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| Dedicated followers of
The Kinks have something to celebrate
12
April 2007
DEDICATED followers of
the Kinks will be able to pay homage to their heroes
after a Fortis Green pub bowed to public pressure.
Band memorabilia has been on display at the Clissold
Arms since the Kinks played their first gig there in
1963.
But rumours were rife that new developer Jobo, which
took over the pub last year, was planning to sell the
whole lot off at auction, sparking a storm of protest
from Kinks fans around the world.
This week, Jobo director Caroline Jones said there would
be no Waterloo Sunset over the band's shrine.
"In respect to the Kinks memorabilia and subsequent
historical connection to the Clissold Arms, I would like
to confirm we have no intention of removing it from the
building. At no point did I use the word 'auction' or
state that the Kinks' historical connection to the
Clissold was not in keeping with the way we wish to run
the pub," she said.
"Our only aim is to enhance both the natural
features and atmosphere of the Clissold Arms and to
provide a quality food offering."
Kinks frontman Dave Davies said: "I'm delighted
with this news. If they do it in a respectful way and
don't leave it near the toilet or anything, it's great.
It's an important part of the pub's history.
"I've been getting emails from Japanese people
every day saying they visit the Clissold Arms. They come
over and visit the Tower of London and Big Ben then go
to Fortis Green. It's bizarre, but it's sweet."
Both Dave and his brother Ray lived opposite the pub and
were regulars after playing their first ever concert in
a backroom there.
Since then fans from across the globe have made
pilgrimages to the pub to pay their respects.
Items on display include signed copies of albums and
photos of the band but an original guitar hung on the
wall was stolen earlier this year whilst the pub was
closed.
The Clissold Arms is being refurbished and will reopen
as a gastro-pub this summer. |
|
| Kinks shrine to be
saved
nlnews@archant.co.uk
05
April 2007
 |
| Clissold
Arms |
THE shrine to legendary rock
band The Kinks is to stay in the pub that hosted their
first performances, the pub's new owners have pledged.
The world-famous collection of photos, plaques and
records hanging on the walls of The Clissold Arms in
Fortis Green, Muswell Hill, will not be auctioned off,
Caroline Jones, director of new tenants Jobo
Developments, has promised.
 |
| Ray
Davies |
The fate of the "Kinks
Corner" collection, which includes a signed copy of
Long Tall Sally - The Kinks' debut single - various
Kinks records and sleeves, record company and press
photos of the band, has been uncertain since the pub
closed late last year.
It was feared that the shrine would not survive a
makeover of the Clissold Arms by the new owners to turn
it into a gastropub.
But on Monday, Caroline Jones said in a statement that
she had "no intention of removing it from the
building," adding: "Our only aim is to enhance
both the natural features and atmosphere of The Clissold
Arms and to provide a quality food offering."
The pub will reopen in the summer, following a major
refurbishment.
Bill Orton, secretary of The Official Kinks Fan Club,
called it "the best news we could have had".
He said: "Nowhere else would have had the same
kudos as that venue. It's right on the spot of the focal
point of the interest, so it wouldn't be valid anywhere
else.
"It is obviously an 11th-hour decision to turn
around, on the strength of the campaign to keep it there
I suppose."
Kinks founders Ray and Dave Davies - who were brought up
nearby in Denmark Terrace had both written to the
Journal to express their fears that a crucial piece of
the band's history would be lost forever if the
collection were to be dismantled and sold off.
The story generated unprecedented response from fans
across the globe, and an online petition to keep the
shrine attracted more than 1,000 signatures within days
of being set up, including all four Kinks members, The
Beatles' Ringo Starr, singer and actress Marianne
Faithful and film director Julien Temple.
Mr Orton added: "The Davies brothers leant their
weight to the argument, and the owners are going to look
at it in the commercial light of day.
"I shall be visiting when it reopens. It would be
nice to get together with the owners and have some sort
of Kinks-related opening ceremony there."
