FREE RAY DAVIES: A COMPLICATED LIFE PDF Johnny Rogan | 784 pages | 03 Dec 2016 | Vintage Publishing | 9780099554080 | English | London, United Kingdom Review: Ray Davies: A Complicated Life - a creative powerhouse riddled with ambivalence The north London suburb of Muswell Hill is perhaps best known for the serial killer Dennis Nilsen, who disposed of his victims in an Edwardian semi long since unoccupied but oddly given our obsession with notoreity without a blue plaque. Not far from the infamous Cranley Gardens address is the secondary Ray Davies: A Complicated Life where Ray Davies and his younger brother Dave went to school in the Fifties. The red- brick house is still there but Muswell Hill is no longer a shabby outreach of the Northern Line. Davies can still be seen mooching around, however, as he lives in nearby Highgate. According Ray Davies: A Complicated Life this diligent biography, Ray Davies was born in to a Smithfield slaughterman, Ray Davies: A Complicated Life Davies, and his wife, Annie. Stewart was kicked out when his voice was found to be unpleasantly raspy. Three years later, inDavies gave us Waterloo Sunset, one of the most beautiful pop songs ever written. For all their childhood singalongs, Ray and Dave were constantly at blows over song credits, royalties, drink and women. The rivalry was casebook Freud. Unlike Dave, Ray was a prickly man with a keen sense of social grievance and inferiority. Ray Davies: A Complicated Life a concert inAvory hit Dave so hard across the head with a cymbal that he was feared dead. Promoters wished the Kinks could be polite like the Rolling Stones. The Kinks Are the Village Green Preservation Society, their magnificent album, offered sardonic music hall routines and Orwellian sketches of suburban aspiration and family dysfunction. In the half-century of his songwriting, Davies has drawn inspiration from his tumultuous Muswell Hill life. Inaged 30, his adored sister Rene died from a heart attack on the dance floor of the Lyceum Ballroom in the Strand. Ray was about to celebrate his 13th birthday and Rene had given him his first guitar. Afterwards Davies was diagnosed with bipolar disorder and he attempted suicide. Two further marriages and a much-publicised affair with Chrissie Hynde also failed. Disaster stalked his life even as he was rediscovered. Inon the eve of his 60th birthday, Davies was shot at by muggers in New Orleans after giving chase. Notoriously tight-fisted, Davies could not bear to be parted with any of his money. Call or see books. Ray Davies: A Complicated Life by Johnny Rogan Goodreads helps you keep track of books you want to read. Want to Read saving…. Want to Read Currently Reading Read. Other editions. Enlarge cover. Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Open Preview See a Problem? Details if other :. Ray Davies: A Complicated Life for telling us about the problem. Return to Book Page. Preview — Ray Davies by Johnny Rogan. Within months, they were challenging The Beatles and The Rolling Stones in the charts, swamped by fans and renowned for the rioting at their gigs. Based on countless interviews conducted over several decades, this richly detailed and revelatory biography presents the most frank and intimate portrait yet of Ray Davies, and promises to be the definitive biography of this most fascinating and complicated life. Get A Copy. Hardcoverpages. More Details Other Editions 3. Friend Reviews. To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up. To ask other readers questions about Ray Daviesplease sign up. Where can I get a copy of this book? It is out of print on Amazon. Could I borrow it from someone and then send it back? See 1 question about Ray Davies…. Lists with This Book. Community Reviews. Showing Average rating 3. Rating details. More filters. Sort order. Feb 28, Sharry rated it it was amazing. I had never read a biography about the Kinks before. I knew about some of their history and some of their recordings, but not all. I love detailed biographies and Johnny Rogan is especially adept at this sort of book. Ray Davies does not come off as a very likeable person, although moments of sentiment and caring do show through. I felt great sympathy for what younger brother Dave had to put up with, but then his Ray Davies: A Complicated Life was also rather unsettling. He could fly off the handle for no reason tu I had never read a biography about the Kinks before. He could fly off the handle for no reason turning into "Mr. Hyde"and he also acted abusively toward longtime Kinks drummer Mick Avory. The almost constant antagonism between Ray and Dave cast an unhappy veil over the rest of the band. Nevertheless, both