Content-length: 121273
Content-Type: text/html; charset=UTF-8
Atavachron Digest - The Allan Holdsworth Discussion Digest
Number 85
Thursday, 7 April 1994
TODAY'S TOPICS:
==============
Bizzare Tales of Dowsing and Kissing Off Major Labels
RE: Bizzare Tales of Dowsing and Kissing Off...
HHA (ha ha)
Roadgames on CD?
Re: HHA (ha ha)
Re: Roadgames on CD?
RE: HHA
AH appearances
Re: AH appearances
Gong and more Gong
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: C_HOARD@BAX.compuserve.com
Date: 01 Apr 94 17:41:15 EST
Subject: Bizzare Tales of Dowsing and Kissing Off Major Labels
Notes from Hoard's Journal -- "AH Pops the Major Label Balloon"
Greetings to the A-team!
I finally made it down to AH's to pick up the Yamaha MIDI piano which I
loaned to the legato-meister. Another grand, memorable, and thoroughly
grainular evening, with fresh beer on tap at the San Marcos Brewery--AH's
new haunt; he's already best pals with the chief brewer...
Tuesday of this week was rather trying; I took a phone call from my
friend Guy, the ex-SOMA drummer, now VP of Polygram Jazz, who was
bitterly disappointed and upset about AH. AH, after being dallied
around with for four months by Polygram's business affairs, instructed
Akira to tell them to take their contract, and gently insert in the
nearest shaded hole.
To be honest, I'm not sure AH didn't cast an excellent opportunity to
the wind--there are many factors involved, and AH carefully considered
all the arguments, and decided against Polygram. Part of what influenced
his decision--IMO--was his horrible experience with Warner Bros./Road
Games. The bottom line was, Polygram, suggested he do "somthing
different" for the next project--potentially to include some different
musicians--Guy mentioned Jeff Watts, David Sancious, Michael Brecker,
Marcus Miller, among a list of others. AH wanted to continue having
complete creative control over who--and thought they'd wind up blowing
most of the budget on expensive musicians--when he already had a band he
was very comfortable working with: "Why would I want to work with Marcus
Miller when I've already got Skuli?" he asked. AH has talked (as
noted in our recent interview) about wanting to work with some of
the other jazz greats on numerous occasions, but it's clear when this
happens, it has to be on his own terms, and not dictated by the label.
Another important factor was this contract would have meant severing
excellent distribution deals--with no "control" strings attached--that
had been recently improved in Europe and Japan (ironically thru Polygram
Japan!). After many heated phone conversations, having been a bit
bewildered by this, and finding Akira in a similar state, I decided
to shrug it off, go down and pound down a few good ales. My last
word to AH, however--was, whatever you wind up doing now, stay away
from Restless in the U.S. Akira, at least, assures me he will be
working very hard to see to this. Everybody's fingers are crossed on
this point. Anyway, a man in AH's position who decides to turn up
his nose at Polygram, IMO, has a little scrotum to spare...
So AH is in rehearsals thru Sunday, plays a gig at on obscure club
in San Bernadino as a warm-up. I understand Skuli, Gary, and Steve
should have just arrived in North San Diego County about now for
rehearsals at The Brewery--then it's off to Buenos Aires!
One good thing about the record deal situation, at the moment however,
is that the increased liklihood of a live album happening sooner. I'm
in the process of trying to get Alesis or someone to loan an ADAT
or arrange for a cheap rental, and have AH take it along to Japan.
With Mick Porter along for ales last night, it was a battle of the
tasteless jokes between the bartender and Mr. Porter... AH told his
favorite obsure English joke--let's see if any of the yanks out there
get this one:
A rather gnarly fellow (the sort who wakes up in an alley with an
empty scotch bottle in hand) stumbles into an upscale bakery, and
eyes a fine French pastry longingly... He reads the sign by
the pastry--which bears a french name...
"Gattocks?" he says, "how much will that be?"
"It's Gattaeux, sir," says the baker disgustedly, "and it's 2 quid-fifty."
The garly fellow scratches his head and says:
"Well in that case--**Bolleaux**!!"
The other one offered by the bartender (after many rounds) which had
us all roaring was:
Did you hear they think they've discovered a fossil of the first
known lesbian dinosaur? They named it: Likkaloddapus.
And last a last vignette, from the Atavachron Twilight Zone...
After we got back from the pub all feeling quite grand, AH pulls out two
L-shaped divining rods, that a friend who's apparently a "dowser" has
given him a little while back. He demonstrates how there's a spot of
ground near one corner of the Brewery studio building--where the rods
always move outward as he walks by it. The object with the rods is to
hold them in your hands pointed straight forward--such that a gentle pull
could cause them to turn, but otherwise they would remain pointing straight.
Apparently
When AH's dowser friend tested him, they discovered AH could readily
detect the same spots (apparently with water underground) via the rods.
AH, without telling his son Sam, what he was up to--had Sam try it, and
the rods also turned outward at the same spot. So after we returned
from the pub, he "tested" Mick Porter, myself, and another friend Mike.
I'd never done this before, but I'd heard of people in the midwest who
make money doing this, showing real estate developers and farmers where
to dig wells--and how deep to dig them. I also knew that all the farm
wells around where my mother grew up were supposedly found by dowsers.
Sure enough, everytime I tried it, and passed the spot--the rods turned!
And I tried as much as possible to remain oblivious physically and
mentally to the force pulling them--but repeated this little experiment
for myself about five times (and yes, I was a little pissed--but not
all that much). So AH, apparently helped me discover a "psychic" or
other manner of ability I never knew I had. The next day, I called
my mother to have a chat with her, and mentioned this. I can't
recall ever discussing this subject with her, and she immediately said,
"Well as matter of fact once I tried it once when a dowser showed
us where to dig the well out at the lake cabin--and I could feel the
pull too when he had me try it--but your Great Grandfather was
an expert at it. Many of the wells in that part of the county were
dug after he found them--he was the local dowser..." Hopefully
Kingsley has some kind of mathematical explanation for this...
I'm looking forward to reviews from all of you who manage
to catch a night or two from the upcoming tour... all for now/Chris.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Fri, 1 Apr 94 21:50:53 -0500
From: rardin%bad.dnet@auriga (R. Lynn Rardin)
Subject: RE: Bizzare Tales of Dowsing and Kissing Off...
>Tuesday of this week was rather trying; I took a phone call from my
>friend Guy, the ex-SOMA drummer, now VP of Polygram Jazz, who was
>bitterly disappointed and upset about AH. AH, after being dallied
>around with for four months by Polygram's business affairs, instructed
>Akira to tell them to take their contract, and gently insert in the
>nearest shaded hole.
