So here's my Allan Holdsworth story... It begins with beer, no joke, sometime around the spring of 2000. I had just moved to San Marcos, Ca. and was interested in the local watering holes. One of the only local breweries at the time was a restaurant pub San Marcos Brewery, this is all way before San Diego became the beer mecca it is today. Anyways, a little backtracking is in order... I first heard Allan's playing in my late teens on a Bill Bruford greatest hits compilation called Master Strokes. Being a student of the drums I was listening to all the greats and after that album, I became a Holdsworth fan. So fast forward a decade and change, and I roll into San Marcos Brewery to check the place out. I walk in and pony up to the bar and I see a person underneath it, much like a plumber would be underneath your sink installing some contraption. I couldn't make the person out as they were clanging away on what looked like an installation of some odd shaped beer tap. After realizing there was a customer, the person wrangles his body up and low and behold I'm staring at Allan Holdsworth. The look on my face must have been priceless, I couldn't believe it. After pulling my jaw off the floor, I said something to the effect of "You're Allan Holdsworth, right? What the hell is Allan Holdsworth doing underneath a bar in my town?" He proceeds to tell me he's friends with the owner, Dave and that he was installing a proper English-style hand pump for cask beer because there was nowhere around that had what he was used to getting back home. Something of his own design mind you. So let it not be said, Allan DID love his beer. So much so that he wanted his favorite style to be made to his exacting specifications. Kind of like his guitars, but we'll get to that a little later. At this point I'm pulling my jaw off the floor again because I'm chilling with Allan Holdsworth rapping about his music and he's giving me a lesson on cask beers. Turns out, at the time, Allan was living in the next town over in Vista and he just got done installing this hand pump and was heading home and he invited me over to his house to continue the conversation. Needless to say, it wouldn't have mattered what I had planned that day, it was getting canceled. I was going over to Allan Holdsworth's house! For those that don't know, Allan lived in a geodesic dome home. Very bohemian, very Allan, right!? We go in and he proceeds to show me prototype versions of the hand pump that he just got done installing. Of course they were hooked up to a keg and fully functional, so I wasn't going to be rude when he offered me a pint. It's about this time that one of his friends walks through the front door. Now I need to explain something about Allan's house, there were guitars everywhere. Not on stands, not in cases, nope, they were just laying around. On a chair, on the couch, on the table. Turns out they were all prototypes of the new Alan Holdsworth model that Carvin was making for him and he was testing a bunch out. Making sure they were to his exacting specifications, see a theme here. So Allan's friend comes in and picks up one of the guitars and starts strumming away on it. He mentions that he really likes the feel of it and no sooner than the guy finishes his sentence, Allan gives him the guitar. I couldn't believe it! This was the most down to earth, generous man I ever met. We continue on and wind up in Allan's home studio listening to live tracks from the Japan tour he just got back from. Greatest day ever, right!?!? It's getting late and I'm probably not ending this story with enough justice, but I'm gonna wrap it up now and just say that that day was one of the best days of my life. Thank you Allan Holdsworth, your genius, generosity, and kindness will never be forgotten by this fan.
Corey Ohh man THAT is a an all timer right there Not only the chance pub encounter but continuing to hang with him later at his house no less ! Glad he felt comfortable enough to invite ya over and be the Real Allan Holdsworth that many did not know,
Wow amazing story Corey. I had the same chance moment of meeting with him at the San Marcos Brewery. I'd bizarrely also bumped into him twice before in a pub up in Orange County. We chatted for an hour or so and he told me the story of the Hand Pump. Originally saw him play live back in 93 in Manchester England. A real life hero, Gentleman and a genius from another Cosmos. Absolutely gutted with the news.
I was in Arizona for my high school day's when I was 19 he came to Tempe AZ to play at a place called Chewy's. I went there to see him with no money I was going to watch from the front window ,, then he walk right by me and I told him that I came just to see him and I had no money ,, he took me right to the front row and I watched him, chad and Jeff. the music has so amazing and the show was so cool. He was so cool and I never forgot what he did for me .. Love you love you love you love you :) RIP
I saw that show also....... even four after that in Arizona........... he signed my girlfriends concert shirt............ but a few years later I saw him at the Rhythm Room and it was awesome!! I went to my friend's house after the show and after that he drove me back to the venue to pick up my truck and we noticed the parking lot was empty but the bar lights were still on so we kind of creeped inside again and there he was with his band and the bartender just hanging out............ having beers......... "American Fizz"........... I ended up talking one on one with them for at least an hour..... I had brought his "Reaching For The Uncommon Chord" for a possible autograph that he sign........... he asked me if I had the new Yoshi's video and I told him I didn't have the money for it at the time..................... he grabbed one that they were selling at the show, signed it and gave it to me for free.............. he was one of a kind...........
Really moving. I saw him playing with Vinnie (and Steve and Jimmy) back in 1986 or so at a shitty bar in Tucson, AZ.. He was hanging back, obviously very nervous. I approached him and told him how much his music meant to me, especially his song Funnels. He seemed genuinely touched that I liked it so much. He played it that night, nodding to me before he started. It was one of the greatest things I ever saw.
I went to see him live in a little village in Wales called Abertillery. I went on my own. I popped in a tiny pub for a beer before the show and in walks Allan Holdsworth. I jumped up like a jack-in-the-box to say hello and shake his hand. He was so gracious, and talkative, and introduced me to the guy who was with him. He said "this is Chad Wackerman,'... and me being a Zappa fan I was like 'Yes I know....'. None of my mates believe my story, but it's a cherished memory for me. And it was a wonderful gig.
I was at that gig and in the pub you were in but didn’t have the guts to grab him. I am a lifelong fan from a Igginbottoms Wrench onwards and all these years after his sad passing I remain deeply affected by his loss. RIP Maestro.
What Alan taught me was that SOUND HAS COLOR, and that infinity is REAL ; there are an infinite number of possibilities for playing the same scales and chords. It all depends on your education, experience, and willingness to go that extra step, to study hard, to push the boundary, to BE unconventional. Alan was the greatest guitar pioneer of the 20th century, and music will never be the same now that he has lived. R.I.P. Alan, we will love you FOREVER.
Allan's music was/is so advanced; in 1991 my jazz guitar teacher told me Allan was supposed to play Vancouver in the late 80s but his drummer (Chad or Gary?) couldn't make it. His charts for the set list were sent to the promoter in Vancouver who tried to get a local drummer to sit in. No jazz or session players in Vancouver could learn the songs or were too scared to perform them. Allan had to cancel the gig. Allan Holdsworth the legend!
How about Mark Craney? Sadly he passed away a while ago. His playing with Gino V. was fantastic. He played with Eddie Jobson for Jethro Tull (A). It is amusing to imagine, Allan calling Eddie and Eddie introducing Mark to Allan when he cannot find a drummer in USA. Just wishful thinking. Maybe they've met up there. Thanks for the nice story!
5 ปีที่แล้ว +3
Yeah, that's not like you're sitting in with AC/DC or the Stones where the drumming is a bit simplified. That would explain why Allan had drummers like Gary Novak, Vinnie Colaiuta and Virgil Donati over the years - all ridiculously great drummers.
Its been too long ago to remember for sure, but I went to see Allan at Berklee in Boston in the late 80s. He was warming up for Al DiMeola, and Danny Gottlieb, the drummer for DIMeola sat in on drums for Holdsworth. As I remember he had very little notice, and I think the total rehearsal time for that gig was during the sound check, but he’s a great drummer, so he did OK. He clearly got lost a few times, but it didn’t matter. I remember that when Allan started, I could see his hands shaking, but after about halfway through the first tune, he relaxed and started to flow. It was great to see him in person, unfortunately the set was too short for my liking. Jimmy Johnson was a beast too, what a bassist. RIP Allan
A lot of guitarists study the playing of other instrumentalists like horn players and pianists. Allan Holdsworth is one of a select few guitarists that you see studied by other instrumentalists. RIP Allan. Lovely heartfelt tribute Rick.
Hello, I was a very close pal of Allan. He visited my house, I stayed at his house in Tustin. He visited another house of mine, after his gig at "Band On The Wall ", Manchester. He played & liked my guitar, We went to Haworth, where he bought beer pumps parts. I took many photos in pubs. When I stayed in is house in Tustin LA, I took pics of his guitas and amps & outboard gear, We never discussed music until I mentioned Debussy, & later Michael Brecker - we waffled on for Hours....
I think you might like this, Rick, from Graham Bennett's book 'Soft Machine. Out-Bloody-Rageous': 'The (1974) tour also provided a moment that gave Roy (Babbington) an insight into Allan's complex personality. «We were doing a gig in Belfast and we couldn't find Allan. So we all went looking for him because we wanted to get on with the rehearsal. The roadies were playing Holst's The Planets on the PA. Straight music used to affect Allan, and I found him sitting in the loo downstairs crying. He said, «That music just gets me». That was Allan»' (p. 278).
Saw Allan 4 times, always in England. The last time I saw him we helped load the gear out of the venue and he was telling us that they couldn't afford a crew. I spoke with him outside for a while and asked him about the synthaxe days and he told me that he recorded it to tape. So no midi tweaking possible after he had the take he wanted. He was also standing alone at the bar across the street prior to the show. All in all I think I spoke with him 3 times, and each time I mostly ranted and raved about the 4:15 Bradford Executive of the Sand album. His music was priceless and carried me through some of the toughest times. He was an authentic genius and the vast majority of the planet missed it completely. I'm glad I didn't, but he'll be missed. Thanks for the video, very heartfelt and sincere.
Hello Rick, I love your video's and your contribution to our world of music. I remember when I first heard Allan, a friend played Bundles (around 75) for me and the first thing I said was " check the speed on the turn-table, that can't be right..?.." and he said "it's on the right speed" and I actually checked the turn-table because I didn't believe someone was playing THAT fast. I was smitten from that point until forever and then some. I played some guitar and was a big Zappa, Mahavishnu, Weather Report, Crimson, Coltrane, Mancini, Bartok, Stallings, Stravinsky, Henry Cow, Fred Frith and anything unusual kind of fan, and I worked at several record stores as a teen, so I tried to hear as much of everything as I could. What I found in that process was that my favorite player of ANY instrument was Holdsworth. He was consistently great on petty much everything with always a sense of transcendence over time. Finally his first US tour with IOU and he was playing in a club in Cleveland, and I was going to get a chance to see him, and try and figure out what the heck he was doing. It was a couple nights before the show and my drummer called me and said "what are you doing Friday?" and I said "I'm going to the Holdsworth show and your not talking me out of it..." and he said "Oh you'll be there opening the show for him, they just called us for the opening slot ..." of course a million things went through my mind like, am I good enough? and will I look like garbage next to someone so incredible? and hhhmm but I will likely get to meet him... When their van showed up to load in I couldn't believe they were carrying their own gear, so I went and asked if I could help, and they said "sure" so I helped them load in and they were the nicest, jovial kind of guys (not the slightest bit of a star trip) I couldn't believe how nice of a guy Allan was, he treated me like an old friend within minutes. Still that is one of my favorite memories of this life time. My band had a sort of King Crimsonish proggy sound, and some of the other players were pretty good. We were called "Hazard Profile", so we did the gig and it was an awesome experience, we even went over fairly well, but the best part was Allan. He was SO amazing and humble, and he rewrote my conception of what a guitar could do in my mind, and humanized every player I've heard or seen up to that point. He reset the bar in my mind, and I realized I had a lot of studying and practicing to do if I ever had any hopes of playing at his level. The best part of the gig was actually making friends with him. He became more than a musician at that point for me, I wanted to know where his music was coming from philosophically and spiritually because I was seeing how all of it was part of his expression, also Allan never seemed labored in his execution regardless what speed he was playing. His sense of lyricism to me was unparalleled and I was on a quest to try and see where that came from. ... and really he was the nicest musician I've ever met. no shit. He came around again during the next tour, with Chad and Jimmy Johnson this time and the club booked us for the opener again. I was probably more jazzed about being able to hang out with Allan and trying to learn as much as I could from him than actually doing the gig. I was only 19 and working a factory day-job and was having a blast playing music but was confused about how to make a living of it and thought I might ask Allan what he thought. Our bands had just played another show and were hanging out backstage with Allan having a couple beers. So I asked Allan knowing I had to be back at work in a few hours what he thought I should do and what he said was "you should give music a try and if the music thing doesn't work out, you're a good chap they will take you back..." So that was it for me, I became a musician and quit my factory job. I figured it would be unlikely to get better advice than from your mentor. Allan gave me the courage to trust myself and try and I will forever always be thankful because as time went by I did everything I could to advance my art and projects, and within a couple years I was recording and playing with members of King Crimson , and Soft Machine and touring Europe with players that I absolutely admire and feel absolutely blessed in this life and experience because I took Allan's advice. That band I was in at that time was called "Low Flying Aircraft" we did make an album, it's up here on TH-cam somewhere. (I'm sorry that is not meant to be a plug, just for reference) I always tried to catch Allan where-ever I was in the world if he was near, and I got him a couple seminar gigs along the way. I always pretended that I didn't absolutely worship him as a person and player/composer (even though I did). He was really a nice guy and he loved talking about things other than music, like design and nature and art and funny stuff. He loved to laugh, and seemed to prefer to be like the lovable nice guy next door who would give you the shirt off his back if you needed one. Never a lofty pretense. Allan always made sure to say hello to me at any show I did go to of his. At one of his shows I did give him a copy of that LFA band on cassette, and maybe another 6 months up the road I caught him again at a show in the SF bay area, and I did not see him walk in the club because I was at a table with some friends talking, and all of a sudden I feel a hand on my shoulder and there is Allan bending over to whisper in my ear that he really liked my album and that I was on to something and to keep up the good work. To this day that made any difficulties in this business and world, so worth whatever it took.( I just want to say here that I'm not a writer and I find it a bit difficult telling this story as myself being one of the characters because really it's about Allan and how he met this nobody kid from Cleveland who had little to offer him, and treated him like an old friend from minute one.) I actually have a good number of stories about Allan when I think about it but I'll end this with one last story about going to see him down at the NAMM show (07 I think) and he was playing with his band at a small club just a few blocks away from the NAMM area. We were in line to get tickets and I had brought half a dozen people from the company I was with to the show and with just 2 people in front of us the club door person said that the show was sold out. My buds were all "well nice try Jim we'll just go back to the hotel", and I said hang on just one minute, let me see something. So I walked over to the bar manager and asked to see Alan because "he was expecting me". Which was BS if I have to admit to it, but there was also a molecule or two of truth in it as well. (I'll explain) Anyways, Somehow the manager lets me backstage and I see Chad playing his sticks on the couch and I'm looking around and there is no Allan, so I said "sorry to bother you Chad , is Allan around ?" and he points to a little coat closet, and I'm thinking like Allan is in this little closet? ... so I knocked on the closet door and Allan opened it up the door and I'm not sure why but I was just amazed that here is Allan in a tiny closet with his guitar on practicing scales and his tunes and He was like " Hi Jim , how you doing ?" almost as if he expected me or something. I apologized for interrupting him and asked if there was any possibility of getting my friends in and he told the manager to put us on the guest list and everyone got in and had a blast and ended up hanging out with Allan for hours, and as usual my friends were just amazed how great he was , and what a nice person he was. (Again, I'm no super-star just a guy who hopes to make something worth hearing, and again this is not about me because I am one of thousands of people like myself that he was this nice to. My story is like so many we hear about Allan, but that is a little bit of my story about Allan.) Hearing Allan's music made me want to know more about him, and when I did get a chance to meet him he was the most fantastic most beautiful soul I had ever met. Selfless and giving and spared no expense to give us his music on his terms. I don't know what this world will be like , without Allan in it. That seems really hard to think about. Allan was an absolutely beautiful genius full of goodness and love. My life would not have been the same without him. I hope one day people begin to recognized his wonderful genius. Lastly, I'm sorry for being so long winded, and I hope aside from his music that people know what kind of person he was. Oh my goodness what A gift he was.
