r/thekinks • u/turnedtheasphault • 13d ago
Anyone else a little worried about Ray?
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?
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u/TomTrauma 13d ago
I sometimes think about what he's up to these days, how he's getting on. And it would be nice to have some sort of update, but he doesn't owe the public anything in that regard. He was always a very private person. He did do that Channel 4 interview around 2018 or so, and seemed rather frail there, so who knows... It's the sad fate of growing old.
He never got the acclaim he deserved, though. I can see a re-evaluation of his work occuring sometime with the younger generations... I mean, I'm thirty, and even I know very few people who listen to The Kinks regularly. But I did get my friend into Something Else and he listened to it non-stop for months.
In my eyes, when he does go, he deserves a state funeral on the scale of a Beatle. Not such a phenomenon, of course, but absolutely of the same artistry, sophistication and standard. For what it's worth, and depending on my mood, I consider Waterloo Sunset to be the greatest song of the entire sixties.
Didn't anticipate this turning into a weirdly dour living eulogy... But yes, to answer your question, it does make me sad that Ray appears to have disappeared completely now from the public. Let's just hope he's enjoying his dotage.
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u/huwareyou 13d ago
He is one of the greatest living songwriters but a state funeral would be ridiculous and I can’t imagine he’d want one.
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u/TomTrauma 13d ago
Perhaps it wasn't so obvious that I was being hyperbolic and slightly tongue in cheek... None of The Beatles have had or will have a state funeral, for starters.
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u/Ian_Hunter 13d ago
Yes, but none of The Beatles are THE quintessential English songwriter!
I'm kidding oc , but just about the state funeral aspect. I do consider Ray the quintessential English songwriter.
His health has concerned me as well. I think I've mentioned it a few times over the last few years as he's removed himself from any forward facing projects.
However he is, wherever he is he has my eternal gratitude and love.
God Save The Kinks!🤘😎🤘
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u/Shoddy-Resolution919 10d ago
No he must have one. Take away resources from the royal family for it as punishment for defending pedophiles.
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u/turnedtheasphault 13d ago
Yeah I hesitated a bit before posting this but I was genuinely just a bit worried! Hope he's doing well.
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u/bjbigplayer 13d ago
The clock is ticking on so many of our Classic icons.
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u/TomTrauma 13d ago
It's all going to start kicking off soon. So many of them all in their mid eighties... It'll be like 2016 on steroids.
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u/turnedtheasphault 13d ago
Strange times to see aging rock stars. In 10 years time many of them will be in their early-mid 90s which is almost inconceivable to think about. Thinking people like Ray, Paul Simon, Paul McCartney, etc...
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u/i-was-nothing 13d ago
Ray, thanks for everything and anything. My wonderful personality would be a lot lamer without your existence. The entire world should gather to thank you and your band. There’s musicians who try and serve the masses, and then there’s bands who try and serve You, and somehow make it to the masses along the way. Love you all
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u/GeorgeParisol 13d ago edited 13d ago
people still talk about a reunion? I am a bit sad and worried but try not to think about it too much.
The music will stay forever.
My all time favorite. My Inspiration.
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u/turnedtheasphault 13d ago
Probably not! But I remember seeing a few desperate pleas on this sub over the last few years for a little reunion. But yeah man, a truly brilliant, inspirational, and quite possibly a bit aloof man! Loved his Imaginary Man documentary too.
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u/OneDragonfly5613 13d ago
Ray is a recluse at heart
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u/turnedtheasphault 13d ago
Yeah I figured and I can only imagine it's a bit more pronounced with age
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u/the_walrus_was_paul 13d ago
God, I’m so lucky I got to see him in 2012 during one of his last tours, here in San Francisco. Very small venue when I was able to walk basically, to the very front of the stage. I was literally within 2 feet of him. Best concert of my life.
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u/HeroHabit Sitting in my hotel 13d ago
I saw him in SF when he came through with the choir. It was a magical show and I loved every second of it.
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u/huwareyou 13d ago
I don’t think we’ll hear more music from him, no, nor see him doing conventional press or making major public appearances. It’s just been too long. He was in great voice on his last albums but he seemed frail even then; we know he’s lived with a debilitating back condition and that’s not easy to grow old with.
In terms of facts, he has given some interviews, via phone, in recent years. He spoke to Yahoo and The Times in 2024. The former wrote that he “has been struggling with his health” and I think Mick Avory has implied the same. This year, he has made the news twice with comments relayed by others rather than direct from the source (the Moby comment and Andrew Sandoval saying Ray is pissed off about his book), but that doesn’t necessarily mean that he couldn’t still give interviews if he had reason to.
