Ray Davies Updates His ‘Collaboration’ with Dave Davies on Their New ‘Project Kinks’

Fans have clamored for a musical return of the Kinks for decades, and it appears that one is, indeed coming from the legendary band — as was made clear back in July when Ray Davies said some very hopeful things about the chances of new activity.

In a new update provided by Rolling Stone, Ray went a bit further, detailing the collaborative plan he has in mind with his brother, Dave Davies:

“Dave and I are having a collaboration on a few songs, which will be a first. I’ll be like, ‘Here is the chorus, you write verse two.’ I’m trying to keep the energy flowing, and I really want Dave involved creatively.”

This is noteworthy because Ray Davies was always the principal songwriter for much of the Kinks’ music over the years.

The prospect of new material and activity from the Kinks has been in the conversation for a few years now.

In our 2015 feature, Ray Davies said the following to Rock Cellar’s Jeff Slate:

“I’m hopeful,” he says. “Again, with Dave, I don’t know how to read him. Mick (Avory) and I talk about music, and we play it until we get it right. And it takes a long time. With Dave, you just have to do it the first take. There’s not an easy way to get us to play together. That’s nothing new, but whatever happens, it’ll probably be different components put together, sliced together. I’d really love to see everybody come up with something, though. You know, the dream continues.”

Rolling Stone adds that Ray and Dave have been recording material with a drum machine, as longtime drummer Mick Avory isn’t fully on board with this new activity yet, stemming from his quarrels with Dave Davies:

“It was a childish spat,” Ray said to Rolling Stone. “I got them to say ‘hello’ last year. I want to get them in the studio together. I’m calling it ‘Project Kinks.’”

Particularly alluring for Kinks fans might be this quote from Ray Davies in the Rolling Stone piece, pertaining to the chances of live touring with this Kinks project:

“We have to make the record first,” says Ray. “But if we do play again, we’ll come to America. That’s another conversation though.”