Man, that is a great story. Allan wa the GOAT and you are very fortunate. "He came around again during the next tour...and the club booked us for the opener again... I was only 19". WTF, 19?! You may never reach Allan's level (nobody will), but you're clearly very accomplished. Do you still play? If so, a few questions: Same or a new band? If new, what's the band's name? Do you still play live? Any plans to hit the SF Bay Area? I'd love to see your band live.
Little known story: Frank Zappa first heard Allan at the very first studio playback of the completed 'UK' album at Trident Studios in London. Eddie Jobson, who had recently left Zappa's band to form UK with Bruford and Wetton, invited Frank to come check out his new post-Zappa project, as Frank happened to be in England. Apparently, Frank was a little late and walked into the studio control room after 'In The Dead of Night' had started, but just in time for the guitar solo - making Zappa one of the first people in the world to hear both Jobson's composition and Holdsworth's classic solo. We already know he had a deep respect for Jobson's musicianship (as Zappa formed his only 4-piece band with him), but that's the exact moment he also became a life-long Holdsworth fan.
Fantastic tribute from a cat who truly understands how significant an artist Allan was. My story-I got to interview Allan in Montreal after a sold-out, ecstatic show at Le Spectrum. I wasn't at all prepared for the despondent man who could barely acknowledge the show that had just transpired. Correction-he could acknowledge it, but only in negative terms of how badly he had played! The was way beyond humility or the usual self-deprecation we see so often when people are complemented. We still had a decent interview but I walked out of there quite stunned that being Allan Holdsworth seemed to offer such little satisfaction to the man. I think that's one of the reasons our musical community is suffering extra hard with this loss. For all of us who have striven for excellence in any aspect of our musical lives and careers, this reminds us that the things we think will make us happy and feeling successful are likely illusions. We have to try and enjoy the journey and the process-there is no "great reward."
Allan literally changed my life. He set my music on a different trajectory and the album I’m best known for was my way of introducing a generation and a fan base within that generation that otherwise would probably never had been inspired to give him a listen and try to expand their aural pallets if you will. The Wackerman brothers are family friends which allowed me to meet Allan. My dad who is also a great guitarist and being the doting father told Allan about my music and what an inspiration he had been to me at a gig they did together. I’ve been blessed in life and have gotten to experience some incredible things and great honors, but the pinnacle for me was stepping off stage at The House of Blues Hollywood on a headline tour about 10 years ago and a guy about 25 years my elder walking up to me and saying “Michael I just wanted to say hello and I loved the show. I play keyboard for Allan Holdsworth. I can tell he’s an influence on your music. He’s here with me. He’ll be back from the bar in just a moment if you’d like to say hello”. My heart sunk into my stomach. My first thought was “I am SO glad that this is happening after the show and not before. Because I would have absolutely fallen apart up there if I knew Allan was in the building. He was very complimentary, absurdly humble (I mean he could NOT take a compliment) and he remembered meeting me at the LAX baggage carousel when I was coming back from a Europe tour and they were coming back from Australia. I saw Chad first and then it struck me that either Barbara Streisand or Allan was going to be walking up behind him as those were Chad’s two main gigs at the time. Chad urged me to say hello and said Allan would get a kick out of it. I said to him “I never do this, but I am such a massive fan that I couldn’t miss an opportunity to shake your hand and thank you for what you do”. He replied in Allan’s true humble fashion by saying “So you’re a guitar player then”. Implying that only a guitarist would recognize him. He remembered our interaction and my doting father telling him about my music. I think I was probably beaming for a week after that night at the HOB. I’ll remember that fondly forever. A true genius musician.
My deepest respect as a drummer for mister Allan has given to us all...I lid a candle for him yesterday for his soul to be peaceful and my thoughts with his family,friends, all musicians knew him..Thank you Rick for this movie, its very respectful of you!!
Allan Holdsworth was miles beyond most of us musicians, and way ahead of his time. "Genius" comes close, but it is a terms that's been abused. Anyone who was not changed by listening to his music... well, s/he must be deaf. Thanks for this, Rick.
Not just a great guitar player but a true genius head and shoulders above his contemporaries. Composer arranger guitarist would describe Allan best of all. Probably the greatest musician of the 20th and 21st century. Fortunate enough to see him live several times and meet him once. Along with Miles by far the best musicians I have been fortunate enough to see live
Went back and saw this again tonight. Thank you Rick, we must never forget Allan and spread the word. Saw him here in Sweden four or five times and nothing will ever come close.
AH's "Atavachron" album is named after a time-transporting device in the 1960s Star Trek episode "All Our Yesterdays". Inhabitants of a doomed world escape via a portal to another time and place chosen from a library of video discs (rather like DVDs). The atavachron device (holding a disc showing the boy Holdsworth) is seen on the cover of the album, along with the adult Holdsworth facing the portal presumably about to return to the time and place of his childhood. All Our Yesterdays is also the name of the final track on the Atavachron album. The same Star Trek episode fetures a character (Spock's love interest) called Zarabeth, the title of a Holdsworth track on his 1992 album Wardenclyffe Tower. Evidently this Star Trek episode held some major significance for Holdsworth!
Alex Alvarez did you hear the story about Allan waiting in a hotel lobby? William Shatner comes through, seeing Allan and assumes hes the bell hop (?!) asks him to help bring up his bags, Allan recognising WS, and being a fan obliges without saying a word!! The epilogue is that a mutual associate tells WS who AH is and introduces him to his music, which he enjoys!
MY Allan Story ,- The very first concert , i attended , with Allan Holdsworth , was in "Monmartre JazzHouse" Copenhagen , Denmark , with Stanley Clarke , as "Main Event" (boy - did Clarke get that wrong ! ): Well- just before Allan started the third or fourth tune- i shouted - to Allan - to "Turn up the Guitar ! " .... which , he quietly , but firm , remarked - " What Guitar ?" ... he was .... ofcourse - playing the SynthAxe .... ;-) - Now the most beautiful , and downright amazing thing happened , when i shared this story - on our "Unreal" forum - a dude , contacted me ... and told me he not only remembered the diatribe - BUT - he -in fact - had ...the WHOLE , concert , straight out , from the Mixer ! ... and ... he SENDED me - the WHOLE goddam - beautiful concert
I was a guitar student at Musicians Institute (GIT) in 1992.Allan was playing in town and a bunch of us guitar students went to watch him.We were very excited.I remember about halfway through the show Allan was soloing and really, really tearing it up!! I looked to my right at all the students in a row, they all had a look of amazement, some with their mouths open.I'll never forget that show. Thank you Allan!!
terrible news... I heard UK in 79 and it changed my playing forever, stood 2 feet away at a crowded NAMM show in 82 watching him, no one heard music the way he did. RIP BROTHER, you impacted our music and our lives. still have old GP mag photo of him playing modified strat w title Reluctant Virtuoso. thanks Rick
I grew up in Poland. 1979 - in the middle of Communism, behind the Iron Curtain. Got the UK vinyl record on black market (illegally). Life was NEVER the same again... RIP Allan. Rick - thanks so much for your channel. Thanks to people like yourself there is still a slight chance that Allan Holdsworth's music will carry on forever ( as it SHOULD) in the same row with Stravinsky, Ravel, Claus Ogerman, Jerry Goldsmith etc.
Allan was a unique creative force and a guitarist beyond comprehnsion. I met him in Sydney Australia at a place called The Basement after his show. Once in a lifetime a genius comes along that is of the people, to show us all the potential of striving for a level of greatness and perfection that we naturally assume that is beyond our reach.
One of the greatest musicians that ever lived...I met him at the Iridium in NYC around ten years ago, my friend and I caught him smoking a cig outside, told him how inspirational he is to me, he was so modest....and we talked about his custom pickup by Seymour Duncan....such a laid back guy and his hand engulfed my entire hand when I shook it....what an experience
My first Allan Holdsworth experience was 1973, I was over in Hannover Germany at a music festival, and Tempest were playing, supporting their first album. I was blown away by this guitarist that just ripped into these solos like I had never heard before. Totally immersed into what Allen was doing. I went out and bought that album the first chance I could, and still love listeneing to it. Later on at the festival Vinegar Joe were playing a storming set, and Allan came on and jammed with them. One of the most amazing musical experiences of my life. God Bless you Allan........ where would guitar playing be now without you?
Great video Rick, AH was my favorite musician, I have the fortune to see him live at Riviera Maya Jazz Festival here in Mexico, it was like a dream, could'nt hold my tears in some tunes, Above and below, The things you see, Protocosmos, it was one of the best nights of my life for sure. Rest in Peace my guitar hero, my favorite musician, thanks for all the joy you bring to my life with your wonderful music
Thanks for the tribute Rick. His technical facility on the guitar was beyond amazing...fluidity is the word. His musical compositions were from another place/dimension. He will be missed. RIP Allan Holdsworth.
i cannot say enough great things about allan holdsworth. Most people don't really appreciate his work... fusion can be difficult to listen to. But I think it is pure genius. His work with Bill Bruford and U.K was highly influential on me. RIP Allan.
Allan Holdsworth was a perfectionist , which is why his music is unbelievable, as a drummer I always found his music both daunting and amazing !! He played like an alien, nobody played like Allan, nobody could copy Allan. He is just the most amazing guitarist ever !!! Great job Rick of doing a tribute to Allan !!!
Just belatedly came across this video. Thank you. From the first time I heard Bruford's "One Of A Kind" album when I was in college I was hooked; Allan was THE reason I originally started listening to fusion. I own nearly every release he has played on, and had the pleasure of seeing him perform live a couple of times. His untimely passing was quite a shock, and a tremendous loss to the music world.
First heard Allan Holdsworth in 1978 Bruford album "Feels Good to Me" . Had purchased record because of Drummer Bill Bruford, But the guitar work was mind blowing. It really got under my skin. I still listen to those songs. Jeff Berlin Plays Bass. Next year Bruford Album "One of a Kind" had Holdsworth on Guitar and Jeff berlin on Bass. Am surprised these two albums were not mentioned in the video? Allan Holdsworth did Three albums with Bill Bruford, the third being the UK album. Also had the Road Games album in my record collection. Thank You for this tribute video. Will purchase the Allan Holdsworth Collection Box Set.
I first heard Holdsworth when the "UK" album came out. There was an album oriented rock station (which I picked up in Southern Virginia) that played Rush, Genesis, Gentle Giant, Jean Luc Ponty, Alan Parsons and other rock band cuts you wouldn't hear on Top 40. "In the Dead of Night" turned my world upside down. I didn't fully appreciate Holdsworth because I didn't know what I was listening to when he played or how to listen to it, because his "vocabulary", phrasing and enunciation was so different from any other guitarist/musician I'd ever heard. I just knew he was great. Every now and then he would hit a melodic phrase that I knew was no joke because it spoke to my heart like nothing else I'd ever heard. I later heard him with Bruford and still could only "get" 50% of what he was putting down. It was only after I matured as a musician, specifically playing jazz and jazz influenced music, that I began to see the fullness of what he was doing and saying. After my head "opened up" to his playing, I was a die hard fan, searching near and far for anything with A.H. on it. I heard that he was releasing a band project called "IOU". I snatched it up as soon as it hit the stores. It was the black cover, with the phone number on it. I loved it and could sing all the music (instrumental as well as vocal). My "Holdsworth Story" is that I was so enamored by his music that I called the number on the album back to find out where he was playing next. When I called, someone answered and said "Hello". I nervously said I was calling for information about where Allan Holdsworth might be performing (I was in my late 20's) and who is this? He said "It's the artist." I don't even know what I said after that. I wasn't prepared. To me Allan was like an elevated musical entity, not quite a god, but somehow a bit beyond human. He probably told me where his next performance was, and I said thanks and hung up. I was blessed to see him in So. Cal shortly after that, and also where I now live, in the DC metro area. I'm a lot more mature (50's) than I was then, but I'm still touched by not just his skill or technique, but by the heart, mind and spirit communicated through not just his playing but also his composing and the humble human being I've seen him to be. All that still lives, through his music.
What a fabulous tribute to one of the great musicians ever. I am so glad someone did it, so thank you Rick. I was also born in 62, in England, and first came across Allan when getting into jazz fusion as a 15-year-old boy through UK and Bruford, slightly preferring the latter. What an incredible talent, refusing to sell out, a true purist. God bless him.
In the early 80's I got to see Allan live, I was a huge fan from the moment I heard him at a friends house. I told myself I would never forget the night I saw Allan Holdsworth play live, still got the ticket stub! best $15.00 I ever spent
Iam from lusaka zambia. .i discovered allan holdsworth posthumously. I was completely heartbroken at hearing of his passing.but i met allan.i met him via his music. He spoke to me.things.things that words cant express.fortunately. he was a genius. He completely transported me.allan was so great he was almost useless.he was on the border of" the end ."if he had played any better hed have been at 0.the starting point.there where exists nonsense.he had to stay there therefore.right where he was.he was unbelievable. Totally unbelievable. I will miss him.although again i wont.because he is right here with me .in his favourite words ."guys. .carry on "
Man.....Allan Holdsworth changed my musical state of mind in 1998. His sound was like warm liquidy bliss to my ears. I remember that Jean Luc Ponty album that he played on. His solos on Enigmatic Ocean Part II (14:00 & 15:00) blew my mind. Also, his guitar playing with Soft Machine and Gong Expresso II was so different from any style ever heard in the 70's. My hands may have failed me in the real guitar realm Allan. But, my musical thoughts will always be at your doorstep.....
