Flashback To Ray Davies & Damon Albarn Performing “Waterloo Sunset” And “Parklife” Together in 1995

Flashback To Ray Davies & Damon Albarn Performing “Waterloo Sunset” And “Parklife” Together in 1995

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Damon Albarn of Blur with Ray Davies of The Kinks performing on The White Room, London, 1995. Photo by Martyn Goodacre/Getty Images.

We’re taking you back to 1995 when Damon Albarn joined legendary Kinks frontman, Ray Davies on UK’s The White Room with Mark Radcliffe. The two Britpop stars, generations apart, delivered a timeless performance of their iconic hits.

Davies kicks things off with some acoustic renditions that amp up the swagger of Kinks classics like “You Really Got Me” before Albarn joins him onstage for a tender rendition of “Waterloo Sunset” and a rather raucous take on Blur’s chart-topper, “Parklife” which seems to come as a complete surprise to Damon Albarn! Watch below:

In the early nineties, Blur stormed the charts with their own special brand of super catchy Britpop. Presenter, Mark Radcliffe, introduces the Blur frontman as “Brit-encrusted” and - considering his swag of Brit Awards and the runaway success of the band’s seminal record, Parklife (1994) - it seems quite apt. 

Kinks frontman, Ray Davies is introduced by Radcliffe as the “King Kink” which Davies tells the audience, “makes me feel about a thousand years old.” Davies himself was enjoying something of a renaissance thanks to Britpop’s success on the international stage during the 90s and the influx of young bands paying homage to his work that came with it. Damon Albarn can’t hide the thrill he gets just sharing the stage with Ray Davies, but when the Britpop icon busts out Blur's hit single, the young singer looks so shocked he almost falls off his chair. 

When it comes to legends of Britpop, Ray Davies and Damon Albarn are an almost unbeatable pairing!

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