Dave Davies is reported to have recorded a new song
called The Clissold Arms, in memory of the venue that
helped sow the seeds of The Kinks. It is not thought to
be linked to the uncertainty that hung over the Kinks
Corner. |
|
| Kinks are a part of
world history
04
April 2007
REGARDING "We must
preserve The Kinks legend" (Viewpoints, Journal,
March 29). This is shocking. The Kinks are not just part
of British history, but world history. - Alex Engel, New
York, USA.
It's a disgrace to consider doing anything with The
Kinks wall in the Clissold Arms pub in Muswell Hill.
I'll be in London this Easter and I will go to Denmark
Terrace to see that nice, little suburban street where
the Davies family raised two of rock's greatest heroes.
I will also see the pub across the street. The owners
should know that Kinks fans from all over the world are
disappointed they are considering doing anything. God
save The Kinks. - Bjorn E. "Bergenkink" Mork,
Bergen, Norway.
As a long-time Kinks fan I am disappointed with the
shortsightedness of the owners of the Clissold Arms. I
was hoping to pay a visit this summer during a Kinks
tour of north London to see the "shrine". Alas
I might as well spend my cash at a "gastropub"
in my wife's hometown, Manchester!
- Mark Seiler, Maple Ridge, British Columbia, Canada.
REGARDING "We must preserve The Kinks legend"
(Viewpoints, Journal, March 29). This is shocking. The
Kinks are not just part of British history, but world
history. - Alex Engel, New York, USA.
I WOULD like to comment on "We must preserve The
Kinks legend" (Viewpoints, Journal, March 29).
Growing up in the 1960s in middle-America, my sister and
I were impressed by the "British Invasion". As
"Beatlemania" spread around the world, most
young (I was 12 at the time) fans lapped up anything
British.
As the years passed, it became apparent that The Kinks
ranked right at the top alongside The Beatles as being
among the greatest and most influential musical forces
in the 20th century.
If I were British I'd consider them a national treasure.
Hell, I'm not British and I feel that way! - Mark Wegman,
Columbia, Missouri, USA.
I read with great sadness the news concerning the
decision of the new owners of the Clissold Arms to get
rid of the section dedicated to The Kinks.
These companies are not interested in local history or
English history. All they care about is profit.
If they do discard the Kinks section, I hope the people
of Muswell Hill boycott the place. From an ex-Muswell
Hill resident who always had a drink in the Clissold
Arms when in town. - Patrick Sinnott, via e-mail.
I grew up with The Kinks in Muswell Hill, went to school
with Ray Davies and played football with him. The Kinks
are part of Muswell Hill and their shrine at the
Clissold Arms must not be allowed to be terminated.
Rod Stewart went to the same school as Ray - William
Grimshaw School, in Creighton Avenue - so we are rich in
musical history.
I am sure with the paper's publicity and The Kinks'
support, the owners will think hard about their decision.
- Peter Bowley, Carrington Avenue, Borehamwood, Herts.
Add my name onto the list to ask the new owners of the
Clissold Arms pub in Muswell Hill to keep The Kinks
Corner. Walking in London, and seeing the plaques
everywhere is always delightful. Almost as delightful as
a Ray Davies tune and lyric. - Peter Chew, Quito,
Ecuador. |
|
We must preserve The
Kinks legend
28
March 2007
 |
| THE
KINKS, Muswell Hill’s most famous rock band
(from left to right): Ray Davies, Mick Avory,
Dave Davies and Peter Quaife |
I am an American and a
history buff who finds it incredibly frustrating to
watch American history being paved over instead of
preserved. So it is of cold comfort to find in your
report "Kinks brothers blast plans to strip pub of
band's 'shrine'" (Journal, March 22) that we are
not the only country to sell out our history.
