Raymond Douglas "Ray" Davies CBE (born 21 June 1944) is an English musician. He was the rhythm guitarist, vocalist, and songwriter for The Kinks, which he led with his younger brother, Dave.
See My Friends is a studio album released by Ray Davies with the collaboration of various other artists on 1 November 2010 in Europe and in early 2011 in the US.
The album features new studio collaborations of Ray Davies' compositions, which were originally recorded by his band The Kinks.
The album was recorded in Oslo, New York City, New Jersey, Chicago and London. Davies stated: "This project came about almost by accident, with some tracks I had to appreciate the style of the other artists, otherwise it would have sounded unbalanced. And I wanted the album to work as an entire listening experience but each track had a life of its own".
The album featured the last studio recording by Alex Chilton. See My Friends was released seven months after his death. He previously covered "Till The End of The Day" on Big Star's Third/Sister Lovers.
A tribute album starring the man of honor himself, who also curated the whole affair, See My Friends is a bit of a curious creature. Certainly, Ray Davies' influence is so pervasive he could rope in a number of heavy hitters from a number of different generations. Jackson Browne and Bruce Springsteen sign up for duets; Metallica backs the legend on a rip through “You Really Got Me,” while Spoon offers suitably spacy support on “See My Friends”; Jon Bon Jovi and Richie Sambora harmonize on a languid “Celluloid Heroes,” and Black Francis comes in to sing “This Is Where I Belong,” a song he covered with gusto some 16 years earlier.
As it turns out, “This Is Where I Belong” provides a good indication of the energy level of See My Friends in general: the older dudes are comfortable playing with Ray while the newer dudes are respectful, delivering amiably mannered performances. It’s all pleasant enough, but it’s hard not to wish that more of the record had the kick of “Til The End of the Day,” where the late Alex Chilton seems genuinely enthused to sing with his idol.
Tracklist
1. Ray Davies & Bruce Springsteen - Better Things (3:13)
Bass, Backing Vocals – Will Lee
Drums – Anton Fig
Guitar – Sid McGinnis
Guitar, Backing Vocals – Felicia Collins
Piano, Backing Vocals – Paul Shaffer
Vocals, Guitar – Bruce Springsteen
2. Ray Davies, Jon Bon Jovi & Richie Sambora - Celluloid Heroes (5:19)
Bass – Will Lee
Drums – Anton Fig
Guitar – Felicia Collins, Richie Sambora, Sid McGinnis
Piano, Organ, Harmonium – Paul Shaffer
Vocals – Jon Bon Jovi
3. Ray Davies & Mumford & Sons - Days / This Time Tomorrow (4:17)
Banjo – Marshall Winston
Bass – Ted Dwane
Piano – Ben Lovett
Vocals, Guitar, Drums, Percussion – Marcus Mumford
4. Ray Davies, Lucinda Williams & The 88 - Long Way From Home (3:05)
Bass, Backing Vocals – Todd O'Keefe
Drums, Percussion – Anthony Zimmitti
Guitar, Backing Vocals – Keith Slettendahl
Piano, Organ – Adam Merrin
Vocals – Lucinda Williams
5. Ray Davies & Metallica - You Really Got Me (2:17)
Bass – Robert Trujillo
Drums – Lars Ulrich
Guitar, Backing Vocals – Kirk Hammett
Vocals, Rhythm Guitar – James Hetfield
6. Ray Davies & Paloma Faith - Lola (4:33)
Bass – Andrea Goldsworthy
Drums – Samuel Agard
Guitar – Seye Adelekan
Keyboards – Dominic Pipkin
Vocals – Paloma Faith
7. Ray Davies & Jackson Browne - Waterloo Sunset (4:07)
