In 1964, The Kinks were on the verge of failure. Two months later, they recorded their biggest-selling hit
After two singles failed to make The Kinks a hit, their record label Pye was losing faith and the band’s contract was at risk. The group’s next release, “You Really Got Me”, became a breakthrough that secured their future and helped establish their place in British rock.
The song was first recorded in June and July 1964 as a slower, blues-influenced track. When Pye declined to fund another session, the band’s management paid for one, and the group reshaped the song into a harder-edged recording using altered amplifiers. Its success restored Pye’s confidence and paved the way for later hits and the band’s lasting influence.
In short
- The Kinks’ first two singles failed to establish them.
- “You Really Got Me” was their 1964 breakthrough.
- Management funded the re-recording after Pye refused.
Explained simply
The Kinks were a British rock band formed in north London in 1963, led by brothers Ray and Dave Davies. In their early months, they were trying to establish themselves in a music scene where record companies backed acts they thought could sell records.
Pye Records was the label that released the band’s records, while their management helped organise and fund their work. A recording session is time in a studio to make a record, and who pays for it can affect whether a band gets another chance to record.