Peter Quaife
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Peter Quaife (1965) with 4001S Fireglo
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Peter Quaife with the Kinks
Ray Davies; Peter Quaife; Mick Avery; Dave Davies
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Peter Quaife with 4001S in 1998
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Peter Quaife at home in Ontario in 1998
Email from Peter Quaife: August 17, 2000
"You Really Got Me"
In those days there was no such thing as fuzz boxes. What we did was to get a small, green amp which had an out put of about 2-3 watts and smash up the loudspeaker with a screwdriver. Then we connected the leads going to the speaker to an extension lead fitted to a jack. This we plugged into a Vox AC30. Then we turned it all on and cranked it all up as high as it would go. This was the beginning of the British entry into nuclear explosions! The result can be heard on You Really Got Me. (Later on we found it to be cheaper to buy a fuzz box)
Regards, The Crutch
Email from Peter Quaife: March 16, 2000
Regarding Flatwound Strings
Peter. I always used flatwound strings. Y'see I've got small, delicate hands - not at all suited to bass playing but, in those days, if I didn't want to play the bass I would have very badly hurt by a couple of brothers. So I grew to love the bass ... Seriously though, I always used the flatwound string. I found it easier to slide around the neck without that annoying buzzzzz accompanying every move. I also found that flatwounds gave a cleaner response, recorded better and could change in a subtler way than other strings could. Re- 'you really got me' to 'mr. songbird'. At one point (Sunny Afternoon) I purchased a Danelectro but was told to remove it from Raymond's sight. Pity, really. It gave quite a neat 'piano' sound. As to the make of the strings in those days .....? Only God remembers that! Regards, The Crutch.
Email from Peter Quaife: February 13, 2000
Back in the Studio
OK! I am now in the studio as from 9.30 this morning to record four demos for the upcoming CD of the book "Veritas". It is a momentous occasion as, after 30 years, the Crutch is in the studio! God help us all! Wish me luck ...
Bent Rickenbacker: Peter Quaife - December 1, 1999
"Hey, Peter.
Peter, my first ricky got bent all out of shape in Germany way back in the 1960's? We were playing in a huge Marquee
tent in the middle of a circus show. Go figure! The changing room was in another tent 50-60 yards away. Outside the temperature
was minus 360,000 degrees Centigrade, and inside it was a comfortable 25 degrees. We had to walk through the snow to the Marquee
holding our instruments ready to go straight on. By the time I got to the stage the Ricky had become the shape of a bow - due to
the humidity and temperature change. I didn't notice until we started the first number, "You Really Got Me." I had the strings under my fingers but no fretboard! The first
clue was when I really had to spread my thumb and fingers to reach around both the strings and fretboard. I was really bewildered. Luckily the bass player from the other group,
The Lords (a German group) threw me his Fender Precision so that I could continue. (I spent two weeks in hospital with Fender contusions and bruises). That was when, quite a while
later ('cos Ray controlled the money) I eventually replaced it with the one I have now. I'll get you the serial numbers later 'cos its down at the studio and winters starting here!
By the by, I did a painting of the Rickenbacker with the string breaking - as seen from my point of view. It sold for four thousand US$. Made me happy. I'll try and get a copy for you, Regards. Pete Crutch Quaife"
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For more information regarding Peter Quaife
and
the Kinks read Martin Kalin's fine article
The Missing Kink
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