sides of a record. “I called it a documentary album,” says Davies about“It’s about the generation that won World War Two, but somehow lost the peace.
As the 50-year anniversary of the album began looming last year, Davies began pouring through archival tapes from the period to create a four-disc edition of the album, due out October 25th, packed with demos, outtakes, alternate mixes and rehearsals. “The rehearsal tapes shows the band was very tight back then,” says Davies. “We were turning a corner and the energy was different. There’s a song called ‘Some Mother’s Son’ and I found a version before we wrote the bridge.
The Davies brothers have been largely recording with drum machines to flesh out their demos, but Ray hopes to call in Kinks drummer Mick Avory soon despite Avory’s famously combative relationship with Dave. “It was a childish spat,” says Ray. “I got them to say ‘hello’ last year. I want to get them in the studio together. I’m calling it ‘Project Kinks.'”
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