John David Williams
Encyclopedia
John David is a Welsh
musician
and songwriter
known equally for his work with Dave Edmunds
and for his songwriting.
and sang backing vocals
in Edmunds’ first major group, Love Sculpture
, best remembered for their 1968 top five hit single
"Sabre Dance
". At that time he used the name John Williams.
After Love Sculpture split in 1970 he concentrated on studio and session work, songwriting and engineering. In 1978 his group Airwaves recorded an album
and single New Day. The single, performed accapella, never reached the charts, but was played on radio at the time. A choral version was later recorded by the King's Singers
.
Throughout the years he had maintained his involvement with Edmunds, appearing on the latter's No. 1 hit "I Hear You Knocking
". After Edmunds’ group Rockpile
disbanded in 1980, David returned to working with him, writing and co-writing several songs on Edmunds' subsequent solo albums, including Information (1983), Riff Raff
(1984), and Closer to the Flame (1990), as well as contributing backing vocals, bass and other instruments.
At the same time he established a reputation as a songwriter for other artists. His first Top 10 success being "She Means Nothing To Me", a No. 9 hit for Phil Everly and Cliff Richard
in 1983, on which he played lead guitar
. Further success came with "I Won't Run Away", recorded by Alvin Stardust
and a No. 7 hit in 1984, followed by "Rollin' Home", "Red Sky", "The Party Ain’t Over Yet", and "All That Counts Is Love", all hit singles for Status Quo.
He also built his own recording studio
, Berry Hill, in the Forest of Dean
, mainly to record his own song demos
. In 1983 he released a solo single, "On The Mountain".
Welsh people
The Welsh people are an ethnic group and nation associated with Wales and the Welsh language.John Davies argues that the origin of the "Welsh nation" can be traced to the late 4th and early 5th centuries, following the Roman departure from Britain, although Brythonic Celtic languages seem to have...
musician
Musician
A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
and songwriter
Songwriter
A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
known equally for his work with Dave Edmunds
Dave Edmunds
David 'Dave' Edmunds is a Welsh singer, guitarist and record producer. Although he is primarily associated with Pub rock and New Wave, and had numerous hits in the 1970s and early 1980s, his natural leaning has always been towards 1950s style rock and roll.-Early bands:As a teenager Edmunds first...
and for his songwriting.
Biography
He began his musical career playing drums in his father’s dance band Avalon. By 1968 he was playing bass guitarBass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
and sang backing vocals
Backing vocalist
A backing vocalist or backing singer is a singer who provides vocal harmony with the lead vocalist or other backing vocalists...
in Edmunds’ first major group, Love Sculpture
Love Sculpture
Love Sculpture were a Welsh blues-rock band of the late 1960s, led by Dave Edmunds , plus bassist John Williams - stage name John David and drummer Rob 'Congo' Jones .-Career:Love...
, best remembered for their 1968 top five hit single
Hit single
A hit single is a recorded song or instrumental released as a single that has become very popular. Although it is sometimes used to describe any widely-played or big-selling song, the term "hit" is usually reserved for a single that has appeared in an official music chart through repeated radio...
"Sabre Dance
Sabre Dance
"The Sabre Dance" is a movement in the final act of the ballet Gayane , written by Armenian composer Aram Khachaturian's and completed in 1942. It evokes a whirling war dance in an Armenian dance, where the dancers display their skill with sabres. Its middle section incorporates an Armenian folk...
". At that time he used the name John Williams.
After Love Sculpture split in 1970 he concentrated on studio and session work, songwriting and engineering. In 1978 his group Airwaves recorded an album
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
and single New Day. The single, performed accapella, never reached the charts, but was played on radio at the time. A choral version was later recorded by the King's Singers
King's Singers
The King's Singers is a British a cappella vocal ensemble who celebrated their 40th anniversary in 2008. Their name recalls King's College in Cambridge, England, where the group was formed by six choral scholars in 1968. In the United Kingdom, their popularity peaked in the 1970s and early 1980s...
.
Throughout the years he had maintained his involvement with Edmunds, appearing on the latter's No. 1 hit "I Hear You Knocking
I Hear You Knocking
"I Hear You Knocking" is a popular rhythm and blues song with emphatic syncopation, written by Dave Bartholomew and Pearl King and published in 1955. The original recording was made by Smiley Lewis, reaching #2 on the Billboard R&B singles chart.The lyrics concern a former lover whose knocking at...
". After Edmunds’ group Rockpile
Rockpile
Rockpile were a British rock and roll group of the late 1970s and early 1980s, noted for their strong rockabilly and power pop influences, and as a foundational influence on new wave...
disbanded in 1980, David returned to working with him, writing and co-writing several songs on Edmunds' subsequent solo albums, including Information (1983), Riff Raff
Riff Raff (album)
Riff Raff is a 1984 album by Welsh rock musician Dave Edmunds. The album was his third release for Arista Records and Columbia Records , following 1983's Information....
(1984), and Closer to the Flame (1990), as well as contributing backing vocals, bass and other instruments.
At the same time he established a reputation as a songwriter for other artists. His first Top 10 success being "She Means Nothing To Me", a No. 9 hit for Phil Everly and Cliff Richard
Cliff Richard
Sir Cliff Richard, OBE is a British pop singer, musician, performer, actor, and philanthropist who has sold over an estimated 250 million records worldwide....
in 1983, on which he played lead guitar
Lead guitar
Lead guitar is a guitar part which plays melody lines, instrumental fill passages, guitar solos, and occasionally, some riffs within a song structure...
. Further success came with "I Won't Run Away", recorded by Alvin Stardust
Alvin Stardust
Alvin Stardust is an English pop singer and stage actor.-Career:...
and a No. 7 hit in 1984, followed by "Rollin' Home", "Red Sky", "The Party Ain’t Over Yet", and "All That Counts Is Love", all hit singles for Status Quo.
He also built his own recording studio
Recording studio
A recording studio is a facility for sound recording and mixing. Ideally both the recording and monitoring spaces are specially designed by an acoustician to achieve optimum acoustic properties...
, Berry Hill, in the Forest of Dean
Forest of Dean
The Forest of Dean is a geographical, historical and cultural region in the western part of the county of Gloucestershire, England. The forest is a roughly triangular plateau bounded by the River Wye to the west and north, the River Severn to the south, and the City of Gloucester to the east.The...
, mainly to record his own song demos
Demo (music)
A demo version or demo of a song is one recorded for reference rather than for release. A demo is a way for a musician to approximate their ideas on tape or disc, and provide an example of those ideas to record labels, producers or other artists...
. In 1983 he released a solo single, "On The Mountain".