This is a previously unpublished 3-part interview with Ray from 1998, including his thoughts on band's 1970's catalog, his relationship with Dave then and his thoughts at the time on a reunion. There's also several previously unseen photos of Ray taken at NYC shows around 2011 by Dave Kaufman. Hope you enjoy this!

https://www.furious.com/perfect/raydaviesinterview.html

https://samtimonious.com/what-was-wanted-the-kinks-give-the-people-what-they-want/

I don't know too much about jazz, so I'm wondering if someone can help me parse the music of "Alcohol" a little bit. To me this song sounds very New Orleans, though I can't really be more specific than that. I don't know, it just conjures up images of processions down a street, like during Carnival or Mardi Gras. I gather there is something called "funeral jazz," and "Alcohol" seems to be in that category, or at least adjacent. But it might not be New Orleans I'm hearing... it could be some other region. Any jazz experts here who can fill in some of the details for me?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LJ4KMBA_ewU&list=RDLJ4KMBA_ewU&start_radio=1

At 81, we are most certainly not getting a Kinks reunion of any sort. Call me a pessimist but I simply can't imagine it at this point. I haven't heard anything public of him for quite some time and videos of him from just a few years ago were really showing his age. I fear he's in poor health. Perhaps he's just aging and becoming ever more private. Trying to respect his privacy here but I'm just sad that we may never hear from one the greatest songwriters ever again.

Seems like Dave has recovered from his stroke quite well and it's good to hear from him periodically. So unless I've missed an interview or any signs of life from Ray, has he been in the public eye in recent memory at all?

I know 2004 version has more songs and demos

https://www.tiktok.com/@samtimonious/video/7507699005099347222?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc&web_id=7555527227532740098

In 1967, the single "Death of a Clown" was released to considerable success in the UK, hitting No. 3. The single was Davies' first to feature his own name, rather than that of the iconic Kinks. With a prominent picture of Dave on the sleeve and a B-side of "Love Me Till The Sun Shines", the successful debut prompted the innovative Kinks' lead guitarist and backing vocalist to consider embarking on a solo career; however, after next year's subsequent single "Susannah's Still Alive" barely cracked the top 20, and both "Lincoln County" and "Hold My Hand" having failed to chart altogether, Davies abandoned the idea of a solo career until 1980.

Why in your opinion did these subsequent singles fail to achieve the success of "Death of a Clown"? Were "Susannah's Still Alive", "Lincoln County", or "Hold My Hand" the wrong choices to release as singles, or did Davies simply not have the right songs in his catalogue at the time to top the charts?

What a great photo

please don’t be that mean about it, I’m starting to draw again after years of stopping, I did my best and I’m happy with it :)

I love The Kinks!!!

I didn’t follow the photo 100% like the facial expression is completely different and I missed some of the detail on his jacket but I did heavily base it off the picture I included :)

https://samtimonious.com/the-kinks-low-budget/

Flash Ray: The memories of a gentleman neurotic. does this article even exist?? I searched everywhere and can't find anything and I don't understand what I'm doing wrong.

https://samtimonious.com/the-kinks-arthur-or-the-decline-and-fall-of-the-british-empire/

Hello! I’m a bassist! My favorite one is picture book, it’s just so iconic, what’s your fav Reddit?

This is my first post here, feel free to ask me anything about the book: I am one of the authors.