William Goldsmith (b. July 4, 1972) is a drummer best known for his time with the popular Seattle band Sunny Day Real Estate and being the original drummer with the Foo Fighters, although most of what little material he recorded with the latter was discarded, and Goldsmith left the band after disagreements with lead singer Dave Grohl (himself the former drummer for Nirvana) and suffering the onset of carpal tunnel syndrome. Currently drumming for The Fire Theft, he has toured with Mike Watt, 5ive Style, and IQU, and has recorded and played live with many other bands and artists. His biggest influence is Keith Moon of the Who.
He has acted in two feature films, Heartbreak Beat and For The Cash, both directed by Matt Matsuoka. For the Cash also starred Jeremy Enigk of Sunny Day Real Estate.
During the bulk of his time with Sunny Day Real Estate and Foo Fighters, William played an Ayotte drum kit with Zildjian cymbals. His exact setup was as follows:
- 14" x 7" SteelHoop Snare Drum
- 15"x14" Tom Tom
- 18"x16" Floor Tom
- 24" x 20" Bass Drum
- 15" Zildjian A Rock Hi-Hat
- 20" Zildjian K Crash/Ride
- 22" Zildjian A Crash/Ride
- 24" Zildjian A Medium Ride
He has also played with Pearl, Yamaha, Slingerland, and DW kits.