That’s all I’ve got, really!
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u/the_ace_face 13d ago
Did he speak with Yahoo or The Times though? Any time I read an article that presents itself as an interview with Ray from the 2020s it's very vague on if they actually spoke to him or if the quotes are just things he's said over the years. There's also never any updates photo to go along with it like you would expect from a genuine profile piece the artist agreed to.
The only evidence I've seen of Ray in recent years was paparazzi photos taken of him taking a walk during the pandemic, where he seemed to look relatively well and was dressed quite stylish for his age as I recall and a photo of him and Dave that Dave posted online a few years ago where he looked very frail
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u/huwareyou 13d ago
I am pretty certain he did speak to them. The Yahoo article is about the Sunny Afternoon musical and comes from the Chicago Tribune and while Ray’s quotes are quite sparing, he is asked directly about Chicago. The Times one was a profile in celebration of his 80th birthday and Ray’s current day to day life (watching Netflix) comes up. To be frank, I don’t think The Times would mislead readers with old quotes.
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u/Presence_Academic 12d ago
The Tribune definitely was in contact with Ray in regards to last spring’s US debut of the Sunny Afternoon musical. What’s telling is that Ray made no attempt to be in Chicago for the premiere.
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u/Definitely-Not-Mark Arthur (Or the Decline and Fall of the British Empire) 13d ago
I just hope he’s in good health and enjoying a peaceful quiet life. Though I wish we could hear from him every once in a while too.
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u/sweetdudejim5 13d ago
I do wonder too. And yeah, I gave up on a reunion, or even some kind of album that maybe Ray, Dave and Mick were gonna piece together.
I just wonder what’s wrong with Ray. Doesn’t seem to be dementia or something. Is it something physical? Or is he just content not being in the public eye?
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u/jmush 13d ago
I know what you mean. He doesn’t technically owe us anything, but we all feel a need for a little bit of closure. Otherwise we will sadly just wake up to the headline that he has passed.
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u/turnedtheasphault 13d ago
He has given us all of lifetime of entertainment, engagement, and for us US folks, a unique glimpse into romanticized English life! The man owes us nothing more, I agree.
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u/jjrox75 13d ago
For those in Southern California, Dave is doing a paid meet and greet at the end of this month, 5/29 & 5/30. It’s pretty much a cash grab; I won’t be attending. I’m lucky enough to have met him on a few occasions before the paid meet and greets were a thing. I have quite a few signed LPs by both Ray and Dave. Search “Dave Davies Hollywood Show” for more info. Sadly, I have not seen much about Ray lately. ( Except for the Moby B.S., but that’s not saying much, he’s a douche).
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u/Odd-Smell-1125 13d ago
I pay rather close attention, the only thing I have heard is that Andrew Sandoval heard that Ray is upset that Andrew wrote a thorough Kinks day-by-day book which is to come out later this year. Ray is annoyed, according to Sandoval because he feels this will weaken the appeal of his own book which he is working on. That's the story, while I believe Ray could be annoyed, I have a hard time believing that he is actually writing a book. He does seem frail, completely fed up, and fully retired from everything.
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u/SmearingFeces 12d ago
“But I don’t feel afraid
As long as I gaze on Waterloo sunset
I am in paradise.”
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u/notontherugman69 11d ago
Poor Ray and Dave. Kinks do not get the credit they deserve. Preaching to the choir here I know. Only saw them once, in the late 70's at the old outdoor Universal Amphitheater in LA. That show still sticks in my brain. For me was like seeing the Beatles or the Who or the Stones. In a small venue, only moderately full.
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u/turnedtheasphault 11d ago
Glad you caught them, must have been amazing! But it is indeed a shame people don't talk about them like some of the more popular 60's bands
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u/notontherugman69 11d ago
Yes it is. And to catch them live on a good night. Wish I could have seen them again. Terrific live band.
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u/RobActionTributeBand 3d ago
I am. He's- what? less than 2 years older than Dave but I seem to see a lot more from Dave. I hope Ray is well. I'm very happy that Dave seems to have made a full or full-seeming recovery from the stroke. I honest to God deeply love them both and believe these works wouldn't exist if it was one without the other.
I'm trying to overcome my own hurdles to buy a ticket and show up to bask on Dave's glory while he's still out there.
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u/real-BruceBanner 13d ago
Within the last month he fired back at Moby (whomever that is) on comments about Lola