he initial flurry of hits that the Kinks enjoyed during the British Invasion soon proved difficult to sustain. By most accounts, their live shows were often atrocious. The Kinks' stage dress of red hunting jackets and Ray Davies's limp-wristed singing style combined with brother Dave's unusually long hair to give the appearance of blatant effeminacy. Their campy appearance and name notwithstanding, they were as famous for their brawling as for their music, but it appeared that America intended to remain aloof from the Kinks' brand of showbiz. Their role in the British Invasion ended promptly when they were asked to leave the country by the American Federation of Musicians, who claimed they were not cleared to perform musical engagements in the United States. This rather abruptly ended their love affair with America. Directly or indirectly, it had a significant effect on their popularity, and their next few singes did not perform as well as expected.
This wasn't normal subject matter for Top 40 radio, but it seemed that everybody loved the song. The Kinks were back, but only for a short while. The band's penchant for self-destruction once again took hold. They changed labels, from Reprise to RCA. They fought incessantly, including a stabbing incident between brothers Ray and Dave Davies over some french fries. Ray Davies underwent an emotional collapse onstage. Although their albums would continue to charm their fans, they disappeared from the pop charts as quickly as they returned and would not appear again on the Top 40 for nearly a decade.
- Thomas Ryan, American Hit Radio,
Prima Entertainment, 1996.
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