Apparently there are people in Britain, a country
steeped in tradition, who would put a quick dollar (sorry,
pound) above a site that carries not only local but
national and international historical significance.
 |
| THE
CLISSOLD Arms pub in Muswell Hill – home of
the Kink’s ""shrine |
I've always said that you
can tell a true music fan, because they will be the ones
who include the Kinks in any discussion of 60s rock, and
place them on equal footing with the Who, the Rolling
Stones, and the Beatles when discussing the British
Invasion. If it were a site connected to the Stones or
Beatles this wouldn't even be an issue.
- Doug Tabner, Toledo, Ohio, USA.
For fans around the world, the Clissold Arms and its
Kinks Corner represent an important tribute due to The
Kinks. Similar to Liverpool, Muswell Hill holds a place
in rock music history for millions. The Kinks have
proudly preserved and promoted their home through their
music for over 40 years.
Many have made the "pilgrimage" to visit the
places made famous in the songs that have been the
soundtrack of our lives. There is a potential tourism
market that could be better developed if properly
packaged and advertised. Rather than disregarding the
treasure in your midst, we fans ardently hope the new
owners of the pub will recognise the significance of
this historic building and its contents.
- Rose Aufiero, Howell, NJ, USA.
I am an American and a Kinks fan. I had read about the
Clissold Arms, so when I visited London, I had to make a
special trip to Fortis Green. After taking a few
pictures of Denmark Terrace, I had to go into the
Clissold Arms to visit the Kinks Corner. Since I was
there, I decided to have a pint, and then a meal. They
would never had gotten me as a customer if they had not
had that little shrine. It would just make good business
sense to keep the Kinks Corner.
- Kevin L. Hodsdon, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA.
It has always been my dream to one day visit London.
Forget the Tower and London Bridge! I want to see
Finchley and Muswell Hill, have an ale in the Clissold
Arms, and take the Kinks Tour of north London. We have
far too many chic "gastro-pubs" of our own in
this country. If the British don't want to preserve even
the minor bits of their heritage, they might as well be
Americans.
- Julie Evelsizer, Duncanville, Alabama, USA.
The Kinks are part of Britain's musical heritage and the
Clissold Arms pub has a historical link to the group's
history. The pub owners obviously have no sense of
preserving heritage or any thoughts towards their
acquisition's history. All pubs are now looking the same
across the UK. Why not display the memorabilia and make
it "unique". Who wants to visit places that
are bland and nothing important to see on the walls. God
save the Kinks!
- Tim Brooks, Mona Road, Burton-On-Trent, Staffs.
My husband, Professor Michael Kraus, was the person
responsible for the Kinks Korner at the Clissold Arms.
The Muswell Hill Journal sent a reporter to cover the
unveiling. It was a very happy time for him as a
lifelong Kinks fan.
Thousands of Kinks fans from all over the world have
visited the pub to view The Kinks memorabilia and to
feel just a little bit closer to such a legendary group.
To lose this connection would be tragic and would have
broken my husband's heart.
- Linda Kraus, Fond du Lac, WI, USA.
Shame on the new owners of the Clissold Arms! Why can't
music history be honoured in an appropriate way in the
new "gastropub"? Surely the Kinks shrine can
be preserved in such a way that it could bring them new
business of people who would eat/drink there just
because the Kinks shrine was located there!
- Lindee Levicke, Valley Village, CA, USA.
Common sense, not business sense should prevail. The
Kinks are legendary. They are in the Rock and Roll Hall
of Fame. Ray Davies is respected as one of the best, if
not the best, Brit-pop songwriter of the latter 20th
century. The Kinks represent the fabric of 20th century
British pop culture. Common sense dictates that in some
form, the Kinks Korner at the Clissold Arms, should be
preserved and cherished.
- Peter M. Kwiat, Agawam, MA, USA.
Cheers to Ray and Dave Davies, particularly for wearing
on their sleeves their pride in being English in
general, and Londoners in particular. As a son of a
Blitz-era London mum, I hope that English public opinion
rallies around the Kinks on this matter.
