Americana: The Kinks, the Riff, the Road: The Story

As a boy in post-War England, legendary Kinks' singer/songwriter Ray Davies was fascinated by America—ts movies and music, its culture of freedom, fed his imagination. Then, as part of the British Invasion, he toured the US with the Kinks during one of the most tumultuous eras in recent history—until the Kinks were banned from performing there from 1965-69. Many tours and trips later, he experienced a transformative event in New Orleans when he was shot during a botched robbery. From his quintessentially English perspective as songwriter for the Kinks, Davies explores in Americana his feelings—love, confusion, and fascination—toward the country that both inspires and frustrates him. With candor, humor, and wit, he takes us on a very personal road trip through his life and storied career as a rock writer-performer, and reveals what music, fame, and America really mean to him. Some of the most fascinating characters in recent pop culture make appearances, from the famous to the perhaps even-more-interesting behind-the-scenes players. The book also includes a photographic insert with many images from Davies's own collection.