brothers realized that they were dependent on each other to make the band a success. Ray eventually decided to pursue a solo career. It was fascinating to read about the band's ups and downs and their forays into different musical directions. View all 6 comments. Jan 05, Pete daPixie rated it really liked it Shelves: biogspoptastic. Johnny Rogan has quite an impressive list of popular music biographies. I have previously read his 'Van Morrison-No Surrender'. Anyone who was intimately associated with the Kink kontroversi Johnny Rogan has quite an impressive list of popular music biographies. Anyone who was intimately associated with the Kink kontroversies over the previous fifty years have contributed to Rogan's work. The journey is accompanied by relevant social and 'poptastic' histories. With over seven hundred and fifty pages of text, notes, discography and index, this publication blows away Davies' autobiog 'X-Ray'. Rogan takes a sharp scalpel inside Ray's psyche and readers will be amazed how Dave Davies, Pete Quaife Ray Davies: A Complicated Life Mick Avory remained Kinks for as long as they did. Not described as the definitive biography without reason. Jun 20, Malcolm Frawley rated it really liked it Shelves: owned. Joined the hip through their music they could barely stand sharing the stage times, yet were band mates for 30odd years. Recommended for baby boomer music fans. Mar 21, Betty C. As a lifelong Kinks' fan, I knew I would enjoy this book. I was impressed by Johnny Rogan's detailed research, and especially enjoyed the early chapters, which gave a real feel for the Davies family and the background the brothers come from. I however agree with some reviews that criticize Rogan for constantly going back to the theme of Ray's supposed cheap streak. It may be true, but some of the jabs on this subject seemed gratuitous, and perhaps other aspects of his personality could have been As a lifelong Kinks' fan, I knew I would enjoy this book. It may be true, but some of the jabs on this subject seemed gratuitous, and perhaps other aspects of his personality could have been more fully developed. Their chaotic, larger than life, family, schooldays and the beginnings of their interest in making music. What was also obvious was that Ray, even as a young boy, was often silent and withdrawn and his behaviour suggested cause for concern — this is a recurring theme of the book, as is the constant, infamous warring with younger brother Dave and his reputation for meanness… Although there are parts of the book where you feel that the author does tend to continually mention negative traits, I felt it was important in order to understand the unfolding story of the Kinks as a band. The violence on stage, the constant arguing and issues in the studio, all seemed to Ray Davies: A Complicated Life against the Kinks getting the real success they deserved. A disastrous visit led to the Kinks being banned from Ray Davies: A Complicated Life US for four years, with management issues and lawsuits all combining to halt the Kinks progress in the mid Sixties. Ray Davies was obviously temperamental to put it kindlyhis first marriage was unravelling and his behaviour in the studio, and on tour, stifled creativity in other band members. By the end of the Sixties, the Kinks were virtually a forgotten act. With failing singles and havoc on tour, they had cult — but not commercial — success. If the Seventies had mixed success, the Eighties led to criticisms of the bands relevance, more personal issues and the humiliation of being turned down for Live Aid. This book takes you through all the roller coaster rides of the Kinks as a band and Ray Davies life. You have the terrible year of Ray Davies: A Complicated Life, when Ray Davies was shot apparently, despite such a shocking event, he was still able to complain about Ray Davies: A Complicated Life his new trousers cut in order for paramedics to examine the wound and Dave Davies suffered a stroke. The trauma of touring and the constant warring between the brothers — such as when filming a promo film and the band were Ray Davies: A Complicated Life to pretend to attack Ray Davies, leading to Dave Davies getting so carried away that he eventually had to be dragged off his brother. The violence between them was often ugly and it had a huge affect on the band and those around them. There is also much about the Ray Davies: A Complicated Life of Ray Davies — his personal attacks on those around him and yet his obvious emotional vulnerability. Of course, at the end of the day, it is the music that stands. Ray Davies need not doubt that his music, his song writing and his talent, will last forever.