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Ray Davies: A Complicated Life
The definitive biography of The Kinks' legendary frontman and one of the most tumultuous tales in Rock history.
Ray Davies, legendary frontman of The Kinks, is one of the all-time greatest Rock and Roll musicians -- and also one of its most troubled.
In the summer of 1964, aged twenty, Ray launched The Kinks into the whirlwind of drink, drugs and sex that was fame in the Swinging Sixties with his radical number one hit 'You Really Got Me'. Two weeks later they were playing with The Beatles and being supported by The Who, swamped by fans and fast becoming renowned for the rioting at their gigs. Over the next thirty years, Davies wrote a string of enduring classics -- 'All Day and All of the Night', 'Sunny Afternoon', 'Waterloo Sunset' -- and concept albums, such as The Village Green Preservation Society , whose influence can be heard directly in the music of Blur, Oasis, Pulp and Elastica in the 1990s.
But Ray's journey from East End poverty to the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame was tumultuous in the extreme, featuring psychiatric breakdowns, bitter lawsuits and spectacular punch-ups. He has been knocked unconscious mid-performance, arrested for fraudulently impersonating himself and shot through the leg in New Orleans. His relationship with his brother Dave, The Kinks' lead guitarist, is surely the most ferocious and abusive in music history. And yet this master of social observation and prolific writer of songs, albums, TV films and stage musicals is widely acknowledged as one of the handful of people to have redefined pop culture over the last fifty years.
Based on hundreds of interviews conducted over several decades, this richly detailed, intimate and revelatory account promises to be the definitive account of this most fascinating and complicated life.
Ray Davies, legendary frontman of The Kinks, is one of the all-time greatest Rock and Roll musicians -- and also one of its most troubled.
In the summer of 1964, aged twenty, Ray launched The Kinks into the whirlwind of drink, drugs and sex that was fame in the Swinging Sixties with his radical number one hit 'You Really Got Me'. Two weeks later they were playing with The Beatles and being supported by The Who, swamped by fans and fast becoming renowned for the rioting at their gigs. Over the next thirty years, Davies wrote a string of enduring classics -- 'All Day and All of the Night', 'Sunny Afternoon', 'Waterloo Sunset' -- and concept albums, such as The Village Green Preservation Society , whose influence can be heard directly in the music of Blur, Oasis, Pulp and Elastica in the 1990s.
But Ray's journey from East End poverty to the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame was tumultuous in the extreme, featuring psychiatric breakdowns, bitter lawsuits and spectacular punch-ups. He has been knocked unconscious mid-performance, arrested for fraudulently impersonating himself and shot through the leg in New Orleans. His relationship with his brother Dave, The Kinks' lead guitarist, is surely the most ferocious and abusive in music history. And yet this master of social observation and prolific writer of songs, albums, TV films and stage musicals is widely acknowledged as one of the handful of people to have redefined pop culture over the last fifty years.
Based on hundreds of interviews conducted over several decades, this richly detailed, intimate and revelatory account promises to be the definitive account of this most fascinating and complicated life.
768 pages, Hardcover
First published March 5, 2015
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
December 22, 2015
As a lifelong Kinks' fan, I knew I would enjoy this book. I was impressed by Johnny Rogan's detailed research, and especially enjoyed the early chapters, which gave a real feel for the Davies family and the background the brothers come from. I however agree with some reviews that criticize Rogan for constantly going back to the theme of Ray's supposed cheap streak. It may be true, but some of the jabs on this subject seemed gratuitous, and perhaps other aspects of his personality could have been more fully developed.
January 14, 2016
Johnny Rogan has quite an impressive list of popular music biographies. He has covered Neil Young, The Byrds, Roxy Music, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, The Kinks, The Smiths and Wham. He has also written guides to the music of Young, Lennon, The Kinks and Morrissey. I have previously read his 'Van Morrison-No Surrender'.
'Ray Davies: A Complicated Life' (2015) is another thoroughly researched, well written and comprehensive biography. Anyone who was intimately associated with the Kink kontroversies over the previous fifty years have contributed to Rogan's work. The journey is accompanied by relevant social and 'poptastic' histories. With over seven hundred and fifty pages of text, notes, discography and index, this publication blows away Davies' autobiog 'X-Ray'.
