Boris Williams

Boris Peter Bransby Williams (born 24 April 1957) is an English drummer best known for his extensive work with The Cure (1984–1994).

Biography

Born in Versailles, France, he had previously worked with various artists, including Thompson Twins, Kim Wilde, Strawberry Switchblade and Tomato City. Williams is one of seven children; he has two brothers - Michael and Morgan - and four sisters - Juliet, Caroline, Mira, and Sarah. Williams dated Caroline Crawley, lead singer of Shelleyan Orphan.

Williams first joined The Cure in 1984 (first gig on 7 November in Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA), replacing Andy Anderson, who was fired for destroying a hotel room. During his tenure, Williams helped The Cure reach their critical and commercial peak recording the studio albums The Head on the Door, Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Disintegration, and Wish.

He also appeared on the live albums Entreat, Paris, and Show as well as the videos for Staring at the Sea, The Cure in Orange, Picture Show, Galore and Greatest Hits. He helped record the re-remixes album Mixed Up.

Williams' drumming style is often referred to by drummers as 'Linear' as it follows regular cycles with repetitive rhythmic themes, patterns and fills. Some of his most innovative drumming can be heard on the songs "Six Different Ways" and "Sinking" from The Head on the Door, "Icing Sugar", "The Kiss", "Torture" and "If Only Tonight We Could Sleep" from Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me, "Closedown", "Fascination Street", "Prayers for Rain" and "Last Dance" from Disintegration, "Open" "Cut" and "From the Edge of the Deep Green Sea" from Wish.

Notable Williams fills that are instantly identifiable and set up the rhythmic theme for the song can be easily heard in the reoccurring fills in "In Between Days" from The Head on the Door, "Just Like Heaven" from Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me

Williams left the band in 1994. His last concert was on 13 June 1993 in Finsbury Park at a benefit concert for London's XFM radio station. He started another band called Babacar with his then-girlfriend Caroline Crawley. He briefly reunited with The Cure for the acoustic recording of their Greatest Hits compilation in 2001, but he did not rejoin them officially. He was also present at some of the sessions for the Cure's 2004 album, simply titled The Cure.

Discography

The Cure

• The Head on the Door (1985)
• The Cure in Orange (1986), VHS
• Standing on a Beach (1986)
• Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me (1987)
• Disintegration (1989)
• Mixed Up (1990)
• Entreat (1991)
• Wish (1992)
• Paris (1993)
• Show (1993)
• Galore (1997)
• Greatest Hits (2001)

Thompson Twins

• Quick Step and Side Kick (1983)^[1]
• Into the Gap (1984)

Strawberry Switchblade

• Strawberry Switchblade (1985)^[2]

Robbie Nevil

• Robbie Nevil (1986)

Ian McCulloch

• Candleland (1989)^[3]

Drums on "The White Hotel" and "Proud to Fall"

Shelleyan Orphan

• Humroot (1992)^[4]
• We Have Everything We Need (2008)^[5]

Babacar

• Babacar (1998)

References

External links

• Boris Williams bio
• Boris at Pictures of You