Dave Davies Siblings: Meet the Siblings Squad Behind the English Musician

Dave Davies PHOTO/Getty Images

Dave Davies, born David Russell Gordon Davies on February 3, 1947, in Muswell Hill, North London, is an influential English musician best known as the lead guitarist and backing vocalist for the rock band The Kinks.

The youngest member of a large working-class family, Davies grew up in a household filled with diverse musical influences.

Alongside his older brother Ray, who served as the band’s principal songwriter and frontman, Dave co-founded The Kinks in 1963, propelling the group to international stardom with their blend of British Invasion energy and sharp social commentary.

Over a career spanning more than three decades with the band, Davies not only defined The Kinks’ sound through his aggressive riffs but also pursued solo endeavors, cementing his legacy as a pioneering figure in rock guitar.

Even after suffering a debilitating stroke in 2004, Davies staged a remarkable recovery, returning to the stage and continuing to perform into his late seventies.

Siblings

Dave entered the world as the eighth and youngest child in a bustling family of ten, headed by his father Fred, a slaughterhouse worker of Welsh descent, and his mother Annie, a homemaker who filled their home with lively Saturday night parties featuring a mix of jazz, skiffle, and early rock records played by the children.

The Davies household at 6 Denmark Terrace in Muswell Hill was a vibrant, chaotic environment where music was omnipresent, largely thanks to the siblings’ eclectic tastes.

Dave’s only brother, Ray Davies, born three years earlier on June 21, 1944, was the seventh child and would become his lifelong musical partner and occasional rival.

Completing the family were six older sisters, namely Rene, Joyce, Dolly, Peggy, Gwen, and Rose, whose influences ranged from boogie-woogie to Lonnie Donegan, immersing the young brothers in a rich tapestry of sounds that foreshadowed their rock career.

Tragedy struck early when eldest sister Rene, who had gifted Ray his first guitar at age 13, died suddenly of a heart attack that same night, an event that profoundly impacted the family and inspired some of Ray’s later songwriting.

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Career

Davies’ professional journey ignited in 1963 when, at just 16, he co-formed The Kinks with schoolmate Pete Quaife on bass, drummer Mick Avory, and his brother Ray, initially under the name The Ravens before settling on their enduring moniker.

Signed to Pye Records, the band exploded onto the scene with their debut single Long Tall Sally in 1964, but it was Dave’s groundbreaking guitar work on the follow-up You Really Got Me, achieved by slashing his amplifier speaker to produce a raw, distorted riff, that revolutionized rock and earned him credit for pioneering heavy metal tones that influenced generations of guitarists.

The Kinks’ string of hits continued with All Day and All of the Night, Tired of Waiting for You, and Sunny Afternoon, blending Dave’s electrifying solos with Ray’s witty lyrics to capture the frustrations of British working-class life, though a 1965 U.S. touring ban due to onstage brawls stalled their American breakthrough for years.

Throughout the late 1960s and 1970s, Davies contributed lead vocals and songwriting, scoring a solo UK Top 5 hit with Death of a Clown in 1967 and penning Kinks classics like Strangers for the 1970 album Lola Versus Powerman and the Moneygoround, Part One.

As the band navigated lineup changes and label challenges into the 1980s, releasing concept albums such as The Kinks Are the Village Green Preservation Society and Low Budget, Dave’s fiery presence remained a constant, even amid personal struggles and addiction.

The Kinks disbanded in 1996 after more than 30 years together, prompting Dave to focus on solo projects, including albums like AFL1 in 1980 and Rippin’ Up Time in 2014, while overcoming a major stroke to resume touring, including a notable 2015 reunion performance with Ray of You Really Got Me at a cancer benefit concert.

Accolades

In 2003, Rolling Stone ranked him 91st on its list of the 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time, celebrating his distorted innovation on tracks like You Really Got Me as a cornerstone of hard rock’s evolution.

The Kinks’ legacy extended to the UK Music Hall of Fame in 2005, affirming Dave’s role in shaping Britpop influences for artists who cited the Davies brothers as foundational.

Beyond group honors, Dave’s solo revival after his 2004 stroke drew acclaim, including renewed appreciation for Strangers via modern cover versions and continued performances that have solidified his status as a living rock legend.

Although personal artifacts such as his Rock Hall trophy surfaced unexpectedly on auction sites in 2024, prompting a shocked but amused response from Davies.