Pete Quaife, the founding bass player of the Kinks, died of kidney failure Wednesday (6/23). Quaife remained a member of the group from its inception until 1969, when the stress of being in a band with two brothers that were almost constantly at odds became too much for him. Calling Ray Davies a 'control freak' in a 2005 interview, Quaife described tension in the band as being so elevated that he was too intimidated to assert himself for fear of being '...squished with a size 16 boot had I even suggested they listen to an idea from me.' Quaife had been in poor health for much of the past decade.
RollingStone.com NYTimes.com
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