'A Complicated Life' is certainly no misnomer. Rogan takes a sharp scalpel inside Ray's psyche and readers will be amazed how Dave Davies, Pete Quaife and Mick Avory remained Kinks for as long as they did.
Not described as the definitive biography without reason.
'Ray Davies: A Complicated Life' (2015) is another thoroughly researched, well written and comprehensive biography. Anyone who was intimately associated with the Kink kontroversies over the previous fifty years have contributed to Rogan's work. The journey is accompanied by relevant social and 'poptastic' histories. With over seven hundred and fifty pages of text, notes, discography and index, this publication blows away Davies' autobiog 'X-Ray'.
'A Complicated Life' is certainly no misnomer. Rogan takes a sharp scalpel inside Ray's psyche and readers will be amazed how Dave Davies, Pete Quaife and Mick Avory remained Kinks for as long as they did.
Not described as the definitive biography without reason.
June 25, 2015
I had never read a biography about the Kinks before. I knew about some of their history and some of their recordings, but not all. I love detailed biographies and Johnny Rogan is especially adept at this sort of book. Ray Davies does not come off as a very likeable person, although moments of sentiment and caring do show through. I felt great sympathy for what younger brother Dave had to put up with, but then his behaviour was also rather unsettling. He could fly off the handle for no reason (turning into "Mr. Hyde"), and he also acted abusively toward longtime Kinks drummer Mick Avory. The almost constant antagonism between Ray and Dave cast an unhappy veil over the rest of the band. Nevertheless, both brothers realized that they were dependent on each other to make the band a success. Ray eventually decided to pursue a solo career. It was fascinating to read about the band's ups and downs and their forays into different musical directions.
May 14, 2017
Having recently enjoyed Ray Davies latest album, “Americana,” it occurred to me that I knew virtually nothing about him, despite being a Kinks fan for many years. I embarked on this fairly long biography, wondering whether it would retain my interest, but I needn’t have worried – I loved every page of this. I can’t really recall another book which has made me laugh out loud, but this certainly did in places, although it also made me sad that the Kinks seemed to be a band with a ‘self destruct’ button.
The book begins with an excellent account of Ray, and his brother Dave’s, background and early life. Their chaotic, larger than life, family, schooldays and the beginnings of their interest in making music. What was also obvious was that Ray, even as a young boy, was often silent and withdrawn and his behaviour suggested cause for concern – this is a recurring theme of the book, as is the constant, infamous warring with younger brother Dave and his reputation for meanness…
Although there are parts of the book where you feel that the author does tend to continually mention negative traits, I felt it was important in order to understand the unfolding story of the Kinks as a band. The violence on stage, the constant arguing and issues in the studio, all seemed to work against the Kinks getting the real success they deserved. Of course, this was not helped by the fact that, when they did tour the US, there was a backlash against all the British bands arriving on American shores following the footsteps of the Beatles (Davies insecurity meant he even disliked his wife listening to the Fabs and trashing “Revolver,” in a review). A disastrous visit led to the Kinks being banned from the US for four years, with management issues and lawsuits all combining to halt the Kinks progress in the mid Sixties. Ray Davies was obviously temperamental (to put it kindly), his first marriage was unravelling and his behaviour in the studio, and on tour, stifled creativity in other band members.
By the end of the Sixties, the Kinks were virtually a forgotten act. With failing singles and havoc on tour, they had cult – but not commercial – success. They achieved another hit with “Lola,” but then Ray Davies turned away from rock and seemed to concentrate on theatrical and vaudeville work that alienated audiences. If the Seventies had mixed success, the Eighties led to criticisms of the bands relevance, more personal issues and the humiliation of being turned down for Live Aid.
