Ian Williams (born August 31, 1970) is an American

rock Rock most often refers to: * Rock (geology), a naturally occurring solid aggregate of minerals or mineraloids * Rock music, a genre of popular music Rock or Rocks may also refer to: Places United Kingdom * Rock, Caerphilly, a location in Wales ...

guitarist A guitarist (or a guitar player) is a person who plays the guitar. Guitarists may play a variety of guitar family instruments such as classical guitars, acoustic guitars, electric guitars, and bass guitars. Some guitarists accompany themselv ...

and singer-songwriter. He became noted for his finger tapping guitar playing in bands such as

Don Caballero Don Caballero (often shortened by members as 'Don Cab') was an American instrumental rock band from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Although the band has had numerous lineup changes with co-founder Damon Che (drums and percussion) being the only con ...

Storm & Stress Storm & Stress (alternately styled as Storm&Stress or Stormandstress) were an American experimental rock band formed in Pittsburgh and later based in Chicago. The band's name is derived from the German literary movement Sturm und Drang. Storm & S ...

and currently in

Battles A battle is an occurrence of combat in warfare between opposing military units of any number or size. A war usually consists of multiple battles. In general, a battle is a military engagement that is well defined in duration, area, and force ...

. He is known for his one-handed guitar playing technique, often while playing keyboards or

Ableton Push Ableton AG is a German music software company that produces and distributes the production and performance program Ableton Live and a collection of related instruments and sample libraries, as well as their own hardware controller Ableton Push. ...

simultaneously with the other hand.

Biography

Williams was born in

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Pittsburgh ( ) is a city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States, and the county seat of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, Allegheny County. It is the most populous city in both Allegheny County and Wester ...

, and spent part of his childhood in

Malawi Malawi (; or aláwi Tumbuka: ''Malaŵi''), officially the Republic of Malawi, is a landlocked country in Southeastern Africa that was formerly known as Nyasaland. It is bordered by Zambia to the west, Tanzania to the north and northeast ...

, before returning to the US in the 6th grade.Verbal Battles with Ian Williams at Tubafrenzy.org
He graduated from the

University of Pittsburgh The University of Pittsburgh (Pitt) is a public state-related research university in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The university is composed of 17 undergraduate and graduate schools and colleges at its urban Pittsburgh campus, home to the universit ...

Pittsburgh Pittsburgh ( ) is a city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States, and the county seat of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, Allegheny County. It is the most populous city in both Allegheny County and Wester ...

, where he studied history and political science.

Musical career

In his teenage years Williams was a drummer and vocalist for Pittsburgh-based band 'Sludgehammer'.T&G25 #13 - Storm & Stress
''Chunklet''. September 6, 2006 Williams joined

math rock Math rock is a style of progressive and indie rock with roots in bands such as King Crimson and Rush as well as 20th-century minimal music composers such as Steve Reich. It is characterized by complex, atypical rhythmic structures (includi ...

pioneers

as a second guitarist in 1992 until 2000. He had also played in the Chicago-based, avant-garde band

from 1997 to 2000. Williams moved to New York City in the early 2000s and formed

in 2002. Williams is well known for his approach to finger tapping on guitar and uses Gibson's Echoplex looping system. His propensity towards guitar tapping allows him to accompany himself on keyboard at live performances, using one hand for each instrument. Williams made a short cameo appearance in the 2000 film '' High Fidelity'' as a customer in the music store (shortly after

John Cusack John Paul Cusack (; born June 28, 1966)(28 June 1996)Today's birthdays ''Santa Cruz Sentinel'', ("Actors John Cusack is 30") is an American actor, producer, screenwriter and political activist. He is a son of filmmaker Dick Cusack, and his ol ...

's character announces, "I will now sell five copies of ''

The Three E.P.'s ''The Three E.P.'s'' is a compilation album of the first three releases by Scottish musical group The Beta Band, comprising the EPs ''Champion Versions'', '' The Patty Patty Sound'' and '' Los Amigos del Beta Bandidos''. The album was released ...

'' by

The Beta Band The Beta Band were a Scottish musical group formed in 1996. Their style was described as being "folktronica", although it was mainly a blend of folk, psychedelia, electronica, experimental rock and trip hop, often involving stylistic experimen ...

."). He also had small cameos in '' Heaven's a Drag'' and '' Bloodmoon'', a 1997 martial arts action film.

Setup

(Battles: 2004 - 2010)

;Guitars *

Gibson Les Paul The Gibson Les Paul is a solid body electric guitar that was first sold by the Gibson Guitar Corporation in 1952. The guitar was designed by factory manager John Huis and his team with input from and endorsement by guitarist Les Paul. Its typi ...

Studio ;Keyboards *

M-Audio M-Audio (formerly Midiman) is a business unit of inMusic Brands that designs and markets audio and MIDI interfaces, keyboards and MIDI controllers, synthesizers, loudspeakers, studio monitors, digital DJ systems, microphones, and music software. ...

ProKeys Sono 88 ;Software *

Native Instruments Native Instruments is a German company that develops, manufactures, and supplies music software and hardware for music production, sound design, performance, and DJing. The company's corporate headquarters and main development facilities are lo ...

Kontakt 4 * ;Computers *

Apple An apple is an edible fruit produced by an apple tree (''Malus domestica''). Apple fruit tree, trees are agriculture, cultivated worldwide and are the most widely grown species in the genus ''Malus''. The tree originated in Central Asia, wh ...

Mac ;Rack Mount Units * Gibson Echoplex Digital Pro - w/Footswitch ;Amplifiers *

Roland Roland (; frk, *Hrōþiland; lat-med, Hruodlandus or ''Rotholandus''; it, Orlando or ''Rolando''; died 15 August 778) was a Frankish military leader under Charlemagne who became one of the principal figures in the literary cycle known as the ...

