Tony Williams

One question. Does anyone know what stick he used? Can't find information on his gear anywhere.
 
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One question. Does anyone know what stick he used? Can't find information on his gear anywhere.


the zildj. tony williams signature stick of course.. =)

big pretty yellow gretsch drums 22 bd, what looked like 12, 13, 14, 16, and 18 inc toms.

prettiest set of drums ever until he went ronald mcdonald w/ the red rims and lugs.
 
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Ok I didn't know what brand of stick his was and now that I know it's a Zildjian, I probably won't try it out. And I saw an advertisement on his myspace page that he once played DW drums and I knew he played Gretsch, but didn't know what line. Assuming he played Zildjian, did he play constantinoples or K's?
 
Ok I didn't know what brand of stick his was and now that I know it's a Zildjian, I probably won't try it out. And I saw an advertisement on his myspace page that he once played DW drums and I knew he played Gretsch, but didn't know what line. Assuming he played Zildjian, did he play constantinoples or K's?

ooops, i got caught...yeah the ronald mcdonald set were his dws. i was soooo surprised to hear he jumped ship from gretsch, btw. when he was playing gretsch, it was before gretsch offered different lines. they only had one, the expensive line.

i believe he just played Ks period. obviously the 60s cymbals were 60s formula ks and i believe he just stuck w/ your run of the mill k brands ever since. i could be mistaken. i have a zildjian "they speak w/ their hands" cd that had his current (@ that time) cymbal lineup and i will check and post back later today.

you dont like zildjian sticks?

i love their brushes.
 
Ok I didn't know what brand of stick his was and now that I know it's a Zildjian, I probably won't try it out. And I saw an advertisement on his myspace page that he once played DW drums and I knew he played Gretsch, but didn't know what line. Assuming he played Zildjian, did he play constantinoples or K's?

He played Gretsch up until just before his last recording, 'Young at Heart' where he played an awful sounding (and looking) DW set. Apprently they did those set colours as a joke and Tony dug it and kept it.

His Gretsches before that were everything from Broadkasters back in the 60's to likely USA Custom in the 90's.

As for Tony's cymbals? Heh, yeah, Old K's, many famous ones. In the 60's he used an 18" and a 22".
896212952_l.jpg


The 70's a 20" and a 22" (at least, sometimes more like another 18")
tony01.jpg

in the 80's he started using some modern Z's like A's and modern K's and expanded his set up too, I think something like 18" crash, 15" or 16" crash, 22" ride, 18" crash (all in this photo).
810568738_l.jpg


He also used 15" hats for most of his career too, I think. To my knowledge he never ever played a K Con, just K's and A's with his ride after 1980 being either a modern K or an A of some sort.

edit- don't take Z's site's word, we've been down that road before. Look at pics and videos instead and see for yourself. That said, that setup on Z's site looks pretty close to his last one.
G
 
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Oh right, fair enough, I'll be more distrusting of Z's site from now on :)
 
Thanks for the info. I've never liked Zildjian sticks. They break way too easily, but, I may try out his stick just because it is Tony Williams.
 
Oh right, fair enough, I'll be more distrusting of Z's site from now on :)

It isn't that, it's that somewhere on this site, I remember getting into a conversation about how they put up like say, Art Blakey's set up, when half of the stuff they have him listed as using wasn't invented yet. They furthermore say stuff like 'would have used' and so on. Just don't trust everything they put up for dead guys, that's all. They tend to try and cash in on their historical endorsers alot and sometimes (purposefully) mislead you in the process.

G
 
Yeah, I know what you mean, no worries. Thanks for the info anyway!
 
He played Gretsch up until just before his last recording, 'Young at Heart' where he played an awful sounding (and looking) DW set. Apprently they did those set colours as a joke and Tony dug it and kept it.

His Gretsches before that were everything from Broadkasters back in the 60's to likely USA Custom in the 90's.

