Richard Williams (journalist)
Encyclopedia
Richard Williams is a British
music and sports journalist.
As a writer, then deputy editor, of the weekly rock magazine Melody Maker
, he became an influential commentator on the rise of new forms of rock music
at the end of the 1960s. Williams and MM, as it was known, helped to promote and contextualise styles such as progressive rock and folk rock. In particular, Williams wrote several key articles around 1970 which first drew UK audiences' attention to the importance of a then-obscure (and disintegrating) band, The Velvet Underground
. Melody Maker was then a magazine which still covered jazz
and Williams wrote about the more progressive developments in this field also.
The magazine's serious approach to rock music and culture, under the editorship of Ray Coleman
, secured MM a huge circulation by the close of the 1960s and the start of the 1970s. It left New Musical Express, a more pop-oriented weekly, in its wake as MM caught the mood of a new generation of rock followers at a time when the music had transcended its Top 40 roots to become a powerful symbol of social and cultural change. Williams was the most vocal and influential supporter of Bob Marley during the early seventies. He wrote several key features at the Melody Maker which resulted in Marley's first important cover stories.
Williams moved on to new challenges in the early 1970s. Beginning in May 1970, he contributed to The Times
, becoming one of the first people to write seriously about any form of popular culture in a newspaper historically associated with the old British establishment, and he continued to write for that paper until October 1989, by which time it had been taken over by Rupert Murdoch
and moved to Wapping
. He also wrote regularly for Radio Times
. His career detoured when he left journalism to join Island Records A&R department in 1973, becoming department head. For two years, he signed and developed artists including Pete Wingfield
, Stone Delight, Bryn Haworth
and John Cale
. The first presenter of BBC TV's rock show The Old Grey Whistle Test (launched in 1971) while still a member of the MM team, and shortly thereafter its producer, he later became editor of the new London listings guide Time Out and returned to MM as editor from 1978 to 1980.
After a period as features editor at The Sunday Times
he became editor of the Independent on Sundays Sunday Review. His music journalism has been gathered in the volume Long Distance Call: Writings on Music and biographies of Bob Dylan
(A Man Called Alias), Miles Davis
(The Man in the Green Shirt), and Phil Spector
(Out of His Head) are among his list of other publications.
Williams remains an active journalist and is the Chief Sports Writer of the UK daily newspaper The Guardian
, covering a full array of sports from football to Formula One, cricket to golf. He has written several books on Formula One including The Death of Ayrton Senna
, Racers (an analysis of the main protagonists of the 1996 F1 season), Enzo Ferrari
: A Life, and The Last Road Race (a study of the changing balance in Formula One between British and Italian teams, using the 1957 Pescara Grand Prix
as the backdrop).
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
music and sports journalist.
As a writer, then deputy editor, of the weekly rock magazine Melody Maker
Melody Maker
Melody Maker, published in the United Kingdom, was, according to its publisher IPC Media, the world's oldest weekly music newspaper. It was founded in 1926 as a magazine targeted at musicians; in 2000 it was merged into "long-standing rival" New Musical Express.-1950s–1960s:Originally the Melody...
, he became an influential commentator on the rise of new forms of rock music
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
at the end of the 1960s. Williams and MM, as it was known, helped to promote and contextualise styles such as progressive rock and folk rock. In particular, Williams wrote several key articles around 1970 which first drew UK audiences' attention to the importance of a then-obscure (and disintegrating) band, The Velvet Underground
The Velvet Underground
The Velvet Underground was an American rock band formed in New York City. First active from 1964 to 1973, their best-known members were Lou Reed and John Cale, who both went on to find success as solo artists. Although experiencing little commercial success while together, the band is often cited...
. Melody Maker was then a magazine which still covered 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...
and Williams wrote about the more progressive developments in this field also.
The magazine's serious approach to rock music and culture, under the editorship of Ray Coleman
Ray Coleman
Ray Coleman was a British author and former Editor-in-chief of Melody Maker known for biographies of The Beatles. Besides Melody Maker, Coleman was a participant with music magazines including Disc, Black Music, and Musicians Only, and a contributor to magazines such as Billboard...
, secured MM a huge circulation by the close of the 1960s and the start of the 1970s. It left New Musical Express, a more pop-oriented weekly, in its wake as MM caught the mood of a new generation of rock followers at a time when the music had transcended its Top 40 roots to become a powerful symbol of social and cultural change. Williams was the most vocal and influential supporter of Bob Marley during the early seventies. He wrote several key features at the Melody Maker which resulted in Marley's first important cover stories.