- Tommy Maher, Homestead Road, Fort Wayne, Indiana, USA.
I planned a London trip from San Francisco with the
primary interest of visiting the area where Ray and Dave
Davies started their most prolific music career. I had a
few pints at the Clissold, never knowing that the small,
unintrusive corner where my heroes are displayed would
ever be in such a ridiculous controversy. The plaques
and pictures won't intefere with any dining experience,
but would only be an enhancement.
- Greg DiMercurio, Antioch CA 94509, USA.
Removing the Kinks fan corner of the pub would be a
genuine shame. It is of interest to people from all over
the world. I made a special trip to the Clissold Arms
during my 2003 vacation in London. I brought along
friends from California to the pub where we had a
wonderful evening, chatting with the locals who were
equally interested in us as we were in them and the
history of this area. I would hate to see this landmark
gone.
- Jim Henning, Chicago, IL, USA.
I am saddened to hear the terrible news about the
Clissold Arms. Why does our society put profit before
anything else? Have we no respect for our culture? I am
an American and have always hoped to visit Muswell Hill
and have a drink at the Clissold Arms. I hope that one
day, I will realise this wish. God Save the Kinks!
- Edward Cooke, via e-mail.
THE KINKS are a British institution worthy of worship
and preservation. Not only should the Kinks shrine and
memorabilia be preserved, they should be naming the
street the pub is on after Ray and Dave Davies.
- Frank Lima, The Kinks Preservation Society, Montvale,
New Jersey, USA. |
|
| Kinks brothers blast
plans to strip pub of band's 'shrine'
21
March 2007
 |
| KINKS
line-up (from left) Mick Avory, Dave Davies,
Peter Quaife and Ray Davies |
THE founding brothers of
British guitar legends The Kinks have both spoken out
against any move to strip the pub they first performed
in of its shrine to the band.
In a world exclusive, Ray Davies told the Journal he was
"genuinely disappointed" to read the so-called
"Kinks Corner" in The Clissold Arms pub could
be auctioned off when it gets turned into an upmarket
gastro-pub.
 |
| THE
CLISSOLD ARMS – home to the ""Kinks
Corner |
Brother Dave Davies asked:
"Have they [the tenants] lost their dignity, sense
of local history and English heritage?"
Both musicians got in touch with the Journal separately
to oppose the loss.
The pub, on Fortis Green, Muswell Hill, has been closed
since last year, but the Kinks Corner has attracted fans
from around the world, who have been devastated by the
news and bombarded the Journal with letters.
In an unprecedented move, Ray wrote an open plea to the
pub's new tenant Caroline Jones, director of Jobo
Developments Ltd, urging her "to retain some sort
of reference to The Kinks" where so much of their
history is rooted.
Ray says when he first heard of the Kinks Corner he was
"touched and very proud".
He wrote: "My brother and I grew up literally yards
away in Denmark Terrace, and while much of our early
music symbolised the revolutionary spirit of the 60s, we
always referenced our community in albums such as
Muswell Hillbillies and The Village Green Preservation
Society.
"Many of my songs were drawn from characters I
observed in the area."
Ray pledged to "do all I can to help" if the
memorabilia, including rare signed vinyl and photographs
donated by fans, gets the boot.
He added: "Whatever the outcome, one thing is
certain; the Kinks and their music will always be
inextricably linked with north London and the Fortis
Green area in particular. Long after gastronomic styles
have come and gone."
Ray's brother Dave had a dig at the "gastro-pub"
image the new tenants say isn't compatible with its
rock'n'roll history, adopting a mock-French accent at
one point.
He added: "Why on Earth can't they have their posh
gastro grub and still keep a part of it for tourists,
Kinks fans and the curious?"
Last month Caroline Jones, director of Jobo Developments,
said: "We haven't made a decision yet to be honest.
We have inherited it. I have no idea if we can trace it
back.
"It [the new pub] will be quite different, and it
won't be the kind of place you would expect to see it.