This book takes you through all the roller coaster rides of the Kinks as a band and Ray Davies life. You have the terrible year of 2004, when Ray Davies was shot (apparently, despite such a shocking event, he was still able to complain about having his new trousers cut in order for paramedics to examine the wound) and Dave Davies suffered a stroke. The trauma of touring and the constant warring between the brothers – such as when filming a promo film and the band were meant to pretend to attack Ray Davies, leading to Dave Davies getting so carried away that he eventually had to be dragged off his brother. The violence between them was often ugly and it had a huge affect on the band and those around them. There is also much about the volatility of Ray Davies – his personal attacks on those around him and yet his obvious emotional vulnerability.
Of course, at the end of the day, it is the music that stands. Ray Davies need not doubt that his music, his song writing and his talent, will last forever. In one part of the book, there is a story about Davies falling down drunk on stage. Members of the audience rushed onstage to right him and gently help him back on his feet. He said he realised then that audiences can love performers for their weaknesses. Despite all of Ray Davies faults, most of which he wryly acknowledges himself, he is respected and loved by his legions of fans. His music overrides any personal issues, but I am still glad I have read his history and I enjoyed every moment of his interesting life and career.
The book begins with an excellent account of Ray, and his brother Dave’s, background and early life. Their chaotic, larger than life, family, schooldays and the beginnings of their interest in making music. What was also obvious was that Ray, even as a young boy, was often silent and withdrawn and his behaviour suggested cause for concern – this is a recurring theme of the book, as is the constant, infamous warring with younger brother Dave and his reputation for meanness…
Although there are parts of the book where you feel that the author does tend to continually mention negative traits, I felt it was important in order to understand the unfolding story of the Kinks as a band. The violence on stage, the constant arguing and issues in the studio, all seemed to work against the Kinks getting the real success they deserved. Of course, this was not helped by the fact that, when they did tour the US, there was a backlash against all the British bands arriving on American shores following the footsteps of the Beatles (Davies insecurity meant he even disliked his wife listening to the Fabs and trashing “Revolver,” in a review). A disastrous visit led to the Kinks being banned from the US for four years, with management issues and lawsuits all combining to halt the Kinks progress in the mid Sixties. Ray Davies was obviously temperamental (to put it kindly), his first marriage was unravelling and his behaviour in the studio, and on tour, stifled creativity in other band members.
By the end of the Sixties, the Kinks were virtually a forgotten act. With failing singles and havoc on tour, they had cult – but not commercial – success. They achieved another hit with “Lola,” but then Ray Davies turned away from rock and seemed to concentrate on theatrical and vaudeville work that alienated audiences. If the Seventies had mixed success, the Eighties led to criticisms of the bands relevance, more personal issues and the humiliation of being turned down for Live Aid.
This book takes you through all the roller coaster rides of the Kinks as a band and Ray Davies life. You have the terrible year of 2004, when Ray Davies was shot (apparently, despite such a shocking event, he was still able to complain about having his new trousers cut in order for paramedics to examine the wound) and Dave Davies suffered a stroke. The trauma of touring and the constant warring between the brothers – such as when filming a promo film and the band were meant to pretend to attack Ray Davies, leading to Dave Davies getting so carried away that he eventually had to be dragged off his brother. The violence between them was often ugly and it had a huge affect on the band and those around them. There is also much about the volatility of Ray Davies – his personal attacks on those around him and yet his obvious emotional vulnerability.
Of course, at the end of the day, it is the music that stands. Ray Davies need not doubt that his music, his song writing and his talent, will last forever. In one part of the book, there is a story about Davies falling down drunk on stage. Members of the audience rushed onstage to right him and gently help him back on his feet. He said he realised then that audiences can love performers for their weaknesses. Despite all of Ray Davies faults, most of which he wryly acknowledges himself, he is respected and loved by his legions of fans. His music overrides any personal issues, but I am still glad I have read his history and I enjoyed every moment of his interesting life and career.
August 14, 2016
Although I love a lot of the Kinks' singles from the 1960s I didn't know much about their author & singer. This definitive biography has changed that, although I'm not sure I'd like to know Ray Davies in real life as he is painted as both manipulative & parsimonious. The life long sibling rivalry with brother, & fellow Kinks member, Dave is bewildering, to say the least. Joined @ the hip through their music they could barely stand sharing the stage @ times, yet were band mates for 30odd years. In spite of the fact that Ray occasionally vetoed the inclusion of Dave's songs on Kinks albums, & thereby significantly reduced Dave's capacity to earn his living. Recommended for baby boomer music fans.
