Kink Dave Embarrassed By 'Clown' Hit

By Keith Altham

N.M.E. - 1967


With the solo success of "Death Of A Clown" times are a changing for Dave Davies. He is both delighted and nervous over the success of "Clown" and looks toward his continued progress as a separate Kink with an almost embarrassed air.

There is no doubt that he finds the attention refresh ing. But hovering in the shadows is the giant-like form of brother Ray, and Dave has now taken the first positive steps to prove he is not just "the younger brother" but a separate talent within the group.

Down at "Top Of The Pops" last Thursday Dave swept royally around the studios in a cavalier's uniform - "once more unto the theatrical outfitters" - looking like the living subject of that famous oil painting "When Did You Last See Your Father."

He was expecting brother Ray - "But you know Ray, he'll probably arrive tomorrow and wonder why I'm late."

We discussed the new Dave Davies as opposed to the younger Kink of "You Really Got Me" days.

"I used to think everyone was my friend," said Dave, "Now I realise that there are only a few. I'm trying to learn to accept things and not get angry. I hate to lose - I'm a terrible loser.

"Just recently I was staying on a friend's farm in Cornwall and one evening I was having a drink in this little country pub.

Asked to leave

"The landlord asked me to leave as I would embarrass the locals when they came in - that has not happened to me for a long time. I was so flabbergasted I left. I got half way down the road and wished I had kicked his teeth in.

"You get more satisfaction out of agreeing with some of these people though - there was one man in a pub I went into who kept going on about Jagger and how pleased he was that they had been on trial.

"Then he says to me, 'I can't see what they see in him - he's so ugly.' You should have seen this old guy: he had protruding teeth and bifocals!"

Learning to stand on his own two feet is proving a surprising but perplexing problem for Dave.

"'Clown' has really surprised me," he admitted later in the canteen, "I never expected it to get this high in the charts.

"A lot of older people seem to think it is some kind of novelty record - rather like 'Cigarettes And Whisky And Wild Wild Women' - remember that? I'm quite pleased about that if it means we are getting a wider market.

"There are two ways you can take the song - one is obvious and the other is a very personal thing to me. The lion tamer, for example could be the bully at school ... I'd rather not talk about it!"

Apart from the two compositions on his new single, which he wrote and are included on the Kinks next LP - 'Something Else By The Kinks' - Dave also has another new song, 'Funny face.'

"It's a very weird song about a guy who falls in love with a girl who is a lunatic," smiled Dave. "It'a a float ing kind of song - I was very pleased with the organ break we worked out for it.î

Dave finds that concentrating on a lyric these days is very difficult for him "I find my mind wandering even when I'm supposed to be doing something specific." said Dave.

"Last week I was just lying on my bed staring at the moon and I must have just layed there watching it for hours. That's going to make me sound like an imbecile but I enjoy just letting my mind float away."

Before anyone reads into that remark that Dave has joined the beautiful people perhaps I should mention that his version of a "beautiful person" is someone who plays football.

Genuine guy

"Pete Murray plays," said Dave referring to last week's "Top Of The Pops" DJ. "He has an interest Arsenal. Nice guy. One of the few really genuine DJs on the scene.

Dave finds the concept of flower children in London rather contradictory.

"How can you have a flower scene in Acton ?" he reasons. "This is the area of Brylcreem and a number 233 bus."

Instead of looking down at the flowers Dave has thoughts about gazing up at the stars.

"Pete Quaife is trying to turn me on to this astrology bit," said Dave. "There seems to be a connection between the crystal gazing, stars, religion and the Zodiac. The Supernatural has always fascinated me since I used to read Dennis Wheatley books."

By Keith Altham - N.M.E. - 1967

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