As for Tony's cymbals? Heh, yeah, Old K's, many famous ones. In the 60's he used an 18" and a 22".
896212952_l.jpg


The 70's a 20" and a 22" (at least, sometimes more like another 18")
tony01.jpg

in the 80's he started using some modern Z's like A's and modern K's and expanded his set up too, I think something like 18" crash, 15" or 16" crash, 22" ride, 18" crash (all in this photo).
810568738_l.jpg


He also used 15" hats for most of his career too, I think. To my knowledge he never ever played a K Con, just K's and A's with his ride after 1980 being either a modern K or an A of some sort.

edit- don't take Z's site's word, we've been down that road before. Look at pics and videos instead and see for yourself. That said, that setup on Z's site looks pretty close to his last one.
G

Glad to know I'm not the only one who hated the sound of those DWs Tony played towards the end of his life.

My jazz cherry was popped listening to my dad's lp of "Four and More". The speed, precision and intensity of Tony's ride cymbal floored me. Soon after I had my own copy of "Four and More" and "Miles Smiles" and never looked back. A few years later my dad took me to hear Tony with his jazz quintet and I was floored again: who on earth played with such fire, such clarity, such originality??? The man could peel paint at 30 yards....

Tony's been my drum idol ever since.
 
Re: did everyone forget TONY FRIGGIN WILLIAMS?!?!?!

Yup. Maybe that's why there's no thread?


Tony Williams?

The greatest drummer ever to hold the sticks.

That's my opinion anyway.


"Only once in a millenium does one come along as prophetic as this one."
Herbie Hancock. 'Tony Williams'.
 
I've been listening to some Seven Steps to Heaven, among other Miles albums with Tony, and I've been trying to recreate some of the things I'm hearing but I just can't do it. I can't ride like him, what is he doing? I heard it was a push-pull technique but I need more information. So can anyone break down Tony's technique?

I don't know if this has been discussed before but this thread needs a bump anyways. Tony Tony Tony. I'm fascinated.
 
One of the true masters and innovators.Has inluenced countless generations of players and always had a sense of growth and personal development regarding his approach and playing right up to the tragic end of his life.

Saw him play several times from a small club to large concert halls. Always knocked me out with his level of clarity and intent and aggressive approach. I like the drums played with a degree of serious intent and conviction and Tony was the living model for me of those attribrutes well blending a deep musical approach and swing.

Met him on a ferry trip back from Vancouver Island after a night his quintet played in a small club in Victoria well heading back over to the mainland for another show in Vancouver that evening which I caught too. There he was smoking a big Cuban cigar on the outdoor top sundeck on the ferry and yes folks I seized the moment to meet and speak and thank the man that had truly inspired me for staying on my path and concept as a professional musician right up to even today well past his untimely death.
 
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One of the true masters and innovators.Has inluenced countless generations of players and always had a sense of growth and personal development regarding his approach and playing right up to the tragic end of his life.

Saw him play several times from a small club to large concert halls. Always knocked me out with his level of clarity and intent and aggressive approach. I like the drums played with a degree of serious intent and conviction and Tony was the living model for me of those attribrutes well blending a deep musical approach and swing.

Met him on a ferry trip back from Vancouver Island after a night his quintet played in a small club in Victoria well heading back over to the mainland for another show in Vancouver that evening which I caught too. There he was smoking a big Cuban cigar on the outdoor top sundeck on the ferry and yes folks I seized the moment to meet and speak and thank the man that had truly inspired me for staying on my path and concept as a professional musician right up to even today well past his untimely death.

Don't leave it at there! What did he say!?!
 
What led up to me going up and meeting him was a bit funny. I was coming back on the 11:AM ferry sailing sitting upstairs listening to of all things "Sister Cheryl" one my favorite TW compositions on my Sony Walkman Pro on headphones when I looked out the window recovering from my hangover from the after celebration of hearing him from 20 ft away in a small club the night before and there sat the very man himself enjoying a bit of sun and a Cuban cigar. I gained my strength and headed outside and walked up and introduced myself as a professional drummer and thanked him for his significant contributions to music,drumming,and composing. We talked briefly about the show the following evening and how much he was enjoying the tour with his current band and his new material they were playing. Pretty short and sweet really and didn't want to interrupt his relaxing moment to much and honestly I was a little nervous too meeting the man who's playing I loved and amired so much. Just a general thank you from me for everything he had brought to music and drumming. He was very nice guy too with no big star attitude or anything like that as I remember. Short but special moment I will always remember and treasure.
 
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