I'm really disappointed by this development (or lack thereof). I had high
hopes that this might be a big break for Allan--potentially big-time
promotion, distribution, etc. I guess we can forget about that. When is
Allan going to face the fact that he just can't (or doesn't want to) deal
with a record company and start his own?
-Lynn (rardin@auriga.rose.brandeis.edu)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Thu, 31 Mar 94 10:01:49 BST
From: mley@acorn.co.uk (Martin Ley)
Subject: HHA (ha ha)
Hi Jeff,
First of all, guess which Atar Trek episode was on in the UK last night? The
one with Zarabeth in it! Didn't hear any AH tunes in the background,
though...
Got my copy of HHA. It seems to be quite freely available in the UK. There's
a great CD shop in Cambridge that sells CDs for cash only. I picked up HHA
for 11.99 GBP. They've always got AH stuff in stock.
First impressions? Well, I LOVE 'Low Levels, High Stakes' and 'Rukuhka' (or
whatever - don't usually read track names that avidly!) because Allan's
soloing is just superb. The others, however, I can take or leave at the
moment. This usually happens with AH CDs - I'll find a couple of tracks the
leap out and grab me by the throat, then it takes a good few listens to get
into the rest of the songs. I think I need to 'learn' the songs to
appreciate them fully; when I can follow the solos/chord progressions in my
head I get much more out of them. This is what makes Allan's music so much
more durable than other **** (he says, glibly dismissing the rest of the
music industry in its entirety :-). I found the same with the two Michael
Brecker solo LPs.
Here's a theory: The reason why Allan's music is so appealing to some and
complete anathema to others is that those 'in the know' are prepared to give
his stuff the benefit of the doubt (i.e. more than one listen) rather than
dismiss it out of hand the first time they hear two legato notes played more
than seven frets apart. I now consider my fiancee something of an AH
afficionado, in that she can spot an AH tune at fifty paces in a darkened
room with both hands tied behind her back. Unfortunately, this
not-inconsiderable feat merely allows her to reach for the nearest
door/volume control/blunt instrument in under, ooh, two seconds, once I've
untied her hands. Did catch her out once with a Gong LP, though!
Mart
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Tue, 5 Apr 94 16:30:12 +0100
From: koelman@stc.nato.int (Ton Koelman)
Subject: Roadgames on CD?
Is the Roadgames material available on CD these days?
thanks
---
Ton Koelman e-mail: koelman@stc.nato.int (NeXT Mail Welcome!)
SHAPE Technical Centre, P.O. Box 174, 2501 CD The Hague
The Netherlands (voice: 31-70-3142431, fax: 31-70-3142111)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Tue, 5 Apr 94 10:17:40 -0500
From: uchima@fncrd8.fnal.gov (Mike Uchima)
Subject: Re: HHA (ha ha)
> From: mley@acorn.co.uk (Martin Ley)
>
> [...]
>
> First impressions? Well, I LOVE 'Low Levels, High Stakes' and 'Rukuhka' (or
> whatever - don't usually read track names that avidly!) because Allan's
> soloing is just superb. The others, however, I can take or leave at the
> moment. This usually happens with AH CDs - I'll find a couple of tracks the
> leap out and grab me by the throat, then it takes a good few listens to get
> into the rest of the songs.
I've noticed this with most of AH's *other* CDs, too. However, with HHA, the
whole CD kind of seemed to "grab" me like you describe. I'm not sure why;
maybe because the whole thing seems more "consistent" to me?
> [...]
>
> Here's a theory: The reason why Allan's music is so appealing to some and
> complete anathema to others is that those 'in the know' are prepared to give
> his stuff the benefit of the doubt (i.e. more than one listen) rather than
> dismiss it out of hand the first time they hear two legato notes played more
> than seven frets apart.
Could be that I'm just getting more accustomed to Allan's style, and as a
result I now expect that sort of thing from him. Now, it would seem a lot
weirder if I *didn't* hear the dissonant chords and odd intervals in there. I
do remember, though, the first time I listened to the _Atavachron_ album -- my
first reaction was something along the lines of "That was really strange!".
It really grew on me, though.
> I now consider my fiancee something of an AH
> afficionado, in that she can spot an AH tune at fifty paces in a darkened
> room with both hands tied behind her back. Unfortunately, this
> not-inconsiderable feat merely allows her to reach for the nearest
> door/volume control/blunt instrument in under, ooh, two seconds, once I've
> untied her hands. Did catch her out once with a Gong LP, though!
Yeah, I think my wife has "Allan Holdsworth radar" too. I was working in the
basement the other night, and had HHA on. My wife came downstairs (I think it
was right at the end of "Low Levels, High Stakes"), and said, "Gee, that was
*awful*! Who was that, Allan Holdsworth?". I keep kidding her that I'm going
to turn her into a Holdsworth fan, but somehow I think it's just not gonna
happen in this universe. :)
-- Mike Uchima
-- uchima@fnal.fnal.gov
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: Jeff Preston
Subject: Re: Roadgames on CD?
Date: Tue, 5 Apr 94 20:43:43 EDT
> From: koelman@stc.nato.int (Ton Koelman)
> Subject: Roadgames on CD?
> Is the Roadgames material available on CD these days?
With the exception of a re-recorded version of "Tokyo Dream," which
appears on the Polygram Japan pressing of _Wardenclyffe Tower +3_, no.
In a private note, Ton mentioned a FAQ; yes, I am trying to come up
with one... finally. :) He also asked about a discography. We have
a discography available from the listserver; to get a copy via e-mail,
send a message to listserv@msuacad.morehead-st.edu with the following
as the sole text of the message:
get atavachron discog
For an index of files available, send this, instead:
index atavachron
Jeff
--
Jeff Preston =*= Moderator of the Allan Holdsworth discussion forum
=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*= atavachron-request@msuacad.morehead-st.edu =*=*=*=
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Wed, 6 Apr 94 07:20:43 -0400
From: rardin%cygnus.dnet@auriga (R. Lynn Rardin)
Subject: RE: HHA
>> I now consider my fiancee something of an AH
>> afficionado, in that she can spot an AH tune at fifty paces in a darkened
>> room with both hands tied behind her back. Unfortunately, this
>> not-inconsiderable feat merely allows her to reach for the nearest
>> door/volume control/blunt instrument in under, ooh, two seconds, once I've
>> untied her hands. Did catch her out once with a Gong LP, though!
