Fred Williams was involved with Moles Club from the very earliest days, and was very instrumental in the club becoming the success story it was to be. Fred was a bit of an anchor at times in stormy seas, and was always valued for his loyalty, integrity, hard work and honesty. He will be sadly missed by myself and the rest of the Moles team. The following was printed in the Bath Chronicle on 13th April 2004, and says a little bit more about his life. We hope to put a fuller Memorial article on his life on the site later in the year. Any donations for a memorial tree or "Save the Children" may be handed in to the Moles office, and will be passed on to the fund (s). There is to be a memorial gig in the club on 6th June 2004 to celebrate Fred's life - several of his favourite bands will be playing - including one of his recent favourites Ivory Springer. We will also be placing a plaque in his memory by the mixing desk, a spot where he stood on duty as sound engineer for so many years.
Philip Andrews - Moles Club owner.
FORMER Chronicle pop columnist Fred Williams has died following a brief illness. Writer who had a passion for music
Better know on the local music scene as Phredd, he appeared every Thursday in the Chronicle for several years in the late 1980s, casting his eye over the music scene.
He was among the flrst to champion the then unknown bands Portishead and Morcheeba, recognising their talent and originality and played their early demo tapes to anyone who crossed his path. Mr Williams, 52, was also a familiar figure at local gigs,
with his notebook and pencil at the ready. Writing for the Chronicle gave him the platform to go on to become west country correspondent for Record Mirror, covering gigs from Exeter to Cardiff.
He first came to attention as resident DJ at the Hat and Feather pub, before going on to guest at just about every club in the city. His boast was that everyone danced to his music, but that he had never danced in his life. After a chance meeting with Moles' owner Phil Andrews, he became one of the earliest members of the team when the club opened 25 years ago. "What struck me was his passion for music," recalled Mr Andrews. "It was obvious that he cared about it very deeply: From disc jockey to house sound engineer, mixing the music
for many of the visiting bands and helping them deal with the venue's unique acoustics, he was in his element. "He became a pivotal figure at the club. He took care of the bands in a very paternal way." It was the same enthusiasm and dedication that he applied to Radio Avalon, the on-site station that he ran for almost 15 years during the Glastonbury Festival. Between raising funds to keep the service going and presenting an early afternoon show, he seldom saw a band himself, but was one of the people who contributed to the festival's unique atmosphere. Before coming to Bath, in the early '70s, Mr Williams travelled the world in the Merchant Navy. After working for many years as an engineer, he changed careers to become an editor at Future Publishing, at the same time attaining a science degree at the Open University:
Mr Williams is survived by his parents, Pat and Dick, brother Adrian, and his son Jake.
Reprinted courtesy of The Bath Chronicle.
