Wicked Riff Wednesday Episode 4: What Was The First Heavy Metal Riff

2018-07-31

When we speak of the beginnings of heavy metal, we may mention acts like Cream, The Jimi Hendrix Experience or Blue Cheer and while all of these bands played heavy music for their time, there is one track by one band that predates them all. In 1964 when everyone was trying to sound like The Beatles, frustrated Kinks guitarist Dave Davies took a razor blade to the speaker cone of his amp affectionally known as "little greeney" and changed the course of rock and roll forever.

In 1964 when everyone was trying to sound like The Beatles, frustrated Kinks guitarist Dave Davies took a razor blade to the speaker cone of his amp affectionally known as "little greeney" and changed the course of rock and roll forever.

The song "You Really Got Me" sounded nothing like anything of it's time. It was heavy and sleazy and the first track in history who's hook was based around a distorted guitar riff. This was a year before Keef Riff-hard rocked our socks off with the fuzztone riff of Satisfaction and four years before The Beatles would cut Helter Skelter.

The track was a complete stand out in it's day and has become one of the most recognized riffs in all of classic rock-dome. So this week we celebrate Dave Davies, The Kinks and the birth of heavy metal!

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