dragonsport

SEEKING

Vocalist - Bass, Bass Guitar.

ABOUT

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pref name musicians
check oy on www.ericbellband.org.uk

Started playing at 14 years of age and joined up with a bunch of friends playing bass and forming a youth club band called missing links later to be called The Likes of us. As time went joined a Beach Boys cover band and made the rest of the time depping with a blues band that played all John Mayall songs from 'live at klooks kleek' album and some Paul Butterfield stuff

At 18 joined a band called Ian Lloyd Bluesmen which although at the time was considered one of the best support bands and recorded in Denmark Street 'hound dog' and original track 'cant carry on' neither of which did anything, folded shortly after guitarist Ian Cruickshank (Spit James) left to join drummer Keef Hartley in his band, which had on bass Tony's friend and flat mate the late Gary Thain of Uriah Heap fame, and Miller Anderson.

Me and Gary used to exchange bass lines - his finger style was like i'd never seen at the time - he showed me drop downs and half beat drags - and he had to suffer my meat and potatoes wlaking stuff - but he was excellent - ah yeah i will mention this and i told him about 6 years ago - Keith Grant - another great player - i used to go and watch the 'Downliners Sect' (who are still out giging- Hi Don) - at gigs in and about London when i could and his finger style was what i based my playing on.

OF COURSE i WAS ONLY ABOUT 16 THEN -

SO KEITH THAT MAKES YOU ABOUT 96 NOW!

GOD BLESS YER KEITH - BE SAFE AND WELL ALWAYS.

Tony then joined up with a heavy metal type band called Captain Cadwaliga and the Mad Molecule who later changed the name to Mystic Syd and changed again in 1968 to become known as Black Sabbath which was was an agency band with PAN in the West End, if my memory serves me well. The band was Mick England keyboards and vocals, Bill Whalley drums, Clive Blenkhorn Guitar and Tony Williams bass who after a somewhat heated dispute up and left the band. The band was playing at that time loads of gigs mainly at universities and those sort of places.

Although rumour has it, that the band carried on changing personnel but keeping the name and agency, I cant verify that Black Sabbath with Ozzie is the carry on of that band, and doubt it was, however if it was and yor stuck for a bass player Oz 'GIS A JOB'.

In 74 after a period of dossing, getting married, starting Martial Arts training and moving to Walthamstow, Tony decided to go for for an audition which he saw in Melody Maker with a band called Cafe Racers that had Brian Copeland on Drums, Dave Pascal on vocals, Tony Williams on bass and on guitar Mark Knopfler. The band played for a couple of years doing pubs and clubs banging out Rock N Roll mainly. Mark went on after from that to form Dire Straits and leave for the states at some point where apparently his brother lived and eventually recorded 'Sultans of Swing' a track that had been done some time before and which Brian Copeland put the original drum track down on.

Tom Thatcher Q. What was Mark Knopfler like to work with ?

Tony A. Well he has always been, even in those days a pretty good player.

He seemed to use a lot of James Burton's (Elvis's guitarist) lines and in lots of ways reminded me of JJ Cale.

Tom Thatcher Q. What do you you think of his playing and how does he rate with you.

Tony A. His playing is without doubt excellent,

As far as rating him goes against other players - how dyer do that. There is so many good players mostly playing lots of different things so its hard i guess. So perhaps this is what i should say - but it is true - Uk and Ireland has so many fine players including Gary Moore, Jeff Beck, Hank Marvin (who Mark loved) Eric Clapton, Eric Bell, Brian Robertson, Peter Green and yeah of course Mark Knopfler.

In 1977 Tony formed his own band called Chicago Sunsets doing the vocals and playing bass which was basically a pub, which included drummer and friend from 'Caf'e Racers' Brian Copeland, who stayed with the band for some years.

The Chicago Sunsets had a release on Direction Label called 'Last Night'.

Eric Bell came to see the band in spring 1986 and joined the band as vocalist and guitarist in August 1986 at which point the band became Eric Bell and the Sunsets.The first gig was a pub gig called the 3 crowns in Edmonton London.

After doing loads of gigs all over UK Eric Decided to return to Dublin to live and get a band together called Turning Point.

Tony now re-shuffled the band - now to be called Tony Williams and the Sunsets and featured Tim Jones on Guitar, John O'Leary Harmonica, Dick Heckstall-Smith Baritone/Tenor and Alto, Brian Copeland on Drums and Tony Williams Bass and Vocals.

This lasted about a year, which is when Eric phoned Tony saying he had had enough of Ireland and would Tony be into (if he moved back to UK) getting the old band together. Thats What Happened however it was a 3 piece without a drummer and over the years ever since and up to 7 years ago When Andy Golden joined the band had about 30 drummers - some of them apparently couldn't do their shoes up, but there were some good ones - Sam Kelly, Alan Coulter, Ken Rowe, Romek Parol, Dave Cavill, and lots more I'm sure were quite good

The Band was now going out as The Eric Bell Band and that just about takes us to the present.

Compiled and written by Tom Thatcher and David Annison