Finished at last...my tribute to one of the greatest bands this country has ever produced,The Kinks, with the battling Davies brothers front and centre. With an older Ray looking down on his younger brother (and an older Dave doing likewise) as they "discuss" the bands next move...amid a tattered, but unbowed, Union Jack.
The piece speaks to the wisdom of age looking back at youth's excess and finding it amusing. Perspective gained on the battles of the past and, hopefully, in the process, a healing discovered.
I'm a fan, not a historian, so I cannot claim to speak with authority on the minutiae of the stormy relationship enjoyed/endured by the brothers...but my take on it is this:
The creation of such iconic music is, without a shred of doubt, a turbulent process...with many punches (both real and metaphorical) thrown in the process. Once that music takes flight, however, and reaches the hearts of it's fans...all the rancour disappears. Whatever the suffering that led to it's inception is replaced by pure, unadulterated love in it's affirmation. The clamour for Ray, Dave and Mick to take to the stage again will never go away precisely because of the depth, breadth and strength of that love. The West End smash, Sunny Afternoon, is the only way that fans have of expressing their love for The Kinks as a band...and they are flocking to it in their thousands to do so.
It should come as a surprise to no one, least of all the band themselves, that people who have The Kinks music nestled in their hearts should be desperate for a chance to lift their voices in celebration of it's genius.
Were I to be able to speak directly to the band I would simply say this: All we're are looking for is a chance to say "Thank you for the days..." please give us that opportunity. Not for the cash, or even the glory, but for the sheer love of it.
Thank you for the days...Excelsior out.