I was already weeping to the sad news when your Live Stream appeared on my Screen.. i really need to Thank You Rick for being there for me/us during what all i can call is a Musical Bereavement... as a musician i based my musical values from a young age on Holdsworth after seeing his REH released on video, what i got from him apart from his Genius, was how to explore music without Fear or Fame.
RIP Allan Holdsworth and thanks for the amazing guitarplaying and all music, that were inspired me and my guitarplaying. A True Hero is gone and it' s a shock. /Robert guitar Blennerhed
I got serious about music in 2017, but didn't hear about Allan until I went to uni in 2019. I kept hearing friends talk about this Holdsworth guy and I never bothered to check him out. Only this year (2023) have I really fallen in love with his music. It's unlike anything I've ever heard before. Even my jazz and classical elitist parents were in absolute awe when I showed them his playing and music. Only now am I realising what was lost when he died. RIP to the master.
The number on the back of the IOU album was Allan's number! I bought the album as soon as it was available. I was so taken with Holdsworth's playing and composing that I wanted to know and hear everything there was about this guy. I called the number, somebody answered and said hello, I asked who am I speaking to and he said, in his very perceptible English accent "the artist". I didn't know what to do or what to say. This was Allan freaking Holdsworth who played the solos on Ponty's Enigmatic Ocean, graced Bruford's One of a Kind and Feels Good To Me and elevated the UK album and composed Nevermore! All of that music freed corner's of my heart and mind that I never knew I had! There was too much to possibly say and I didn't know where to start! Realizing that this was a very awkward moment for me, I decided to ask what seemed like a reasonable and rational question. I asked "where will you be next performing?" I don't even remember what he said. I think I was just reveling in the fact that I had my favorite guitarist and one of my favorite musicians of all time on the phone. I'm sure I said something trite like "Thanks, I love your music." It was and still is true. I'm convinced that when we listen to Holdsworth we're listening, in a sense, to the innocence and purity of heart and mind that awoke in Allan when he was a child and first developed his love for music, because it's so unadulterated and unhindered by the vain considerations that come with musicians who begin to love music culture more than they love music.
I saw Allan for the first time 30 years ago when he played in Chicago. I knew he was good, but it would be years later when my ear matured that I would start to understand just a a micro fraction of how great he was. Then just a few years ago I got to see him again. After the show I waited until he came out from the area where the band members chilled. I told him of a song he wrote, told him the exact minute in the song where he played a line that always brought tears to my eyes. I thanked him for the wonderful gift in music. He reached out to shake my hand, he bowed, and said, "thank you". I just thought look at this phenomenal musician bowing to me. I couldn't play 2 notes of his music. He was the humblest man I'd ever met.
I'm unsure he will ever be appreciated. As a guitar player he had no equal, he stood alone as an improviser, and composer brilliant. I wonder if his music was transcribed and arranged into modern classical that he could be appreciated and studied. He stayed true to his art as genius' do. So much of his music brings me to tears. He also had a sense of humor like the 'dominant plague'' track. Musicians like Allan may only come along only a few times a century. His music enriched my life & craft in incalculable ways. Thanks to his family!
I first heard Allan on the UK (UK) first album when I was about 18 years old (1980), what a shock. I felt amazement, envy, disbelief, euphoria... I've repurchased that cd several times over the years, and I'm still amazed, grateful.
Rick, I really appreciate your time, this channel. Thanks so much for this great tribute, to the most important guitarist Ive ever heard. Very beautifully and thoughtfully presented. Allan deserves more fitting tributes, such as yours. Thanks and blessings to you.
Allan YOU ARE THE ABSOLUTE BEST and thank you Rick for posting this. I was doing a interview with him for a German guitar magazine in 1999 when I lived in Los Angeles and he invited me and the photographer to his house. It was the most wonderful day ever.. I have NO idea how we got back home [the photographer was driving] ... oh man .... RIP :(
Allan has been a magician. We can't explane this. I hear a lot of feeling in his music, an huge emotion. I wanted to see him in concert, recently there was a concert in Paris at baisé salé jazz club but Allan canceled the concert for personnal reason. I will listen his music and try to get well known Allan all my life. For me, Allan is one the greatest musician of all the time.
The first time I heard allan was probably on "Feels good to me" by Bill Bruford. He totally blew me away and has never stopped doing so, he was the greatest guitarist of our time and I love his music.
I was so fortunate to be among the folks who were introduced to Allan in the early 1970's. I've followed him for 40 plus years and have always been pleased that I did. So very humble.....crazy amount of talent. My then girlfriend and I called the phone number on the initial IOU pressings and we talked briefly with Allan and Paul Williams. So accommodating (especially to my girlfriend). Later on we got to see him play on a double bill with Steve Morse at The Agora Ballroom in Atlanta. Too good.....Thank you Allan!
Ron I was at the same show. What bugged me about Morse and I used to play with Steve Davidowlski the Dregs keyboard player on "Free Fall" was that Steve Mouse's gtr was so souped up and loud I could barely hear Alan play. I did hear Alan play at the 688 club with his vocal quartet and his group was fantastic! I wondered if he recorded with that group? RIP.
Andy I saw James Blood Ulmer play at the 688 with a killer bass and drum player. Harmolodics. Nutty fun. Great grungy club with some awesome talent. Do you remember Ricky Keller and Sonny Emory? I went through GSU's jazz guitar program for two years and was lucky to have Sonny in some jazz and improv labs. Crazy good drummer - almost intimidating to play with. Peace!
+Ron Winter Ron, I knew Ricky and all the Atlanta gang. The owner of 688 moved to St.Augustine where I knew him. Atlanta was great in the early 80's. Walter Mitty's was a hip hang out. Peace bro!
Here's my Allan Holdsworth story. I met him in 1970 at his bright orange shop on Putney Bridge Road. His racing bikes were the business, at my age of 13 then that's what all of us kids were into..who had the coolest bike with the best accessories? The Holdsworth shop was a Mecca for such people. At this point, I must admit that I hope I'm talking about the right person? I reckon I am. Strangely enough, I had a hankering to play guitar even then, but I only had an unplayable Hoffner semi-acoustic of my Dad's so that ambition had to wait a while. It's only this evening after years of wondering whether this Allan Holdsworth was the very same person I met all those years ago, that I realised it was! And I'm loving my guitar journey. If only I knew he was 'the guitar genius' I know of now, then? Who knows what riffs I'd have learnt from him rather than info on cotterless chain-sets and Campagnolo gears? RIP Al 🙏 ps. Ooops! 🤦♀️ Well I heard he liked racing bikes, perhaps he was related to WF Holdsworth? Regardless of all that I am now an avid fan.
It is true that Allan was the MOST gracious (and humble) person. I was seeing him on the night of my 21st birthday and asked if he would sit with me and have my first (official) beer. Not only did he agree, we went across the street to a bar and sat and talked for 30 minutes over some beer. Saw him again the next night and sat down with him again (this time Shawn Lane was there and we all three talked for about an hour). Allan (and his music) has been (and continues to be) an extraordinary influence and inspiration in my life. Thanks for the video Rick!
Thank you for remembering, and reminding me…us… about Alan Holdsworth ❤ I went to see a favorite guitarist of mine at the time “ 1978 Santa Monica Civic Auditorium “ The opening band was UK! Needless to say my New favorite guitar player after that show was Alan Holdsworth! Thank you!
I went to that concert; they started with Alaska. The stage was dark and the synths started droning the low opening notes. Who was the headliner, I don't remember?
I had a lengthy conversation with Allan over dinner the day after after his last show. He was very amped about an album he's been working on that features Virgil & Jimmy Johnson. He said to me, " I'm not bragging to you but I think this is some of my best stuff. The guys played their asses off on it! I just have the solos to do - but I'm not happy with anything I've done so far…" This reiterates your point about the level of perfection he has strived for all these years. Sunday was an especially sad day for all of us. I still cannot believe I was just there with him and that he's gone now. What a lovely guy he was...
Wow, that was a magnificent tribute, Rick. I could have listened to another hour of that knowledgeable and heartfelt appreciation. I'm sure you articulated what many of us feel. Allan Holdsworth was a unique musician and one of that select group of virtuosi whose sound you can recognise instantly from just a few notes. I first heard his playing on Bill Bruford's debut solo album and it opened up a new world of music for me. (Jeff Berlin was also on that album and because of his playing, our bass player went home one night, prised off all the frets from his bass, filled in the gaps with varnish and played fretless bass from that day forth.) Back in the late seventies, "Feels Good To Me" was the only cover tune in the setlist of my first semi-pro band. Although we tried our best to reproduce it note for note, I'm sure we didn't do it anything close to justice but it was thrilling and inspiring even to attempt to meet the challenge. I guess that principle remains true forty years later - it's the principled purity as well as the brilliance of great artists such as Allan which inspires the rest of us to continue to strive to improve just for the sheer passion of improving our musicianship, even though we can never come close to the majestic creative power of a true musical genius such as Mr. Holdsworth. God rest his soul.
The reason i ever got into jazz was Allan Holdsworth, i think not just for me but for a lot of Rock/Shred guys he was a gateway into this sort of music! If i hadn't heard MVP with Allan and Frank i would never have heard of Bruford, Jean Luc Ponty, Brecker Brothers, he opened the doors for me listening to other music, what a legend. R.I.P
I had a chance to see Allan many years ago at The Bottom Line in NYC. I was blown away, The next day he came to the music stores on 48th St. and met everyone. Allan has inspired me in so many ways.. The Maestro will be missed. ~D
I heard "Road Games" when it first came out and I was stunned! I was just lost in the music I heard. Working as a session drummer at the time, and loving the Jazz/Progressive Music scene from both America and the UK, I was no stranger to what was possible musically. But, this guy's music was an entirely new thing. It literally changed my life musically in the way Jaco did, and Jimi did, and Jack Casady did, and Billy Cobham did, etc. What amazing musicianship. Thank you Rick for doing this. Alan Holdsworth, R.I.P.
Hearing the guitar solo to U.K.'s "In the Dead of Night" at age 14 utterly changed my life. For me as a young guitarist, this was my "Purple Haze", my "Eruption", my "Joe Pass does Stella By Starlight"... THIS was the sound; the inflection, the timbre, the tone, the feeling I'd needed to hear from a guitarist - I just didn't know it until then. He was the fastest, most fluid player I'd ever heard; yet also the most lyrical, and emotive! From that point forward, I became obsessed. I collected every CD I could find with Holdsworth playing guitar as a side man - Tempest, Soft Machine, Tony Williams, Jean-Luc Ponty, you name it. I bought most of his solo albums over the next few years and listened diligently in complete bewilderment and bliss. I asked my dad (an outstanding blues/rock guitarist), "how do I sound like this guy?!" Needless to say, I gave up trying to sound like Holdsworth years ago. I settled for being an avid fan and devotee of his brilliant work while playing the instrument like a mere mortal. The influence he's had on legions of guitar legends the world over - Eddie Van Halen, Joe Satriani, Steve Vai, Yngwie Malmsteen, Vernon Reid, Eric Johnson, Alex Lifeson, Adrian Belew, et. all - cannot be overstated. He was playing with astounding fluidity, running unbelievably advanced harmonic lines, and with a rounded, warm, lyrical overdriven tone back in the mid 70s...YEARS ahead of his time. Forget his soloing...one could study his singular, intimidating chord work alone for years ("Tendonitis City" - Rick Beato) and just scratch the surface...In the 80s, just when the shredders were beginning to cop some of his essential legato phrasing, he was already moving on to pioneer true guitar/MIDI synthesis with the Synth Axe... I was so very lucky to see him live five years ago in downtown Detroit with Virgil Donati on drums and Jimmy Haslip on bass. It was, and remains, the best concert I've ever seen in my life. It's impossible to quantify or qualify the musical currency that Allan Holdsworth carries in my heart. I guess the best way I can put it is: Yesterday I lost the closest thing I have to a musical family member.
Had a lot of his albums. Listened to a lot of live recordings which are not on youtube. Bought the boxed set and wanted Alan to endorse my book called Revolutionary Riffs. Alan was about all I would listen to. Any song that came on my internet radio that wasn't Alan would get a thumbs down so it would mostly play Alan. Allan Inspired me to compose for string quartet and orchestra with similar harmonic, rhythmic, and melodic sensibilities. sensibilities. He set us free from the chains of functional harmony and rigid chord scale relationships. Miss him sooooo much.
Allan was so far ahead of everyone else musically - he'll be remembered like Mozart. He was from my home town and in my lifetime he was the greatest living guitar player - and we still have David Hockney the greatest living artist also from Bradford. He will be sadly missed but he has left behind a wealth of brilliant music which will be enjoyed forever. RIP Allan Holdsworth.
A Thousand Thanks for this Rick. The man has touched our circle in more ways than can be easily stated. I 've put up my own challenge to help the family in this time. The man is a hero. Anthony
Thank you Mr. Rick Beato. I write here because one of my teachers (an MI / GIT graduate) suggested Allan Holdsworth was somehow uncomprehending when, during a class at MI, he (factually) stated he didn't use standard "legato' technique. My teacher said "Yes he does; it's all legato". Well, the confusion is because he doesn't use pull-offs. Instead, he will lift the bridge-most finger, and hammer-on, IN REVERSE, with the nut-most, sequentially, next desired fretboard selection/note. He described this in a few different places available on TH-cam (and he's not being unobservant). I'll try to suppliment this post later with links. Thanks again.
I discovered Allan on the album Enigmatic Ocean (which I discovered because of an album called Visions of the Emerald Beyond by The Mahavishnu Orchestra). His playing blew me away! I saw him play in a local high school in Pennsylvania in the early '80's (?). He was trying to play the Synth guitar but it kept giving him trouble. I loved his playing and was very sad to hear of his death. Thanks for this fantastic tribute.
His outro on "The Struggle of the Turtle to the Sea" is amazing; as it's fading out, you get the feeling that he was just getting started..................
