In a recent interview with AllMusic, former drummer of The Kinks, Mick Avory, set the record straight on a longstanding rumor involving Jimmy Page and one of the band’s most iconic songs. Fans of The Kinks have long speculated about the legendary guitarist’s possible contribution to their breakthrough single, ‘You Really Got Me.’ Over the years, the myth has continued to grow, but now, Mick Avory is once again clearing the air.
‘You Really Got Me,’ released in 1964, features a raw and powerful guitar solo that helped propel the song to the top of the charts and solidify The Kinks as a significant force in British music. However, many have speculated that the memorable solo was actually played by Jimmy Page, who was known to be a session musician at the time, rather than the band’s guitarist, Dave Davies.
During the interview, Avory was asked about Jimmy Page’s contribution to ‘You Really Got Me’ and whether the Led Zeppelin guitarist had any hand in creating the memorable riff. The former Kinks drummer was quick to set the record straight and give credit where credit was due.
He explained:
“He did very little, as far as I remember. He came into the studio – I think he came in during ‘You Really Got Me.’ He sort of apparently snickered at what Dave had done because he was a more ‘polished player.’ And then he spent the rest of his years saying, ‘I played the solo on it.’ He must have said it because everyone else was asking the question. But that was definitely Dave Davies because even without knowing, you know it’s Dave rather than Jimmy Page. It just wasn’t in him to play like that. It was just completely off the top of his head – that solo. It fits – the attitude of it. And I never heard that from session men. They just come in and play something they feel – not what is necessarily the right thing. So, not much.”
With Mick Avory’s account of the events, it’s obvious that the iconic guitar solo in ‘You Really Got Me’ was the work of Dave Davies, not Jimmy Page. The myth may have persisted for years, but the truth is clear. Fans can appreciate the song and its groundbreaking guitar work, knowing that it was, indeed, a product of the original Kinks line-up.