November 21, 2022
Many reviewers have been critical of this book complaining that it doesn't examine the background to Ray's writing to any great degree and spends too much time commenting on Ray's meanness. Both of these comments may be true, however, being a big kinks fan I was attracted to the sheer comprehensiveness of the book (600+ pages) however flawed and the opportunity to learn new things about the band and Ray which in this book is very much focused on the relationship between various members of the band and other people working for the Kinks.
It is true that Ray doesn't come over in the best of lights but that doesn't put me off because the music (particularly the later 60s period) is just so good. Reading the history of the band also reminded me of just how disorganised they often were and how many opportunities to become a band ofa similar status to the Rolling Stones or The Who were lost. How can albums of the quality of Village Green Preservation Society and Arthur have sold so little ? This is probably one of the reasons I am attracted to them !
It is true that Ray doesn't come over in the best of lights but that doesn't put me off because the music (particularly the later 60s period) is just so good. Reading the history of the band also reminded me of just how disorganised they often were and how many opportunities to become a band ofa similar status to the Rolling Stones or The Who were lost. How can albums of the quality of Village Green Preservation Society and Arthur have sold so little ? This is probably one of the reasons I am attracted to them !
May 15, 2021
Must admire the extensive research work by the author - very few biographies show this level of detail. Well written too. At the end, though, one has the impression that the author holds a bit of a grudge (maybe because RD was not heavily involved?) towards the subject and tends to behave like a rather acerbic music critic and regale us with very opinionated remarks about Davies' body of work - I am fine with his views about the man and his personality, or his perception of RD's personality and I understand his aim to be as objective as possible, but we all have very individual opinions about what music and art mean to us. If we bought and read an almost 800-page book about Ray and his work, chances are that we are very appreciative of everything he has gifted us. I don't feel like this book does justice to Ray's work and concentrates more on his misgivings than on his huge accomplishments.
September 29, 2021
I've loved The Kinks for years but unlike most of my other favourite bands, I knew nothing about them. Then I saw this in the library and thought I'd give it a go.
It was really interesting at the start but once The Kinks' glory years finish (c.1971), it gets dull and repetitive, and as other reviewers have mentioned, the detail does become overwhelming and could have been more thoroughly edited (for example, if a tour was cancelled, do we need to know what cities were due to be played?)
Davies doesn't come out of it particularly well, and some of it makes for uncomfortable reading. But it is undeniably brilliantly researched and gives a fascinating portrait of the world he emerged from, as well as his curious position during the 60s, so worth it for that.
It was really interesting at the start but once The Kinks' glory years finish (c.1971), it gets dull and repetitive, and as other reviewers have mentioned, the detail does become overwhelming and could have been more thoroughly edited (for example, if a tour was cancelled, do we need to know what cities were due to be played?)
Davies doesn't come out of it particularly well, and some of it makes for uncomfortable reading. But it is undeniably brilliantly researched and gives a fascinating portrait of the world he emerged from, as well as his curious position during the 60s, so worth it for that.
July 3, 2018
Well, this was a disappointment! I loved Johnny Rogan's (second) book on the Byrds, and I adore the music of Ray Davies and the Kinks. But Rogan's massive biography drowns his subject, and his audience, in such detail that it makes it difficult for even Ray's fans to keep reading. It's not that Rogan portrays Davies as self-absorbed, neurotic or whatever - I accept that. It's just that there is far too much pausing by the wayside to consider yet another example - and I got bored, then overwhelmed, and finally took the damn book back to the library without finishing it. I did give it a second star for the first-rate discography at the end, which, not surprisingly, goes on and on. :-)
August 19, 2017
As is always the case with Johnny Rogan's biographies this is a hefty tome packed with detail but which nevertheless has a narrative that doesn't drag at all.