>
>Yeah, I think my wife has "Allan Holdsworth radar" too. I was working in the
>basement the other night, and had HHA on. My wife came downstairs (I think it
>was right at the end of "Low Levels, High Stakes"), and said, "Gee, that was
>*awful*! Who was that, Allan Holdsworth?". I keep kidding her that I'm going
>to turn her into a Holdsworth fan, but somehow I think it's just not gonna
>happen in this universe. :)
Don't give up just yet, Mike! :) My wife has come around somewhat. She
always goes to see Allan with me and actually likes some of his music. Her
biggest complaint about the Holdsworth music she doesn't like: "too damn many
notes". :)
-Lynn (rardin@auriga.rose.brandeis.edu)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Thu, 7 Apr 94 15:45 BST
From: ronc@cogs.susx.ac.uk (Ron Chrisley)
Subject: AH appearances
Is Allan really on this album?:
Gong: Downwind, 1979 (Arista)
Mirielle Bauer: perc. Francis Causse: congas Allan Holdsworth: gtr
Pierre Moerlen: drums Terry Oldfield: flute Mike Oldfield: gtr
Didier Malherbe: sax Darryl Way: violin Steve Winwood: keyboards
Mick Taylor: guitar Hanny Rowe: bass Didier Lockwood: violin
Also, I've heard a rumour that AH is on a release by Steve Tavaglione
(sax); any info?
Thanks,
Ron
PS Finaly got HHA (US cover; much more interesting and relevant to
title than UK cover); great stuff, and I like the title track. I wish
Allan would do more episodic stuff like this. His music is often
texturally static, but in this one, you get complete lapses of rhythm
(the keyboard fanfares/chords), which I find very colourful in music.
By the way: what were the errors on the booklet?
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Thu, 7 Apr 94 17:33:46 -0500
From: uchima@fncrd8.fnal.gov (Mike Uchima)
Subject: Re: AH appearances
ronc@cogs.susx.ac.uk (Ron Chrisley) wrote:
>
> [...]
>
> Also, I've heard a rumour that AH is on a release by Steve Tavaglione
> (sax); any info?
Tavaglione and AH appear on the Mark Varney Project _Truth In Shredding_ disc.
I don't know if this is the one you're referring to or not. This disc has
gotten really mixed reviews here on Atavachron; IMHO it's pretty good, but not
great.
Incidentally, while we're talking about MVP: Both _Truth In Shredding_ and
_Centrifugal Funk_ have some really lame comments on the front cover, that
sound like part of a used car salesman's routine or something: "Relentless,
thrill-a-minute, Indiana Jones of instrumental music", and so on. Who writes
this drivel? Mark Varney?
-- Mike Uchima
-- uchima@fnal.fnal.gov
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: Jeff Preston
Subject: Gong and more Gong
Date: Thu, 7 Apr 94 22:25:00 EDT
> From: ronc@cogs.susx.ac.uk (Ron Chrisley)
> Subject: AH appearances
> Is Allan really on this album?:
> Gong: Downwind, 1979 (Arista)
> Mirielle Bauer: perc. Francis Causse: congas Allan Holdsworth: gtr
> Pierre Moerlen: drums Terry Oldfield: flute Mike Oldfield: gtr
> Didier Malherbe: sax Darryl Way: violin Steve Winwood: keyboards
> Mick Taylor: guitar Hanny Rowe: bass Didier Lockwood: violin
If so, this is the first I've heard of it. Let's see if 'a.m.p'
readers can help us on this; they have a number of Gongheads there.
> Also, I've heard a rumour that AH is on a release by Steve Tavaglione
> (sax); any info?
I've seen mention of a Japanese release, _Blue Tav_, that supposedly
features Allan, but I don't know a thing about it other than the fact
that Audiophile Imports used to sell it ($30!). Maybe Andre Cutair
can fill us in...?
Also...
Speaking of 'a.m.p' (referring to 'alt.music.progressive' -- the
Usenet newsgroup), the conspicuously-AWOL Anil Prasad recently posted
there regarding a couple of rumors he'd heard concerning Allan -- one
being that Pierre Moerlen had contacted Allan about a possible Gong
reformation (another one, I guess I should say... how many Gongs are
there now?). Claire confirmed that Moerlen *had* called Allan up --
less than two weeks ago, she says, so she was amazed that the news
was out -- and this was concerning an album Moerlen will be recording
this summer (not a Gong project, from what they understood). Allan
said he'd be interested if the scheduling could be worked out. The
other rumor -- that John Wetton and Eddie Jobson had contacted Allan
regarding a U.K. reunion -- was false. Claire says Allan would have
no intentions of doing such a thing even if he *were* invited to do
so.
Claire also mentioned that Allan's gotten a "maybe" on a possible
upcoming film project... good news for all of us who'd like to see
him on a soundtrack! Let's keep our fingers crossed (amd hope the
file is Oscar material, hmm?). :)
Jeff
--
Jeff Preston =*= Moderator of the Allan Holdsworth discussion forum
=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*= atavachron-request@msuacad.morehead-st.edu =*=*=*=
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
========= End of Atavachron Digest ========= I
\ :::: ]I[ :::: /
Administrative requests to: : ::::::: ]] [[ ::::::: :
listserv@msuacad.morehead-st.edu ::: ]] [[ :::
''::]]]]]] ]] [[ [[[[[[::''
Archives via FTP available from: ::: ]]] ]] [[ [[[ :::
ftp.uwp.edu (login anonymous, send ::: =a=t=a=v=a=c=h=r=o=n= :::
full e-mail address as password) ::: ]]] ]] [[ [[[ :::
cd holdsworth.allan ,,::]]]]]] ]] [[ [[[[[[::,,
cd mail.list/archives ::: ]] [[ :::
: :::::: ]] . [[ :::::: :
All opinions expressed herein are / :: ] ::: [ :: \
those of the individual contributors. I I
Atavachron Digest - The Allan Holdsworth Discussion Digest
Number 86
Thursday, 14 April 1994
TODAY'S TOPICS:
==============
RE: HHA
Level 42's Guaranteed
RE: HHA
RE: HHA
Gong Stuffage
Female intolerance for Tumeni Notes
Anyone care to join me for a pint?
The future of our modest li'l venture
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Subject: RE: HHA
Date: Fri, 08 Apr 94 15:17:18 +1400
From: Geoff.Thorpe@vuw.ac.nz
Lynn (rardin@auriga.rose.brandeis.edu) wrote:
> Don't give up just yet, Mike! :) My wife has come around somewhat. She
> always goes to see Allan with me and actually likes some of his music. Her
> biggest complaint about the Holdsworth music she doesn't like: "too damn many
> notes". :)
"Too many notes"?? I remember that line from somewhere .... oh yeah, I got it,
didn't someone say that to Mozart?!
