Allan Holdsworth

[Lucid7]

Saw Allan Holdsworth at The Thirsty Ear in Columbus, Ohio last Saturday night ( 5/10/08 ). One word... "Wow"

A guy in his 60's jamming in a trio with Chad Wackerman on drums and Ernest Tibbs on a 6-string bass. Those guys were killer.

Allan played through Hughes and Kettner's - anyone have any experience with those cabs/amps? It was a small 150 head venue but that place had some serious SPL!!! (Granted, I was 6 feet away from Allan)

Lucid7

[45auto]

he's from another planet for sure. i wish he'd tour through Texas again. I'm not sure if he actaully uses the HK amps so much or not, if you look on "his" forum (therealallanholdsworth) some of the guys close around him say differently, but who knows, i think he experiments endlessly like alot of us! i can't get enough of his work, every once in awhile i think i'm getting a grasp of his approach, then he cuts loose & i just fall down & think what the hell was that?

[fivecoyote]

Saw him with the same backing band on Wed night in Teaneck, NJ. Gory details are at my blog per usual (http://www.WoodyTone.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;), but bottom line is that I also was blown away. I knew I would be, just didn't know ahead of time how mind-blowing it would be. Sick!

[Strat78]

My guitar teacher back in 77 gave me a tape with some of Allan's playing on it, I believe it was material from the Tony Williams Project. Here I was this kid into Hendrix, Zeppelin, Thin Lizzy and Rick Darringer, being handed this brilliant stuff, all I could say was, it will make nice dinner music!, I remember my teacher wincing. However, after that point, all I can say is that I started playing my Hendrix records a lot less. I got to see Allan many times in the early 80's but after that his playing became too convoluted and self indulgent. Up to 79 he still colored his signature style with a bit of rock and blues inflections which broke up the legato nicely. I love this clip of Allan in the 73(?), despite the tone being pretty dry and stiff (still good) he pulls off all this amazing improvising with his eyes squeezed shut. Starting at 2:00 he really starts to loosen' up and get into a groove:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jIC-nJRcgeU" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[NY Chief]

ugh... couldn't even listen to the whole thing. I appreaciate the chops, talent, and dedication but where is the music????


I much prefer this...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uwDnNGsk ... re=related" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[45auto]

well, try to remember he's trying to sound like Coltrane's sax or something. He's also a violin player which is basically tuned backwards to a guitar (bass really) which I think would open up alot of different approach to guitar (like all that four finger per string stuff) I love the guy, as long as I will always be unknown, I'd like to be so unique! hehe. Strat78, man we are pretty much the same ilk/era I guess. You even added Rick Derringer to your list from back then. I guess all of us rock guitarists were listening to similar things from any particular period.

[thousandshirts]

I wish Holdsworth would come through Vancouver again. I'd go see him for sure. He puts on a hell of a show.

[45auto]

he's getting up in the years somewhat, 62 now, but last i saw he was still putting up a pretty good example of what old guys can do. i turn 48 tomorrow, still 18 at heart!

[fivecoyote]

For me he's worth seeing if for no other reason than to see what can be done with a guitar, and music. Just really amazing. If you're looking for a groove in what he does, you won't find much of one unless maybe you are way into jazz (I don't have that level of musical education). Also, I forgot to mention that for a lot of the music I was tapping my foot, but not sure if I was on the beat!

[NY Chief]

...Rick Derringer to your list from back then. I guess all of us rock guitarists were listening to similar things from any particular period.

Didn't know who we was in '77. Went to see Aersomith at the Garden. Derringer opened and BLEW Aerosmith off the stage. Big fan ever since!

I much prefer what Holdsworth did with UK. The Tony Williams stuff is pretty outrageous, too. No doubt he is unique.

[Strat78]

Yep, UK was a little more accessible and still very cool, but the public would not bite. UK and Brufords projects nearly drove Allan to alcoholism; playing the same leads every night to a very regimented song structure.

Man oh man, I could go on about this clip:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jIC-nJRcgeU" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Check out how Allan and the drummer connect at 2:50 and the tune takes on a life of it's own. The two are speaking the same language at that point, punctuating, stressing, anticipating, synchronizing, playing tag, stumbling and landing on their feet simultaneously. Wow, very few musicians connect like this anymore.

[NY Chief]

I would say my old friend Mark Hitt copped Holdsworth pretty good back in the day...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rLUMGU80 ... re=related" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[HipKitty]

Here is a shot with a fellow that some might recognize. Taken during a rehearsal to prepare for a show at the Roxy, in L.A. Eddie showed up while we were away at lunch, where we found him sitting on the edge of the stage with a purple Kramer. For rehearsal and the show, Eddie played through a Musicman combo...two are onstage along with a Roland amp (not used)...they belonged to The Roxy as house amps. Eddie still sounded like Eddie.