Alan Fairnie:Guitars and Vocals/ Paul Fairnie: Drums and Words/ Ian Cummings: Bass and Vocals/ Rob Dillam: Guitar and Noise
Influences
The Pastels/ Velvet Underground/ Jesus and Mary Chain/ C86/ My Bloody Valentine/ Pale Saints/ Sonic Youth/ Primal Scream/ Slade/ John Waters/ The Byrds/ Beach Boys/ the list goes on.
Cheap guitars, stand up drumming and a band who genuinely gave a fuck about something – the Williams formed in a grim northern town in 1987. Scunthorpe in 1987 was like any other industrial town, local bands played local public houses and the Williams didn’t want to be part of that. Brought up on independent labels, sha la la flexis, 60s classics and throwaway pop The Williams wanted to be part of something bigger.
This unlikely trio consisting of brothers Alan (guitar and signing) and Paul Fairnie (two drums and a cymbal and most of the words) and bassist Ian Cummings [he sings too] were pretty much hated by the muso scene of Scunthorpe. It was always about attitude – they couldn’t play that well but managed to get three songs together for their first gig at the Baths Hall in august 1987, from then on they set about playing with most of the burgeoning indie scene. Alan’s fanzine Get That anorak Off helped launch the flexi ‘I Know I’m Nothing Special to You’, even getting airplay on the John Peel programme (and they thought he’d choose Esmerelda’s Kite) and they built on their reputation as enthusiastic upstarts to go on and play with Pale Saints, The Telescopes, The Sainsburys, St. Christopher, Sea Urchins and eventually a six date tour with Primal Scream by then adding additional guitarist Rob Dillam (who later joined Adorable)
Having seen their sound mutate from chiming guitars and simple lyrics to a more sustained assault of noise (blame My Bloody Valentine and Dinosaur) the Williams decided a change of direction was in order in late 1990. They changed their name to Sunburst, then Super Electric - listen at myspace.com/superelectric , they found the harmonies of Brian Wilson, the groove of Sly Stone and the attitude of the Who – invented Acid Modernism and promptly self destructed.
Some times Northern towns get their revenge.
'I Know I'm Nothing Special To You' is available on The Sound of Leamington Spa Volume 4 on Firestation Records
alright alan, thanks for the add, liking Can I Walk in Your... sounds good. Liking the bowl haircuts. And wearing you're dad's shirts. Must be a northern thing :.)
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