Cheers,
Geoff
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Fri, 8 Apr 94 13:58:48 +0100
From: koelman@stc.nato.int (Ton Koelman)
Subject: Level 42's Guaranteed
I've always thought that AH joining a major pop/rock band
would be an interesting move.
And so I picked up Level 42's Guaranteed in a clearance sale
and (much to my surprise) there he was: AH on guitar.
Although AH didn't really 'join the band' (I suppose), he is pictured
as such (not on the cover though).
This probably came about through Gary Husband.
Anyway, what would be interesting questions for an upcoming
AH interview:
- AH's feelings/experiences on the Level 42 project?
- Which parts exactly were done by AH? (solos are easy to identify...)
- Any future involvement with Level 42?
Ton K.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Fri, 8 Apr 94 09:15:48 -0500
From: uchima@fncrd8.fnal.gov (Mike Uchima)
Subject: RE: HHA
Geoff.Thorpe@vuw.ac.nz wrote:
>
> Lynn (rardin@auriga.rose.brandeis.edu) wrote:
> > Her biggest complaint about the Holdsworth music she doesn't like: "too
> > damn many notes". :)
>
> "Too many notes"?? I remember that line from somewhere .... oh yeah, I got it,
> didn't someone say that to Mozart?!
It's also the name of one of the tracks on Steve Morse's _High Tension Wires_
album -- "Tumeni Notes". :)
-- Mike Uchima
-- uchima@fnal.fnal.gov
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Fri, 8 Apr 1994 12:03:32 -0500 (CDT)
From: "WDDOZIER@ANL.GOV, (708)252-5476"
Subject: RE: HHA
After seeing AH perform at the Roxy with some of my friends (who came at my
urging) may years ago (IOU time period), one of them made the comment, "There
were so many unresolved chords, the Roxy is still dangling over Sunset Blvd."
Oh well, it takes all kinds....
Bill
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: "ToddM"
Date: 8 Apr 1994 14:45:31CST6CDT
Subject: Gong Stuffage
> Date: Thu, 7 Apr 94 15:45 BST
> From: ronc@cogs.susx.ac.uk (Ron Chrisley)
> Subject: AH appearances
> Is Allan really on this album?:
> Gong: Downwind, 1979 (Arista)
> Mirielle Bauer: perc. Francis Causse: congas Allan Holdsworth: gtr
> Pierre Moerlen: drums Terry Oldfield: flute Mike Oldfield: gtr
> Didier Malherbe: sax Darryl Way: violin Steve Winwood: keyboards
> Mick Taylor: guitar Hanny Rowe: bass Didier Lockwood: violin
I've got this one on CD - I can confirm for you. I just gotta listen to it since
it's been a while. There's another one like "Time is the Key" where he plays
also, but I keep confusing "Downwind" with that one. I'll get back to you.
-ToddM.
LaserMaster Technical Support.
toddm@ramrod.lmt.mn.org
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: "ToddM"
Date: 8 Apr 1994 14:55:34CST6CDT
Subject: Female intolerance for Tumeni Notes
> Don't give up just yet, Mike! :) My wife has come around somewhat. She
> always goes to see Allan with me and actually likes some of his music. Her
> biggest complaint about the Holdsworth music she doesn't like: "too damn many
> notes". :)
> -Lynn (rardin@auriga.rose.brandeis.edu)
I played Allan Holdsworth's music for my fiancee'. She didn't mind things like
"Distance Vs.
Desire", but it drives her absolutely bananas to hear fast, wailing guitar notes.
She tries
to compare it to "jizzing all over the place". I also happen to be acquainted
with the famous
legato guitar technique and she thinks I should "slow down and not play so many
notes."
Sometimes you just FEEL like you have to do that. I was never one for equating:
SLOW, WAILING NOTES = FEELING and
FAST SQUEALLY NOTES = MASTURBATION FANTASY II.
Yet, my own guitar style is more of a combination of "melodies when it's needed,
going off
when it's called for". I never felt that Allan was "showing off" or show his
audience a "big
potent wiener" (Secrets, indeed). It was showing how he felt. Endomorph is one
of the best
pieces of emotive guitaring I've ever heard and there's no thousand notes per
second there.
Of course, my massive fusion collection is going to bore her to tears very
soonly, but it's
the stuff I love. And Allan's stuff, especially. She describes the faster stuff
as being
"tuneless". Perhaps because she has a hard time hearing the complexity. She is
a
musician, but this stuff is a little bit over her head.
Repetition, as in, lots of repetition might cure this disease. Or get me bonked
on the head.
She got to see the 1984 Live in Japan video and she was making comments like:
"his eyes
aren't even open, how can he see his hands?" Again, she didn't see much because
it just
was a bit too much for her.
-ToddM.
LaserMaster Technical Support.
toddm@ramrod.lmt.mn.org
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: biffdebris@aol.com
Date: Sat, 09 Apr 94 21:06:48 EDT
Subject: Anyone care to join me for a pint?
Jeff (and Atavachronistas everywhere!),
I haven't written in a long time (due to lack of news), so I've forgotten the
proper channels. I had your address, so I figured you could post this as
appropriate, and let me know if there's a better way to keep in touch.
[ Sure thing! The posting address is atavachron@msuacad.morehead-st.edu
and administrative matters should be addressed either to the listserver
at listserv@msuacad.morehead-st.edu , or to my personal alias --
atavachron-request@msuacad.morehead-st.edu -- JP ]
Still no news to write about...I still haven't found HHA, and it seems that
the local big record stores (Tower & Wherehouse) have stopped stocking
Holdsworth altogether. Anyway, since San Marcos is just up the road from
where I live, I thought it might be fun to drop in to the brew pub for a pint
and try some Allan watching. If anyone is planning to visit the place, let
me know! I'd love to chat with some other fans, and run the chance of
meeting the Man himself! The Belly Up Tavern in Encinitas has begun listing
his appearance at the end of April as official, so I guess I should look into
getting tickets...
Later...
Charlie Schorner
biffdebris@aol.com
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: Jeff Preston
Subject: The future of our modest li'l venture
Date: Thu, 14 Apr 94 3:45:17 EDT
Hiya folks... it's just me, checkin' in.
I promised to begin working on a FAQ a week or so ago, and I have
indeed been hard at work on the development of just such a thing.