Thank you Rick Beato after watching this Video I jumped on to iTunes and purchased all your suggestions glad to say money well worth spent. I saw Alan back in the early to mid nineties at the Corner Hotel Richmond, Victoria, Australia I was into to punk and metal at the time, learning drums from a teacher who was into the big band era of jazz (Glen Miller was his favourite) A guitarist friend of mine said “come on down let’s go check Allen Houldsworth” after that gig, I was converted from my stubbornness of music taste and opened up to the amazing world of jazz fusion. Alan was the most amazing guitarist I’ve ever seen (never beaten till this very day) speeds phenomenal and melody was beautiful and made it such a pleasure to see. I remember how incredibly relaxed he looked playing, every note clean, precise, it was not even a struggle to get those notes, the chords, the nice sounds (I am a drummer so guitar terminology is not my forte) I was so glad I went that night and it’ll stick in my memory forever and It will cherish even more now. I did managed to get one of Gary Husbands drum sticks that night too
Lived in London & saw Allan play all over the place....then emigrated to Orange County California & bumped into Allan all the time.....last time I saw him was @ an Al Di Meola gig in San Juan Capistrano CA......Allan was in the audience......I shook his hand & said " Thank You for your music"
For me he 's the very best player of all , first tune I heard was Joshua , and I felt like entering another universe, completely blown away by his fluid energy , I cried when I heard of his passing.
I hope that I haven't posted about this before. Anyhow.. I first heard Allan Holdsworth on a Tony Willians record. The tune that I remember most had a groove with a Bass Clarinet and perhaps was in an odd time signature. I obviously had never heard anything resembling guitar playing or tone like this. Wow!! I played this solo over and over and was blown away but didn't have a clue how he did these seemingly impossible things. Time passes and I finally get to hear him play live thinking that now I'll see it and be able to understand. I walked out of the club shaking my head. I had a thought..this is probably similar to what many piano players felt like after first hearing Art Tatum. I didn't play the guitar for a few days after this experience and just remembered his L hand in my minds eye. When I picked up the guitar again I had maybe 1/100th more of an idea what was going on but that was it. Mind blowing, mind boggling and beautiful. More time passes. In the area I was living in my trio would occasionally be the sacrificial opening act for major artists that came through town and it happened. I found myself opening up for Allan Holdsworth. I was beyond scared but figured that I could hear him for free if I had the nerve to do it. I remember nothing about my trio's set or my own playing. Nothing!! Allan was as only he could be and again I shook my head. I walked backstage and got to spend a little time with him. He was down to earth but also down on his playing saying stuff like man, I really sucked tonight. What? He thought he sucked? This must be a Brit thing, a joke. I thought I had witnessed the 2nd coming of.... something!! His intelligence was all over his face and in his eye yet here he was saying that he sucked..I can't imagine what he must of thought of me because I realky did suck. I've since learned that he often said things like that but at the time I was stunned!! Allan was a true artist. Someone that comes by for a visit to let us know what's truly possible. I can't believe looking back that I had the nerve to open up for him. I could of simply bought a ticket. It probably wasn't that expensive but glad that I did to shake his hand and look him in the eyes to tell him what his work meant to me.. Allan Holdsworth..
Holdsworth is so satisfying to me, because he combines so much into one form. a musician combining rock, jazz, chamber music, with the best aspects of 20th century classical music while sounding so original, and NEVER gimmicky.
I discovered Holdsworth through Enigmatic Ocean, and then UK, followed by his solo albums. It was a huge step change for me as a musician from the prog and fusion of the day. I dearly wish the man could have had a greater appreciation of himself and his art throughout his life, and especially towards the end of it. He was genius and a treasure, and greatly influenced my approach to music. The late 1970's Lab Series L5 was a solid amp, could kinda emulate a Twin, had that creamy distortion and a decent tone stack. Mine was lost in the garage fire of a guitarist friend to whom I loaned it (he paid me back, good man.) Couldn't hold a candle to later amps I owned, but it was the cat's meow for a young guitarist.
Did he deserve more? Absolutely. At the same token Holdsworth lived life the way he wanted and in that process became one of the most respected and influential musicians of all time to those that paid attention. What he accomplished is far beyond monetary rewards. You can’t buy that and he had a great wealth of that...I’m proud to say I lived in the days when Allan Holdsworth the great walked the earth.
I met Allan Holdsworth in Philadelphia probably in 1983. He was having a beer before the show and I never usually go talk to well know people when I see them, but with him, I had to make an exception. He was down to earth and incredibly nice.
What a wonderful tribute. You reminded me of the days when it was a mission to find out about an artist. I was in my early 20's and thought Kansas and Queen were the epitomy of complex music. A drummer friend said I should listen to an album by Bruford, 'Feels good to me'. Phew, that album floored me. Compositions, bass playing, drumming and then this other worldly guitaring like nothing I'd ever heard. This mournful, growl of whammied note that seemed almost lifelike, weeping, wailing and then soaring. That's a word I keep hearing, the soaring, beauty of his playing. I had to get hold of his albums. At that stage Allan had only released 'i.o.u'. I was living in South Africa and not a single record store had heard of him. I got hold of an address from Down beat magazine and wrote a letter with a bank guaranteed cheque to Daybreak records in New York. It took six months for the record to arrive and get through customs. It was the most anticipated music I'd ever waited for and it was spectacular. I still have that record in pristine condition. Each album release since then has been a new, exciting discovery of some of the most unique music. We all remember those moments like hearing his rockiest playing on 'Tempest' or hearing the opening bars to 'Metal Fatigue' for the first time. We have all been part of an amazing journey with the artistry of Allan Holdsworth. It is therefore with deepest sadness to hear of Mr Holdsworth's passing. He remains our humble hero.
Thanks Rick!!! During a guitar lesson in 1980 I had with David Torn, he turned me on to Allan's music when I was living in Ithaca. Ever since then I couldn't get enough of Allan's music. It's incredible how humble Allan was in spite of his phenomenal accomplishments. From Allan's playing, one thing that you mentioned was that I learned to improvise without playing licks per se, but playing new material every time. I heard a story about Allan when he was with U.K. (not sure how true it is). The story goes something like this: While on tour Eddie Jobson approached Allan and asked him to play his solo from "In the Dead of Night" the exact same note for note . But Allan refused because it just wasn't how he he wanted to approach improvisation. Allan never wanted to be pigeon-holed, it was all about the spontaneity. Allan seemed never to be about playing the same solos every night. And that was an exciting secret weapon he always carried. RIP Allan!!!!!You are appreciated more than you ever knew. Cheers mate!
Thankyou Rick. Allan so affected me and a friend of mine that we did indeed worship everything he did. We got to see him a couple of times in Sydney. I am a bass player and my friend a guitarist. we wrote tunes like Holdsworth. It was an obsession. They are tucked away on cassette somewhere. We have thought of rerecording them. The Road Games release was amazing. only oversight was the Bruford albums. He did some amazing things on those. My favourite solo is the one of Nostalgic Lady from JLP Enigmatic Ocean. But that was a time and place thing. Thankyou so much for recognising a musical groundbreaker.
I first heard Allan in 75 with Soft Machine and Tony Williams and was blown away. I was a drummer so the combination of Tony & Allan was mind blowing! I later saw Allan live with Jon Luc Ponty on the Enigmatic Ocean Tour, on the first UK Tour, on Brufords One of A Kind Tour and then numerous times on his solo tours over the years. I was also blessed to be able to play with two Sacramento musicians in the 80" who were Holdsworth "disciples" and were amazing musicians in their own right. Biff Johnson and Reese Sheets. Our crazy jam sessions were legendary and insanely fun! R.I.P. Dear Allan!
Tom McFall You were indeed truly blessed. Whilst I saw Allan many times in his solo era, I never had the joy of seeing him in his earlier days with SM etc, although I had followed him since the Tempest album. One of my holy grails would be to have seen him with JLP as I thought they worked so beautifully together, and Enigmatic Ocean was such an exciting and accessible album. I have long wondered if there was any audio or video footage of the EO tour with Allan - what I would give for that!
My first exposure to Holdsworth was that U.K. album. That solo on In the Dead of Night is a thing of beauty. I just now listened to it again on headphones and I felt like I entered Nirvana. Then I see a comment Rick Beato sent me here and I immediately typed in Rick Beato Holdsworth and here I am. What a beautiful tribute sir. Well done.
Holdsworth is as influential as any musician on my life, and I still find myself listening to him more than just about anything else. I'm a good enough guitar player to know how incredible he was; I've never heard anyone play like him, and not just his soloing, but also his amazing chord structures/harmonic language, etc. What a gift he was!
I had the privilege of seeing mr. Holdsworth play in a little club in Marin county. I stood there in all trying to understand what he was doing but it was flying by so fast that I couldn't even understand it but he introduced me to looking forward attitude in music which really got me going in a progressive way that I'll never forget I love him
When I was a student at CU Bouler and right after IOU album, Allan Holdsworh came to Denver for a concert (very small bar with less than 50 seats). When I opend a door of that bar, he was seating right in front of me at the counter drinking beer. I just approached and told him that I have been a big fan since the 1st Bruford album. Allan Holdsworth was very quiet and did not say much. I was so nervous, but fully enjoyed the concet (or stunned by his performance). He was drinking beer during the performance. Atmosphere was just perfect. Miss him so much...
By the way, the phone number of back of IOU album connect me to Paul Williams or Allan Holdsworth manager. I called the number to ask concert schedule and we talked about this album for 5-10 minutes.
So glad to see this video. I agree his harmonic language is totally unlike anyone else's. First heard him with UK and then Bruford and then all the great solo stuff: I'd probably choose either Devil Take the Hindmost or the incredibly beautiful :Above and Below" as my faves.
Glad you mentioned the UK album and those two songs especially Nevermore. Another great album is the early Bruford project One of a Kind. I saw Allan’s band with a friend at the Golden Bear in Huntington Beach. We were right next to the bar server station. At the break Allen walked up to get a beer at the station so I just had to talk to him. He mentioned how great a music teacher his Dad was. I always thought Allan was underrated in the 80’s and 90’s.
When I was in High School in the 90s, I used to see Allan Holdsworth all over the guitar magazines. This was obviously way before you could just hop online and listen to anything you wanted. I didn't really pay much attention to him though, I just knew his name. I had a buddy that was a little older. He a huge CD collection of fusion and jazz. I asked him if he had any Holdsworth because I was at the point I finally needed to hear this guy; he was so highly mentioned. My buddy came to pick me up in his car and he put on "Ruhkukah" from Hard Hat Area. I was absolutely blown away. Holdsworth lived up to all the hype and then some.
I ve been listening to Allan since my teenager years, around 15years ago. I got into, him with Bundles,Tempest, Gazeuse and Enigmatic Ocean. When i eventually got into his solo career i had this impulse of wanting to play like him. To drink from his vast Endlessly pouring river of musical language. But it took me little time for me to understand that such thing is quite impossible. I can be in awe and somewhat influenced by his expansive flow...but i cannot have the chops, lexicon, emotion, intention, or language that was His. But in the meantime, while i was watching his lessons, clinics, interviews etc i became also a fan of his persona. His humour, his humility, his sensitivity and sensibility, his Grace. For moments i wanted to be like him, like he is the personification of an acomplished spiritual guru, and not only an ultimate Artist but ultimate Human, both with capital letters. Very much like the Guitar playing, i had to recognize that i just dont have it in such celestial and Holy Grace. What a Prince he was. Anyway, very much like the Guitar playing, the Humane influence is there. And i Will Carry it with me and i Will aim at it, the best i can. Thank you Allan. Just wish the music business and the world had taken better care of such an Artist and Being. Rest in Peace and in Love sweet Prince. Each note, each chord, a Symphony that Will Forever echoe in this Universe.
Just came across this. Fantastic tribute to a guitarist who influenced my musical tastes to move into the progressive/fusion genre. UK was the first I had heard of him back in '78. Absolutely mesmerized. The way his solo seems like it's going to end that phrase but he'll add two or three more notes. Always pulls you forward. Be sure to listen to Allan playing on Level 42's Guaranteed album. He plays on 3 or 4 tunes but Seven Years and A Kinder Eye are Holdsworth bliss. Thank you, Rick, and Thank You, Allan.
I really appreciate you talking about Allen Holdsworth! I fell in love with his playing in the late ‘70s. I studied at Berklee in Boston for a couple years then wound up in California playing in the Harry Partch Ensemble under Danlee Mitchell. I seem to recall one of the guys I played with turned me on to Alan, but am not sure. It’s hard to understand how under appreciated he is.
Just recently I stumbled upon Allan's first album--recorded with his Bradford mates going by the name 'Igginbottom ("'Igginbottom's Wrench") and I absolutely LOVE it! Allan's guitar phrasing expressing the earliest forms of pop-influenced psychedelic jazz-rock balanced by mate Steven Robinson's equally interesting jazz guitar play, but also Allan SINGING on his and Steven's quirky songs. What a lovely voice! And what fun lyrics! It makes me wish that there was more evidence of this WONDERFUL side of Allan.
So here's my Allan Holdsworth story... It begins with beer, no joke, sometime around the spring of 2000. I had just moved to San Marcos, Ca. and was interested in the local watering holes. One of the only local breweries at the time was a restaurant pub San Marcos Brewery, this is all way before San Diego became the beer mecca it is today. Anyways, a little backtracking is in order... I first heard Allan's playing in my late teens on a Bill Bruford greatest hits compilation called Master Strokes. Being a student of the drums I was listening to all the greats and after that album, I became a Holdsworth fan. So fast forward a decade and change, and I roll into San Marcos Brewery to check the place out. I walk in and pony up to the bar and I see a person underneath it, much like a plumber would be underneath your sink installing some contraption. I couldn't make the person out as they were clanging away on what looked like an installation of some odd shaped beer tap. After realizing there was a customer, the person wrangles his body up and low and behold I'm staring at Allan Holdsworth. The look on my face must have been priceless, I couldn't believe it. After pulling my jaw off the floor, I said something to the effect of "You're Allan Holdsworth, right? What the hell is Allan Holdsworth doing underneath a bar in my town?" He proceeds to tell me he's friends with the owner, Dave and that he was installing a proper English-style hand pump for cask beer because there was nowhere around that had what he was used to getting back home. Something of his own design mind you. So let it not be said, Allan DID love his beer. So much so that he wanted his favorite style to be made to his exacting specifications. Kind of like his guitars, but we'll get to that a little later. At this point I'm pulling my jaw off the floor again because I'm chilling with Allan Holdsworth rapping about his music and he's giving me a lesson on cask beers. Turns out, at the time, Allan was living in the next town over in Vista and he just got done installing this hand pump and was heading home and he invited me over to his house to continue the conversation. Needless to say, it wouldn't have mattered what I had planned that day, it was getting canceled. I was going over to Allan Holdsworth's house! For those that don't know, Allan lived in a geodesic dome home. Very bohemian, very Allan, right!? We go in and he proceeds to show me prototype versions of the hand pump that he just got done installing. Of course they were hooked up to a keg and fully functional, so I wasn't going to be rude when he offered me a pint. It's about this time that one of his friends walks through the front door. Now I need to explain something about Allan's house, there were guitars everywhere. Not on stands, not in cases, nope, they were just laying around. On a chair, on the couch, on the table. Turns out they were all prototypes of the new Alan Holdsworth model that Carvin was making for him and he was testing a bunch out. Making sure they were to his exacting specifications, see a theme here. So Allan's friend comes in and picks up one of the guitars and starts strumming away on it. He mentions that he really likes the feel of it and no sooner than the guy finishes his sentence, Allan gives him the guitar. I couldn't believe it! This was the most down to earth, generous man I ever met. We continue on and wind up in Allan's home studio listening to live tracks from the Japan tour he just got back from. Greatest day ever, right!?!? It's getting late and I'm probably not ending this story with enough justice, but I'm gonna wrap it up now and just say that that day was one of the best days of my life. Thank you Allan Holdsworth, your genius, generosity, and kindness will never be forgotten by this fan.
