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Atavachron Digest 12/92
Date: Thu, 10 Dec 92 07:00:03 EDT
From: atavachron@morekypr
Subject: Atavachron Digest #35
To: Jeff Preston
Atavachron Digest - The Allan Holdsworth Discussion List
Volume 2, Number 35
Thursday December 10th, 1992
TODAY'S TOPICS:
==============
It's a go!
Re: Atavachron Digest #34
renting cds
Rarities available
Satch & Allan Interview
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Date: Mon, 30 Nov 1992 02:38:02 -0500
From: wcsanil@ccs.carleton.ca (Anil Prasad)
Subject: It's a go!
Finally, after a very long wait, I have a copy of Wardenclyffe Tower,
haven't listened to it enough to form a real opinion yet (although
it seems to be fairly derivative of his last couple of albums).
At any rate, I've been left with two copies of the Wardenclyffe CD
due to circumstances beyond my control (and comprehension). So....
if there's someone in the UK or better yet, JAPAN, that needs a copy
of WC, let me know. I'd love to trade for a CD that I'm looking for
in your neck of the woods. BTW, it is a NEW copy...
Umm.. oh yeah, since I do have WT, the interview is a definite go,
I'll be ringing Allan probably this week to set up a date and time,
so if you have any questions for him, PLEASE send them to me NOW.
I'm sure many of you have had a chance to let WT sink in at this
point, so it'd be great to hear some questions that pertain
specifically to the new album!
Thanks,
--------------------------------------
Anil Prasad -- wcsanil@ccs.carleton.ca
--------------------------------------
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Date: Mon, 30 Nov 92 13:39:59 CST
From: tmadson@pnet51.orb.mn.org (Todd Madson)
Subject: Re: Atavachron Digest #34
To continue my analysis of "Hazard Profile Part I", I re-listened and noted
a distinct trend to move from the inside to the outside and back, and yes,
some of his lines had distinctly assymmetrical patterns played there. He
also played very freely at high speeds, his phrasing somewhat similar to the
on-and-off-spurts-of-notes-ala-the-black-page. I really like his Allan can
create disturbingly outside barrages of notes, yet play simply and emotionally
over several chords.
After listening to Wardenclyffe more and more of late, I find that it has
grown on me more and more. His Baritone instrument tends to allow chords
voiced in the lower registers for an ominous or melancholy sound, and it
really kicks the bass end of things.
CMP, indeed, is mostly a "Walter Quintus and
Production." It's somewhat unfortunate that Quintus takes a certain degree of
control over his artists, but I can't disagree with the production or
engineering - everything they do sounds like the band is set up in my living
room playing - very clear sound with minimal production murkiness.
Thanks for the Gong info...
UUCP: {amdahl!bungia, crash}!orbit!pnet51!tmadson
ARPA: crash!orbit!pnet51!tmadson@nosc.mil
INET: tmadson@pnet51.orb.mn.org
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Date: Mon, 30 Nov 92 10:55:29 PST
From: malcolm@wrs.com (Malcolm Humes)
Subject: renting cds
This is sort of tangential, but feel free to repost it to Atavachron if
you feel it appropriate. Some months ago I posted an article about Japanese cd
rentals on r.m.cd but there was no followups at all...
>I have been led to
>believe that the Japanese *in general* have a less-than-healthy respect
>for music copyrights (i.e. CD rentals, etc.),
I have a similar impression, but on reading an article about Japanese cd
rental places I came to the conclusion that a lot of stores here do the same
thing but in a more discreet way. A couple of the stores I deal with offer
a 75% refund if returned within one week, so effectively, I can rent any
release in the store for 25% of buying it. For a new or used cd it works out
to a comparable if not lesser cost than renting cds in japan.
Some stores like Tower or Wherehouse have even offered some releases under
a "try it and return it if you don't like it" policy which seems even more
open to copyright abuse, though I doubt you could get away with taping a
returning more than one item under such a scenario.
- Malcolm
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Date: Wed, 2 Dec 92 21:03:48 GMT
From: Ron Chrisley
Subject: Rarities available
I just saw the following CDs in a shop around here:
Conversation Piece
Touching On
Both Feature Holdsworth on all tracks, except for the final (20 min!) track on
TO, which is called "AH", a tribute to Allan by the other members of the band.
Anyway, if anyone wants them, I can send them on to you for $24 each (including
postage). It would really cost me more than this, but I don't mind paying a
bit myself so that I can hear them first...
Ron
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Date: Tue, 8 Dec 92 10:44:01 GMT
From: a740778@server1.tiuk.ti.com (Jason Julyan 0004 JBEJ)
Subject: Satch & Allan Interview
I've just got a copy of the 1993 Whole Guitar Book (a Musician Special
Edition). It's got an interview with Allan and Joe Satriani...
