page_title: Dave Davies
section_title: Early years (1963–1966)
hierarchical_section_title: Dave Davies / Career / Early years (1963–1966)
caption_attribution_description: English: The Kinks performing This is where I belong and Mr. Pleasant. Dutch TV programme Fanclub (29 April 1967)
context_page_description: David Russell Gordon Davies is an English singer, songwriter and guitarist. He is the lead guitarist and backing singer for English rock band The Kinks, which also features his elder brother Sir Ray Davies.
  In 2003, Davies was ranked 91st in Rolling Stone Magazine's list of the "100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time".
context_section_description: Dave Davies was solely responsible for the signature distorted power chord sound on the Kinks' first hit, "You Really Got Me". He achieved the sound by using a razor blade to slit the speaker cone on his Elpico amplifier, which he then ran through a larger Vox as a "pre-amp". This sound was one of the first mainstream appearances of distortion, which was to have a major influence on many later musicians, especially in heavy metal and punk rock.
  "You Really Got Me" was the band's third released single, the two previous recordings having failed to chart. They had a three-single contract with Pye Records, and needed a hit to get another. Pye didn't like the song and refused to pay for studio time. The band arranged other financial support to cut the single, which became a hit, topping the charts in the UK and reaching number 7 in the US.
  The Kinks released three albums and several EPs in the next two years. They also performed and toured relentlessly, headlining package tours with the likes of The Yardbirds and The Mickey Finn, which caused tension within the band. Some legendary on-stage fights erupted during this time as well. The most notorious incident was at the Capitol Theatre in Cardiff in May 1965, involving drummer Mick Avory and Dave Davies. The fight broke out during the second number of the set, "Beautiful Delilah". It culminated with Davies insulting Avory and kicking over his drum set after finishing the first song, "You Really Got Me". Avory responded by knocking down Davies with his hi-hat stand, rendering him unconscious. He then fled from the scene and Davies was taken to Cardiff Royal Infirmary, where he received 16 stitches to the head. Avory later claimed that it was part of a new act in which the band members would hurl their instruments at each other.
  During the late 1960s the group steadily evolved, as Ray's songwriting skills developed and he began to lead the group in a new direction. The group abandoned the traditional R&B/blues sound and adopted a more nostalgic, reflective style of music, as showcased on songs like "Autumn Almanac" and "Waterloo Sunset", as well as their albums, such as Something Else by the Kinks and The Village Green Preservation Society.
caption: Dave Davies & The Kinks (Dutch TV, 1967)
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