Ray and Dave Davies are recording new Kinks music together

They're also reviving and re-recording old and unreleased Kinks material

Dave Davies has confirmed that he and his brother Ray Davies are currently in the studio working on new Kinks music.

The much-loved band first signalled their intention to return back in June 2018 when Ray disclosed that he was reforming The Kinks with Dave and original drummer Mick Avory, and that the band were set to begin work on new material.

Dave has now given an update on the Kinks’ studio progress, telling Rolling Stone yesterday (July 16) that work was initially geared towards working on tracks for the upcoming 50th anniversary reissue of their 1969 album ‘Arthur (Or the Decline and Fall of the British Empire)’.

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“That’s virtually done,” Dave said, noting that the reissue would be released in time for the October anniversary. “It’s a really, really interesting package that’s going to have other songs from that time period like [my solo song] ‘Hold My Hand.’”

The Kinks

Dave also revealed that the three musicians, as well as Avory’s replacement on drums Bob Henrit, have been working on reviving old and unreleased Kinks tracks “for a couple of years”.

“We keep going backwards and listening to a lot of old stuff. Some of that is very good, and some of it needs a bit of work,” he said. “Some we recorded but never used. Others don’t have finished vocals or they need other embellishments.”

Speaking about the new Ray-written material, Dave said that the songs “are really just in demo form now. But good demos. Ray is still dissecting various other material we might use. The intention is to get the work out, but it’s not a done deal.”

The interview also clarifies that the band have yet to appoint a bass player for the sessions. The original Kinks bassist Pete Quaife died in 2010, while his replacement Jim Rodford, who played with the band from 1978 to their break-up in 1996, died in 2018.

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Asked if the eventual release of new music may lead to a Kinks tour in the near future, Dave, who Rolling Stone notes met the question with “a long, deep laugh”, responded:  “Interesting question. I really don’t know. I think it’s possible. It’s not out of the question. But at this stage, it’s far too early to say.

“It would be fun though, wouldn’t it?”

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