Corey Ohh man THAT is a an all timer right there Not only the chance pub encounter but continuing to hang with him later at his house no less ! Glad he felt comfortable enough to invite ya over and be the Real Allan Holdsworth that many did not know,
Corey Ross thanks for a great story. He seemed pretty mechanically handy, if I remember he did his own guitar repairs and tinkerings.
WOW.
I hope you can finish this story!
This story will never finish - and thats a good good thing - Allan , has left us - and im broken,-
Wow amazing story Corey. I had the same chance moment of meeting with him at the San Marcos Brewery. I'd bizarrely also bumped into him twice before in a pub up in Orange County. We chatted for an hour or so and he told me the story of the Hand Pump. Originally saw him play live back in 93 in Manchester England. A real life hero, Gentleman and a genius from another Cosmos. Absolutely gutted with the news.
If Eddie van Halen, Guthrie Govan, and Shawn Lane look up to you, it means you’re THE man.
RIP Allan Holdsworth.
Not to mention Frank Zappa called Allan his "favorite guitarist."
The GOAT
@@jonjones3958 o yes...
@Poua Kai Kurt Rosenwinkel
John McLaughlin
I was in Arizona for my high school day's when I was 19 he came to Tempe AZ to play at a place called Chewy's. I went there to see him with no money I was going to watch from the front window ,, then he walk right by me and I told him that I came just to see him and I had no money ,, he took me right to the front row and I watched him, chad and Jeff. the music has so amazing and the show was so cool. He was so cool and I never forgot what he did for me .. Love you love you love you love you :) RIP
That's just the kind of guy he was. Allan was the person they coined the phrase "the one and only" for.
I saw that show also....... even four after that in Arizona........... he signed my girlfriends concert shirt............ but a few years later I saw him at the Rhythm Room and it was awesome!! I went to my friend's house after the show and after that he drove me back to the venue to pick up my truck and we noticed the parking lot was empty but the bar lights were still on so we kind of creeped inside again and there he was with his band and the bartender just hanging out............ having beers......... "American Fizz"........... I ended up talking one on one with them for at least an hour..... I had brought his "Reaching For The Uncommon Chord" for a possible autograph that he sign........... he asked me if I had the new Yoshi's video and I told him I didn't have the money for it at the time..................... he grabbed one that they were selling at the show, signed it and gave it to me for free.............. he was one of a kind...........
Really moving. I saw him playing with Vinnie (and Steve and Jimmy) back in 1986 or so at a shitty bar in Tucson, AZ.. He was hanging back, obviously very nervous. I approached him and told him how much his music meant to me, especially his song Funnels. He seemed genuinely touched that I liked it so much. He played it that night, nodding to me before he started. It was one of the greatest things I ever saw.
just came across this, yep i was there Atavachron tour i think in Tucson - i still have the shirt :)
I went to see him live in a little village in Wales called Abertillery. I went on my own. I popped in a tiny pub for a beer before the show and in walks Allan Holdsworth. I jumped up like a jack-in-the-box to say hello and shake his hand. He was so gracious, and talkative, and introduced me to the guy who was with him. He said "this is Chad Wackerman,'... and me being a Zappa fan I was like 'Yes I know....'.
None of my mates believe my story, but it's a cherished memory for me.
And it was a wonderful gig.
I was at that gig and in the pub you were in but didn’t have the guts to grab him. I am a lifelong fan from a Igginbottoms Wrench onwards and all these years after his sad passing I remain deeply affected by his loss. RIP Maestro.
What Alan taught me was that SOUND HAS COLOR, and that infinity is REAL ; there are an infinite number of possibilities for playing the same scales and chords. It all depends on your education, experience, and willingness to go that extra step, to study hard, to push the boundary, to BE unconventional. Alan was the greatest guitar pioneer of the 20th century, and music will never be the same now that he has lived. R.I.P. Alan, we will love you FOREVER.
Thank you for sharing this thought. I'll have to let this sink in but I already know it's profound.
Allan's music was/is so advanced; in 1991 my jazz guitar teacher told me Allan was supposed to play Vancouver in the late 80s but his drummer (Chad or Gary?) couldn't make it. His charts for the set list were sent to the promoter in Vancouver who tried to get a local drummer to sit in. No jazz or session players in Vancouver could learn the songs or were too scared to perform them. Allan had to cancel the gig. Allan Holdsworth the legend!
WaveRyeDer99 he was playing with Vinnie Colauita often in the late 80s
How about Mark Craney? Sadly he passed away a while ago. His playing with Gino V. was fantastic. He played with Eddie Jobson for Jethro Tull (A). It is amusing to imagine, Allan calling Eddie and Eddie introducing Mark to Allan when he cannot find a drummer in USA. Just wishful thinking. Maybe they've met up there. Thanks for the nice story!
Yeah, that's not like you're sitting in with AC/DC or the Stones where the drumming is a bit simplified. That would explain why Allan had drummers like Gary Novak, Vinnie Colaiuta and Virgil Donati over the years - all ridiculously great drummers.
Its been too long ago to remember for sure, but I went to see Allan at Berklee in Boston in the late 80s. He was warming up for Al DiMeola, and Danny Gottlieb, the drummer for DIMeola sat in on drums for Holdsworth. As I remember he had very little notice, and I think the total rehearsal time for that gig was during the sound check, but he’s a great drummer, so he did OK. He clearly got lost a few times, but it didn’t matter. I remember that when Allan started, I could see his hands shaking, but after about halfway through the first tune, he relaxed and started to flow. It was great to see him in person, unfortunately the set was too short for my liking. Jimmy Johnson was a beast too, what a bassist. RIP Allan
Not surprised. Mr Holdsworth was an alien.
A lot of guitarists study the playing of other instrumentalists like horn players and pianists. Allan Holdsworth is one of a select few guitarists that you see studied by other instrumentalists. RIP Allan. Lovely heartfelt tribute Rick.
Hello,
I was a very close pal of Allan. He visited my house, I stayed at his house in Tustin.
He visited another house of mine, after his gig at "Band On The Wall ", Manchester.
He played & liked my guitar, We went to Haworth, where he bought beer pumps parts.
I took many photos in pubs. When I stayed in is house in Tustin LA, I took pics of his guitas and amps & outboard gear,
We never discussed music until I mentioned Debussy, & later Michael Brecker -
we waffled on for Hours....
I think you might like this, Rick, from Graham Bennett's book 'Soft Machine. Out-Bloody-Rageous': 'The (1974) tour also provided a moment that gave Roy (Babbington) an insight into Allan's complex personality. «We were doing a gig in Belfast and we couldn't find Allan. So we all went looking for him because we wanted to get on with the rehearsal. The roadies were playing Holst's The Planets on the PA. Straight music used to affect Allan, and I found him sitting in the loo downstairs crying. He said, «That music just gets me». That was Allan»' (p. 278).
I'm 26 and I've been listening to Allan's music for 10 years now. Continues to amaze me.
Lewis Jones great taste young one!
Just remember it’s the best music to end a bad date! 😂. Cheers.
Saw Allan 4 times, always in England. The last time I saw him we helped load the gear out of the venue and he was telling us that they couldn't afford a crew. I spoke with him outside for a while and asked him about the synthaxe days and he told me that he recorded it to tape. So no midi tweaking possible after he had the take he wanted. He was also standing alone at the bar across the street prior to the show. All in all I think I spoke with him 3 times, and each time I mostly ranted and raved about the 4:15 Bradford Executive of the Sand album. His music was priceless and carried me through some of the toughest times. He was an authentic genius and the vast majority of the planet missed it completely. I'm glad I didn't, but he'll be missed. Thanks for the video, very heartfelt and sincere.
Hello Rick, I love your video's and your contribution to our world of music. I remember when I first heard Allan, a friend played Bundles (around 75) for me and the first thing I said was " check the speed on the turn-table, that can't be right..?.." and he said "it's on the right speed" and I actually checked the turn-table because I didn't believe someone was playing THAT fast. I was smitten from that point until forever and then some. I played some guitar and was a big Zappa, Mahavishnu, Weather Report, Crimson, Coltrane, Mancini, Bartok, Stallings, Stravinsky, Henry Cow, Fred Frith and anything unusual kind of fan, and I worked at several record stores as a teen, so I tried to hear as much of everything as I could. What I found in that process was that my favorite player of ANY instrument was Holdsworth. He was consistently great on petty much everything with always a sense of transcendence over time.
Finally his first US tour with IOU and he was playing in a club in Cleveland, and I was going to get a chance to see him, and try and figure out what the heck he was doing. It was a couple nights before the show and my drummer called me and said "what are you doing Friday?" and I said "I'm going to the Holdsworth show and your not talking me out of it..." and he said "Oh you'll be there opening the show for him, they just called us for the opening slot ..." of course a million things went through my mind like, am I good enough? and will I look like garbage next to someone so incredible? and hhhmm but I will likely get to meet him...
When their van showed up to load in I couldn't believe they were carrying their own gear, so I went and asked if I could help, and they said "sure" so I helped them load in and they were the nicest, jovial kind of guys (not the slightest bit of a star trip) I couldn't believe how nice of a guy Allan was, he treated me like an old friend within minutes. Still that is one of my favorite memories of this life time.
My band had a sort of King Crimsonish proggy sound, and some of the other players were pretty good. We were called "Hazard Profile", so we did the gig and it was an awesome experience, we even went over fairly well, but the best part was Allan. He was SO amazing and humble, and he rewrote my conception of what a guitar could do in my mind, and humanized every player I've heard or seen up to that point. He reset the bar in my mind, and I realized I had a lot of studying and practicing to do if I ever had any hopes of playing at his level.
The best part of the gig was actually making friends with him. He became more than a musician at that point for me, I wanted to know where his music was coming from philosophically and spiritually because I was seeing how all of it was part of his expression, also Allan never seemed labored in his execution regardless what speed he was playing. His sense of lyricism to me was unparalleled and I was on a quest to try and see where that came from. ... and really he was the nicest musician I've ever met. no shit.
He came around again during the next tour, with Chad and Jimmy Johnson this time and the club booked us for the opener again. I was probably more jazzed about being able to hang out with Allan and trying to learn as much as I could from him than actually doing the gig. I was only 19 and working a factory day-job and was having a blast playing music but was confused about how to make a living of it and thought I might ask Allan what he thought. Our bands had just played another show and were hanging out backstage with Allan having a couple beers.
So I asked Allan knowing I had to be back at work in a few hours what he thought I should do and what he said was "you should give music a try and if the music thing doesn't work out, you're a good chap they will take you back..." So that was it for me, I became a musician and quit my factory job. I figured it would be unlikely to get better advice than from your mentor. Allan gave me the courage to trust myself and try and I will forever always be thankful because as time went by I did everything I could to advance my art and projects, and within a couple years I was recording and playing with members of King Crimson , and Soft Machine and touring Europe with players that I absolutely admire and feel absolutely blessed in this life and experience because I took Allan's advice. That band I was in at that time was called "Low Flying Aircraft" we did make an album, it's up here on TH-cam somewhere. (I'm sorry that is not meant to be a plug, just for reference)
I always tried to catch Allan where-ever I was in the world if he was near, and I got him a couple seminar gigs along the way. I always pretended that I didn't absolutely worship him as a person and player/composer (even though I did). He was really a nice guy and he loved talking about things other than music, like design and nature and art and funny stuff. He loved to laugh, and seemed to prefer to be like the lovable nice guy next door who would give you the shirt off his back if you needed one. Never a lofty pretense. Allan always made sure to say hello to me at any show I did go to of his. At one of his shows I did give him a copy of that LFA band on cassette, and maybe another 6 months up the road I caught him again at a show in the SF bay area, and I did not see him walk in the club because I was at a table with some friends talking, and all of a sudden I feel a hand on my shoulder and there is Allan bending over to whisper in my ear that he really liked my album and that I was on to something and to keep up the good work. To this day that made any difficulties in this business and world, so worth whatever it took.( I just want to say here that I'm not a writer and I find it a bit difficult telling this story as myself being one of the characters because really it's about Allan and how he met this nobody kid from Cleveland who had little to offer him, and treated him like an old friend from minute one.)
I actually have a good number of stories about Allan when I think about it but I'll end this with one last story about going to see him down at the NAMM show (07 I think) and he was playing with his band at a small club just a few blocks away from the NAMM area. We were in line to get tickets and I had brought half a dozen people from the company I was with to the show and with just 2 people in front of us the club door person said that the show was sold out. My buds were all "well nice try Jim we'll just go back to the hotel", and I said hang on just one minute, let me see something. So I walked over to the bar manager and asked to see Alan because "he was expecting me". Which was BS if I have to admit to it, but there was also a molecule or two of truth in it as well. (I'll explain) Anyways, Somehow the manager lets me backstage and I see Chad playing his sticks on the couch and I'm looking around and there is no Allan, so I said "sorry to bother you Chad , is Allan around ?" and he points to a little coat closet, and I'm thinking like Allan is in this little closet? ... so I knocked on the closet door and Allan opened it up the door and I'm not sure why but I was just amazed that here is Allan in a tiny closet with his guitar on practicing scales and his tunes and He was like " Hi Jim , how you doing ?" almost as if he expected me or something. I apologized for interrupting him and asked if there was any possibility of getting my friends in and he told the manager to put us on the guest list and everyone got in and had a blast and ended up hanging out with Allan for hours, and as usual my friends were just amazed how great he was , and what a nice person he was. (Again, I'm no super-star just a guy who hopes to make something worth hearing, and again this is not about me because I am one of thousands of people like myself that he was this nice to. My story is like so many we hear about Allan, but that is a little bit of my story about Allan.)
