The Kast Off Kinks

The Kast Off Kinks
Unknown photographer · Public domain · source
Name	Kast Off Kinks
Background	group_or_band
Origin	London
Years active	1994–present
Associated acts	The Kinks, Ray Davies, Dave Davies

The Kast Off Kinks are a British rock ensemble formed in 1994 by former members of The Kinks to perform the catalogue of that band in live settings. Emerging from the networks of musicians who worked on studio albums and tours with Ray Davies and Dave Davies, the group has maintained a rotating lineup of veterans who collectively span landmark eras of British rock from the 1960s through the 1980s. They are best known for presenting faithful live renditions of classics from albums such as The Kinks Are the Village Green Preservation Society, Lola Versus Powerman and the Moneygoround, Part One, and Arthur (Or the Decline and Fall of the British Empire).

History

Kast Off Kinks began when ex-members of The Kinks—seeking to continue performing the band's repertoire—organized concerts in England and on the European Union circuit. Initial personnel included alumni who had participated in pivotal tours and sessions with Ray Davies, Dave Davies, Mick Avory, and John Dalton. Across the 1990s and 2000s they played festivals alongside acts associated with the British Invasion, sharing bills with groups influenced by The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, The Who, and Small Faces. The ensemble adapted to changes in popular music consumption by appearing at nostalgia festivals commemorating the 1960s and 1970s alongside artists such as Herman's Hermits, The Zombies, The Animals, Peter Noone, and Van Morrison-era collaborators. Over time the band experienced lineup shifts tied to the solo careers of members, reunions of the original The Kinks formation, and the establishment of tributes that engaged descendants of the original repertoire like Ray Davies's solo band and Dave Davies's solo projects.

Members

Membership has included a rotating roster of musicians who had been part of The Kinks's touring and recording contingents. Notable participants are former The Kinks bassist John Dalton, drummer Mick Avory (for selected appearances), keyboardist John Gosling, and guitarist-vocalist Jim Rodford, who also played with The Who-affiliated lineups and Argent. Other contributors have included session and touring musicians tied to the broader UK rock scene such as Mark Haley, Ian Gibbons, and Bob Henrit. The group's configuration often featured players who collaborated with high-profile acts like Paul McCartney, Eric Clapton, George Harrison, David Bowie, Elton John, Sting, Rod Stewart, Brian May, Joe Walsh, Jeff Beck, Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Ronnie Wood, Pete Townshend, Roger Daltrey, John Entwistle, Keith Moon, Jack Bruce, Ginger Baker, Clem Burke, Eddie Vedder, Chrissie Hynde, Billy Bragg, Mark Knopfler, Andy Summers, and Mick Fleetwood in various festival lineups and collaborative charity events. Guest appearances have linked the band to performers such as Ray Davies and Dave Davies on special occasions.

Musical style and repertoire

The ensemble specializes in the rock music and pop rock idioms represented in the The Kinks catalogue, focusing on the songwriting of Ray Davies and the guitar work associated with Dave Davies. Their setlists emphasize melodies and arrangements from seminal works including Something Else by The Kinks, Face to Face (The Kinks album), The Kinks Are the Village Green Preservation Society, and Lola Versus Powerman and the Moneygoround, Part One. Instrumentation mirrors original studio textures—vintage Rickenbacker-style jangle, winding harmonica passages, organ timbres comparable to Hammond organ voicings, and classic rock rhythmic approaches rooted in the 1960s British scene. They intersperse hits like "You Really Got Me", "Waterloo Sunset", "Sunny Afternoon", "Lola", and "Days" with album tracks and rarities, presenting both faithful reproductions and live reinterpretations shaped by members' later careers with bands such as Argent, The Zombies, The Who, and The Rolling Stones sidemen.

Discography

As a primarily live-oriented project, the band's recorded output is limited compared with studio acts; releases center on live albums, compilation appearances, and archival concert documents. Notable items include live recordings capturing festival appearances and retrospective collections issued by independent labels that curate performances alongside peers from the 1960s and 1970s revival circuit. Their catalogue overlaps with reissues and anthologies of The Kinks material released by labels historically associated with the group, such as Pye Records, Reprise Records, RCA Records, Sanctuary Records, and Columbia Records, where archival live tracks featuring ex-Kinks personnel are occasionally included.

Notable performances and tours

The ensemble has performed at major nostalgia and rock festivals across Europe, North America, and the United Kingdom, appearing at events that host artists from the British Invasion, progressive rock, and classic rock scenes. They have shared stages at landmark gatherings alongside acts like The Hollies, The Troggs, The Yardbirds, The Dave Clark Five, Billy J. Kramer, Cilla Black-era collaborators, and reunion lineups such as The Zombies and The Pretty Things. Special tribute concerts have seen joint appearances with Ray Davies and collaborations curated for anniversaries of influential albums by The Kinks.

Reception and legacy

Critics and audiences have generally valued the group for authenticity and musicianship, praising the performers' firsthand association with the original recordings and their ability to replicate period arrangements. Music historians and journalists referencing the continuity of British popular music cite the ensemble as part of the broader afterlife of The Kinks's work, noting how former members sustained public engagement with compositions from the 1960s onward. The band's existence has contributed to preservation efforts around the British rock canon, influencing tribute acts, archival projects, and festival programming that celebrates the era.

Category:English rock music groups