Guitar [Baritone] – Bill Shanley
Vocals, Acoustic Guitar – Jackson Browne
8. Ray Davies, Alex Chilton & The 88 - 'Til The End Of The Day (2:42)
Bass – Todd O'Keefe
Congas – Chopper
Drums, Percussion – Anthony Zimmitti
Guitar – Keith Slettendahl
Organ – Adam Merrin
Vocals – Alex Chilton
9. Ray Davies & Amy MacDonald - Dead End Street (3:31)
Bass – Dick Nolan
Drums – Damon Wilson
Guitar – Bill Shanley
Piano – Ben Waters
Vocals – Amy MacDonald
10. Ray Davies & Spoon - See My Friends (4:01)
Bass – Rob Pope
Drums, Percussion – Jim Eno
Keyboards – Eric Harvey
Vocals, Guitar – Britt Daniel
11. Ray Davies & Black Francis - This Is Where I Belong (3:04)
Bass – Dick Nolan
Drums – Damon Wilson
Guitar – Bill Shanley
Keyboards – Ian Gibbons
Vocals, Guitar – Black Francis
12. Ray Davies & The 88 - David Watts (2:21)
Bass – Todd O'Keefe
Drums, Percussion – Anthony Zimmitti
Keyboards – Adam Merrin
Vocals, Guitar – Keith Slettendahl
13. Ray Davies & Gary Lightbody - Tired Of Waiting (2:50)
Bass – Dick Nolan
Drums – Damon Wilson
Guitar – Bill Shanley
Keyboards – Ian Gibbons
Vocals, Guitar – Gary Lightbody
14. Ray Davies & Billy Corgan - All Day And All Of The Night / Destroyer (3:54)
Bass – Mark Tulin
Drums – Damon Wilson
Piano, Keyboards – Ian Gibbons
Vocals, Guitar – Billy Corgan
15. Ray Davies & Mando Diao - Victoria (3:18)
Bass – Carl-Johan Fogelklou
Drums – Samuel Giers
Guitar, Vocals – Björn Dixgård, Gustaf Norén
Keyboards – Mats Björke
16. Ray Davies & Arno - Moments (3:08)
Bass – Dick Nolan
Drums – Damon Wilson
Guitar – Tim Van Der Kuil
Piano – Ian Gibbons
Vocals – Arno Hintjens
Credits
The album features new studio collaborations of Ray Davies' compositions, which were originally recorded by his band The Kinks.
The album was recorded in Oslo, New York City, New Jersey, Chicago and London. Davies stated: "This project came about almost by accident, with some tracks I had to appreciate the style of the other artists, otherwise it would have sounded unbalanced. And I wanted the album to work as an entire listening experience but each track had a life of its own".
The album featured the last studio recording by Alex Chilton. See My Friends was released seven months after his death. He previously covered "Till The End of The Day" on Big Star's Third/Sister Lovers.
A tribute album starring the man of honor himself, who also curated the whole affair, See My Friends is a bit of a curious creature. Certainly, Ray Davies' influence is so pervasive he could rope in a number of heavy hitters from a number of different generations. Jackson Browne and Bruce Springsteen sign up for duets; Metallica backs the legend on a rip through “You Really Got Me,” while Spoon offers suitably spacy support on “See My Friends”; Jon Bon Jovi and Richie Sambora harmonize on a languid “Celluloid Heroes,” and Black Francis comes in to sing “This Is Where I Belong,” a song he covered with gusto some 16 years earlier.
As it turns out, “This Is Where I Belong” provides a good indication of the energy level of See My Friends in general: the older dudes are comfortable playing with Ray while the newer dudes are respectful, delivering amiably mannered performances. It’s all pleasant enough, but it’s hard not to wish that more of the record had the kick of “Til The End of the Day,” where the late Alex Chilton seems genuinely enthused to sing with his idol.
