Ray Davies, Bruce Springsteen, Bon Jovi to Record Kinks Cover

Consequence of Sound is reporting something that will either fall into the pop culture bin marked Amazing, or tip over into the Sweet Jesus, This is Bad box. Ray Davies, former frontman of the late, great Kinks is recording an album of Kinks covers/ duets with a myriad of artists including Bruce Springsteen and Jon Bon Jovi.

Inspired by the multi-artist jam sessions from last year’s Rock ‘n Roll Hall of Fame 25th Anniversary concert, Davies contacted the Boss asking him to lend his gritty vocals to a cover of the Kinks’ 1981 single “Better Things,” while Bon Jovi will apply his Jersey cheese to the ’72 hit “Celluloid Heroes.”

In addition to working with the New Jersey rockers, Davies has also hinted at possible collaborations with Lucinda Williams, The Killers, and – wait for it – Metallica.  Yes, that Metallica. Lucinda Williams makes sense in a way, and given the band’s desperation for classic-rock validation (and their habit of ripping off every rock hero from Springsteen to Lou Reed), the Killers hitching their star to the Kinks catalog really makes sense.

Metallica may be the best choice of all amongst this group, the metal band’s “You Really Got Me” collaboration with Davies at the Hall of Fame concert was a barnburner, so why not?  It certainly can’t be worse than their last few records. No official release date for the album has been announced, though you can likely assume it will be before the “Hell Freezes Over” section in which the Kinks’ reunion is circled.

What do you think about the lineup for The Kinks cover album? Which artist mentioned is your favorite?