The Kinks' Dave Davies shrugs off "Beatles row" reports and sets the record straight

30 July 2026, 14:55

Dave Davies has been taking to social media to lay down a few truths recently.

The Kinks haven't released a new album since 1993's Phobia, with the Davies brothers parting ways a few years later.

The group have continued to keep the flame alive with various compilations, capped off by the three-part The Journey series in recent years, as well as Dave Davies's busy time on social media.

• Why were The Kinks banned from touring the US at the height of their fame?
• Dave Davies teases The Kinks reunion with brother Ray: "We'll try to get back on stage"
• Listen to the Gold 60s Live Playlist on Global Player, the official Gold app

The group's guitarist and very occasional lead singer has been setting the record straight about the band's history on his X profile recently, brushing off false claims that then-session man Jimmy Page played guitar on the band's biggest hits like 'You Really Got Me'.

And he's now made his opinions clear on The Beatles and Paul McCartney after some of his recent interview comments were somewhat flattened in the media.

Speaking at the launch of a new art exhibition at Gibson Garage London, Davies was quizzed about The Kinks' rivalry with fellow British Invasion superstars The Beatles.

"John Lennon didn't like The Kinks, he really didn't," Davies said, according to The Mirror.

"In fact, John Lennon didn’t really like anybody! George Harrison was the only one I really liked. He was the nicest guy. Paul McCartney wrote a few decent songs, yeah."

The quotes quickly circulated under headlines like "The Kinks star Dave Davies reignites Beatles row with John Lennon comment", "Dave Davies reignites feud with The Beatles" and "Dave Davies reignites The Kinks’ feud with The Beatles".

The Kinks - Sunny Afternoon (Official Video)

But Dave himself has calmed things down with a few words.

"I like the Beatles and I do appreciate all the kind words @PaulMcCartney has said about the Kinks," Davies said on X.

The Kinks once opened for The Beatles in 1964 and 1965 and have spoken in the past about how Lennon in particular was very protective of his band's guitar and gears.

The Beatle is also said to have quipped to his support act: "Look lads, if you forget your songs you can use one of ours."

For their part, Ray Davies once gave a memorably dismissive review of The Beatles' Revolver on its release.

He described 'Taxman' as "like a cross between The Who and Batman" and 'Eleanor Rigby' as "like they're out to please music teachers in primary schools".

"This is a load of rubbish, really," Ray said of 'Yellow Submarine'.

"I take the mickey out of myself on the piano and play stuff like this. I think they know it's not that good."