DAVE DAVIES - Among Brothers

28. April 2017

Dave Davies Kinks

DAVE DAVIES - Among Brothers

"I've been here a few years, a stone's throw from Manhattan. And that's because of a woman. How life plays," giggles the phone. This lady is called Rebecca Wilson and is a life companion, background singer, assistant and lifeline in personal union. "She was there for me when I had a stroke in 2004 and had to learn to walk and speak again. A terrible experience. It took me two years to get on my feet. Since then I have known what is important in life, namely family, friendship, good music and enjoying every day to the full."

According to this premise, he also made peace with his brother, who was three years older and in whose shadow he stood until the separation of the Kinks in 1996. "We have a complex relationship because Ray was always the leader and I basically had two choices: subordinate myself or do my own thing." What he tried in 1967 with the single "Death Of A Clown" - and promptly landed a hit. That this did not become more is due to his mentality and targeted self-sabotage. "I remember this gig at the Beat Club in Bremen. The director wanted me to go down a spiral staircase and then take a girl by the hand. Unfortunately, I was so drunk that they put me on a bar stool instead, and I was glad that I didn't tip over during playback. It was terrible, I just thought: what am I doing here, where is the band? After the next singles flopped, I knew where I belonged. I've been a team player ever since."

If it was up to him, he'd still be today. But despite all efforts: Ray won't soften up. "I would have liked to make something about our fiftieth, an album, a tour, a special concert. But he didn't seem interested. And when we actually managed to tinker with some demos last year, I gradually realized that he wasn't on the ball because, as I learned later, he recorded a solo album on the side. I was really upset that he didn't even think it was necessary to inform me about it, but simply left me standing in the studio.

Lest mehr im eclipsed Nr. 190 (05-2017).