Williams moved on to new challenges in the early 1970s. Beginning in May 1970, he contributed to The Times
The Times
The Times is a British daily national newspaper, first published in London in 1785 under the title The Daily Universal Register . The Times and its sister paper The Sunday Times are published by Times Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary since 1981 of News International...
, becoming one of the first people to write seriously about any form of popular culture in a newspaper historically associated with the old British establishment, and he continued to write for that paper until October 1989, by which time it had been taken over by Rupert Murdoch
Rupert Murdoch
Keith Rupert Murdoch, AC, KSG is an Australian-American business magnate. He is the founder and Chairman and CEO of , the world's second-largest media conglomerate....
and moved to Wapping
Wapping
Wapping is a place in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets which forms part of the Docklands to the east of the City of London. It is situated between the north bank of the River Thames and the ancient thoroughfare simply called The Highway...
. He also wrote regularly for Radio Times
Radio Times
Radio Times is a UK weekly television and radio programme listings magazine, owned by the BBC. It has been published since 1923 by BBC Magazines, which also provides an on-line listings service under the same title...
. His career detoured when he left journalism to join Island Records A&R department in 1973, becoming department head. For two years, he signed and developed artists including Pete Wingfield
Pete Wingfield
Pete Wingfield is an English record producer, keyboard player, songwriter, singer and music journalist.-Career:...
, Stone Delight, Bryn Haworth
Bryn Haworth
Bryn Haworth is a British Christian singer-songwriter, guitarist, and pioneer of Jesus music in mainstream rock. Born in Blackburn, Lancashire, UK, he has released some twenty-two albums and several singles since the 1970s as well as guesting as guitarist on many other albums by rock and folk...
and John Cale
John Cale
John Davies Cale, OBE is a Welsh musician, composer, singer-songwriter and record producer who was a founding member of the experimental rock band The Velvet Underground....
. The first presenter of BBC TV's rock show The Old Grey Whistle Test (launched in 1971) while still a member of the MM team, and shortly thereafter its producer, he later became editor of the new London listings guide Time Out and returned to MM as editor from 1978 to 1980.
After a period as features editor at The Sunday Times
The Sunday Times (UK)
The Sunday Times is a Sunday broadsheet newspaper, distributed in the United Kingdom. The Sunday Times is published by Times Newspapers Ltd, a subsidiary of News International, which is in turn owned by News Corporation. Times Newspapers also owns The Times, but the two papers were founded...
he became editor of the Independent on Sundays Sunday Review. His music journalism has been gathered in the volume Long Distance Call: Writings on Music and biographies of Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan
Bob 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...
(A Man Called Alias), Miles Davis
Miles Davis
Miles Dewey Davis III was an American jazz musician, trumpeter, bandleader, and composer. Widely considered one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century, Miles Davis was, with his musical groups, at the forefront of several major developments in jazz music, including bebop, cool jazz,...
(The Man in the Green Shirt), and Phil Spector
Phil Spector
Phillip Harvey "Phil" Spector is an American record producer and songwriter, later known for his conviction in the murder of actress Lana Clarkson....
(Out of His Head) are among his list of other publications.
Williams remains an active journalist and is the Chief Sports Writer of the UK daily newspaper The Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
, covering a full array of sports from football to Formula One, cricket to golf. He has written several books on Formula One including The Death of Ayrton Senna
Ayrton Senna
Ayrton Senna da Silva was a Brazilian racing driver. A three-time Formula One world champion, he is widely regarded as one of the greatest F1 drivers of all time...
, Racers (an analysis of the main protagonists of the 1996 F1 season), Enzo Ferrari
Enzo Ferrari
Enzo Anselmo Ferrari Cavaliere di Gran Croce OMRI was an Italian race car driver and entrepreneur, the founder of the Scuderia Ferrari Grand Prix motor racing team, and subsequently of the Ferrari car manufacturer...
: A Life, and The Last Road Race (a study of the changing balance in Formula One between British and Italian teams, using the 1957 Pescara Grand Prix
1957 Pescara Grand Prix
The 1957 Pescara Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race, held on 18 August 1957, at the Pescara Circuit near Pescara in Italy. The race was the seventh, and penultimate round of the 1957 World Drivers' Championship. The race, which was the only Formula One race at the track, is best remembered for...
as the backdrop).