Ray Davies, one of the most successful and influential songwriters to emerge from the British music scene of the 1960s, founded the rock band The Kinks with his brother Dave in London in 1963. Ray Davies’ Songs have become hits for bands including The Jam, Van Halen, The Pretenders and The Stranglers. In the 40th Anniversary year of the Kinks, artists such as the Vines, the Hives, the Audio Bullys and the Libertines prove that the influence is as strong today as ever.