Melody Maker’s Richard Williams gives 2nd Music Journalism Lecture

The original presenter of The Old Grey Whistle Test was one of the most influential music journalists from the late Sixties for over 20 years

THE University’s second Music Journalism Lecture welcomes a man who was one of the most influential music journalists on rock music and jazz from the late Sixties for over 20 years. 

The lecture by the former editor of Melody Maker Richard Williams – Thursday 9 November at 7pm – will look at the reasons behind the success of the music of the decade from the late sixties and why there has been an apparent decline over the past thirty years in both popular music and criticism. 

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Richard Wilson Richard Williams

It was in 1969 that Richard Williams first started as a writer on one of the leading weekly music papers of the period, Melody Maker, later becoming deputy editor.  During the five-year period to 1973, he earned himself the reputation of being one of Britain’s foremost music critics.

As a leading popular music writer of the day, Williams left MM to join the London listings magazine, Time Out, before returning to Melody Maker as its editor.  In 1970, he also became a regular columnist for The Times, for whom he continued to write until 1989, and was also a regular contributor to The Sunday Times, The Independent and The Radio Times.

His reputation as a music writer made him the obvious choice to present the BBC’s new late night ‘serious’ music show, The Old Grey Whistle Test, which was launched in 1971. 

His career as a music journalist was summed up in his book Long-distance Call: Writings on Music, where he focussed his attention on artists ranging from the likes of Duke Ellington to Bruce Springsteen.  The book, widely praised, focused on artists whose careers deserved not only respect, but serious study.

In the early 1970s, Williams was a vocal and influential supporter of Bob Marley, gave a platform to bands like Velvet Underground and Roxy Music and he also authored biographies of Bob Dylan, Miles Davis and Phil Spector.

He remains an active journalist today and until recently was the chief sports writer for The Guardian.  Though he has covered all sports, he particularly enjoys motor racing and has again written three books on the sport.