Videos (You Tube Links)

Small Town - Barfly Sheffield 2001 

Yoni - Barfly Sheffield 2001 

Homemade Soup - Barfly Sheffield 2001 

Recordings mp3 Downloads

To download right click over the link and select "Save Target As..." 

Tonight - 2004 

(Line Up: Jones/Oakley/Whitaker/Groves)

1: Tonight 
2: What You Say And What You Mean
3: 2 Seconds Behind
4: 10 Times Before 
5: Falling From The Blue
6: With You In Mind
7: Jumping All Over The Fences
8: Help Me Get Out
9: Life Isn't Fair
10: Scissor Choice

Don't Walk - 2002

(Line Up: Jones/Oakley/Whitaker/Palmer/Mannion)

1: Yoni 
2: 4 After Midnight
3: Homemade Soup
4: Summertime
5: Northern Soulman
6: Funky Chicken
7: For Obvious Reasons
8: Unsteady Ground
9: Sorry For You
10: Kaiser Bill's Fantasy Fashions

For Obvious Reasons - 2001

Recorded at Hill Top studios in Dronfield
(Line Up: Jones/Oakley/Whitaker/Palmer/Mannion)

1: For Obvious Reasons
2: 4 After Midnight
3: Journey to the Sun
4: Kaiser Bill's Fantasy Fashions

Live Recordings

BBC Raw Talent Radio Show - Nov 2004

Recorded & broadcasted live on BBC North for the Raw Talent Show in Hull.
(Line Up: Jones/Oakley/Whitaker/Groves)

1: What You Say and What You Mean
2: 2 Seconds Behind
3: Falling From The Blue
4: Scissor Choice

Listen to the Interview

 Reviews

Big William, Atraiou : Grapes, 13th January 2004

Review Written By: Knoxville

Two bands tonight at the grapes, Big William and Atraiou, whose lead singers are brothers I believe? This however is not evident in their musical styling's.

Big William kick off with "Summertime" a track not fitting to the season but fitting to the occasion as its smiles all round with this feel good song that wouldn't be out of place pumping out over your back garden barbecue in August.

Big William are a very tight band and are set in their ways with the type of sound they want to put out. Singer, Tom Jones, has a Toploader-esque quality to his already strong voice and I don't think he hit a bum note all through their set. The band back him up with some funky bass lines, driving beats and some Wah-Wah-tastic guitaring, which all blends into some fine songs.

It's a mixed bag of rock, funk, blues and a couple of more ballady tunes that creates a good contrast throughout, keeping the crowd entertained and tapping their feet.

My overall impression of Big William is this: A Toploader style, mixed with Fun Lovin Criminals riffage, with a hint of the Chilli Peppers in a mellowed out mood. A great set, which the crowd seemed to enjoy.

Big William - Don't Walk Mini Demo (2002)

Review Written By: Paul Cooper

Big William have been on the scene for a few years now, somewhat surprisingly quiet in how they go about their business but causing a splash everywhere they go with their distinct sound of blues rock melodies, and infectious tunes.

The 4 track demo, which was received as a freebie when purchasing a ticket to one of their gigs at the now departed Barfly, is taken from their debut album Don't Walk. The demo has was a fix in my car CD changer for some weeks, and two of the tracks 'Yoni' and 'Northern Soul Man' have graced many a compilation tape of the tunes of the moment.

Having seen the William on numerous occasions on the Sheffield circuit, the first play of the CD was no more than a refresher, which only goes to show how memorable and catchy their tunes. All this without even having to go down that cheesy road.

A far cry from their tunes of sex shops and big ladies, the infectious chorus of 'Yoni' will have you singing this song for hours. Delicate in places and strong in others, this is only a warm up. The song which really stands out has to be their crowd favourite 'Northern Soul Man'. The guitar licks and riffs can only be described as top drawer with a bass line which just manages to match the lead guitar note for note. The band stray dangerously close to country music in parts but at the same time keeping the originality with Latin rock feel. Harmonica's, and even bongos all contribute to the sound that is the William!!!

If this small sample is anything to go on, the full album 'Don't Walk' , which is available from the band is a must hear.

Big William - Leadmill July 2003

Review Written By: Jay Mosely for the BBC - south yorkshire - Raw Talent unsigned bands

No, Big William is not the name of the latest novelty marital aids, but if it was you could probably find some at Kaiser Bill's Fantasy Fashions, 'the William's' fictional sex shop and subject of their fourth track of the night.

But don't be put off by my sordid analogies, I'm just suffering the after-effects of hearing this band's sleazy, funk-fuelled tones.

They create an atmosphere of a seventies pimp movie with their tasty guitar licks, jazz-tinged percussion and the bassy vocals of front-man Tom Jones. (I refuse to dwell on the name, but it's worth mentioning that peering through his long black curtains of hair, he was a dead ringer for Michael Jackson post-surgery.)

Jones was his usual animated self; stamping, shaking his head and gurning as his band-mates played their parts in another typically tight performance.

The absence of the samples that Big William have been known to experiment with, redeemed effortlessly by slide-guitar, funky bass-lines and a montage of drums, bongos and congas.

For years these boys have been striving for their own inimitable sound, and it's always a relief to hear a band that veer away from the norm.

Big William - Don't Walk (2002)

Review Written By: PJM on Wed, 23rd April 2003... l2sb.co.uk

The problem when you get an album to review is that it could be awful. And instead of the usual 3-15 minutes of a demo, you have up to 74 minutes of dreadfulness to endure.

Luckily this effort from Big William is far from awful. From the first track onwards it’s a groovy funk odyssey, that’s refreshingly not po-faced and doesn’t take itself too seriously.

A lot of local bands go for the indie funk style and fall flat on their arse. Big William manage it with aplomb, probably down to some great musicianship, a good ear for a groove, and the laid back vocal style of singer Tom Jones (er, no… not that one).

‘Homemade Soup’, ‘Summertime’ and the rather lovely ‘Unsteady Ground’ are standout tracks. The apocryphal (?!) virginity-loss nightmare of ‘Funky Chicken’ is probably the most memorable, though.

Definitely an album to get hold of on a hot summers day, throw the windows back, and play it at top volume. Good stuff.

Big William - Don't Walk (2002)

Review Written By: Fliss Marks of S-Press Magazine - Issue 2

If Sheffield were to brag about something other than Meadowhall, then this should be it. 'Big William' have originality oozing out of every riff. They're a bit of everything (except mundane!); bluegrass, rock, jazz, blues, funk. Opening their set at the Barfly with a melancholic acoustic solo from lead singer Tom, they ended with bongos and congas flouncing in with the audacity of a flamingo on acid. Only Jack's records are privileged enough to stock their debut album, 'don't walk', but if I were you, I'd run down there in your underwear just to get your hands on a copy...