"If [getting rid of the memorabilia] is the case
then an auction is the kind of thing we would do."
Despite repeated efforts by the Journal, no-one at Jobo
Developments has returned our calls since.
HAVE YOUR SAY - Should the new tenants keep the Kinks
Corner? Email us nlnews@archant.co.uk
THE STARS SPEAK OUT...
RAY SAYS:
"I was genuinely disappointed to read that the new
owners of The Clissold Arms in Fortis Green were not
going to continue displaying any reference of the Kinks
when the pub is refurbished.
"It's a pity there will be no local evidence or
mention of the group who played in the old back room of
The Clissold Arms.
"From what I understand, none of The Kinks were
involved in putting up the original display.
"It was something that was put together by Kinks
fans, interested locals and supportive landlords who
managed the pub over the years.
"When I first heard about the 'Kinks Corner' in the
pub I was touched and proud.
"My brother and I grew up yards away in Denmark
Terrace, and while much of our early music symbolised
the revolutionary spirit of the 60s, we always
referenced our community in albums such as Muswell
Hillbillies and The Village Green Preservation Society.
"Many of my songs were drawn from characters I
observed in the area. I have to this day kept my
connections in Fortis Green, East Finchley Muswell Hill
and Highgate.
"I would urge whoever has bought the pub to retain
some sort of reference to The Kinks in the premises so
that Kinks fans from all over the world can retain it as
a sense of 'place'.
"My family used the pub, and in many respects Kinks
fans are a family and would hopefully continue to
patronise the pub in its new form.
"The memorabilia itself deserves to be seen. It
celebrates not just the Kinks but serves as a reminder
of the community we came from.
"A few years ago when I was in New Orleans, I
visited what used to be [famed 1950s-60s R&B
recording engineer] Cosimo Matassa's studio in the
French quarter.
"The premises is now a launderette, but there is an
area dedicated to Cosimo and many of the blues and early
rock acts he produced there.
"I'm sure if an historic reference can be displayed
in a launderette in New Orleans it can be achieved in a
gastropub in north London.
"If this small exhibit does not continue then I
hope that interested parties find another location for
it.
"I will do all I can to help. Whatever the outcome,
one thing is certain; the Kinks and their music will
always be linked with north London and the Fortis Green.
Long after gastronomic styles have come and gone."
DAVE SAYS:
"Yes, it is upsetting. Why on Earth can't they have
their posh gastro grub and still keep a part of it for
tourists, Kinks fans and the curious?
"Surely it would help bring people into the area as
well as the 'gastro' posh people. Pardon moi monsewer my
French is non trei bonne...
"I know my ole man always said they used to water
down the beer, but this is going too far.
"I am sure if this had been The Cavern and The
Beatles' history being disturbed/got rid of, it would
have been brought to the attention of the House of
Commons, the Lords and the Queen herself.
"Just wanted add my fuel, and disdain, to the
argument. What's the matter with these people? Have they
lost their dignity, sense of local history and English
heritage? |
|
| Find a new home for
Kinks items
14
March 2007
MY friend Mike Kraus (who
passed away in 2003) initiated the Kinks Korner in the
Clissold Arms, Muswell Hill. The items there probably
belong to Konk, Ray Davies' production company in
Tottenham Lane, Hornsey.
Mike was a professor in the US, and a lifelong Kinks
fan. He initiated serious discussion of the music of The
Kinks for the Institute of Popular Culture. It is sad to
see his heritage being so poorly thought of.
If the items should go anywhere, they ought to be
offered to the Queen Alexandra pub opposite the Clissold
Arms as Ray and Dave Davies used to drink there, while
their dad went to the Clissold.
Every year the Kinks fan club has a meeting in November,
and the night before it became a tradition for the Kinks
fans to meet in the Clissold Arms.
