DAVE DAVIES: "Mystikal Journey" (documentary). Review.
The Kinks are one of the most influential bands in rock’n’roll history. Now the founder and guitarist of the band, Dave Davies, take us on a trip through his life in music and spirituality in his “Mystikal Journey” documentary. It’s a physical walk through his childhood neighbourhood in London – Muswell Hill, Fortis Green, and Denmark Terrace where he bought the little green amp on which he played the legendary riff to “You Really Got Me” – and a spiritual journey through the ideas and philosophies that have mattered so much to him.
Music and spirituality have obviously been two major interests throughout his life. To most people, they may seem far from each other. To Dave, there’s no distance and never has been. Born into a big family and a home with many elder sisters who were all into the spiritual and intuitive sides of life, Dave was always interested in “unusual things” as a kid, as he explains. And was confirmed in this, when Ray Davies, his brother, lead singer and composer of The Kinks, was hospitalised, and the two of them had a telepathic experience. A solidarity and at the same time a complementarity that could be part of the explanation to the magic moments created by the band in their heyday.
We meet Dave the rebellion walking through the city – a parallel to his youth, his physical history, and life in rock’n’roll – and we meet the sensitive man in the great wide landscape as a parallel to his spiritual inner world. It seems that the two worlds never quite did meet and become one; it’s more of a constant, on-going task to the holistic Dave to unite music, sound, and spirituality into one great energy behind all things.
Mixed with archive footage and new Dave Davies music, this is an important document for those with interest in rock history. “Mystikal Journey” is an outright honest portrait of an extremely sensitive (and funny!), gifted musician that played an important role in rock history. One could argue that the film is too long; namedropping of spiritual mentors gets tiring; and you certainly need to be open to spiritual/religious subjects.
But if so, there’s a lot to gain here: A first-hand witness and contributor to rock history guides you through his life and his times, new information about The Kinks and the relationship between Ray & Dave emerges, and Dave’s heroic and stubborn effort to communicate the link between music and spirituality is inspiring. And when all is said and done – his music lingers on.
- rhj@dali.dk.