We'll be trying a few things out on you in coming months -- not the
least of which will be proofing the FAQ and making suggestions for
additions and changes; the 1.0 version of the FAQ should be available
by early next week. Please be sure to make your voice heard by sending
your suggestions to preston@msuacad.morehead-st.edu .
With the help of Allan, Claire, and the collective talent-pool which
exists on Atavachron already, I'm hoping to integrate all of this
information with various files and data already stored up on various
media within reach into one definitive hypertext document for access
to World Wide Web users. I envision a document which will provide
color images of each album cover within the discography, and perhaps
even snippets of selected tunes; photos and memorable quotes from
Allan and the band; the sky's the limit! Of course this is going to
present a challenge to me, since I haven't the foggiest idea of how
to assemble such a thing -- but I'm willing to give it a good shot.
And I'm counting on y'all to help! :)
For now, you'll find below a copy of the proposed biography which
will be included in the FAQ; Chris Hoard was kind enough to volunteer
his time in putting this together -- thanks again, Chris. We'd like
to get your comments and suggestions on improving the biography, so
with that in mind, here it is:
----- begin included text -----
Allan Holdsworth is known to contemporary musicians as an
uncompromising virtuoso who has redefined and re-invented the voice
and scope of the electric guitar. To the mainstream of rock and jazz
audiences, he remains a lesser known, unsung hero. To the steadily
growing number of listeners around the world who are familiar with his
work, Holdsworth looms large as a musical legend and commercially
obscure enigma.
The sounds of Django Reinhardt, Jimmy Rainey, Charlie Christian, Joe
Pass, Eric Clapton, and the late John Coltrane were among the primary
inspirations cited by Holdsworth which steered him away from an early
passion for bicycle racing and instead towards learning to play a
musical instrument. Having never picked up a guitar until his late
teens, he found his musical hobby paying off on England's Mecca dance
hall circuit. Born in Bradford, Yorkshire (U.K.), in 1946, Holdsworth
had been tutored in many aspects of musical theory and jazz appreciation
by his father, Sam, an accomplished amateur musician. Allan later went
on to analyze scales on his own, based on mathematical permutations of
intervals -- the results of which can still be heard in Allan's playing
today.
His career began in the early 1970s, as a sideman to the protean
forces who merged rock's electric instrumentation and driving pulse with
the improvisational mastery and harmonic explorations realized by seminal
jazz stylists such as John Coltrane and Miles Davis. Holdsworth provided
the searing, flamboyant edge that galvanized that era's most celebrated
recordings by formative jazz/rock experimenters such as Soft Machine,
Tony William's New Lifetime, and Jean-Luc Ponty.
Holdsworth's early career was frought with desperation and dry spells,
and from his late teens through his mid-twenties music was a mostly
sporadic venture and hobby; he supported himself primarily repairing
bicycles during this time. His first known project as a leader was a
low-budget project recorded in 1969 on the Decca label with a few of his
local Yorkshire friends -- the band's name was Igginbottom, and the music
was derivatave of the psychedelic rock fashionable at the time -- yet even
then, the origins of Holdsworth's prowess and vision as a guitarist were
readily apparent. Veteran British jazz saxophonist Ray Warleigh who
travelled frequently around the country, was actually the first
professional to "discover" Holdsworth. Warleigh, who played in a large,
state-supported dance-hall band (as did some of the other members of
Igginbottom), was instrumental in introducing Allan to the London club
scene. At the time, Holdsworth's major influences were a wide range of
American jazz greats -- in particular Benny Goodman's guitarist Charlie
Christian and saxophonist John Coltrane -- and in particular the
psychedelic, bluesy hard rock of Cream.
Later, Holdsworth would form a lasting association and friendship with
the legendary Cream bassist/vocalist Jack Bruce, who appeared on 1984's
_Road Games_ EP, which to date has not yet been released on CD (and may
never be). Holdsworth's success on the rock front came about suddenly
in 1971 when he joined Tempest, a critically acclaimed rock group led by
drummer John Hiseman, which featured English vocalist Paul Williams.
After a successful first U.S. tour and promising initial sales, the band
broke up, and Holdsworth found himself scraping among London's jazz club
circuit for the occasional gig, sitting in mostly with jazz groups at
famed clubs such as Ronnie Scott's. Eventually Holdsworth came to the
attention of members of the celebrated avante-garde ensemble, Soft Machine
-- and found himself again working steadily for a year and a half. In
1974, Soft Machine released _Bundles_: an English jazz/rock classic which
featured Holdsworth prominently, and brought his playing to the attention
of long-time Miles Davis drummer, Tony Williams. Williams secured a new
contract for his own band, Lifetime -- which was originally a jazz-rock
ensemble Williams forged with guitarist John McLaughlin. Two albums were
released during '75 and '76 -- but the band never established the degree
of success realized by Columbia Records other fusion powerhouse, Chick
Corea's Return To Forever. Nevertheless, working with keyboardist Alan
Pasqua and bassist Tony Newton proved one of Holdsworth's most enjoyable
and rewarding endeavors, and his association with these musicians has
continued through to the present. 1975's _Believe It_ is still considered
by jazz/rock enthusiasts to be one of the greatest albums recorded during
the 1970s -- its followup, _Million Dollar Legs_ found Williams (likely
coerced into) pushing the band into a more commercial mold -- and it never
met the label's expectation for sales; management problems ensued and
Holdsworth found himself stranded in the U.S. after the group's final tour
without plane fare back to England. "I lived out of a suitcase, sleeping
on floors for the better part of five years," he once recounted in an
interview about this period, during which his first marriage ended in a
divorce.
A brief 1975 visit to New York City, produced a recording no longer in
print, _Velvet Darkness_ --which featured none other than legendary
producer/drummer Narada Michael Walden, and bassist Alphonzo Johnson
(then of Weather Report). Holdsworth's experience with CTI records
proved a disaster; after completing what he thought were studio
run-through rehearsals, Holdsworth was suddenly thanked by the session
producer, Creed Taylor -- and told "we have enough takes for the album."
Only after tens of thousands of copies sold -- and eighteen years later
-- did Holdsworth ever realize any compensation for the project, and then
only after threatening legal action. Epic Records, at Holdsworth's
request, removed the CD re-issue from print.
Soon thereafter, Holdsworth contributed to one of Jean Luc Ponty's
landmark fusion recordings, _Enigmatic Ocean_ (1976) -- and abruptly
left Ponty's band while on tour, presented with the opportunity to work
with Bill Bruford on his first solo project, _Feels Good To Me_, soon
after the breakup of the mid-70s King Crimson. During this time
Holdsworth also worked with the French avant-rock ensemble, Gong, and
recorded with that group on two of their albums, _Expresso_ (also
released as _Gazeuse!_), and _Expresso II_.