Then it generated into a sing song, and developed
further into the musicians among us bringing in their
instruments and playing for about three hours for
everyone in the pub. John Dick, the last manager of the
pub, enjoyed us coming in and singing our hearts out!
The year before, because of a double booking, we used
The Boston Arms, Tufnell Park, and the Bald Faced Stag,
East Finchley, was last year's venue, but it's not the
same as they don't have the Kinks ambience.
It is sad that The Kinks, one of the greatest bands of
the 60s era, who were inspirational to so many of
today's younger bands are treated with such disrespect
by the new licensee.
If the items are auctioned, where is the money going to?
I don't think it should fill the pockets of the new
owner. The items were left for Kinks fans and should be
returned to Konk, offered to the Queen Alexandra ...or
at least to the fan club, where they can be auctioned
for charity.
- Olga Ruocco, Kinks fan since 1964, via e-mail. |
|
| God save The Kinks!
14
March 2007
AS a teenager in the
1970s I struggled with my peers who insisted on playing
AC/DC, Kiss, Rush, etc.
My life was permanently changed when I became aware of
The Kinks thanks to a college radio station in Atlanta,
Georgia. Most of my friends didn't get it but I didn't
care. I learned it was OK to not be like everybody else.
As an American, conservative, and want-to-be capitalist
(I am as poor as a church mouse) I am generally
concerned about government intrusion into private
business. Nonetheless, there are times when powers
greater than ourselves need to step in. God Save The
Kinks!
- Jeff Crouch, Pensacola, Florida, US. |
|
| Kinks' shine sell-off
sends shockwaves across world
07
March 2007
NEWS that the shrine to
legendary rock band The Kinks in their local pub could
be sold off to the highest bidder has caused shockwaves
among fans around the world.
The Journal revealed last week that the new tenants of
The Clissold Arms, Fortis Green, Muswell Hill, the site
of the first performance by brothers Ray and Dave Davies
of The Kinks, are planning to turn it into a fashionable
gastropub and distance themselves from the pub's
historic links.
Fans have been reeling in shock at the possibility that
the collection of memorabilia - including a collection
of vinyl and photographs donated by fans - could be
scattered across the globe if the tenants choose to sell
it off.
Tenancy laws mean that Caroline Jones and Hugh O'Boyle,
directors of Brighton-based Jobo Developments Ltd, own
all the fixtures and fittings in the pub, including the
collection.
In response to the news, the co-editor of Norwegian fan
website WhyKinks, Kai Armann, who makes a pilgrimage to
the pub every year, this week started an internet
campaign dubbed Save The Clissold Arms to try to get the
display preserved in its current home.
On the internet message board of Dave Davies' website,
one member calling themselves Terisong wrote: "This
is so sad! Dave [Davies] must know about this! It's
sickening to think the new owners could possibly auction
off this sentimental and priceless memorabilia on eBay
or any other place. This is terrible! We need to stop
this from happening if at all possible."
Another wrote: "I wonder if they [the Davies
brothers] will offer to buy the memorabilia from the new
owners and display them at Konk [Ray's recording studio
in Crouch End] or somewhere else.
"I hope the new owners change their mind as lots of
fans from all over the world make an annual pilgrimage
to the pub and it would generate business for them."
Both Dave and Ray Davies are aware of the news, but
neither had commented as the Journal went to press.
The pub, which was in the first wave of the Campaign For
Real Ale (CAMRA)'s Pubs In Time awards scheme last year,
is due to reopen as an upmarket food-focussed pub in the
early summer.
Ironically, the man behind CAMRA's Pubs In Time scheme,
Professor Simon Davies, begins to lobby the government
to protect culturally historic pubs by law, the same way
listed buildings are.
