Ashdown Bass Amp Ex Cliff Williams AC/DC

Cliff Williams
(1949)

Band: AC/DC
Main bass guitar: Music Man StingRay
Must-hear track: Down Payment Blues

AC/DC’s rhythm section is the exact opposite of a show-off band full of flamboyant guitar heroes: the two frontmen (Angus Young and Brian Johnson) take care of the show, while the three in the back hold it all together without making a fuss. Standing quietly at the back of the stage, only stepping forward to sing backing vocals during the choruses, you might think Cliff Williams — the band’s bassist since 1977 — is just doing the bare minimum. Quite the opposite: he's an exceptionally smart musician, whose every phrase earns its place, and who isn’t afraid to play the same note for three minutes straight if that’s what the song calls for (just listen to his work on Thunderstruck). Some have accused him of being simplistic and not bothering to vary his playing, but that overlooks his subtle syncopations and melodic lines, which are mixed so low you feel them more than hear them.

Williams joined the band during the Let There Be Rock tour, and first appeared on AC/DC’s discography starting with Powerage (1978). He replaced Mark Evans after having been part of the bands Home and Bandit, which only saw limited success. With Cliff Williams’ arrival came the band’s golden age, and he was responsible for the warm, thick tone on the magical trio of albums Powerage, Highway To Hell (1979), and Back In Black (1980). At first, he often played a Precision Bass — Fender’s original model being a perfect match for his sharp pick-driven attack — but over time he switched to Music Man StingRays, which became his main instruments. Still, he’s been spotted with a variety of basses, including a headless Steinberger and a Gibson Thunderbird.