In 1965, The Kinks faced a four-year ban on performing in the U.S. Their wild antics and a fight with a TV producer during summer shows led to this strict punishment. Sir Ray Davies, the band’s lead singer and guitarist, reflected, “The ban in America was due to bad management, bad luck, and bad behavior — but we were just young.”
Before the ban, The Kinks were riding high in America. Their hits “You Really Got Me” and “All Day and All of the Night” both reached the U.S. top 10 in 1964. Just as British music was taking over America, The Kinks lost their chance while The Beatles and The Rolling Stones continued to rise.
With no U.S. shows, Davies focused on creating British-themed music. The band produced hits like “Dedicated Follower of Fashion” and “Waterloo Sunset.” In 1970, they made a comeback with “Lola.” They started playing smaller venues and adapted their sound to fit the punk era.
The mid-1970s brought new success with a rawer sound. At Davies’ Konk Studios in London, they recorded Sleepwalker, their first album with Clive Davis’s Arista label. Living in New York City inspired Davies to write songs like “Superman” and “Catch Me Now I’m Falling.” These tracks helped their 1979 album, Low Budget, win over American fans, while Davies maintained his London style.
The Kinks continued to release successful albums in the 1980s, including Give the People What They Want and State of Confusion. Recently, a newly found tape from their final Royal Albert Hall show in 1993 was released as The Journey Part 3. Fans can enjoy classic hits like “You Really Got Me” and “Sunny Afternoon” from that memorable night.