A broad rock audience first became aware of Holdsworth's amazingly
inventive melodic runs when he dominated two definitive "progressive rock"
albums from the late 70's; _U.K._, and Bill Bruford's _One of A Kind_.
In both projects, Bruford, one of rock's most renowned drummers, brought
Holdsworth before a much larger, international audience. The successful
1978 debut release by U.K. was a band originally planned as a reunion of
King Crimson members, until Robert Fripp backed out of the project.
Bruford suggested the remaining trio, including bassist/vocalist
John Wetton and violinist/keyboardist Eddie Jobson. Holdsworth was
known in England primarily as one of the country's foremost "jazz"
guitarists due to his work with Tony Williams, Gong, and Jean-Luc Ponty.
The personal chemistry of U.K. proved almost immediately to be too
volatile to contain four musical leaders in one group setting.
Holdsworth and Bruford left the band, and continued their earlier, more
jazz oriented venture in Bruford. Holdsworth, however, still felt stifled
in the confines of Bruford's slick studio mega-productions. He sought
out a more immediate, live-oriented recording environment, and the less
rigid ensemble dynamics he found so vital during his earlier work with
Tony Williams. Now based out of London with little to do but repair amps
and sell off equipment accumulated during his stadium rock stint with
U.K., Holdsworth began rehearsals with Jack Bruce and John Hiseman -- and
tried to attract interest in a project. With the punk movement then in
full force, English label interest in a new "progressive" or "jazz"
oriented project was at an all-time low.
Having recorded on a few low-budget sessions with pianist Gordon Beck
in the late '70s, Holdsworth eventually heard about a brilliant young
drummer from Leeds, Gary Husband. The two immediately forged a musical
partnership -- which has continued off and on to this day. They
eventually found a bassist, Paul Carmichael, and Paul Williams joined
the group as a vocalist -- flying back to London from his home in Orange
County, California to rehearse and record the _IOU_ project, (which took
its name from the fact it was recorded over a weekend with funds borrowed
from friends of the band). The _IOU_ project was finally launched
independently in the U.S. on a bare-bones, shoe string budged largely by
vocalist Paul Williams, who formed the short-lived "Luna Crack" label out
of his apartment in Tustin, California. This occured over two years
after the recording -- at a point in Holdsworth's life when had nearly
given up on a career as a working musician. Given few job prospects of
any kind, upon Paul Williams' prompting, he moved temporarily to
California in 1981 to "test the waters." Holdsworth was immediately
immersed in attention from the press and a American cult audience
ravenous for his talents.
During the coming year, a longtime Holdsworth admirer, rock guitar
great Eddie Van Halen introduced Holdsworth to the Warner Bros. label
-- but the low-budget freedom Holdsworth enjoyed in producing _IOU_
suddenly turned into a big budget nightmare running out-of-control due
to the label executives meddling in a project they originally agreed to
let Holdsworth produce. Holdsworth, faced with not being able to support
the costs of half a band living in England, auditioned a California
rhythm section, and came up with Chad Wackerman and Jeff Berlin (the
American bassist known for his exceptional playing on Bill Bruford's solo
projects featuring Holdsworth). The vocal tracks on that album originally
sung by Paul Williams had to redone after executive producer Ted Templeman
decided Warner Bros. did not want Williams to participate in the project.
In desperation Holdsworth phoned Jack Bruce, who came and sang on three
songs. As a compromise Templeman allowed Holdsworth to retain Williams on
one of the tracks. Eventually Holdsworth, like Frank Zappa before him,
sued Warner Bros. for breach of contract and won -- but lost all rights
to the masters for _Road Games_; at this point, its possible re-issue on
CD seems a dim possibility.
Despite the difficulties, Holdsworth received a Grammy nomination in
1984 for the _Road Games_ EP. Having nearly given up on music, friends
prompted him to move to Southern California where an eager and devoted
core following awaited him. He soon struck up a partnership with the
fledgling label Enigma (later bought out by Capitol), which later became
his current label, Restless, after Enigma entered bankruptcy proceedings.
His production work became more refined, and he broadened a roster of
guest vocalist appearances through the course of _Metal Fatigue_ (1985),
_Atavachron_ (1986), _Sand_ (1988), and _Secrets_ (1990). With the
release of _Secrets_ (Restless), Holdsworth further revealed a rich
musical vision, where contemporary forms of music are crafted in an
improvisational context in defiance of conventional harmonic boundaries.
1992's _Wardenclyffe Tower_ (Restless) furthered an exploration of
Holdsworth's own designs for baritone electric guitars (built by
California luthier Bill DeLap) and broadened of his orchestrative chords
and solo phrasings via the guitar-synth controller, the SynthAxe.
Beginning with the album _Atavachron_ (Restless, 1986), Holdsworth
devoted increasing attention to the SynthAxe. This immediately brought
him recognition in Guitar Player Magazine's poll as "Best Guitar
Synthesist" for four consecutive years. A five time poll winner,
Holdsworth is already an inductee into Guitar Player's hall of fame.
Despite the noteriety, guitar synthesis was only one of several major
facets of instrumental and technical innovations pioneered and explored
by Holdsworth, who continues to design unconventionally scaled guitars
and invent an assortment of signal processing electronics for the guitar.
His fascination with the Synthaxe has continued since the mid-80's;
Holdsworth often performed with this instrument, having attached a
breath controller tube to it -- perhaps continuing a conscious pursuit
of the instrument he was first attracted to -- the saxophone.
Holdsworth's growing number of solo albums have featured an impressive
list of some of the finest guest sidemen -- and leaders -- in contemporary
jazz and rock, including drummers Chad Wackerman (a veteran of Frank
Zappa's band), bassist Jimmy Johnson (leader of Flim and the BBs), and
drummer Vinnie Colaiuta (who currently works with Sting). Keyboardists
Alan Pasqua, Billy Childs, drummer Tony Williams, and bassist Gary Willis
have all appeared as guest musicians on Allan Holdsworth projects during
the past decade. Holdsworth himself has occasionally appeared as a guest
musician on a wide range of projects in jazz and rock -- including among
others, Jean-Luc Ponty, Stanley Clarke, Level 42, Chad Wackerman, and the
recent _Come Together: Guitar Tribute to The Beatles_ (NYC Records), in
which Holdsworth collaborated once more with long time friend and great
English jazz pianist, Gordon Beck for a riveting, swinging version of
"Michelle."