JC-120 *

Ampeg Ampeg is a manufacturer best known for its bass amplifiers. Originally established in 1946 in Linden, New Jersey by Everett Hull and Stanley Michaels as "Michael-Hull Electronic Labs," today Ampeg is part of the Yamaha Guitar Group. Although ...

SVT VR Head *

Marshall Marshall may refer to: Places Australia * Marshall, Victoria, a suburb of Geelong, Victoria Canada * Marshall, Saskatchewan * The Marshall, a mountain in British Columbia Liberia * Marshall, Liberia Marshall Islands * Marshall Islands, an i ...

4x12 Cabinet

(Battles: 2011 - Present)

;Guitars *

Gibson SG The Gibson SG is a solid-body electric guitar model introduced by Gibson in 1961 as the Gibson Les Paul SG. It remains in production today in many variations of the initial design. The SG (where "SG" refers to Solid-Body Guitar) Standard is Gib ...

;Keyboards *

Axiom 61 - X 2 (2011 - 2013) *

Novation Novation, in contract law and business law, is the act of – # replacing an obligation to perform with another obligation; or # adding an obligation to perform; or # replacing a party to an agreement with a new party. In international law, no ...

61 SL MkII (2014 - 2016) *

Keystation 61 II (2014–Present) ;Software *

Kontakt 5 *

Ableton Live Ableton Live is a digital audio workstation for macOS and Windows developed by the German company Ableton. In contrast to many other software sequencers, Ableton Live is designed to be an instrument for live performances as well as a tool f ...

Mainstage (Software) MainStage is a music application developed by Apple Inc. designed for use in live performance. Features MainStage might be thought of as a companion app to Logic Pro. It works in much the same way and bears a similar user interface. The focu ...

(2011 - 2013) ;Sequencer *

Akai Akai ( ja, 赤井, ) is a Hong Kong manufacturer of consumer electronics. It was founded as Akai Electric Company Ltd in Tokyo, Japan, in 1946. Grande Holdings in Hong Kong purchased the Akai brand, and now distributes various electronic produc ...

APC40 (2011 - 2013) *

(2014–Present) ;Computers *

Mac - X 2 (2011 - 2013) *

Mac - X 1 (2014–Present) *

Apogee An apsis (; ) is the farthest or nearest point in the orbit of a planetary body about its primary body. For example, the apsides of the Earth are called the aphelion and perihelion. General description There are two apsides in any ellip ...

Duet ;Rack Mount Units * Gibson Echoplex Digital Pro - w/Footswitch (2011 - 2013) ;MIDI Footswitches *

FC-300 (2011 - 2013) * Keith McMillen SoftStep 2 (2014–Present) ;Amplifiers *

JC-120 *

SVT-VR Head *

SVT-CL Head *

6x12 Cabinet *

4x12 Cabinet

Discography

As a band member

- ''

For Respect ''For Respect'' is the debut album by Don Caballero, a Pittsburgh-based math rock band. ''For Respect'' was released on Touch and Go Records in 1993. Though Ian Williams is credited on guitar for this album, he only joined the band shortly bef ...

'' (1993) * Don Caballero - ''

Don Caballero 2 ''Don Caballero 2'' is the second studio album by American math rock band Don Caballero. It was released in 1995 on Touch and Go Records. The album is the group's longest, clocking in at almost one hour in length. Critical reception Ira Robbins ...

'' (1995) * Don Caballero - ''

What Burns Never Returns ''What Burns Never Returns'' is the third album by American math rock band Don Caballero. ''What Burns Never Returns'' was released on Touch and Go Records in 1998 and was a reunion of sorts for the band—it was their first album after a two-ye ...

'' (1998) * Don Caballero - '' Singles Breaking Up (Vol. 1)'' (1999) * Don Caballero - '' American Don'' (2000) *

- ''Storm and Stress'' (1997) * Storm & Stress - ''Under Thunder & Fluorescent Lights'' (2000) *

— ''

EP C / B EP ''EP C/B EP'' is a two disc compilation by the American math rock band Battles. It brings together the two previous EPs, '' EP C'', '' B EP'' and the "Tras" single. It was released in 2006 on Warp Records. ''EP C'' was originally released on J ...

'' (2006) * Battles — ''

Mirrored ''Mirrored'' is the debut studio album by American experimental rock band Battles. It was released on May 14, 2007 in the United Kingdom, and on May 22, 2007 in the United States. ''Mirrored'' marked the first album in which the band incorporated ...

'' (2007) * Battles — ''

Gloss Drop ''Gloss Drop'' is the second studio album by American experimental rock band Battles, released on Warp Records in June 2011. Most of the album is instrumental, but vocals are provided by various guests performers, including electronic musician Ga ...

'' (2011) * Battles – ''

La Di Da Di "La Di Da Di" is a song performed by Doug E. Fresh, who provides the beatboxed instrumental, and MC Ricky D (later known as Slick Rick), who performs the vocals. It was originally released in 1985 as the B-side to " The Show". The song has since ...

'' (2015) * Battles - ''

Juice B Crypts ''Juice B Crypts'' is the fourth studio album by American experimental rock band Battles, produced by Chris Tabron, and released through Warp on October 16, 2019. It is the band's first album as a duo, following guitarist/bassist Dave Konopka's dep ...

'' (2019)

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Williams, Ian 1970 births Living people American rock guitarists American male guitarists People from Johnstown, Pennsylvania Guitarists from Pennsylvania Storm & Stress members Battles (band) members Math rock musicians 21st-century American guitarists 21st-century American male musicians