Hearing Allan's music made me want to know more about him, and when I did get a chance to meet him he was the most fantastic most beautiful soul I had ever met. Selfless and giving and spared no expense to give us his music on his terms. I don't know what this world will be like , without Allan in it. That seems really hard to think about. Allan was an absolutely beautiful genius full of goodness and love. My life would not have been the same without him. I hope one day people begin to recognized his wonderful genius.
Lastly, I'm sorry for being so long winded, and I hope aside from his music that people know what kind of person he was. Oh my goodness what A gift he was.
Best TH-cam comment ever 🙏👍😀
Man, that is a great story. Allan wa the GOAT and you are very fortunate.
"He came around again during the next tour...and the club booked us for the opener again... I was only 19". WTF, 19?! You may never reach Allan's level (nobody will), but you're clearly very accomplished.
Do you still play? If so, a few questions:
Same or a new band?
If new, what's the band's name?
Do you still play live?
Any plans to hit the SF Bay Area? I'd love to see your band live.
Brilliant comment. Appreciate the stories! RIP Allan.
Y B shy?? you share facts - NEVER APOLOGIZE
Little known story: Frank Zappa first heard Allan at the very first studio playback of the completed 'UK' album at Trident Studios in London. Eddie Jobson, who had recently left Zappa's band to form UK with Bruford and Wetton, invited Frank to come check out his new post-Zappa project, as Frank happened to be in England. Apparently, Frank was a little late and walked into the studio control room after 'In The Dead of Night' had started, but just in time for the guitar solo - making Zappa one of the first people in the world to hear both Jobson's composition and Holdsworth's classic solo. We already know he had a deep respect for Jobson's musicianship (as Zappa formed his only 4-piece band with him), but that's the exact moment he also became a life-long Holdsworth fan.
Great story.
Some great musicians eh nothing like em now
I saw an old Carvin interview with Allan and when Zappa was mentioned the respect was clear and Allan was genuinely upset at his mention
Fantastic tribute from a cat who truly understands how significant an artist Allan was. My story-I got to interview Allan in Montreal after a sold-out, ecstatic show at Le Spectrum. I wasn't at all prepared for the despondent man who could barely acknowledge the show that had just transpired. Correction-he could acknowledge it, but only in negative terms of how badly he had played! The was way beyond humility or the usual self-deprecation we see so often when people are complemented. We still had a decent interview but I walked out of there quite stunned that being Allan Holdsworth seemed to offer such little satisfaction to the man. I think that's one of the reasons our musical community is suffering extra hard with this loss. For all of us who have striven for excellence in any aspect of our musical lives and careers, this reminds us that the things we think will make us happy and feeling successful are likely illusions. We have to try and enjoy the journey and the process-there is no "great reward."
great comment, thank you
A 'tortured artist' as they say
Allan literally changed my life. He set my music on a different trajectory and the album I’m best known for was my way of introducing a generation and a fan base within that generation that otherwise would probably never had been inspired to give him a listen and try to expand their aural pallets if you will. The Wackerman brothers are family friends which allowed me to meet Allan. My dad who is also a great guitarist and being the doting father told Allan about my music and what an inspiration he had been to me at a gig they did together. I’ve been blessed in life and have gotten to experience some incredible things and great honors, but the pinnacle for me was stepping off stage at The House of Blues Hollywood on a headline tour about 10 years ago and a guy about 25 years my elder walking up to me and saying “Michael I just wanted to say hello and I loved the show. I play keyboard for Allan Holdsworth. I can tell he’s an influence on your music. He’s here with me. He’ll be back from the bar in just a moment if you’d like to say hello”. My heart sunk into my stomach. My first thought was “I am SO glad that this is happening after the show and not before. Because I would have absolutely fallen apart up there if I knew Allan was in the building. He was very complimentary, absurdly humble (I mean he could NOT take a compliment) and he remembered meeting me at the LAX baggage carousel when I was coming back from a Europe tour and they were coming back from Australia. I saw Chad first and then it struck me that either Barbara Streisand or Allan was going to be walking up behind him as those were Chad’s two main gigs at the time. Chad urged me to say hello and said Allan would get a kick out of it. I said to him “I never do this, but I am such a massive fan that I couldn’t miss an opportunity to shake your hand and thank you for what you do”. He replied in Allan’s true humble fashion by saying “So you’re a guitar player then”. Implying that only a guitarist would recognize him. He remembered our interaction and my doting father telling him about my music. I think I was probably beaming for a week after that night at the HOB. I’ll remember that fondly forever. A true genius musician.
My deepest respect as a drummer for mister Allan has given to us all...I lid a candle for him yesterday for his soul to be peaceful and my thoughts with his family,friends, all musicians knew him..Thank you Rick for this movie, its very respectful of you!!
Allan Holdsworth was miles beyond most of us musicians, and way ahead of his time.
"Genius" comes close, but it is a terms that's been abused. Anyone who was not changed by listening to his music... well, s/he must be deaf. Thanks for this, Rick.
Not just a great guitar player but a true genius head and shoulders above his contemporaries. Composer arranger guitarist would describe Allan best of all. Probably the greatest musician of the 20th and 21st century. Fortunate enough to see him live several times and meet him once. Along with Miles by far the best musicians I have been fortunate enough to see live
Went back and saw this again tonight. Thank you Rick, we must never forget Allan and spread the word. Saw him here in Sweden four or five times and nothing will ever come close.
AH's "Atavachron" album is named after a time-transporting device in the 1960s Star Trek episode "All Our Yesterdays". Inhabitants of a doomed world escape via a portal to another time and place chosen from a library of video discs (rather like DVDs). The atavachron device (holding a disc showing the boy Holdsworth) is seen on the cover of the album, along with the adult Holdsworth facing the portal presumably about to return to the time and place of his childhood. All Our Yesterdays is also the name of the final track on the Atavachron album. The same Star Trek episode fetures a character (Spock's love interest) called Zarabeth, the title of a Holdsworth track on his 1992 album Wardenclyffe Tower. Evidently this Star Trek episode held some major significance for Holdsworth!
Alex Alvarez did you hear the story about Allan waiting in a hotel lobby? William Shatner comes through, seeing Allan and assumes hes the bell hop (?!) asks him to help bring up his bags, Allan recognising WS, and being a fan obliges without saying a word!! The epilogue is that a mutual associate tells WS who AH is and introduces him to his music, which he enjoys!
MY Allan Story ,- The very first concert , i attended , with Allan Holdsworth , was in "Monmartre JazzHouse" Copenhagen , Denmark , with Stanley Clarke , as "Main Event" (boy - did Clarke get that wrong ! ): Well- just before Allan started the third or fourth tune- i shouted - to Allan - to "Turn up the Guitar ! " .... which , he quietly , but firm , remarked - " What Guitar ?" ... he was .... ofcourse - playing the SynthAxe .... ;-) - Now the most beautiful , and downright amazing thing happened , when i shared this story - on our "Unreal" forum - a dude , contacted me ... and told me he not only remembered
the diatribe - BUT - he -in fact - had ...the WHOLE , concert , straight out , from the Mixer ! ... and ... he SENDED me - the WHOLE goddam - beautiful concert
A great portion of my life was spent listening to Allan's music.
I was a guitar student at Musicians Institute (GIT) in 1992.Allan was playing in town and a bunch of us guitar students went to watch him.We were very excited.I remember about halfway through the show Allan was soloing and really, really tearing it up!! I looked to my right at all the students in a row, they all had a look of amazement, some with their mouths open.I'll never forget that show. Thank you Allan!!
terrible news... I heard UK in 79 and it changed my playing forever, stood 2 feet away at a crowded NAMM show in 82 watching him, no one heard music the way he did. RIP BROTHER, you impacted our music and our lives. still have old GP mag photo of him playing modified strat w title Reluctant Virtuoso. thanks Rick
I grew up in Poland. 1979 - in the middle of Communism, behind the Iron Curtain. Got the UK vinyl record on black market (illegally). Life was NEVER the same again... RIP Allan. Rick - thanks so much for your channel. Thanks to people like yourself there is still a slight chance that Allan Holdsworth's music will carry on forever ( as it SHOULD) in the same row with Stravinsky, Ravel, Claus Ogerman, Jerry Goldsmith etc.
Allan was a unique creative force and a guitarist beyond comprehnsion. I met him in Sydney Australia at a place called The Basement after his show.
Once in a lifetime a genius comes along that is of the people, to show us all the potential of striving for a level of greatness and perfection that we naturally assume that is beyond our reach.
One of the greatest musicians that ever lived...I met him at the Iridium in NYC around ten years ago, my friend and I caught him smoking a cig outside, told him how inspirational he is to me, he was so modest....and we talked about his custom pickup by Seymour Duncan....such a laid back guy and his hand engulfed my entire hand when I shook it....what an experience
My first Allan Holdsworth experience was 1973, I was over in Hannover Germany at a music festival, and Tempest were playing, supporting their first album. I was blown away by this guitarist that just ripped into these solos like I had never heard before. Totally immersed into what Allen was doing. I went out and bought that album the first chance I could, and still love listeneing to it. Later on at the festival Vinegar Joe were playing a storming set, and Allan came on and jammed with them. One of the most amazing musical experiences of my life. God Bless you Allan........ where would guitar playing be now without you?
I've just revisited this after 4 years and it still made me emotional. Brilliant Rick. Keeping memories alive is essential.
Great video Rick, AH was my favorite musician, I have the fortune to see him live at Riviera Maya Jazz Festival here in Mexico, it was like a dream, could'nt hold my tears in some tunes, Above and below, The things you see, Protocosmos, it was one of the best nights of my life for sure.
Rest in Peace my guitar hero, my favorite musician, thanks for all the joy you bring to my life with your wonderful music
Such a beautiful tribute...😢👍
Thanks for the tribute Rick. His technical facility on the guitar was beyond amazing...fluidity is the word. His musical compositions were from another place/dimension. He will be missed. RIP Allan Holdsworth.
i cannot say enough great things about allan holdsworth. Most people don't really appreciate his work... fusion can be difficult to listen to. But I think it is pure genius. His work with Bill Bruford and U.K was highly influential on me. RIP Allan.
Allan Holdsworth was a perfectionist , which is why his music is unbelievable, as a drummer I always found his music both daunting and amazing !! He played like an alien, nobody played like Allan, nobody could copy Allan. He is just the most amazing guitarist ever !!! Great job Rick of doing a tribute to Allan !!!
Zappa liked him, even Yngwie had cold sweats over Allan.
Yes, Zappa was asked who he thought the best guitarist was and he said Allan Holdsworth. The interviewer said "Whose that?"
Why does everybody need Zappa’s imprimatur? Are you capable of liking something outside Yngwi’s opinion?
@@cosmicjazzman4817 Zappa once said in a magazine that Allan was the Greatest Guitarist on the planet.
Just belatedly came across this video. Thank you. From the first time I heard Bruford's "One Of A Kind" album when I was in college I was hooked; Allan was THE reason I originally started listening to fusion. I own nearly every release he has played on, and had the pleasure of seeing him perform live a couple of times. His untimely passing was quite a shock, and a tremendous loss to the music world.
First heard Allan Holdsworth in 1978 Bruford album "Feels Good to Me" . Had purchased record because of Drummer Bill Bruford, But the guitar work was mind blowing. It really got under my skin. I still listen to those songs. Jeff Berlin Plays Bass.
Next year Bruford Album "One of a Kind" had Holdsworth on Guitar and Jeff berlin on Bass. Am surprised these two albums were not mentioned in the video? Allan Holdsworth did Three albums with Bill Bruford, the third being the UK album.
Also had the Road Games album in my record collection.
Thank You for this tribute video. Will purchase the Allan Holdsworth Collection Box Set.
I first heard Holdsworth when the "UK" album came out. There was an album oriented rock station (which I picked up in Southern Virginia) that played Rush, Genesis, Gentle Giant, Jean Luc Ponty, Alan Parsons and other rock band cuts you wouldn't hear on Top 40. "In the Dead of Night" turned my world upside down. I didn't fully appreciate Holdsworth because I didn't know what I was listening to when he played or how to listen to it, because his "vocabulary", phrasing and enunciation was so different from any other guitarist/musician I'd ever heard. I just knew he was great. Every now and then he would hit a melodic phrase that I knew was no joke because it spoke to my heart like nothing else I'd ever heard. I later heard him with Bruford and still could only "get" 50% of what he was putting down. It was only after I matured as a musician, specifically playing jazz and jazz influenced music, that I began to see the fullness of what he was doing and saying. After my head "opened up" to his playing, I was a die hard fan, searching near and far for anything with A.H. on it. I heard that he was releasing a band project called "IOU". I snatched it up as soon as it hit the stores. It was the black cover, with the phone number on it. I loved it and could sing all the music (instrumental as well as vocal). My "Holdsworth Story" is that I was so enamored by his music that I called the number on the album back to find out where he was playing next. When I called, someone answered and said "Hello". I nervously said I was calling for information about where Allan Holdsworth might be performing (I was in my late 20's) and who is this? He said "It's the artist." I don't even know what I said after that. I wasn't prepared. To me Allan was like an elevated musical entity, not quite a god, but somehow a bit beyond human. He probably told me where his next performance was, and I said thanks and hung up. I was blessed to see him in So. Cal shortly after that, and also where I now live, in the DC metro area. I'm a lot more mature (50's) than I was then, but I'm still touched by not just his skill or technique, but by the heart, mind and spirit communicated through not just his playing but also his composing and the humble human being I've seen him to be. All that still lives, through his music.
What a fabulous tribute to one of the great musicians ever. I am so glad someone did it, so thank you Rick. I was also born in 62, in England, and first came across Allan when getting into jazz fusion as a 15-year-old boy through UK and Bruford, slightly preferring the latter. What an incredible talent, refusing to sell out, a true purist. God bless him.
