[2] In 1970 he joined the Welsh rock group Man, which included two former Dream and Smokeless Zone members, Deke Leonard and Martin Ace.
In June 1982 Williams joined Dire Straits as the replacement for drummer Pick Withers, shortly after the release of their fourth studio album Love Over Gold.
Williams played with them for the first time on the 1983 EP titled ExtendedancEPlay (featuring the hit single "Twisting by the Pool") and on the 1982–1983 Love over Gold Tour.
[4][6] After a hiatus of almost two years, Dire Straits regrouped with Eric Clapton to perform at the Nelson Mandela 70th Birthday Tribute concert staged on 11 June 1988 at Wembley Stadium, in which they were the headline act.
[8] Stiffs Live (1978) Plays with: Nick Lowe's Last Chicken in the Shop, Larry Wallis' Psychedelic Rowdies and Ian Dury & the Blockheads [9]