Ray Davies versus Dave Davies: the comical feud at the heart of The Kinks

Ray and Dave Davies built The Kinks’ sound around contrasting personalities, but their long musical partnership was marked by recurring rows and comic, sometimes physical, clashes. Their feud matters to the band’s story because the brothers repeatedly separated and reunited, with tension and affection both shaping their work.

The article recounts disputes ranging from Dave being drunk at Ray’s 1964 wedding to Ray smashing Dave’s birthday cake decades later. In 1965, a fight involving drummer Mick Avory left Dave with a cut throat and needing hospital treatment; Ray called for help. The brothers later sang together on “Hatred (A Duet)” on The Kinks’ 1993 album *Phobia*, though Ray said the song addressed relationships broadly, not only their own.