He is reported as saying: "We protect the
architecture of buildings where nothing has occurred of
any significance whatsoever, yet it seems to be OK to
vandalise, destroy and obliterate places which shaped
our country and, in some cases, shaped the world. |
|
| Dedicated followers of
Davies
07
March 2007
 |
| RAY
Davies, of legendary band The Kinks |
I HOPE and pray that at
least priceless memorabilia will be returned to the
Davies brothers or the fans who donated it ("Kinks
'shrine' set to be dumped", Muswell Hill Journal,
March 1). It is the only decent thing to do. It's bad
enough that the memory and atmosphere will be lost
forever. - Teri LaBrecque, Live Oak, Florida, USA
I'VE BEEN an avid fan of The Kinks since 1964 and I made
my first pilgrimage to the Clissold Arms four and a half
years ago with my 14-year-old daughter.
I view the shrine as important as Abbey Road for The
Beatles!
I have since returned twice in the fall of 2005 to meet
with a relative of Dave's for a business deal. I do
believe the new owners of the pub could work the shrine
into the design. If they can't, then get a hold of Dave
Emlin, of The Kinks Fan Website, and donate it back to
the fans as one unit.
Or lastly, do as I did, temporarily loan the items as a
unit to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland or
the new UK Hall! Please do the right thing! - Ken
Herrick, Phoenix, Arizona, USA.
I THINK it's sad that The Kinks memorabilia is going to
be gotten rid of, all for some fancy-schmancy gastropub!
As a Kinks fan from New Zealand I would love to be able
to come to the Clissold Arms and see all the memorabilia
when I travel to London in the not too distant future. -
Jess, New Zealand.
REGARDING your "Kinks 'shrine' set to be dumped"
story, what a shame that these owners have no
appreciation for heritage. They will miss out on
thousands of worldwide fans who would have spent money
there. Please notify Prince Charles that this place
should be part of the National Trust. SHAME! - Name and
address supplied, USA.
REGARDING the story "Kinks 'shrine' set to be
dumped", I used to go there when going to London -
but without The Kinks there is no way I would go to that
place or that part of the city. - Name and address
supplied, Denmark.
I UNDERSTAND that commercial interests in sustaining a
business come first, but is there not just one small
corner of the Clissold Arms which could be retained as a
memorabilia area for the Davies brothers? Has the CAMRA
award no value? - Name and address supplied, Kent. |
|
| Kinks 'shrine' set to
be dumped
01
March 2007
 |
| THE
Clissold Arms: has become a ""shrine""
for Kinks fans |
THE pub that hosted the
first performance by Ray and Dave Davies - founders of
legendary rock band The Kinks - could be stripped of its
shrine to the band.
The new tenants of the Clissold Arms, in Fortis Green,
Muswell Hill want to turn it into a fashionable
gastropub when it re-opens in the summer.
 |
| n
RAY DAVIES, leader of the legendary Muswell Hill
band, The Kinks. |
And the tenants aim to
distance themselves from the pub's rock 'n' roll history
- perhaps even auctioning off the "museum" of
Kinks memorabilia that has been displayed there for
years.
The collection - including vinyl record and photographs
donated by fans - is unlikely to fit the image they plan
to cultivate for the pub.
The news has shocked and saddened Kinks fans across the
world, some of whom make annual pilgrimages to the
drinking hole.
Last year the Clissold Arms was named one of Britain's
historic Pubs In Time, and even features in the lyrics
of The Kinks' song Fortis Green.
The Davies brothers were raised in Muswell Hill, close
to them pub. Ray Davies now lives in Highgate.
Kai Armann, co-editor of Norwegian fan website WhyKinks,
who travels to the pub every year, said: "We don't
understand why it is impossible to make good food in the
current surroundings.
"We are shocked. This can't be true. Somebody has
to stop them!"
Bill Orton, secretary of The Official Kinks Fan Club,
said: "There will be a tinge of sadness to lose
that link, and obviously there will be some interest in
getting the memorabilia.
"Over the years the Davies brothers have still held
family parties and birthday parties there, and they both
think fondly of that place from their youth. The fact is
that it is The Clissold Arms, and people will still go
in and soak up the vibe."