Tracklist
1. Ray Davies & Bruce Springsteen - Better Things (3:13)
Bass, Backing Vocals – Will Lee
Drums – Anton Fig
Guitar – Sid McGinnis
Guitar, Backing Vocals – Felicia Collins
Piano, Backing Vocals – Paul Shaffer
Vocals, Guitar – Bruce Springsteen
2. Ray Davies, Jon Bon Jovi & Richie Sambora - Celluloid Heroes (5:19)
Bass – Will Lee
Drums – Anton Fig
Guitar – Felicia Collins, Richie Sambora, Sid McGinnis
Piano, Organ, Harmonium – Paul Shaffer
Vocals – Jon Bon Jovi
3. Ray Davies & Mumford & Sons - Days / This Time Tomorrow (4:17)
Banjo – Marshall Winston
Bass – Ted Dwane
Piano – Ben Lovett
Vocals, Guitar, Drums, Percussion – Marcus Mumford
4. Ray Davies, Lucinda Williams & The 88 - Long Way From Home (3:05)
Bass, Backing Vocals – Todd O'Keefe
Drums, Percussion – Anthony Zimmitti
Guitar, Backing Vocals – Keith Slettendahl
Piano, Organ – Adam Merrin
Vocals – Lucinda Williams
5. Ray Davies & Metallica - You Really Got Me (2:17)
Bass – Robert Trujillo
Drums – Lars Ulrich
Guitar, Backing Vocals – Kirk Hammett
Vocals, Rhythm Guitar – James Hetfield
6. Ray Davies & Paloma Faith - Lola (4:33)
Bass – Andrea Goldsworthy
Drums – Samuel Agard
Guitar – Seye Adelekan
Keyboards – Dominic Pipkin
Vocals – Paloma Faith
7. Ray Davies & Jackson Browne - Waterloo Sunset (4:07)
Guitar [Baritone] – Bill Shanley
Vocals, Acoustic Guitar – Jackson Browne
8. Ray Davies, Alex Chilton & The 88 - 'Til The End Of The Day (2:42)
Bass – Todd O'Keefe
Congas – Chopper
Drums, Percussion – Anthony Zimmitti
Guitar – Keith Slettendahl
Organ – Adam Merrin
Vocals – Alex Chilton
9. Ray Davies & Amy MacDonald - Dead End Street (3:31)
Bass – Dick Nolan
Drums – Damon Wilson
Guitar – Bill Shanley
Piano – Ben Waters
Vocals – Amy MacDonald
10. Ray Davies & Spoon - See My Friends (4:01)
Bass – Rob Pope
Drums, Percussion – Jim Eno
Keyboards – Eric Harvey
Vocals, Guitar – Britt Daniel
11. Ray Davies & Black Francis - This Is Where I Belong (3:04)
Bass – Dick Nolan
Drums – Damon Wilson
Guitar – Bill Shanley
Keyboards – Ian Gibbons
Vocals, Guitar – Black Francis
12. Ray Davies & The 88 - David Watts (2:21)
Bass – Todd O'Keefe
Drums, Percussion – Anthony Zimmitti
Keyboards – Adam Merrin
Vocals, Guitar – Keith Slettendahl
13. Ray Davies & Gary Lightbody - Tired Of Waiting (2:50)
Bass – Dick Nolan
Drums – Damon Wilson
Guitar – Bill Shanley
Keyboards – Ian Gibbons
Vocals, Guitar – Gary Lightbody
14. Ray Davies & Billy Corgan - All Day And All Of The Night / Destroyer (3:54)
Bass – Mark Tulin
Drums – Damon Wilson
Piano, Keyboards – Ian Gibbons
Vocals, Guitar – Billy Corgan
15. Ray Davies & Mando Diao - Victoria (3:18)
Bass – Carl-Johan Fogelklou
Drums – Samuel Giers
Guitar, Vocals – Björn Dixgård, Gustaf Norén
Keyboards – Mats Björke
16. Ray Davies & Arno - Moments (3:08)
Bass – Dick Nolan
Drums – Damon Wilson
Guitar – Tim Van Der Kuil
Piano – Ian Gibbons
Vocals – Arno Hintjens
Credits
- Engineer – Andy Savours (tracks: 3, 4, 6 to 14), Chris Shaw (tracks: 1, 2), Dougal Lott (tracks: 7), Mike Gillies (tracks: 5)
- Mastered By – Bob Ludwig
- Mixed By – Mike Crossey
- Producer – Martyn Berg, Ray Davies
- Vocals, Guitar – Ray Davies
- Written-By, Arranged By – Ray Davies
Notes
Released: 1 November 2010
Genre: Rock
Length: 49:15
Label - Universal Records
Great Album TNX For The Info Greetzz
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