Researched over many years it reveals Davies and all his foibles, many of which are far from pleasant. Needless to say, there's a particular focus on his relationship with brother Dave, who almost matches his oldet brother for unpleasantness.
Despite all that, we still have a superb catalogue of songs which will live down the ages. This book is the best attempt to capture the odd character that composed them.
Researched over many years it reveals Davies and all his foibles, many of which are far from pleasant. Needless to say, there's a particular focus on his relationship with brother Dave, who almost matches his oldet brother for unpleasantness.
Despite all that, we still have a superb catalogue of songs which will live down the ages. This book is the best attempt to capture the odd character that composed them.
March 20, 2023
Firstly, this isn't really a biography of Ray Davies. He's front and centre, but it's a book about the Kinks. The level of detail is amazing. Research has been done. But it's enervating to be told, repeatedly, that Ray and Dave Davies are, in different ways, insufferable. I love the Kinks, and while this doesn't have to mean that the Davies brothers are teddy bears, a bit more enthusiasm would make the exploration of their lives, their relationship, their work, more appealing. The word "complicated" does a lot of heavy lifting in the title.
October 20, 2017
I really wanted to read this book. Until I read it. I was hoping for a through line, some insights. There are insights there. But they are lost in an overabundance of trivia, of disconnected this and thats and fights and court dates. Combine that with some song analysis that I couldn't disagree with more strongly, and ... I couldn't finish it.
I've no doubt there's a ton of material for a Davies biography. But this is not the one I'd take to that proverbial desert island.
I've no doubt there's a ton of material for a Davies biography. But this is not the one I'd take to that proverbial desert island.
October 30, 2018
Beware, this is a "warts and all" biog. Whilst I am a fan of the man's music he does not come across as a "nice Bloke". I can understand why he and his brother have not been on speaking terms for many years.
December 8, 2020
The author is excellent (otherwise the rating would be a 2). Sadly the Davies brothers are two insufferable assholes with no redeeming qualities, and there is too much excruciating details of Kinks' later career. One for the die hard fans only.
April 26, 2022
I do have a weakness for music biographies, and I've always been a huge fan of The Kinks (and would be if they'd released nothing but 'Where Did My Go Go?'). I also like Johnny Rogan's 'Starmakers and Svengalis' and wish someone would make a film about Reg Calvert. Rogan's earlier book on The Kinks (which came out in the 1980s, I think) was succinct and informative. In many ways, it was more focused than this one, which, while exhaustively researched, sometimes struggles to see the wood for the trees.
The good points are a very rich opening section about Davies and his family (I love the bit when his mum makes the band's Old Etonian manager a dripping sandwich and a cuppa), formative musical/cultural influences, the early days of touring and so on. Davies's first wife, Raisa, finally gets the recognition she deserves (who knew she was the female voice on some of those early singles?), and there's a clear itinerary throughout - we always know who is where and why. However, these human stories sometimes get overwhelmed by background/historical detail, and it's hard to deny the negative aspects of Rogan's coverage.
I would say these were threefold. First, there's a relentless focus on Davies's presumed meanness. This is repetitive and wearing. Second, the more the book goes on, the more it turns into an annotated list of tours and releases, with a lot of later LPs given only cursory discussion. This makes the book feel 'listy' and, for all its enormous length, superficial. Third, and most significantly in my view, there is very little informed discussion of the music itself. I'm not expecting Rogan to do a Kinks version of 'Revolution in the Head', but I'd love to know more about how Davies actually composes his songs (we tend to get. 'Ray locked himself away for a week in which he lived off green tea and Jaffa Cakes and wrote 'This Time Tomorrow'). I'd also like a better grasp of their musicality (other than 'Dave played the solo on 'Scrapheap City' or 'Ray used his familiar descending bass line'). What comes first - the words or the music? How does Ray think? The book looks at the behaviour of an outstanding songwriter and lists his various frailties at length, but it conveys little bout his creative personality. I felt that was a missed opportunity, though it remains a useful complement to Davies' 'unauthorised autobiography', the much more entertaining 'X-Ray'.
