Terry Williams

[direwoody]

Don´t know if you guys have heard of a welsh drummer called Terry Williams. He has "only" played with the best musicians around, ie: Dave Edmunds, Nick Lowe, Meat Loaf, Dire Straits and Mark Knopfler, Eric Clapton, Man, B.B. King, Steve Cropper, etc...
He is responsable for the Money for Nothing drum intro. He´s a fantastic drummer and yet, he´s not listed in drummerworld official site. Why not, he´s just amazing.
Just check out the Dire Straits Alchemy video. He ROCKS.

[Pywacket]

Terry Williams has always been criminally underated in my opinion. He may not have been the best technician but his playing has always been tight, imaginative and oozing feel. I used to watch him with Man when I first started playing and his style, along with that of another little know Welsh drummer called Tommy Riley, inspired me no end. Years later I was lucky enough to share a stage with Terry on several occasions when we supported Meatloaf and his live performance, which after all is really what it's all about, was magical. Unfortunately he no longer plays and, to my mind, that's a sad loss to music.

[direwoody]

Indeed, it´s a sad loss for music. I didn´t knew that he had quit playing! On stage he was really unbeatable. Lucky you, for being fortunate enough to know him when he was at his peak (as a drummer). He deserves being a part of this site, don´t you agree with me?
Let´s make it happen!!!

[Guillermo]

Why doesn't he play anymore?

[Pywacket]

That's a long story and, I believe, one that Terry himself would prefer remained private.

I would definately agree his name should be better known in drummer circles and his work given the respect it deserves, but that would mean looking past the obsession many of our breed have with speed and technical prowess. Feel and style are just as important and as one of the worlds most famous names once said to me at the end of a mind blowing clinic, "Nothing I've just demonstrated would get you a job in a band. Now if you can play A Whole Lotta Rosie with feel you could end up a millionaire................"

[direwoody]

I would really like to know why he simply quit!
I heard some rumours, don´t know if it´s true, about he having some problems with booze and that became a permanent stage for him, but like I said before, just a rumour....
What matters is that for me he was one of the GIANTS of drumming.

[bonzolead]

Was he the drummer on "sultans of swing" ?I always like the drums in that tune.great feel

Bonzolead

[Pywacket]

No. That was another Welshman by the name of Pick Withers.

[bonzolead]

Originally Posted by Pywacket

No. That was another Welshman by the name of Pick Withers.

totally underrated like Terry thanks for the reply.

Bonzolead

[direwoody]

Yeah. On Sultans of Swing, the original drummer was Pick Withers, another one that is missing in this website. Does Bernhard has anything against Welsh drummers????

[bosun]

I have just come across your forum and read that sadly Terry is no longer active, and I would like to share a story of Terry down under during the great Brothers in Arms tour I was the trucking manager for the tour of Aus and NZ .
Many records were set on the tour for numbers of concerts and venues visited. For those familiar with Aus tours it was unprecedented for a major tour to include Tasmania, 3 North Qld venues, and Darwin on the tour.
My story re Terry comes from an outdoor concert in Cairns during a massive tropical rainstorm, many bands would not have even performed in the conditions, the guitarists near the front of stage finished up without shirts as they were drenched, anyway a little over half way through the concert there was concern re the weight of water accumulating on the roof, and the decision was made for the roofing contractor to send guys up top to attempt to release some water, which they did unfortunately through the join in the skin not over the edges, and the end result was numerous gallons falling over Terry and his kit I will never forget the look on his face but to my and many other peoples amazement he did not miss a beat playing on throughout to complete not only the number but the rest of the show.
Whatever Terry is doing I wish him well

[Drumsword]

Originally Posted by bosun

I have just come across your forum and read that sadly Terry is no longer active, and I would like to share a story of Terry down under during the great Brothers in Arms tour I was the trucking manager for the tour of Aus and NZ .
Many records were set on the tour for numbers of concerts and venues visited. For those familiar with Aus tours it was unprecedented for a major tour to include Tasmania, 3 North Qld venues, and Darwin on the tour.
My story re Terry comes from an outdoor concert in Cairns during a massive tropical rainstorm, many bands would not have even performed in the conditions, the guitarists near the front of stage finished up without shirts as they were drenched, anyway a little over half way through the concert there was concern re the weight of water accumulating on the roof, and the decision was made for the roofing contractor to send guys up top to attempt to release some water, which they did unfortunately through the join in the skin not over the edges, and the end result was numerous gallons falling over Terry and his kit I will never forget the look on his face but to my and many other peoples amazement he did not miss a beat playing on throughout to complete not only the number but the rest of the show.
Whatever Terry is doing I wish him well

The mark of a true pro, lol. I don't know him but I would have loved to see that. I saw a giant, plastic light fixture fall on terry bozzio's head during a clinic once, he kept going as the thing slid down his rack and off behind him never missing a beat.

I can't imagine having a waterfall coming down on you unexpectadly though... too funny.

[barrufet]

Terry Williams is still playing drums. Last time was on 21 december 2008 in Wales with ex-Man Deke Leonard.
He plays every now and then, doesn't have any band.
Here's my page for Terry:
http://webs.ono.com/joan_duarte/terry.html

[Ian Williams]

I love the drums intro of Money For Nothing by Dire Straits. I am proud, another Williams...

Cheers,