In the early 80's I got to see Allan live, I was a huge fan from the moment I heard him at a friends house. I told myself I would never forget the night I saw Allan Holdsworth play live, still got the ticket stub! best $15.00 I ever spent
Iam from lusaka zambia. .i discovered allan holdsworth posthumously. I was completely heartbroken at hearing of his passing.but i met allan.i met him via his music. He spoke to me.things.things that words cant express.fortunately. he was a genius. He completely transported me.allan was so great he was almost useless.he was on the border of" the end ."if he had played any better hed have been at 0.the starting point.there where exists nonsense.he had to stay there therefore.right where he was.he was unbelievable. Totally unbelievable. I will miss him.although again i wont.because he is right here with me .in his favourite words ."guys. .carry on "
Man.....Allan Holdsworth changed my musical state of mind in 1998.
His sound was like warm liquidy bliss to my ears. I remember that Jean Luc Ponty album that he played on. His solos on Enigmatic Ocean Part II (14:00 & 15:00) blew my mind.
Also, his guitar playing with Soft Machine and Gong Expresso II was so different from any style ever heard in the 70's. My hands may have failed me in the real guitar realm Allan. But, my musical thoughts will always be at your doorstep.....
I was already weeping to the sad news when your Live Stream appeared on my Screen.. i really need to Thank You Rick for being there for me/us during what all i can call is a Musical Bereavement... as a musician i based my musical values from a young age on Holdsworth after seeing his REH released on video, what i got from him apart from his Genius, was how to explore music without Fear or Fame.
RIP Allan Holdsworth and thanks for the amazing guitarplaying and all music, that were inspired me and my guitarplaying. A True Hero is gone and it' s a shock.
/Robert guitar Blennerhed
I got serious about music in 2017, but didn't hear about Allan until I went to uni in 2019. I kept hearing friends talk about this Holdsworth guy and I never bothered to check him out. Only this year (2023) have I really fallen in love with his music. It's unlike anything I've ever heard before. Even my jazz and classical elitist parents were in absolute awe when I showed them his playing and music. Only now am I realising what was lost when he died. RIP to the master.
The number on the back of the IOU album was Allan's number! I bought the album as soon as it was available. I was so taken with Holdsworth's playing and composing that I wanted to know and hear everything there was about this guy. I called the number, somebody answered and said hello, I asked who am I speaking to and he said, in his very perceptible English accent "the artist". I didn't know what to do or what to say. This was Allan freaking Holdsworth who played the solos on Ponty's Enigmatic Ocean, graced Bruford's One of a Kind and Feels Good To Me and elevated the UK album and composed Nevermore! All of that music freed corner's of my heart and mind that I never knew I had! There was too much to possibly say and I didn't know where to start! Realizing that this was a very awkward moment for me, I decided to ask what seemed like a reasonable and rational question. I asked "where will you be next performing?" I don't even remember what he said. I think I was just reveling in the fact that I had my favorite guitarist and one of my favorite musicians of all time on the phone. I'm sure I said something trite like "Thanks, I love your music." It was and still is true. I'm convinced that when we listen to Holdsworth we're listening, in a sense, to the innocence and purity of heart and mind that awoke in Allan when he was a child and first developed his love for music, because it's so unadulterated and unhindered by the vain considerations that come with musicians who begin to love music culture more than they love music.
I saw Allan for the first time 30 years ago when he played in Chicago. I knew he was good, but it would be years later when my ear matured that I would start to understand just a a micro fraction of how great he was. Then just a few years ago I got to see him again. After the show I waited until he came out from the area where the band members chilled. I told him of a song he wrote, told him the exact minute in the song where he played a line that always brought tears to my eyes. I thanked him for the wonderful gift in music. He reached out to shake my hand, he bowed, and said, "thank you". I just thought look at this phenomenal musician bowing to me. I couldn't play 2 notes of his music. He was the humblest man I'd ever met.
I'm unsure he will ever be appreciated. As a guitar player he had no equal, he stood alone as an improviser, and composer brilliant. I wonder if his music was transcribed and arranged into modern classical that he could be appreciated and studied. He stayed true to his art as genius' do. So much of his music brings me to tears. He also had a sense of humor like the 'dominant plague'' track. Musicians like Allan may only come along only a few times a century. His music enriched my life & craft in incalculable ways. Thanks to his family!
Pat Metheny...
I first heard Allan on the UK (UK) first album when I was about 18 years old (1980), what a shock. I felt amazement, envy, disbelief, euphoria... I've repurchased that cd several times over the years, and I'm still amazed, grateful.
Rick, I really appreciate your time, this channel. Thanks so much for this great tribute, to the most important guitarist Ive ever heard. Very beautifully and thoughtfully presented. Allan deserves more fitting tributes, such as yours. Thanks and blessings to you.
Allan YOU ARE THE ABSOLUTE BEST and thank you Rick for posting this. I was doing a interview with him for a German guitar magazine in 1999 when I lived in Los Angeles and he invited me and the photographer to his house. It was the most wonderful day ever.. I have NO idea how we got back home [the photographer was driving] ... oh man .... RIP :(
Allan has been a magician. We can't explane this. I hear a lot of feeling in his music, an huge emotion. I wanted to see him in concert, recently there was a concert in Paris at baisé salé jazz club but Allan canceled the concert for personnal reason. I will listen his music and try to get well known Allan all my life. For me, Allan is one the greatest musician of all the time.
The first time I heard allan was probably on "Feels good to me" by Bill Bruford. He totally blew me away and has never stopped doing so, he was the greatest guitarist of our time and I love his music.
I've got the vinyl record of this bought it at the time
Such a great loss! So underrated and such a drive for originality
I was so fortunate to be among the folks who were introduced to Allan in the early 1970's. I've followed him for 40 plus years and have always been pleased that I did. So very humble.....crazy amount of talent. My then girlfriend and I called the phone number on the initial IOU pressings and we talked briefly with Allan and Paul Williams. So accommodating (especially to my girlfriend). Later on we got to see him play on a double bill with Steve Morse at The Agora Ballroom in Atlanta. Too good.....Thank you Allan!
Ron I was at the same show. What bugged me about Morse and I used to play with Steve Davidowlski the Dregs keyboard player on "Free Fall" was that Steve Mouse's gtr was so souped up and loud I could barely hear Alan play. I did hear Alan play at the 688 club with his vocal quartet and his group was fantastic! I wondered if he recorded with that group? RIP.
Andy I saw James Blood Ulmer play at the 688 with a killer bass and drum player. Harmolodics. Nutty fun. Great grungy club with some awesome talent. Do you remember Ricky Keller and Sonny Emory? I went through GSU's jazz guitar program for two years and was lucky to have Sonny in some jazz and improv labs. Crazy good drummer - almost intimidating to play with. Peace!
+Ron Winter Ron, I knew Ricky and all the Atlanta gang. The owner of 688 moved to St.Augustine where I knew him. Atlanta was great in the early 80's. Walter Mitty's was a hip hang out. Peace bro!
Thank you Rick your knowledge of guitar and your love of music is unbelievable and thanks for sharing all this with the world God bless you brother
Here's my Allan Holdsworth story. I met him in 1970 at his bright orange shop on Putney Bridge Road. His racing bikes were the business, at my age of 13 then that's what all of us kids were into..who had the coolest bike with the best accessories?
The Holdsworth shop was a Mecca for such people.
At this point, I must admit that I hope I'm talking about the right person?
I reckon I am.
Strangely enough, I had a hankering to play guitar even then, but I only had an unplayable Hoffner semi-acoustic of my Dad's so that ambition had to wait a while.
It's only this evening after years of wondering whether this Allan Holdsworth was the very same person I met all those years ago, that I realised it was!
And I'm loving my guitar journey.
If only I knew he was 'the guitar genius' I know of now, then?
Who knows what riffs I'd have learnt from him rather than info on cotterless chain-sets and Campagnolo gears?
RIP Al 🙏
ps. Ooops! 🤦♀️
Well I heard he liked racing bikes, perhaps he was related to WF Holdsworth?
Regardless of all that I am now an avid fan.
I was lucky enough to spend some time with Allan and Gary Husband. An incredibly gracious man and a high-functioning genius.
It is true that Allan was the MOST gracious (and humble) person. I was seeing him on the night of my 21st birthday and asked if he would sit with me and have my first (official) beer. Not only did he agree, we went across the street to a bar and sat and talked for 30 minutes over some beer. Saw him again the next night and sat down with him again (this time Shawn Lane was there and we all three talked for about an hour). Allan (and his music) has been (and continues to be) an extraordinary influence and inspiration in my life. Thanks for the video Rick!
Thank you for remembering, and reminding me…us… about Alan Holdsworth ❤
I went to see a favorite guitarist of mine at the time “ 1978 Santa Monica Civic Auditorium “
The opening band was UK!
Needless to say my New favorite guitar player after that show was Alan Holdsworth!
Thank you!
I went to that concert; they started with Alaska. The stage was dark and the synths started droning the low opening notes. Who was the headliner, I don't remember?
I had a lengthy conversation with Allan over dinner the day after after his last show. He was very amped about an album he's been working on that features Virgil & Jimmy Johnson. He said to me, " I'm not bragging to you but I think this is some of my best stuff. The guys played their asses off on it! I just have the solos to do - but I'm not happy with anything I've done so far…" This reiterates your point about the level of perfection he has strived for all these years. Sunday was an especially sad day for all of us. I still cannot believe I was just there with him and that he's gone now. What a lovely guy he was...
This and your chord analysis are great tributes to AH. Great to hear other people who loved his music.
Wow, that was a magnificent tribute, Rick. I could have listened to another hour of that knowledgeable and heartfelt appreciation. I'm sure you articulated what many of us feel.
Allan Holdsworth was a unique musician and one of that select group of virtuosi whose sound you can recognise instantly from just a few notes. I first heard his playing on Bill Bruford's debut solo album and it opened up a new world of music for me. (Jeff Berlin was also on that album and because of his playing, our bass player went home one night, prised off all the frets from his bass, filled in the gaps with varnish and played fretless bass from that day forth.)
Back in the late seventies, "Feels Good To Me" was the only cover tune in the setlist of my first semi-pro band. Although we tried our best to reproduce it note for note, I'm sure we didn't do it anything close to justice but it was thrilling and inspiring even to attempt to meet the challenge. I guess that principle remains true forty years later - it's the principled purity as well as the brilliance of great artists such as Allan which inspires the rest of us to continue to strive to improve just for the sheer passion of improving our musicianship, even though we can never come close to the majestic creative power of a true musical genius such as Mr. Holdsworth. God rest his soul.
Lovely comment!
The reason i ever got into jazz was Allan Holdsworth, i think not just for me but for a lot of Rock/Shred guys he was a gateway into this sort of music! If i hadn't heard MVP with Allan and Frank i would never have heard of Bruford, Jean Luc Ponty, Brecker Brothers, he opened the doors for me listening to other music, what a legend. R.I.P
I had a chance to see Allan many years ago at The Bottom Line in NYC. I was blown away, The next day he came to the music stores on 48th St. and met everyone. Allan has inspired me in so many ways.. The Maestro will be missed. ~D
I heard "Road Games" when it first came out and I was stunned! I was just lost in the music I heard. Working as a session drummer at the time, and loving the Jazz/Progressive Music scene from both America and the UK, I was no stranger to what was possible musically. But, this guy's music was an entirely new thing. It literally changed my life musically in the way Jaco did, and Jimi did, and Jack Casady did, and Billy Cobham did, etc. What amazing musicianship. Thank you Rick for doing this. Alan Holdsworth, R.I.P.
Hearing the guitar solo to U.K.'s "In the Dead of Night" at age 14 utterly changed my life. For me as a young guitarist, this was my "Purple Haze", my "Eruption", my "Joe Pass does Stella By Starlight"...
THIS was the sound; the inflection, the timbre, the tone, the feeling I'd needed to hear from a guitarist - I just didn't know it until then. He was the fastest, most fluid player I'd ever heard; yet also the most lyrical, and emotive! From that point forward, I became obsessed. I collected every CD I could find with Holdsworth playing guitar as a side man - Tempest, Soft Machine, Tony Williams, Jean-Luc Ponty, you name it. I bought most of his solo albums over the next few years and listened diligently in complete bewilderment and bliss. I asked my dad (an outstanding blues/rock guitarist), "how do I sound like this guy?!" Needless to say, I gave up trying to sound like Holdsworth years ago. I settled for being an avid fan and devotee of his brilliant work while playing the instrument like a mere mortal.
The influence he's had on legions of guitar legends the world over - Eddie Van Halen, Joe Satriani, Steve Vai, Yngwie Malmsteen, Vernon Reid, Eric Johnson, Alex Lifeson, Adrian Belew, et. all - cannot be overstated. He was playing with astounding fluidity, running unbelievably advanced harmonic lines, and with a rounded, warm, lyrical overdriven tone back in the mid 70s...YEARS ahead of his time. Forget his soloing...one could study his singular, intimidating chord work alone for years ("Tendonitis City" - Rick Beato) and just scratch the surface...In the 80s, just when the shredders were beginning to cop some of his essential legato phrasing, he was already moving on to pioneer true guitar/MIDI synthesis with the Synth Axe...
I was so very lucky to see him live five years ago in downtown Detroit with Virgil Donati on drums and Jimmy Haslip on bass. It was, and remains, the best concert I've ever seen in my life. It's impossible to quantify or qualify the musical currency that Allan Holdsworth carries in my heart. I guess the best way I can put it is: Yesterday I lost the closest thing I have to a musical family member.
Had a lot of his albums. Listened to a lot of live recordings which are not on youtube. Bought the boxed set and wanted Alan to endorse my book called Revolutionary Riffs. Alan was about all I would listen to. Any song that came on my internet radio that wasn't Alan would get a thumbs down so it would mostly play Alan. Allan Inspired me to compose for string quartet and orchestra with similar harmonic, rhythmic, and melodic sensibilities. sensibilities. He set us free from the chains of functional harmony and rigid chord scale relationships. Miss him sooooo much.
Allan was so far ahead of everyone else musically - he'll be remembered like Mozart. He was from my home town and in my lifetime he was the greatest living guitar player - and we still have David Hockney the greatest living artist also from Bradford. He will be sadly missed but he has left behind a wealth of brilliant music which will be enjoyed forever. RIP Allan Holdsworth.
I hope there is some sort of memorial to Allan in Bradford or at least a plaque where he lived as a child?
@@snowfiresunwind He definitely deserves it.
Best curry too : )
A Thousand Thanks for this Rick. The man has touched our circle in more ways than can be easily stated. I 've put up my own challenge to help the family in this time. The man is a hero. Anthony
Thanks Rick. We're here together loving Allans music. Cheers from sweden.