_Hard Hat Area_ (Restless), his most recent solo project at this writing
opens a stunning new chapter in his career. As a producer and composer,
Holdsworth continues to forge new territory and straddle the spaces
between familiar, comfortable musical genres. _Hard Hat Area_ was a
particularly satisfying album for Holdsworth because it captured much
of the energy and live interaction of his current quartet -- which
features Icelandic bass phenomenon Skuli Sverrisson, keyboardist Steve
Hunt, and long-time collaborator, drummer Gary Husband (who, with
Holdsworth, originally formed the IOU band in 1979). On this album,
the sum of Holdsworth's production values realize an enchanting rhythmic
and harmonic alchemy -- potent with unexpected melodic twists and
explosive turns. _Hard Hat Area_ reveals some of Holdsworth's most
dramatic soloing ever, and in the case of the title track, increasingly
cinematic and unconventional studio compositions.
Like many of the greatest jazz players of this century, Holdsworth has
never been one to abandon his musical instincts in pursuit of commercial
viability. Whether he is writing the music -- or interpreting another
composers music with his uncannily singular approach to melodic
progressions -- his melodic sensibilities never fail to suprise and
amaze a devoted following, which includes a growing crowd of the most
successful electric guitarists of recent decades.
Like few guitarists before him, Holdsworth realized a style, tone,
and technique in a league of its own, a discipline he still strives to
perfect, and is rarely satisfied with. Many musicians who've heard it
never again looked at a guitar in quite the same way. In 1993,
Holdsworth was heralded prominently by Musician Magazine as one of
the top five of their "100 greatest guitarists of all time." Today
Holdsworth is widely revered as the virtuoso guitar stylist -- and
perhaps the world's foremost guitar synthesist. As for the legacy of
his accelerated, legato lead guitar phrasings, Guitar Player's editor,
Tom Mulhern credited him as that rare sort of guitarist who "originated
his own school" of guitar playing. While Holdsworth becomes increasingly
recognized for his compositional ideas, his famed liquid legato-lead
guitar stylings have become his trademark sound; his use of perfectly
controlled distortion to soar over ever-evolving arrays of complex
chordal harmonies has become one of the most mimicked styles in
contemporary jazz and rock guitar.
Since 1980, Holdsworth's growing recognition spanned the production
of nine studio albums, including a collaborative project with jazz
pianist Gordon Beck, _With A Heart In My Song_ (Nova). Extensive U.S.
touring eventually led to broadened interest in Japan and Europe, and
more recently Australia and South America, where Holdsworth now makes
regular rounds. Holdsworth continues to tour extensively, having
recently sold out performances in Japan, Australia, Europe, and
throughout the U.S. A February 1992 review by L.A. Times jazz critic
Don Heckman raved about Holdsworth's touring band -- which then included
regulars Jimmy Johnson and Chad Wackerman, proclaiming Holdsworth "an
unlikely guitar hero whose phrasing has much in common with the
expressions of saxophonist John Coltrane."
Holdsworth still pursues his daily passion as an avid road cyclist
(when touring and recording permit) and currently resides near San Diego
California, where a large converted garage, serves as his personal
studio, "The Brewery." He lives in an unusual house -- the structure
is a geodesic dome, and enjoys frequent jaunts with friends to the
nearest micro-brewery. His wife Claire keeps a steadfast vigil,
helping in any way possible to help Allan sort through the rigor of
keeping the lurking creatures of the music industry at bay. Holdsworth
is also a devoted father and Star Trek fan. Claire and Allan have
three children -- Louise, Sam and Emily (in age-decendent order). Ever
the true Englishman, Holdsworth relishes sampling and serving up fine
ales of the world in his home. He has retrieved from English pubs --
two original "hand pumps" used for removing excess carbonation. He's
only too happy to demonstrate this device for a parade of guests and
well-wishers during brief respites from his eternal quest for "the
perfect tone."
--Chris Hoard/Spring 1994 (c) 1994 Hoard Productions.
Note: use of this biography in printed or published form is prohibited
without the express permission of the author. Any requests should
be forwarded to Jeff Preston--moderator of Atavachron digest:
(preston@msuacad.morehead-st.edu).
----- end included text -----
So... what do y'all think?
Jeff
--
Jeff Preston =*= Moderator of the Allan Holdsworth discussion forum
=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*= atavachron-request@msuacad.morehead-st.edu =*=*=*=
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I ========= End of Atavachron Digest =========
\ :::: ]I[ :::: /
: ::::::: ]] [[ ::::::: : Administrative requests to:
::: ]] [[ ::: listserv@msuacad.morehead-st.edu
''::]]]]]] ]] [[ [[[[[[::''
::: ]]] ]] [[ [[[ ::: Archives via FTP available from:
::: =a=t=a=v=a=c=h=r=o=n= ::: ftp.uwp.edu (login anonymous, send
::: ]]] ]] [[ [[[ ::: full e-mail address as password)
,,::]]]]]] ]] [[ [[[[[[::,, cd holdsworth.allan
::: ]] [[ ::: cd mail.list/archives
: :::::: ]] . [[ :::::: :
/ :: ] ::: [ :: \ All opinions expressed herein are
I I those of the individual contributors.
Atavachron Digest - The Allan Holdsworth Discussion Digest
Number 87
Monday, 18 April 1994
TODAY'S TOPICS:
==============
The AH FAQ
Re: AH appearances
Re: The AH FAQ
To AH requesting info:
more on the other half...
RE: more on the other half...
from an AH fan of the Female persuasion
women and Holdsworth
biography
Re: from an AH fan of the Female persuasion
NZ Dates?
Re: NZ Dates?
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: "ToddM"
Date: 14 Apr 1994 14:59:56CST6CDT
Subject: The AH FAQ
[ Moderator's note: I reformatted Todd's text to make it conform with
the 80-column standard. -- J.P. ]
One thing that would be nice to add to the FAQ is that Allan seems to
participate in projects that surprise his many fans, i.e. one would have
the image of AH as a serious composer and would never indulge in anything
less than what he would consider totally artistic, yet:
He participated on several songs by Pop-Synth rockers Strange Advance.
Was a guest guitarist on an album by heavy metallers Krokus.
Participated and played live with Level 42 supporting "Guaranteed".
Participated in a wild cover version of Wild Cherry's "Play that Funky
Music, White Boy", with ex-Night Ranger guitarist Jeff Watson.
Participated in projects by fusion guitarist Carl Verheyen, multitalented
drummer Chad Wackerman, reclusive fusion artists Soma, the french fusion
band Gong, Soft Machine, Jack Bruce, heavy metal guitarist Alex Masi, Bill
Bruford, UK, violinist Jean-Luc Ponty among others.
