Pete Townshend has singled out Ray Davies of The Kinks as the surviving 1960s songwriter who still genuinely believes in what he does. The Who guitarist’s remarks underline his longstanding admiration for Davies’s commitment to songwriting and his distinctive, observant approach to British life.

Townshend has often placed Davies alongside writers such as Bob Dylan and Lennon and McCartney, valuing songs with emotional honesty, humour and everyday detail. Davies wrote many of The Kinks’ best-known songs, including ‘Waterloo Sunset’, ‘Lola’ and ‘Sunny Afternoon’, and Townshend regards him as an unusually enduring creative voice from that era.