Mars Williams, Jazz and New Wave Saxophone Great, Gone at 68

The key member of The Waitresses and The Psychedelic Furs was 68

November 20, 2023November 20, 2023 Ron Hart 0 Comments Albert Ayler, Billy Idol, Billy Squier, Kesha, Mars Williams, Massacre, Ministry, RIP, The Killers, The Power Station, The Psychedelic Furs, The Waitresses

Mars Williams, the famed saxophonist for The Waitresses, Billy Idol and The Psychedelic Furs, has died. He was 68.

The news of his passing was confirmed by his brother Paul Williams. The cause of death was complications from ampullary cancer, a rare form of the dreaded disease that impacts the area around the small intestine.

Born on May 27, 1955, Mars began playing saxophone during his senior year in high school. During his college years where he attended DePaul University, he began taking courses from the Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians, where he studied under founders Anthony Braxton and Roscoe Mitchell. It was an education that led to a life dedicated to creative jazz, where he would remain committed to the craft throughout his time here on Earth.

But while his jazz bonafides, which saw him stay active on the vibrant Chicago improvisational scene until he became too ill to do so, served as a vital part of his career it was his time in pop music that made him a legend. He was a key member in The Waitresses from 1980 to 1983, and it will be tough to not choke up when hearing Mars blow on “Christmas Wrapping” this holiday season.

He joined The Psychedelic Furs in 1983 as a short-term replacement for touring saxophonist Gary Windo, but quickly became a permanent member of the band. His first appearance on wax with them was 1984’s acclaimed Mirror Moves, and he’d appear on two more Furs albums, 1987’s Midnight to Midnight and 1989’s brilliant Book of Days, before leaving the band to head back to Chicago and form his famed improvisational funk-jazz ensemble Liquid Soul. Williams would return to the Furs fold in 2005, recording one more album with the band in 2020, the fabulous Made of Rain.

Williams also played sax on Billy Idol’s 1983 sophomore smash Rebel Yell, as well as recordings by Billy Squier, Massacre, Ministry, Kesha, The Killers, The Power Station and a ton of creative jazz musicians.

“I’ve been friends with Mars since the 80’s,” wrote renowned singer-songwriter Ike Reilly. “He’s toured with my band, he’s appeared on most of my albums and I just love the guy.”

He also spent a good amount of his career advocating for the sainthood of New York free jazz legend Albert Ayler, paying homage with his group Witches & Devils and his annual Ayler Xmas shows in Chicago (and album series).

“The holidays in Chicago won’t be the same without Mars Williams leading the charge with his thrilling Albert Ayler-ized Christmas celebrations,” author and jazz journalist Aaron Cohen wrote on his Facebook wall this afternoon. “From his own groups through collaborations with artists ranging from Peter Brötzmann and Hal Russell to The Waitresses and Psychedelic Furs, Mars showed that having a wide musical palette means having a lot of fun. My deepest condolences to his family, friends and legions of students.

Mars Williams Presents An Ayler Xmas (Image: Facebook)

“He was a truly wonderful guy,” Cohen added during a quick online chat. “And he helped so many people, through his teaching or guiding people who were going through personal struggles like those he dealt with earlier in his life. Mars personified the community-minded spirit that makes Chicago jazz so special. He was a great composer, too. I went to the premiere of a big band piece he wrote for a combination of Chicago and New Orleans musicians a few months back—sure hope it was recorded! I wish I had taken him up on his invitation to see him with The Psychedelic Furs. Would have been a blast to see him in a large room! Just realized today that cancer also took the life of Waitresses singer Patty Donahue way too soon. Damn.”

Losing good people around the holidays is already some tough stuff. But it’s particularly heartbreaking to lose someone whose signature saxophone has come to define so many Christmases for us through the years. Mars Williams will be missed. Thank you for the cheer.