Thank you Mr. Rick Beato. I write here because one of my teachers (an MI / GIT graduate) suggested Allan Holdsworth was somehow uncomprehending when, during a class at MI, he (factually) stated he didn't use standard "legato' technique. My teacher said "Yes he does; it's all legato". Well, the confusion is because he doesn't use pull-offs. Instead, he will lift the bridge-most finger, and hammer-on, IN REVERSE, with the nut-most, sequentially, next desired fretboard selection/note. He described this in a few different places available on TH-cam (and he's not being unobservant). I'll try to suppliment this post later with links. Thanks again.
I discovered Allan on the album Enigmatic Ocean (which I discovered because of an album called Visions of the Emerald Beyond by The Mahavishnu Orchestra). His playing blew me away! I saw him play in a local high school in Pennsylvania in the early '80's (?). He was trying to play the Synth guitar but it kept giving him trouble. I loved his playing and was very sad to hear of his death. Thanks for this fantastic tribute.
His outro on "The Struggle of the Turtle to the Sea" is amazing; as it's fading out, you get the feeling that he was just getting started..................
Thank you Rick Beato after watching this Video I jumped on to iTunes and purchased all your suggestions glad to say money well worth spent.
I saw Alan back in the early to mid nineties at the Corner Hotel Richmond, Victoria, Australia
I was into to punk and metal at the time, learning drums from a teacher who was into the big band era of jazz (Glen Miller was his favourite)
A guitarist friend of mine said “come on down let’s go check Allen Houldsworth” after that gig, I was converted from my stubbornness of music taste and opened up to the amazing world of jazz fusion.
Alan was the most amazing guitarist I’ve ever seen (never beaten till this very day) speeds phenomenal and melody was beautiful and made it such a pleasure to see. I remember how incredibly relaxed he looked playing, every note clean, precise, it was not even a struggle to get those notes, the chords, the nice sounds (I am a drummer so guitar terminology is not my forte) I was so glad I went that night and it’ll stick in my memory forever and It will cherish even more now.
I did managed to get one of Gary Husbands drum sticks that night too
Lived in London & saw Allan play all over the place....then emigrated to Orange County California & bumped into Allan all the time.....last time I saw him was @ an Al Di Meola gig in San Juan Capistrano CA......Allan was in the audience......I shook his hand & said " Thank You for your music"
It's too late Rick. But I never heard someone talk about Allan, saying the same things I feel and say to my friends, as you did. Thank you very much!
For me he 's the very best player of all , first tune I heard was Joshua , and I felt like entering another universe, completely blown away by his fluid energy , I cried when I heard of his passing.
I hope that I haven't posted about this before. Anyhow.. I first heard Allan Holdsworth on a Tony Willians record. The tune that I remember most had a groove with a Bass Clarinet and perhaps was in an odd time signature. I obviously had never heard anything resembling guitar playing or tone like this. Wow!! I played this solo over and over and was blown away but didn't have a clue how he did these seemingly impossible things. Time passes and I finally get to hear him play live thinking that now I'll see it and be able to understand. I walked out of the club shaking my head. I had a thought..this is probably similar to what many piano players felt like after first hearing Art Tatum. I didn't play the guitar for a few days after this experience and just remembered his L hand in my minds eye. When I picked up the guitar again I had maybe 1/100th more of an idea what was going on but that was it. Mind blowing, mind boggling and beautiful. More time passes. In the area I was living in my trio would occasionally be the sacrificial opening act for major artists that came through town and it happened. I found myself opening up for Allan Holdsworth. I was beyond scared but figured that I could hear him for free if I had the nerve to do it. I remember nothing about my trio's set or my own playing. Nothing!! Allan was as only he could be and again I shook my head. I walked backstage and got to spend a little time with him. He was down to earth but also down on his playing saying stuff like man, I really sucked tonight. What? He thought he sucked? This must be a Brit thing, a joke. I thought I had witnessed the 2nd coming of.... something!! His intelligence was all over his face and in his eye yet here he was saying that he sucked..I can't imagine what he must of thought of me because I realky did suck. I've since learned that he often said things like that but at the time I was stunned!! Allan was a true artist. Someone that comes by for a visit to let us know what's truly possible. I can't believe looking back that I had the nerve to open up for him. I could of simply bought a ticket. It probably wasn't that expensive but glad that I did to shake his hand and look him in the eyes to tell him what his work meant to me.. Allan Holdsworth..
Holdsworth is so satisfying to me, because he combines so much into one form. a musician combining rock, jazz, chamber music, with the best aspects of 20th century classical music while sounding so original, and NEVER gimmicky.
What a sincere, heart-felt tribute from one great soul to another.
I discovered Holdsworth through Enigmatic Ocean, and then UK, followed by his solo albums. It was a huge step change for me as a musician from the prog and fusion of the day. I dearly wish the man could have had a greater appreciation of himself and his art throughout his life, and especially towards the end of it. He was genius and a treasure, and greatly influenced my approach to music.
The late 1970's Lab Series L5 was a solid amp, could kinda emulate a Twin, had that creamy distortion and a decent tone stack. Mine was lost in the garage fire of a guitarist friend to whom I loaned it (he paid me back, good man.) Couldn't hold a candle to later amps I owned, but it was the cat's meow for a young guitarist.
Did he deserve more? Absolutely. At the same token Holdsworth lived life the way he wanted and in that process became one of the most respected and influential musicians of all time to those that paid attention. What he accomplished is far beyond monetary rewards. You can’t buy that and he had a great wealth of that...I’m proud to say I lived in the days when Allan Holdsworth the great walked the earth.
I met Allan Holdsworth in Philadelphia probably in 1983. He was having a beer before the show and I never usually go talk to well know people when I see them, but with him, I had to make an exception. He was down to earth and incredibly nice.
i was at that show as well.
It was an amazing show! I believe I was 21 years old.What was the name of the club he played? I can't remember!
What a wonderful tribute. You reminded me of the days when it was a mission to find out about an artist. I was in my early 20's and thought Kansas and Queen were the epitomy of complex music. A drummer friend said I should listen to an album by Bruford, 'Feels good to me'. Phew, that album floored me. Compositions, bass playing, drumming and then this other worldly guitaring like nothing I'd ever heard. This mournful, growl of whammied note that seemed almost lifelike, weeping, wailing and then soaring. That's a word I keep hearing, the soaring, beauty of his playing. I had to get hold of his albums. At that stage Allan had only released 'i.o.u'. I was living in South Africa and not a single record store had heard of him. I got hold of an address from Down beat magazine and wrote a letter with a bank guaranteed cheque to Daybreak records in New York. It took six months for the record to arrive and get through customs. It was the most anticipated music I'd ever waited for and it was spectacular. I still have that record in pristine condition. Each album release since then has been a new, exciting discovery of some of the most unique music. We all remember those moments like hearing his rockiest playing on 'Tempest' or hearing the opening bars to 'Metal Fatigue' for the first time. We have all been part of an amazing journey with the artistry of Allan Holdsworth. It is therefore with deepest sadness to hear of Mr Holdsworth's passing. He remains our humble hero.
Thanks Rick!!!
During a guitar lesson in 1980 I had with David Torn, he turned me on to Allan's music when I was living in Ithaca. Ever since then I couldn't get enough of Allan's music. It's incredible how humble Allan was in spite of his phenomenal accomplishments. From Allan's playing, one thing that you mentioned was that I learned to improvise without playing licks per se, but playing new material every time.
I heard a story about Allan when he was with U.K. (not sure how true it is). The story goes something like this: While on tour Eddie Jobson approached Allan and asked him to play his solo from "In the Dead of Night" the exact same note for note . But Allan refused because it just wasn't how he he wanted to approach improvisation. Allan never wanted to be pigeon-holed, it was all about the spontaneity. Allan seemed never to be about playing the same solos every night. And that was an exciting secret weapon he always carried. RIP Allan!!!!!You are appreciated more than you ever knew. Cheers mate!
Thankyou Rick. Allan so affected me and a friend of mine that we did indeed worship everything he did. We got to see him a couple of times in Sydney. I am a bass player and my friend a guitarist. we wrote tunes like Holdsworth. It was an obsession.
They are tucked away on cassette somewhere. We have thought of rerecording them. The Road Games release was amazing.
only oversight was the Bruford albums. He did some amazing things on those. My favourite solo is the one of Nostalgic Lady from JLP Enigmatic Ocean. But that was a time and place thing.
Thankyou so much for recognising a musical groundbreaker.
Gobsmacked. A truely astonishing guitarist and musician. What a loss. RIP Allan. You were ahead of your time, and you will be sorely missed.
I first heard Allan in 75 with Soft Machine and Tony Williams and was blown away. I was a drummer so the combination of Tony & Allan was mind blowing! I later saw Allan live with Jon Luc Ponty on the Enigmatic Ocean Tour, on the first UK Tour, on Brufords One of A Kind Tour and then numerous times on his solo tours over the years. I was also blessed to be able to play with two Sacramento musicians in the 80" who were Holdsworth "disciples" and were amazing musicians in their own right. Biff Johnson and Reese Sheets. Our crazy jam sessions were legendary and insanely fun! R.I.P. Dear Allan!
Tom McFall You were indeed truly blessed. Whilst I saw Allan many times in his solo era, I never had the joy of seeing him in his earlier days with SM etc, although I had followed him since the Tempest album. One of my holy grails would be to have seen him with JLP as I thought they worked so beautifully together, and Enigmatic Ocean was such an exciting and accessible album. I have long wondered if there was any audio or video footage of the EO tour with Allan - what I would give for that!
My first exposure to Holdsworth was that U.K. album. That solo on In the Dead of Night is a thing of beauty. I just now listened to it again on headphones and I felt like I entered Nirvana. Then I see a comment Rick Beato sent me here and I immediately typed in Rick Beato Holdsworth and here I am. What a beautiful tribute sir. Well done.
Holdsworth is as influential as any musician on my life, and I still find myself listening to him more than just about anything else. I'm a good enough guitar player to know how incredible he was; I've never heard anyone play like him, and not just his soloing, but also his amazing chord structures/harmonic language, etc. What a gift he was!
I had the privilege of seeing mr. Holdsworth play in a little club in Marin county. I stood there in all trying to understand what he was doing but it was flying by so fast that I couldn't even understand it but he introduced me to looking forward attitude in music which really got me going in a progressive way that I'll never forget I love him
A wonderful tribute to Allan, Rick. Thanks so much for sharing.
When I was a student at CU Bouler and right after IOU album, Allan Holdsworh came to Denver for a concert (very small bar with less than 50 seats). When I opend a door of that bar, he was seating right in front of me at the counter drinking beer. I just approached and told him that I have been a big fan since the 1st Bruford album. Allan Holdsworth was very quiet and did not say much. I was so nervous, but fully enjoyed the concet (or stunned by his performance). He was drinking beer during the performance. Atmosphere was just perfect. Miss him so much...
By the way, the phone number of back of IOU album connect me to Paul Williams or Allan Holdsworth manager. I called the number to ask concert schedule and we talked about this album for 5-10 minutes.
So glad to see this video. I agree his harmonic language is totally unlike anyone else's. First heard him with UK and then Bruford and then all the great solo stuff: I'd probably choose either Devil Take the Hindmost or the incredibly beautiful :Above and Below" as my faves.
Glad you mentioned the UK album and those two songs especially Nevermore. Another great album is the early Bruford project One of a Kind. I saw Allan’s band with a friend at the Golden Bear in Huntington Beach. We were right next to the bar server station. At the break Allen walked up to get a beer at the station so I just had to talk to him. He mentioned how great a music teacher his Dad was. I always thought Allan was underrated in the 80’s and 90’s.
When I was in High School in the 90s, I used to see Allan Holdsworth all over the guitar magazines. This was obviously way before you could just hop online and listen to anything you wanted. I didn't really pay much attention to him though, I just knew his name. I had a buddy that was a little older. He a huge CD collection of fusion and jazz. I asked him if he had any Holdsworth because I was at the point I finally needed to hear this guy; he was so highly mentioned. My buddy came to pick me up in his car and he put on "Ruhkukah" from Hard Hat Area. I was absolutely blown away. Holdsworth lived up to all the hype and then some.
I ve been listening to Allan since my teenager years, around 15years ago. I got into, him with Bundles,Tempest, Gazeuse and Enigmatic Ocean. When i eventually got into his solo career i had this impulse of wanting to play like him. To drink from his vast Endlessly pouring river of musical language. But it took me little time for me to understand that such thing is quite impossible. I can be in awe and somewhat influenced by his expansive flow...but i cannot have the chops, lexicon, emotion, intention, or language that was His.
But in the meantime, while i was watching his lessons, clinics, interviews etc i became also a fan of his persona. His humour, his humility, his sensitivity and sensibility, his Grace. For moments i wanted to be like him, like he is the personification of an acomplished spiritual guru, and not only an ultimate Artist but ultimate Human, both with capital letters. Very much like the Guitar playing, i had to recognize that i just dont have it in such celestial and Holy Grace. What a Prince he was. Anyway, very much like the Guitar playing, the Humane influence is there. And i Will Carry it with me and i Will aim at it, the best i can. Thank you Allan.
Just wish the music business and the world had taken better care of such an Artist and Being. Rest in Peace and in Love sweet Prince. Each note, each chord, a Symphony that Will Forever echoe in this Universe.
Just came across this. Fantastic tribute to a guitarist who influenced my musical tastes to move into the progressive/fusion genre. UK was the first I had heard of him back in '78. Absolutely mesmerized. The way his solo seems like it's going to end that phrase but he'll add two or three more notes. Always pulls you forward. Be sure to listen to Allan playing on Level 42's Guaranteed album. He plays on 3 or 4 tunes but Seven Years and A Kinder Eye are Holdsworth bliss. Thank you, Rick, and Thank You, Allan.
I really appreciate you talking about Allen Holdsworth! I fell in love with his playing in the late ‘70s. I studied at Berklee in Boston for a couple years then wound up in California playing in the Harry Partch Ensemble under Danlee Mitchell. I seem to recall one of the guys I played with turned me on to Alan, but am not sure. It’s hard to understand how under appreciated he is.
Just recently I stumbled upon Allan's first album--recorded with his Bradford mates going by the name 'Igginbottom ("'Igginbottom's Wrench") and I absolutely LOVE it! Allan's guitar phrasing expressing the earliest forms of pop-influenced psychedelic jazz-rock balanced by mate Steven Robinson's equally interesting jazz guitar play, but also Allan SINGING on his and Steven's quirky songs. What a lovely voice! And what fun lyrics! It makes me wish that there was more evidence of this WONDERFUL side of Allan.