The collection, worth around £1,000, includes a signed
copy of Long Tall Sally, The Kinks' debut single,
various Kinks records and sleeves, record company and
press photos of the band, and a brass plaque etched with
the words: "Site of 1957 performing debut of Ray
and Dave Davies, founding members of The Kinks."
New licensee Caroline Jones, who outlined plans for
"a quality, food-led establishment" to
Haringey councillors at a licensing sub-committee
meeting, said: "We haven't made a decision yet, to
be perfectly honest. We have inherited it. It [the new
pub] will be quite different, and it won't be the kind
of place you would expect to see it. If it [getting rid
of the memorabilia] is the case then an auction is the
kind of thing we would do."
John Cryne, chairman of CAMRA's North London branch,
which supported the Pubs In Time scheme, said: "To
scatter it in the eBay environment and sell it around
the world would be a bit sad."
Ray Davies, who visited the pub during his birthday in
2005, is in the United States and was unavailable for
comment. |
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| Kinks fans on last
concert quest
nlnews@archant.co.uk
08
February 2007
A group of Norwegians on
a quest have started to make annual pilgrimages to a
Muswell Hill pub in an attempt to answer a riddle that
has puzzled them for more than a decade.
The question might not be at the top of everyone's list,
but for this group of die-hard fans there is nothing
more pressing.
Kai Arne Armann co-edits The Kinks fan website WhyKinks,
and helps organise the trip from Oslo to The Clissold
Arms, the fabled site of the band's first-ever
performance, and other Kinks-related sites each December.
He said: "The Kinks' last public concert ever took
place in Oslo on June 15, 1996. We were there, and our
friends and family too.
"Since Oslo is our home town we felt we had to
understand the mystery - why was The Kinks' last concert
held in Oslo?"
In an effort to solve the conundrum - and enjoy a
holiday abroad - the mission was set.
Kai said: "When Ray Davies visits Oslo with his
Storyteller show, we understand that we have to look for
the answers in the society where the founding members of
the world's greatest rock and roll band ever grew up.
"We found our way in the songs of The Kinks and
those made by Dave and Ray Davies after their sad visit
to Oslo."
He added: "This pilgrimage tour is a small homage
to the band, a way of getting even more out of their
music, and meeting other fans.
"We also hope we can bring some inspiration and joy
to our readers."
Kai has already racked up over 7,000 miles making the
journeys, and was joined last year by the frontman of
Norway's Kinks covers band.
"The Kinks have a timeless appeal," said Kai.
"The only way to understand our dedication is to
listen to their music and their lyrics - and let the
Sunny Afternoon glide into a Waterloo Sunset, wondering
Where Have All The Good Times Gone, then they Really Got
you All Day And All Of The Night. |
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| Kinks pub 'closes'
nlnews@archant.co.uk
16
January 2007
 |
| Ray
Davies |
A WEALTH of memorabilia
including a guitar and a signed seven-inch single by
Muswell Hill's most famous band, The Kinks, is to remain
in its spiritual home of The Clissold Arms, despite
concerns over the pub's future.
The drinking hole in Fortis Green, opposite the
childhood home of Kinks founders Dave and Ray Davies,
closed recently for the second time in four months,
prompting rumours of financial strife.
The pub is full of Kinks memorabilia, including a signed
copy of their first single - a cover version of Little
Richard's Long Tall Sally - a guitar, a wall of
photographs and a brass plaque etched with the words:
"Site of 1957 performing debut of Ray and Dave
Davies, founding members of The Kinks."
Just last February, The Clissold Arms was named one of
Britain's Pubs In Time - commemorating drinking holes
with historical significance - and awarded a second
plaque.
But a spokeswoman for owners Enterprise Inns said the
pub was due to reopen later this month with none of the
musical heritage removed. She said: "The pub is
currently undergoing some repairs and we hope to reopen
it towards the end of January."
The pub even features in the lyrics of The Kinks' song
Fortis Green. |
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