For all the dedicated followers…
By Ian Woolley
Being a big Kinks fan for longer than I can remember, one can easily take in a few hours to revisit the band’s early haunts around North London.
To start this nostalgic trip, you need to head on the Northern Line to Tufnell Park where on exiting the station you will see the famous Boston Arms across the road. It’s here every November that Kinks fans will congregate to pay homage to the Kast Off Kinks ( with original drummer Mick Avory) as they take center stage playing with other musicians that played at one time or another in the band.
To the left of the pub sits Burghley Road which you are now heading down just a short walk before turning first right into Ingestre Road. Just follow this road around as it hugs the tube line and it will bring you out into Little Green Street.
This Grade II listed row of terraced houses was where the Kinks made their 1966 Dead End Street accompanying video which was one of the first-ever pop videos as it turned out. Look for the light blue door of No.4 where the band carried that coffin out dressed as undertakers. Now if you double back up to the top of the street and turn left up the alley you will also see the railway underpass where they dropped the said coffin and ran on through.
Do watch the video on youtube to get the full Davies effect.
Retrace your steps once more back to the Boston Arms and board the Northern line once more going three stations north to East Finchley.
On exiting the station, turn left up High Road until you come to The Bald Faced Stag. A little further on the right, you’ll turn right into Fortis Green where you’ll find the real Davies brother’s neighbourhood.
On the right at the beautiful white house at No.87, Ray and Rasa’s third home instantly shows that success was reaping it’s rewards.
Continue along you’ll come to the Clissold Arms but don’t enter just yet. On the other side of the street, you’ll see the home where Ray and Dave spent the best part of their childhood since being born as the two youngest of eight. It was here at No.6 Denmark Terrace where the Davies brothers’ infamous Saturday night parties would carry on from their early visit to the pub.
Looking at the house even today, it’s hard to believe that such a large family was brought up in this two-up two down. But they were and they had a happy childhood as Ray and Dave would later testify.
It’s time to enter the pub where the band first performed together in public. It was also the venue of their last-ever gig.
So proud of the pub’s musical heritage that former Greek landlord George Karageorgis dedicated the front room to the famous band where the Kinks Kollectiv and fellow Kinks fans meet up on a Saturday every November to have an unofficial jam to the boys.
To cap the evening, it is well known that the odd Davies brother turns up!
If time permits, you could also catch a short cab ride to Konk in Crouch End, the world-renowned London recording studio founded by The Kinks and one of the best and last independent studios still working today.
Just don’t expect to get in because you’ll probably be refused.
It was established in the early 1970s by The Kinks as their private studio. The Bay City Rollers, Thin Lizzy, and the Bee Gees have recorded here as have the likes of Depeche Mode, The Stone Roses, Massive Attack, and The Arctic Monkeys.
Yes, this unassuming studio has some pedigree. Its original 70’s Neve console has assisted Pink Floyd’s‘ The Wall. I rest my case.
So if you find yourself in North London soon, take a trip down that memory lane of the Kinks. Preferably on a sunny afternoon!
NOTE : The full article and tour were published in the December issue of the Beat magazine. Order your copy via our website.