IMO Guitarist type interviews seem to fall into 2 categories: technical and
personal. Not much of the string guages/amp settings in that one tho!
Seems like Satch did most of the talking, and Allan most of the listening.
I think Satch's angle has been covered well enough. He's explained himself
well enough already - where his music comes from, his attitude to creating
music, etc. But Allan remains a mystery. I don't feel I'm any closer to
understanding his musical direction even after reading several long
interviews. Maybe he doesn't know himself, or just can't express his views
adequately. He seems to avoid direct questions about his performances or
recordings with a 'Uh! I *hate* that...' Almost gets to the point where
you feel he's being condescending to those people who *don't* hate
everything he's ever done. In fact, I can quite see why a record company
would not be behind an artist who is constantly telling everyone that the
product he is providing them with is not very good. A real own goal there,
Allan.
Yeah, what I'd like is for Allan to show just a little enthusiasm once in
a while. Might be infectious, y'know?
Sorry, had to get that off my chest. Still no sign of Wardencliffe this
side of the pond, but for all those UK readers there's a copy of Sand
in both Virgin and Tower in the West End as of last Saturday...
TTFN, Jason Julyan
* Jason B.E. Julyan BEng(Hons) ! Texas Instruments Ltd. *
* TMS380 Eagle Crew Layout Engineer ! Manton Lane, *
* a740778@server1.tiuk.ti.com (IMS: JBEJ) ! Bedford, U.K. *
* All opinions expressed herein are attributable to me ONLY *
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*** End of Atavachron Digest ***
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Mon, 28 Dec 92 03:28:33 EST
Date: Sun, 27 Dec 92 23:00:02 EDT
From: atavachron@morekypr
Subject: Atavachron Digest #36
To: Jeff Preston
Atavachron Digest - The Allan Holdsworth Discussion List
Volume 2, Number 36
Sunday December 27th, 1992
TODAY'S TOPICS:
==============
New insights about Wardenclyffe Tower
ROAD GAMES?
RE: TOUCHING ON and CONVERSATION PIECE
When & How
Wardenclyffe Tower History
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Date: Wed, 16 Dec 92 20:30:08 PST
From: edju@scf.usc.edu (Dr. Hannibal Lecter)
Subject: New insights about Wardenclyffe Tower
Sure WT is "derivative" of the more recent Holdsworth albums, but it's
a much more relaxed album. I don't know if people always mellow out with age...
When I first got it I didn't like it at all (just like when I got my first
Holdsworth album - Metal Fatigue) but eventually it started growing on me. It
happened at the weirdest time, right after I had a big supper I decided to give
WT a spin and its mood just fit perfectly. You guys might want to try it and
see if the music helps your digestion! Overall I liked the album much more than
when I first got it, except for the drums on "Against the Clock" - it's so in-
your-face it's annoying! "Dodgy Boat" is the only track that doesn't speak
much to me still, but who knows, maybe one day its mystery will be revealed.
I loved the ending of "Zarabeth" a lot. Was that a toilet being flushed
at the end of "5 to 10" with the barber complaing "I hate jazz"? It's similar
to a joke at the end of "Country Music (a night in hell)" off Stu Hamm's debut
CD, which, coincidally, Allan guested on a track.
Eddie
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Date: Thu, 17 Dec 92 15:01:20 PST
From: malcolm@wrs.com (Malcolm Humes)
Subject: ROAD GAMES?
If anyone is still looking for a copy of Road games, some guy on the
net has it in a large list of items. The price shown doesn't include
shipping.
> holdsworth,allan - i.o.u. 4
> holdsworth,allan - road games (6 song ep) 4
email Arthur_Noguerola@vos.stratus.com if you're interested.
- Malcolm
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Date: Fri, 18 Dec 92 22:50:57 -0500
From: rardin%cygnus.dnet@auriga
Subject: RE: TOUCHING ON and CONVERSATION PIECE
>I just saw the following CDs in a shop around here:
>
>Conversation Piece
>Touching On
>
>Both Feature Holdsworth on all tracks, except for the final (20 min!) track on
> TO, which is called "AH", a tribute to Allan by the other members of the band.
>
>Anyway, if anyone wants them, I can send them on to you for $24 each (including
> postage). It would really cost me more than this, but I don't mind paying a
> bit myself so that I can hear them first...
For those of you in the States, you can probably get a better price on
these through Cadence than the price Ron is going to have to pay in the UK
(something on the order of $20--see below). Cadence also does international
mail order, but the price will be a bit higher as a result of the higher
shipping charges (again, see below), so Ron might even be able to benefit by
ordering from Cadence.
Cadence
Cadence Building
Redwood, NY 13679-9612
Phone: (315) 287-2852
FAX: (315) 287-2860
TOUCHING ON Konnex 5023 $16
CONVERSATION PIECE Konnex 5025 $16
For nonsubscribers, there's a $2.50 service charge per order. Shipping and
handling in the U.S. is $4.00 for 1-4 items for zip codes under 3000 (U.S.
