RAY Davies is affectionately known as the Godfather of Britpop, is one of the most influential songwriters of the 1960s - and he is on his way to Ipswich!The founder of the hugely popular band The Kinks is coming to town for a concert at the Regent on October 21.

By Jo Macdonald

RAY Davies is affectionately known as the Godfather of Britpop, is one of the most influential songwriters of the 1960s – and he is on his way to Ipswich!

The founder of the hugely popular band, The Kinks, is coming to town for a concert at the Regent on October 21.

The man cited as a major influence for many bands of the nineties, including Blur, Pulp and Oasis, burst onto the music scene in the early sixties when he formed The Kinks with his brother, Dave.

The band enjoyed a string of international hits with well-known songs such as Lola, Dedicated Follower of Fashion and You Really Got Me.

And many of Davies' songs have been recorded by other successful acts like The Jam, Van Halen, The Pretenders and The Stranglers.

The songwriters talents extended far beyond the chart arena, however, and he composed several pioneering rock operas, appeared in television series and collaborated on stage musicals.

His first solo album, The Storyteller, was released in 1998 and showed that Davies' ability to write fine songs has far from dwindled. During that same year he performed to a packed audience at the Ipswich Regent.

Now he is heading out on tour again and will visit eight towns and cities later this year.

It is this musical journey around the UK that is set to bring him back to Ipswich in October.

n Ray Davies will perform at the Regent, in Ipswich, on October 21. Tickets, priced at £20, go on sale today and are available from the Central Box Office, Princes Street, Ipswich, by calling 01473 433100 or on-line at: www.ipswichents.co.uk

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