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Cliff Williams Biography
Cliff Williams was born on December 14, 1949 in Romford (Essex),
England. He moved with his family to Liverpool when he was nine, where
he spent the first two working years of his life as an engineer before
joining his first band.
Linking up with singer Mick Stubbs, guitarist Laurie Wisefield, keyboard
player Clive John and drummer Mick Cook, Cliff found himself playing
bass for a band called Home. By 1970 the group's progressive brand of
both hard and soft rock had earned them a deal with Epic Records and a
debut LP was released the following year under the title 'Pause For A
Hoarse Horse'. In November 1971 Home supported Led Zeppelin at the
Wembley Empire Pool on the |
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second of Led Zeppelin's 'Electric
Magic' concerts which featured circus acts as well as rock
bands.
During 1972 Jim Anderson replaced Clive John on keyboards and
Home released a self-titled album, going on to have their one
and only hit with 'Dreamer' in November 1972, which peaked at
No. 41 in the UK album charts. 'The Alchemist' followed in 1973
but by then the band seemed to have run their course, and when
controversial folk troubadour Al Steward suggested they back him
on his first American tour in March 1974, Mick Stubbs went his
own way and the others became The Al Steward Band. This didn't
last long, and Cliff Williams was next to jump ship, forming
Bandit in 1974.
Bandit quickly got a deal with Arista and released a self-titled
album in 1977. Joining Cliff in this line-up were such future
luminaries as vocalist Jim Diamond (who went on to success as a
solo artist) and drummer Graham Broad (who was later to join
Buck's Fizz). But Bandit did little business and Cliff had no
hesitation when he received the call from AC/DC. |
