Dave Davies of The Kinks on “Lola,” Inventing Distortion, and Over 50 Years In Music

On December 18th, just in time for the holidays, music fans can get the kinks out of their system after a long many months in quarantine-hibernation and get their hands on a copy of the new 50th anniversary reissue of the record Lola Versus Powerman and the Moneygoround, Part One, from British band The Kinks. The band, which rose to popularity in the ’60s alongside the British Invasion with hits like “You Really Got Me,” was later banned from playing in America in the middle of the decade. But in 1970, with the release of Lola Versus Powerman and its hit single, “Lola,” the band was back to regain their reputation as one of the globe’s hottest acts. We caught up with lead guitarist and co-founder of The Kinks, Dave Davies, 73, who is the younger brother of the group’s frontman, Ray Davies, to ask him about his early days in music, what it was like to collaborate with his kin, and what he remembers from The Kinks’ glory years.