Artist: Ray Davies

No rock band around exemplifies the marriage of old and new like The 88, a foursome from Los Angeles. Vocalist/guitarist Keith Slettedahl, keyboardist Adam Merrin, bassist Todd O'Keefe and drummer Anthony Zimmitti formed the unit in 2002 and they play catchy power pop that reminds one of the heyday of the British Invasion. But they're completely 21st century – The 88 have used the internet to market their three indie releases and their sole major-label album Not Only … But Also . And they've gotten their music where people can hear it, which is on [...]

Well, Minnesota, we are lucky number 15, if there ever was such a thing! Sunday night, the 400 Bar will mark California rock group, The 88 's, fifteenth stop on their state-to-state journey. Beginning in the East, now lingering in the oh so modest Midwest, and concluding their ramble in their home state, The 88 has found themselves lucky enough to be in the touring company of Ray Davies, The Kinks ' leading man. With hints of the classic British invasion rock and pop sounds of the now (jolly piano, major harmonies, etc.) this group is [...]

Andrew WK is going to be all over Austin this week A few years ago, I made the mistake of taking my wife and kids to a free "side party" at South by Southwest (SXSW) in Austin. It was a band from Canada, Priestess ... and as they came on stage, before anyone strapped on an instrument, even before the introduction, one of the band members said, "We are going to fuck you!" At that moment, my wife and daughter decided to wait in the car. So here [...]

Following up a feature on Damon Albarn implies a drop in quality and prestige, especially considering how few artists are able to stay relevant for over twenty years. Even if they cannot be deemed "obscure", many figures are worth exposing regardless of their original prestige. The work they are producing is just that good. Like [...]

Filed under: Concerts and Tours Sheffield four-piece the Crookes are understandably pretty enthusiastic about their first jaunt out to America, the youthful indie-poppers coming across as bright and chirpy as the ' 60s inspired indie-pop they produce. Spinner talked with them shortly before their departure to Texas. Describe your sound. Superficially happy. Probably a bit sadder the deeper you delve. But it's certainly pop music. How did your band form? [...]

The 88 are a week into their tour with Ray Davies , and the members of the L.A. pop quartet — Keith Slettedahl, Adam Merrin, Todd O'Keefe and Anthony Zimmitti — still seem to be pinching themselves. The foursome is playing as the Kinks lead singer's support act, as well as his backing band on the Kinks songs that Davies performs in the latter part of his set. So how's it going on the tour (which hits SoCal on March 24 and 25)? The band, which recently released an independent album "This Must Be Love," sent [...]

Filed under: News , UK Mick Avory, longtime drummer for seminal British rock group the Kinks has reconfirmed that they will be releasing a new album in the near future, working from archive tracks written by Ray and Dave Davies. Speaking at the launch of London Legends Rock Masterclasses , where he will advise budding percussionists from Apr. 27, Avory told Spinner, "Things are always bubbling under or over with the Kinks -- I'm never quite sure if we're going to do them or [...]

Back in the early part of last decade, a group of sharp-dressed guys who called themselves the 88 started playing their roughed-up power-pop around town. Some reviews, especially of their first two albums, fingered the Kinks as an influence. The 88 may have lost the suits that were their trademark early on, but the quartet went on to get some attention , sign to Island Records and watch as music supervisors dipped into their catalog time and again to weave their relentlessly catchy songs into television and film. [...]

Filed under: Concerts and Tours , News Prone as he is to rambling, trippy asides and witty non sequiturs, Robyn Hitchcock prefaced Sunday's show at City Winery in New York with a statement that bordered on truth: "I'm going to start with some folk-rock, and then I'm going to move sideways into other recognizable forms of music." Sure enough, the archduke of English eccentrics opened with his own 'Only the Stones' and a cover of Bob Dylan 's 'Simple Twist of Fate.' Resplendent in a flowery, [...]

Filed under: News , New Music While Kinks frontman Ray Davies joins millions of British Invasion fans in waiting on his brother and guitarist Dave Davies to decide if he wants to reunite the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame band, the singer-songwriter is continuing to find new ways to re-examine his legendary band's catalog. Having viewed the Kinks through the eyes of choirs with ' The Kinks Choral Collection ,' he now will see the band through some of music's [...]

