Ray Davies of The Kinks stated in a conversation with Mojo that he and Pete Townshend were not the same.
The singer compared The Who to The Kinks in response to the interviewer asking if he was rivals with Townshend:
Not at all. We were unique. Not that we were on the same level [laughs]. Several times, The High Numbers opened for The Kinks. I’ve always known they will one day be exceptional. When I refer to The Who as being in “a different league,” I mean that we were in a completely different league. The Who, Jimi, and Led Zeppelin all embarked on a very corporate, very American journey, but The Kinks never left their little world. I’m friends with Pete, but we don’t push it. Respecting one another’s privacy is a necessary component of our mutual regard.
There are many similarities between The Kinks and The Who. Both bands had tumultuous member relationships, and shared influences, and were founded in London in the 1960s. Despite their differences in style, Townshend and Davies both contributed significantly to the rock opera genre.
The Kinks Were Banned From Performing In The US
The Kinks’ tour of America wasn’t very successful. The band was banned during their 1965 US tour following a fight in which drummer Mick Avory and guitarist Dave Davies got into a violent altercation that left them both hospitalized and imprisoned. The tour also had trouble selling enough tickets. Ray later criticized the ban as unjust but acknowledged they had some issues that they had caused themselves:
“We were accused of being late by a man who approached us and claimed to work for the TV company. Then he began to criticize the British. Things like “Every mop-topped, spotty-faced limey juvenile thinks he can come over here and make a career for himself just because the Beatles did it.” You people are nothing more than Commie wimps.
He went on:
“Don’t expect us to come over and save you this time when the Russians take over Britain.” Whoa, the Kinks? You will never again be employed in the United States after I file my report on you guys. You limey bastard, you’re going to discover just how powerful America is! The remainder is hazy. I do, however, remember getting shoved, swinging a punch, and getting punched back.
After years of animosity, Davies disclosed in February that he and his brother Dave had reconnected on the internet. Dave is in the US, and Ray resides in London. Although they have made up, Ray ruled out the possibility of a full Kinks reunion.
