Sunny Afternoon, the critically acclaimed new musical, which tells the story of the early life of Ray Davies and the rise to stardom of The Kinks, has released four preview tracks from the official cast recording album, released later this month, with a further three tracks still to be released.
All 29 tracks on the album are performed entirely by members of the company, with John Dagleish as Ray Davies, George Maguire as Dave Davies, Ned Derrington as Pete Quaife and Adam Sopp as Mick Avory.
Ray Davies said: “We used the cast members to play as a band rather than hire session musicians, which is very unusual. Everyone rose to the challenge magnificently. It was the first time they had been in the studio as a group which gave the record a feeling of vitality, energy and innocence of a band just starting out. In a way it was like making an early Kinks album”
Featuring some of The Kinks’ best-loved songs, including You Really Got Me, Waterloo Sunset and Lola, Sunny Afternoon marks the 50th Anniversary year of the band’s debut release.
The Kinks exploded onto the 60s music scene with a raw, energetic new sound that rocked a nation. But how did that happen, where exactly did they come from and what happened next?
Set against the back-drop of a Britain caught mid-swing between the conservative 50s and riotous 60s, this production explores the euphoric highs and agonising lows of one of Britain’s most iconic bands and the irresistible music that influenced generations.
The album is available now to Pre-order. Sunny Afternoon is booking at the Harold Pinter Theatre until January 31.
