Upcoming Concerts:
12/05/2018 COOMBE BISSET, Village Hall. (‘Lake of Puppies’ – William D Drake & Mrs S Fortnam) Tim Smith Benefit. Tickets from We Got Tickets
19/05/2018 WORTHING. St Pauls. Tim Smith Benefit. (Mr William D Drake at the piano) Tickets from We Got Tickets.
02/06/2018 LONDON. Clapham Library – ‘Lambeth Readers and Writers Festival’ (supporting North Sea Radio Orchestra). Tickets from Eventbrite
*Please do join the Newsletter for up-to-date news about Mr Drake’s live performances and goings on…and on Facebook here*
William.D.Drake’s 5th album Revere Reach – 13 track recording, on the Onomatopoeia label. Buy your album at Onomatopoeia or Bandcamp (also available at the usual online retailers).
Available on CD, vinyl and download. Visit Discography to purchase all his magnificent recordings.
Watch the Distant Buzzing and Be Here Steryear and other William D Drake videos.
HELP TO RAISE £100,000 TO FUND TIM SMITH’S HEALTHCARE COSTS FOR ONE YEAR!
donate here at JustGiving
Tim Smith is one of the most influential British musicians alive today. Radiohead, Blur, Napalm Death, Faith No More, Biffy Clyro and countless others have cited Tim Smith, and his band Cardiacs, as a profound inspiration.
He’s also in trouble.
A cardiac arrest suffered in 2008 has left him severely brain damaged and with a condition called dystonia. Mentally he’s as sharp as ever. His ability to move and speak, however, is minimal. Funding shortfalls and bureaucracy have seen his rehabilitation grind to a halt, along with his ability to make music.
Tim’s condition is complex and poorly understood. He has responded positively to treatment, when his income has afforded it. A tribute record, fundraising gigs, re-issues of his music and conventions attended by devoted fans have helped. But he is now entering his tenth year of inadequate care. ‘The only way I can try and let you know how I feel at the moment’, Smith says, ‘is imagine, if you were wearing a skintight bodysuit made of fishnet all around you with electrical pulses going all the…time. This is what my body feels like unless I fall asleep’.
He has resisted publicity up until now, but we, his friends and family, now agree with him that it is time to go public, with a story of a man’s unique creative world and the severe problems with neuro-rehabilitation.
A charity called the Raphael Hospital Group, run by Dr Gerhardt Florschutz, has bought the facility Tim lives in and is able to provide him and his fellow patients with the input necessary to make progress. This, of course comes at a price and while he waits to hear about the possibility of funding, vital time is being wasted. We want to raise £40,000* so that he can finally afford the care he has needed from the beginning of his illness. If we raise more, it will allow him secure funding for a longer period.
Tim’s friends and family just want him to be allowed to try and get better. Everyone in his condition deserves that. Being given the right treatment could allow him to complete musical projects of great beauty that still burn brightly within him. ‘People who could genuinely be described as geniuses are few and far between’, says Steve Wilson, who recently hit number 1 in the UK album chart. ‘But I think Tim is up there, I really do’.
If he could recover enough to use a mouse he could make music again, if he can find his voice he will be able to boss us about in the studio; it feels as though he is finally being given a chance to come back to us.
https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/timsmith?utm_id=108&utm_term=V5j9KPB5k
***Owing to the incredible generosity and enthusiasm of supporters, the £40,000 target was reached on the first day!- So we have decided to attempt to raise enough money to fund Tim’s care for a whole year. Therefore, we have raised the target from £40,000 to £100,000. We have whole year to raise this amount.***
Hi William, to these ears Reverie Reach is an absolute joy, a stunningly beautiful listen that bought tears to My eyes at various points throughout, I didn’t want it to end. My favourite album of the year by a clear mile and well worth the wait. A very huge thankyou.
June 22, 2015 at 09:54
Love Revere Reach, best album of the year. Looking forward to seeing you play in Manchester.
July 2, 2015 at 18:24
Come to Preston … friday 18th November… only 45 mins from Manchester
September 27, 2016 at 21:10
Works like these save lives. Mine, for sure.
August 1, 2015 at 20:27
Brilliant. An instant classic!
October 2, 2015 at 09:45
I have only recently re-explored some of the other projects that past members of the Cardiacs had been undertaking, and these are simply a joy to behold. Thanks so much for your truly unique and timeless music… a real gem, and hope to be able to listen to your creations again live in the future Mr Drake!
Claire Marshall
Music Archaeologist
June 17, 2016 at 08:15
I am delighted that you are receiving such excellent reviews. It is well deserved.
August 22, 2016 at 10:52
Any plans to come and play in Wales? Loved the Aldershot gig.
October 10, 2016 at 18:56
Loving ‘Revere Reach’…so much so that I am looking for others in your back catalogue but finding them difficult to spot. Also, want a t-shirt!!
October 18, 2016 at 19:11
You can download the other four William D Drake albums from Bandcamp https://williamddrake.bandcamp.com/, plus a couple of singles and free tracks – you’ll also find William D Drake t-shirts there. (Follow the links from ‘Discography’ and ‘Flummery’ on the menu bar). Usually records and t-shirts are available at gigs (but these are not frequent events!). ‘Revere Reach’ may also be purchased from Onomatopoeia Records on CD and vinyl http://www.onophonic.com/. In answer to your earlier question, so far all plans to play in Wales have floundered….but very pleased you could come to the Aldershot show!
Best wishes, Lisa pp William D Drake
October 18, 2016 at 20:22
Thank you very much, Lisa for that info. My daughter is coming over from Melbourne on 1st December so seriously considering marching her straight off the plane to the gig in Camden. 🙂
November 14, 2016 at 23:13
At The Alphabet Business Convention in Salisbury Arts Centre on Saturday 2nd May 2015 you sang a song with a female guest which made my hear quiver! I haven’t found it on an album and didn’t catch her name (she was blonde). Can anyone please help with the title of the song and the name of the co-singer?
November 14, 2016 at 15:00
Dear Sandra,
The song was ‘Love’s Philosophy’ and the guest singer Mrs Sharron Fortnam. The song was originally performed by Lake of Puppies – William D Drake, Sharron Saddington (now Mrs Fortnam), Craig Fortnam and Chin Keeler. Mr Drake has just told me the song “Hasn’t been recorded yet, but really needs to be!!” You can hear more of Mrs Fortnam’s beautiful voice in North Sea Radio Orchestra, they have a new album out called ‘Dronne’.
Best wishes, Lisa
pp William D Drake
November 14, 2016 at 21:13
Stunning album, as always your work is sublime, keep up the good work I await your next masterpiece …. David Rees
November 26, 2016 at 09:32
Hi Bill
Just listened to InConverse…..gorgeous!
It’s been too long – let’s meet up!
Patty-Patty-le-BoothBooth
P.S. How was Paris?
January 25, 2017 at 09:53
Hi Bill,
Will the show on the ABC bill in Salisbury be a solo outing or with the band? Either is fine.
Paul
April 29, 2017 at 20:19
Hello Paul
The ABC event in Salisbury is not a full band outing, but, it probably won’t be solo either! At the moment there’s a vague plan for couple of band members and a guest or two… currently Bill is concentrating on rehearsing for the ‘full band’ show at Lewisham Peoples Day on 15th July.
Best wishes, Lisa
pp Bill
May 28, 2017 at 21:35
Hi Bill,
Okay, am coming up to London for the Lewisham gig, as well as attending the ABC Convention, so will get to see songs in many splendoured forms Happy.
Cheers,
Paul
June 3, 2017 at 11:47