The good points are a very rich opening section about Davies and his family (I love the bit when his mum makes the band's Old Etonian manager a dripping sandwich and a cuppa), formative musical/cultural influences, the early days of touring and so on. Davies's first wife, Raisa, finally gets the recognition she deserves (who knew she was the female voice on some of those early singles?), and there's a clear itinerary throughout - we always know who is where and why. However, these human stories sometimes get overwhelmed by background/historical detail, and it's hard to deny the negative aspects of Rogan's coverage.
I would say these were threefold. First, there's a relentless focus on Davies's presumed meanness. This is repetitive and wearing. Second, the more the book goes on, the more it turns into an annotated list of tours and releases, with a lot of later LPs given only cursory discussion. This makes the book feel 'listy' and, for all its enormous length, superficial. Third, and most significantly in my view, there is very little informed discussion of the music itself. I'm not expecting Rogan to do a Kinks version of 'Revolution in the Head', but I'd love to know more about how Davies actually composes his songs (we tend to get. 'Ray locked himself away for a week in which he lived off green tea and Jaffa Cakes and wrote 'This Time Tomorrow'). I'd also like a better grasp of their musicality (other than 'Dave played the solo on 'Scrapheap City' or 'Ray used his familiar descending bass line'). What comes first - the words or the music? How does Ray think? The book looks at the behaviour of an outstanding songwriter and lists his various frailties at length, but it conveys little bout his creative personality. I felt that was a missed opportunity, though it remains a useful complement to Davies' 'unauthorised autobiography', the much more entertaining 'X-Ray'.
July 11, 2023
A detailed desciption of the life and times of one of the most enigmatic, tumultuous, petulant, abrasive, miserly, misunderstood and brilliant artists in the history of rock and roll. Rogan delves into the times and moments surrounding the volatile relationships and evolving musical career of Ray Davies. He delves into his each and every production, film, record release and the many re-releases, reproductions and remasters, stage spectacles, television appearances and abandoned projects exposing the many pratfalls and highlights along the way. The fractured nuances of the familal relationships of the artist, the impact of these moments on his work and his marital relations which further impacted his career are given careful consideration. Ray Davies relates that he is easy to love and impossible to live with. This is the best rock and roll biography I have ever read and I have read quite a few. The impact of this arist on the style, politics, fashion, music and films of his generation and his volatile relations with his management, production team, and most especially his brother is exposed as an evolving episodic epistle. A masterful paeon to a great, eccentric, English genius.
April 6, 2023
The best part of this book was ... everything?
The fact that it was about a true wonderworker, the one and only Ray Davies. The man who made the Kinks what they became, the man who formed what would go on to become THE band to reckon with. You can have your Beatles, your Stones, your Who, but the thinking man takes the Kinks every time. The thinking feeling man. The Kinks were about feelings. Not raging or screaming, but real, deep, intense feels.
Ray was the Star and remains so. Nothing bad to say here, enjoyed thoroughly, Fantastic read, about a fantastic man.
Buy it, you will not be sorry.
The fact that it was about a true wonderworker, the one and only Ray Davies. The man who made the Kinks what they became, the man who formed what would go on to become THE band to reckon with. You can have your Beatles, your Stones, your Who, but the thinking man takes the Kinks every time. The thinking feeling man. The Kinks were about feelings. Not raging or screaming, but real, deep, intense feels.
Ray was the Star and remains so. Nothing bad to say here, enjoyed thoroughly, Fantastic read, about a fantastic man.
Buy it, you will not be sorry.
May 24, 2017
excellent BIG bio!!!! all you need to know and more!!!
June 11, 2021
Complicated life indeed, including sibling rivalry extraordinaire, legendary meanness, temperamental, pop writing genius
Read
January 30, 2019Probably the best book I have read on the Kinks. Bit repetitive with constant references to Ray's stinginess. Also overplays the portrayal of Ray as some sort of Machiavelli (at one point it claims Ray is beating up a friend who has bullied Dave with Ray saying 'Nobody picks on Dave but me'). Despite that its a good read...mainly because it is not afraid to criticise Ray
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews