Pick Withers
Encyclopedia
David "Pick" Withers was the original drummer for the rock band Dire Straits
and played on their first four albums, which included hit singles such as "Sultans of Swing
," "Romeo and Juliet" and "Private Investigations
."
He first played a drum in the Boys Brigade taught by a childhood friend Richard Storer of now knocked-down Argyle Street in Leicester. He became a professional musician at the age of 17, in a band called the Primitives, followed by a band called Spring who had a record contract but little success. They recorded one album on the RCA label. In the mid-1970s he was a house drummer at Rockfield Studios
in South Wales. He played on records by Dave Edmunds
and Hobo amongst others, including the Gary Fletcher
Band.
Pick has also studied at Drumtech drum school in London.
and hi-hat
combinations over heavy beats, speed and pyrotechnic flourishes. Like the guitar playing of the band's frontman, Mark Knopfler
, Withers's style was blues-based. Pick Withers also played on Prelude's 1973 album, 'How Long Is Forever". Knopfler met Withers in 1973 in London when he joined the blues band Brewers Droop, for which Withers was already playing at the time. Withers continued to work regularly with Knopfler through the mid-1970s, although he also maintained his Rockfield affiliations, and was briefly a member of folk-rock outfit Magna Carta
in 1977. Once Dire Straits gained a recording contract, however, Withers turned to drumming for that band full-time.
Withers played on the Dire Straits albums Dire Straits
(1978), Communiqué (1979), Making Movies
(1980) and Love Over Gold
(1982).
Withers left the band in the summer of 1982, soon after completing the Love Over Gold
sessions, to spend more time with his family and to pursue jazz
music. He reportedly told an interviewer that he had succumbed to a growing feeling that there was nothing left in the music for him and that he was in danger of "becoming a rock drummer."
His replacement in Dire Straits was Terry Williams
, also a Dave Edmunds sideman
.
Dire Straits
Dire Straits were a British rock band active from 1977 to 1995, composed of Mark Knopfler , his younger brother David Knopfler , John Illsley , and Pick Withers .Dire Straits' sound drew from a variety of musical influences, including jazz, folk, blues, and came closest...
and played on their first four albums, which included hit singles such as "Sultans of Swing
Sultans of Swing
"Sultans of Swing" was the first single release of the British rock band Dire Straits. First released in 1978, its 1979 re-release caused it to become a hit in both the UK and USA....
," "Romeo and Juliet" and "Private Investigations
Private Investigations
"Private Investigations" is a popular song by Dire Straits from their album Love Over Gold. Although it was not released as a single in the US, it reached the number 2 position in the UK , and is one of their biggest chart successes in the United Kingdom, on a par with "Walk of Life"...
."
He first played a drum in the Boys Brigade taught by a childhood friend Richard Storer of now knocked-down Argyle Street in Leicester. He became a professional musician at the age of 17, in a band called the Primitives, followed by a band called Spring who had a record contract but little success. They recorded one album on the RCA label. In the mid-1970s he was a house drummer at Rockfield Studios
Rockfield Studios
Rockfield Studios, near Monmouth in Wales and just outside the village of Rockfield, Monmouthshire are where many of British rock music’s most successful recordings have been made.-History:...
in South Wales. He played on records by 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 Hobo amongst others, including the Gary Fletcher
Gary Fletcher (musician)
Gary Fletcher is a British blues musician, best known for playing bass guitar with The Blues Band, he is also a guitarist and songwriter.-Early life:...
Band.
Pick has also studied at Drumtech drum school in London.
Equipment and technique
Withers's style with Dire Straits was distinct for being restrained, favouring spare snare drumSnare drum
The snare drum or side drum is a melodic percussion instrument with strands of snares made of curled metal wire, metal cable, plastic cable, or gut cords stretched across the drumhead, typically the bottom. Pipe and tabor and some military snare drums often have a second set of snares on the bottom...
and hi-hat
Hi-hat
A hi-hat, or hihat, is a type of cymbal and stand used as a typical part of a drum kit by percussionists in R&B, hip-hop, disco, jazz, rock and roll, house, reggae and other forms of contemporary popular music.- Operation :...
combinations over heavy beats, speed and pyrotechnic flourishes. Like the guitar playing of the band's frontman, Mark Knopfler
Mark Knopfler
Mark Freuder Knopfler, OBE is a Scottish-born British guitarist, singer, songwriter, record producer and film score composer. He is best known as the lead guitarist, vocalist, and songwriter for the British rock band Dire Straits, which he co-founded in 1977...
, Withers's style was blues-based. Pick Withers also played on Prelude's 1973 album, 'How Long Is Forever". Knopfler met Withers in 1973 in London when he joined the blues band Brewers Droop, for which Withers was already playing at the time. Withers continued to work regularly with Knopfler through the mid-1970s, although he also maintained his Rockfield affiliations, and was briefly a member of folk-rock outfit Magna Carta
Magna Carta (band)
Magna Carta is a folk rock group originally formed in London in April 1969; their first concert was on 10 May 1969, by Chris Simpson , Lyell Tranter , and Glen Stuart ....
in 1977. Once Dire Straits gained a recording contract, however, Withers turned to drumming for that band full-time.
Withers played on the Dire Straits albums Dire Straits
Dire Straits
Dire Straits were a British rock band active from 1977 to 1995, composed of Mark Knopfler , his younger brother David Knopfler , John Illsley , and Pick Withers .Dire Straits' sound drew from a variety of musical influences, including jazz, folk, blues, and came closest...
(1978), Communiqué (1979), Making Movies
Making Movies
Making Movies is the third album by English rock band Dire Straits, released in 1980.- History :The title of the album comes from a line in the song "Skateaway" and the unreleased song "Making Movies". Rolling Stone ranked the album #52 in their survey of the "100 Best Albums of the 80s"...
(1980) and Love Over Gold
Love over Gold
Love Over Gold is the fourth album by British rock band Dire Straits.- History :Due to its lengthy atmospheric instrumental passages, the album has been cited as the band's attempt at progressive rock....
(1982).
Withers left the band in the summer of 1982, soon after completing the Love Over Gold
Love over Gold
Love Over Gold is the fourth album by British rock band Dire Straits.- History :Due to its lengthy atmospheric instrumental passages, the album has been cited as the band's attempt at progressive rock....
sessions, to spend more time with his family and to pursue jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
music. He reportedly told an interviewer that he had succumbed to a growing feeling that there was nothing left in the music for him and that he was in danger of "becoming a rock drummer."
His replacement in Dire Straits was Terry Williams
Terry Williams (drummer)
Terrence "Terry" Williams is a Welsh rock drummer, whose resume includes work for Dire Straits, B. B. King, and Bob Dylan....
, also a Dave Edmunds sideman
Sideman
A sideman is a professional musician who is hired to perform or record with a group of which he or she is not a regular member. They often tour with solo acts as well as bands and jazz ensembles. Sidemen are generally required to be adaptable to many different styles of music, and so able to fit...
.
With others
- Slow Train ComingSlow Train ComingSlow Train Coming is singer-songwriter Bob Dylan's 19th studio album, released by Columbia Records in August 1979.It was the artist's first effort since becoming a born-again Christian, and all of the songs either express his strong personal faith, or stress the importance of Christian teachings...
, Bob DylanBob DylanBob Dylan is an American singer-songwriter, musician, poet, film director and painter. He has been a major and profoundly influential figure in popular music and culture for five decades. Much of his most celebrated work dates from the 1960s when he was an informal chronicler and a seemingly... - Giant From The Blue, Gary FletcherGary Fletcher (musician)Gary Fletcher is a British blues musician, best known for playing bass guitar with The Blues Band, he is also a guitarist and songwriter.-Early life:...
Band