Americana The Kinks, The Riff, The Road A Memoir

Author: Ray Davies

Stock information

General Fields

  • : $34.95 AUD
  • : 9780753555231
  • : Ebury Press
  • : Virgin Books
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  • : August 2013
  • : 234mm X 153mm
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  • : 34.95
  • : November 2013
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  • : books

Special Fields

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  • : Ray Davies
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  • : Paperback
  • : Nov-13
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  • : 782.42166092
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  • : 240
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Barcode 9780753555231
9780753555231

Description

As a boy in post-War England, legendary Kinks singer/songwriter Ray Davies fell in love with America - its movies and music, its culture of freedom all fed his imagination. Then, as part of the British Invasion, he toured the US with the Kinks during one of the most tumultuous eras in American history - until the group was banned from performing there from 1965-69. Decades later, while living in New Orleans, he experienced a transformative event: the shooting (a result of a botched robbery) that nearly took his life. In Americana, Davies tries to make sense of his long love-hate relationship with the country that both inspired and frustrated him. From his quintessentially English perspective as a Kink, Davies - with candour, humour, and wit - takes us on a very personal road trip through his life and storied career as a rock star, and reveals what music, fame and America really mean to him. Some of the most fascinating characters in recent pop culture make appearances, from the famous to the perhaps even more interesting behind-the-scenes players. The book also includes a photographic insert with images from Davies' own collection from the band's archive.

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Welcome to Ray Davies' America

Author description

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. Since the Kinks disbanded, he has embarked on a solo career and continues to tour and record. He has also acted, directed, and produced shows for theatre and television. Davies was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 2004 and in 2012, his performance of the Kinks song 'Waterloo Sunset' was a highlight of the closing ceremony of the London Olympics. On his most recent album, See My Friends (2011), he collaborated with such artists as Bruce Springsteen, Metallica, and Jon Bon Jovi.