Mail) and $4.75 for zip codes over 3000 (UPS). For orders outside the U.S.,
the shipping charge is $8.00 for 1-4 items (surface mail) or $22.00 (UPS Air).
I have no association with Cadence. I'm just a happy reader with several
friends who have had very good luck ordering from them.
-Lynn
< R. Lynn Rardin (rardin@auriga.rose.brandeis.edu) >
< Rosenstiel Basic Medical Sciences Research Center >
< Brandeis University, Waltham, MA 02254-9110 >
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Date: Mon, 21 Dec 92 17:10:38 EST
From: David=Lane%HQ%Rational@Vines1.ratsys.com
Subject: When & How
It's been awhile since I've heard anything from the list.
The last digest I received was #34, have I missed anything?
Anyways, in an attempt to kick off some new discussions, here
are a couple of questions for anybody who'd like to respond:
When and how did you become interested in Holdsworth?
Have you ever seen him perform live, and when was it?
I first heard of him when I bought the Jean-Luc Ponty
album "Enigmatic Ocean" back in 1977, and I was immediately
hooked. Then, already a fan of Zappa, King Crimson and
Yes, I just had to buy the debut album "The new
Bill Bruford band" UK, which I heard about on the old
syndicated "Modern Music" radio show (does anybody remember
that one?), and Bruford's "Feels Good To Me". I was too
young to get in when their 1st US tour hit the Paradise
in Boston on July 11, 1978, but it was broadcast live on
the radio (This is where the "Paradise Lost" bootleg comes
from.) I still have the tape of that show, on 8-track.
Later in the tour, in early November, they headlined at the
Orpheum, where their opening act was supposed to the the Yes-clone
Starcastle, but the country-rock outfit Pierce Arrow opened instead.
(There's another bootleg called "Road Test" from a show in
Cleveland that took place a few nights later.) Some of my
recollections from that night: Holdsworth shied away from the
spotlights, preferring to stay in the shadows at the rear of
the stage. Although Wetton did all of the singing and stage
announcements, and Jobson had the majority of the solos, you
got the impression that Bruford was in charge.
In later years, I saw IOU at Jonathan Swift's pub in Cambridge
in 1984, and Holdsworth/Johnson/Gottlieb at Berklee opening for
DiMeola, in 1985. One of these days I'll have to get around to
seeing him again...
- - -
Dave Lane davidl@ratsys.com
R a t i o n a l
Systems, Inc.
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Date: Sun, 27 Dec 92 10:07:11 -0500
From: biffdebris@aol.com
Subject: Wardenclyffe Tower History
Although this isn't exactly about Allan, it is related, in a way, to the
latest CD and his career in general. He may have revealed a little bit about
himself, but it took some work to find the connection.
I did a little research into the actual Wardenclyffe Tower and its designer,
Nikola Tesla (a quote from whom is printed at the end of the liner notes in
the CD).
Tesla was a Serbian inventor, and lived from 1857 to 1943. He had a vision of
being able to transmit electrical power, without wires, to any point on the
globe, indeed, even to other planets. He realized that he could transmit
information as well as raw power, and set about devloping these ideas.
In 1901, he bought 200 acres land at Shoreham on the north shore of Long
Island, and began to construct his tower. The name Wardenclyffe may stem
from the name of the man he bought the property from, James Warden. You can
get an idea of its shape from the CD, but basically it was to be mushroom
shaped, and 187 feet tall. The framework was made entirely of wood, and was
held together with wooden pegs. The dome on top was to be sheathed in
copper, and inside there was a 120 foot deep, timber lined well, containing a
steel shaft which could be raised by air pressure to reach the top platform.
The idea was to send a telegraph message to France.
By the end of the year, Marconi sent a message from England to Canada, using
a rig that was far more conventional than Tesla's. The tower was never
finished, and was blown up in 1917, initially to make space for a pickle
factory which was never built. The Wardenclyffe Tower was probably one of
Tesla's greatest failures.
Tesla was a visonary genius, quite eccentric, and considered to be far ahead
of his time. In 1887, he invented the 60Hz AC power system we still use in
North America today, but sold the rights way too cheaply, received almost no
royalties, and really never had any kind of real commercial success. I
wonder if Allan sees his career following a similar path? He can't possibly
think this latest CD to be his biggest failure!
It should be interesting to see what Anil finds out during his interview!
> Charlie <
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*** End of Atavachron Digest ***
To have your posting distributed in the next issue of Atavachron,
send your posting to:
atavachron@morekypr.morehead-st.edu
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preston@morekypr.morehead-st.edu
All comments made here are the views of the individual
=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*= contributors. =*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=