Why Dave Davies Thought ‘Arthur’ Would Be the Kinks’ Last Album

The Kinks enjoyed a career spanning more than 30 years, but there was a point much earlier when Dave Davies thought they were done.

During a recent appearance on the Magnificent Others with Billy Corgan podcast, Davies recalled the band’s difficulties in the late ‘60s.

“We had a terrible time,” the guitarist remembered. “We got banned in America.”

Davies struggled to explain exactly why the Kinks had been blackballed – common theories claim the group’s wild antics were part of the problem, along with issues with one of the American unions. Regardless, Davies was convinced the group had ruined their chance to succeed in the USA, and he felt a sense of dread as the Kinks recorded their 1969 album Arthur (Or the Decline and Fall of the British Empire).

“We kind of thought that it might be our last album,” the rocker remarked, noting the band had “crashed a bit because of the American ban.” “It felt like it could be the end.”

The Kinks’ ‘Thought More Inwardly’ While Making ‘Arthur’

That uneasy feeling ended up having an impact on Arthur. The Kinks crafted a concept around a fictional character named Arthur Morgan, following his family’s struggles in post-World War II England. The storyline was based on parts of the Davies’ real lives – most notably their older sister Rose emigrating to Australia with her husband, Arthur Anning.

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“We thought more inwardly,” Dave recalled of the creative shift. “Arthur was one of the best albums we made.”

Though Arthur (Or the Decline and Fall of the British Empire) was initially a commercial failure, it was hailed by critics, eventually becoming one of the most important releases in the Kinks’ history. Lead single “Victoria” enjoyed modest popularity in the USA, reaching No. 62 on the Billboard Hot 100. More importantly, the album reopened doors in America for the band, helping them eventually return to touring there in late 1969.