While dreams of a Kinks reunion have yet to come to fruition, Ray Davies has confirmed a project we can all get behind. Back Novemeber, following a jam session at the Rock 'n' Roll of Fame extravaganza, the former Kinks frontman revealed he had contacted Bruce Springsteen and Metallica about a duet album consisting of re-worked Kinks classics. And while at the time it seemed like a too-good-to-be-true type of thing, as revealed in a new interview with NJ.com (via TFB ), Davies not only still has his eyes set on the project, [...]

After former Kinks frontman Ray Davies, Lou Reed and others collaborated with Metallica at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame 25th Anniversary concert in New York City last fall, Davies began plotting to record a new album of Kinks songs re-worked as duets with a few artists he was mingling with backstage. "I might talk to [Metallica] about doing a song," Davies teased , adding later, "I chatted with Bruce Springsteen at the thing and he's up for trying it." The whole project was up in the air, of course, but we now have [...]

Since forming in LA in 2002, The 88 are secretly taking over your airwaves. While the band has released three albums: Kind of Light , Over and Over , and Not Only...But Also, plus a digital collection This Must Be Love, the four-piece may be better known best known for their songs being strewn through pop culture. They perform the theme for NBC's Community , and have had songs featured in You Me and Dupree, Grey's Anatomy , How I Met Your Mother, [...]

Ray Davies recently reinvented and reworked some of his favorite songs he penned for The Kinks and offered them on a stunning choral collection. He hasn't stopped there, joined by his old friend and rock icon Chrissie Hynde (The Pretenders), Today's Top Tune is a brand new song called " Postcard from London ."

• Ray Davies - Ray Davies and Chrissie Hynde: Postcard from London

Exciting news out of The 88's camp. The local band is set to tour with Ray Davies as his backing band. The shows will start with Davies performing solo work with Bill Shanley backing him on acoustic guitar followed by Davies being backed by The 88. Very cool. As you probably know by now, Davies is my all time favorite songwriter.... Here are the dates: Fri Feb 26th Atlantic City, NJ Borgata Music Box Sat Feb 27th [...]

Filed under: The Hit List What it is about the Super Bowl that attracts those familiar bedfellows rock 'n' roll and moral outrage? Back in 2004, Janet Jackson 's "wardrobe malfunction'" was treated as if it was tantamount to Sodom enjoying group sex with Gomorrah. This year, charity Child Abusewatch have called for the Who to be banned from the Super Bowl XLIV halftime show due to Pete Townshend 's arrest for possession of child pornography in 2003 (for which he was let off with a caution). That hasn't [...]

Former Kinks frontman Ray Davies is to play Ireland's newest venue, the Grand Canal Theatre on Saturday May 8th. The theatre looks amazing, check out bngr's post(complete with pics) on culch.ie here . He's sure to play a mix of his own solo stuff as well as some Kinks classics, so it should be great. Tickets are priced €49.80 to €54.80 and go on sale Monday, 8th of February at 9 a.m. Watch 'A Long Way From Home' live:

MUSIC NEWS - Former Kinks leader, Ray Davies has announced additional USA concerts to support his intriguing recent album, The Kinks Choral Collection , the revisit to some classic Kink s tunes and Davies solo tunes with the Crouch End Festival Chorus. The tour starts up on February 26 in Atlantic City, NJ and, as of this writing, ends on March 27 show in San Diego, CA (full itinerary below) . In 2007 Davies worked with choirmaster David Temple and an 80-piece choir for his "Flatlands" piece, a commission from [...]

The following tickets are on sale beginning Friday, January 29th, 2010. Oh, and did you know you can support CoS simply by buying through the links below? Talk about an added incentive! Los Campesinos!: What: Dates for North American tour When: April - May Tixs: Price varies depending on location Buy: Ticketmaster.com at 10:00 AM EST Megadeth: What: Dates for [...]

Filed under: News , New Music Chrissie Hynde is making some tall promises -- the Pretenders frontwoman says she is working on her "best solo album to date." Speaking to the UK's Daily Star , the 58-year old Rock and Roll Hall of Famer asserted, "This record is going to be incredible." It's a curious announcement, considering the fact that the Pretenders mastermind -- who has been the band's only constant since it emerged in 1979 -- has never actually released a solo [...]