In a 2017 interview, Dave Davies of The Kinks spoke about the dynamics of working with his brother, Ray Davies, in the same band. He implied tension in their relationship and tied it to Ray’s feelings toward him. Talking to Daily Mail, he said:
“There is something about me that irritates him. I don’t know what it is. It’s a toxic thing. It’s vampirism. Ray is a bit of a control freak. That may be a good thing sometimes — it’s probably helped his writing.”
Delving deeper into their relationship, the guitarist noted that these particular traits of his brother played a role in shaping The Kinks’ sound. But their personal affair remained strained over the years.
Dave cited an incident that took place on his 50th birthday as a reflection of their relationship. During the party, Ray threw the birthday cake on the floor and went on to stomp on it. About what happened, the guitarist commented:
“I think he probably paid for the cake, too, but that was Ray all over. He’d want me to have something like that — but then he couldn’t bear to see me with it. He wants me to have things but can’t stand it when I do. I love him. He loves me, but when we’re in the same room, it doesn’t work.”
Still, the brothers showed support to each other through challenging times. The guitarist helped his brother during the break of his three marriages, while the vocalist offered his house for Dave to recover after having a stroke in 2004.
They also never cut contact, as the former Kinks member revealed:
“We speak on the phone, or we email. Not regularly, but every so often. I’ll tell him what I’m up to. He’ll say what he’s doing.”
On the other hand, Ray and Dave Davies repeatedly said that they didn’t plan a reunion for the band. Apart from a gig together during the latter’s London concert in 2015, the two continued their careers separately.
Dave created a song called ‘Open Road’ with his son Russ in 2017. A year later, Ray released his solo album ‘Our Country: Americana Act II.’ You can check out the records below.