AH seems to participate in whatever interests him, makes it uniquely sound
like himself and yet can participate in the CONTEXT of the gig at hand
without resorting to stuffy academics.
I'm sure Chris can condense this to a concise paragraph since I tend to
ramble on a bit.
-ToddM.
LaserMaster Technical Support.
toddm@ramrod.lmt.mn.org
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: afcpeters@aol.com
Date: Thu, 14 Apr 94 20:51:56 EDT
Subject: Re: AH appearances
> From: "ToddM" Date: 8 Apr 1994
> 14:45:31CST6CDT Subject: Gong Stuffage
>
> > Is Allan really on this album?:
> > Gong: Downwind, 1979 (Arista)
>
> I've got this one on CD - I can confirm for you. I just gotta
> listen to it since it's been a while. There's another one like
> "Time is the Key" where he plays also, but I keep confusing
> "Downwind" with that one. I'll get back to you. -ToddM.
He is on Time Is The Key (though his work on it isn't anything special, as
the album as a whole is rather dreary). He is not on Downwind (which is a
better album); Mike Oldfield guests.
Peter Stoller
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: Jeff Preston
Subject: Re: The AH FAQ
Date: Thu, 14 Apr 94 21:01:55 EDT
> From: "ToddM"
> Subject: The AH FAQ
> One thing that would be nice to add to the FAQ is that Allan seems to
> participate in projects that surprise his many fans, i.e. one would have
> the image of AH as a serious composer and would never indulge in anything
> less than what he would consider totally artistic, yet:
[...]
> I'm sure Chris can condense this to a concise paragraph since I tend to
> ramble on a bit.
I think it's a good idea to point all this out in the FAQ; in a
manner of speaking, it *is* (both in Chris' bio section, and in
pointers to the discography), but it could be emphasized, sure.
I should have posted this along with the biography, but I was
afraid of getting too lengthy in one post. Now that I look at it,
this isn't all that long! :) Here's the outline so far; keep in
mind that a lot of suggestions have come in today which will also
end up in the finished product:
General Background
==================
1.1 Who is Allan Holdsworth?
(Chris' biography would go here)
Recordings
==========
2.1 How do I get a complete Holdsworth discography?
2.2 Why are bootleg discussions not allowed on Atavachron?
2.3 Is _Road Games_ available on CD?
2.4 What's the story regarding _Velvet Darkness_?
2.5 Does Allan have any legitimate live albums available?
2.6 Are there any legitimate videotapes of Allan?
2.7 Didn't Allan appear on a Steve Morse album?
2.8 What's this "Brewery" place I see mentioned in the liner
notes of Allan's CDs?
F.G.O. -- For Guitarists Only?
==============================
3.1 What is _Reaching For The Uncommon Chord_?
3.2 What is _Just For The Curious_?
3.3 Does Allan have an instructional video for guitarists?
3.4 Are there any other sources for tablature?
3.5 What kind of does Allan use?
3.6 Does Allan endorse or sell any type of guitar equipment?
3.7 What are these DeLap guitars, and where can I find one?
3.8 What's the story on the SynthAxe?
Miscellaneous
=============
4.1 How can I find out about upcoming Holdsworth shows in my
area?
4.2 Who will be in the band if I go see him?
4.3 I'm having trouble finding Allan's CDs, books, videos, etc.;
are there any mail order sources for his stuff?
4.4 Which of Allan's albums are most highly recommended?
4.5 Are there any interviews with Allan available online?
4.6 Are there any image or sound files related to Allan available
online?
4.7 How do I retrieve the Atavachron archives?
4.8 Is it true that Allan has Internet access?
4.9 What other interesting lists are on the net?
That's all I have right now, and I even have answers up through
the end of section two. :) Are there other things that should
be covered? Keep those suggestions coming in! Send 'em to me
directly at preston@msuacad.morehead-st.edu for the time being;
we can pose the tricky questions to the list at large as things
shape up better.
Jeff
--
Jeff Preston =*= Moderator of the Allan Holdsworth discussion forum
=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*= atavachron-request@msuacad.morehead-st.edu =*=*=*=
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Thu, 14 Apr 1994 20:13:56 -0700
From: jimlynch@netcom.com (Jim Lynch)
Subject: To AH requesting info:
Allan:
Hello; I read your interview and found it facinating, especially the part
about all instruments being a product of technology. I enjoyed the things
you had to say about the music. The latest record I have of you is Metal
Fatigue, which I enjoy as often as I have access to a record player. I
especially love the un-merry go round.
A question, if I might: I'm very curious about the electronics between your
guitar and your speakers. Could you describe your rack and amp heads?
I've been within inches of you several times now; maybe next time I'll get
up the courage to ask for your autograph...
Jim
San Francisco Bay Area
-Jim
-----
* Write to clipper.petition@cpsr.org and tell them you oppose Clipper.
* Write to cantwell@eff.org supporting HR 3627.
* Write leahy@eff.org and demand the Clinton administration explain IN
THE SENATE why it thinks U.S. citizens shouldn't have any digital privacy.
* This is a shareware .signature -- please pass it on!
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Fri, 15 Apr 1994 10:17:39 -0700
From: Malcolm Humes
Subject: more on the other half...
> Don't give up just yet, Mike! :) My wife has come around somewhat.
My girlfriend, Kat, went to see Allan with me and still cringes at memories
of the experience. She doesn't have any problems with AH with Gong or
Soft Machine, but the vocals on Road Games scare here away... she hasn't
explored AH much further than that.
Kat is not your typical dis-interested SO dragged along to explore her mate's
indulgence in music.. she liked seeing McLaughlin live, forces me to go
to Zorn shows and Diamanda Galas concerts, and she's the only woman I know
who likes Captain Beefheart enough to pop his lps on once in a while.
The AH gig we saw a few years ago left us both with similar reactions. She
hated the synthesist (Hunt?) and we both though the most dynamic player
was Wackerman on drums, though Kat thought he was "masturbating" a bit
and overplaying his part. I'll have a hard time talking her into going to
another Holdsworth show. Meanwhile she's forcing me to go see Fred Frith
again next week... and Ozric Tentacles and Faust are coming in a few weeks
too. :^)
- malcolm
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Fri, 15 Apr 1994 14:15:10 -0500 (CDT)
From: "WDDOZIER@ANL.GOV, (708)252-5476"
Subject: RE: more on the other half...
>The AH gig we saw a few years ago left us both with similar reactions. She
>hated the synthesist (Hunt?) and we both though the most dynamic player
>was Wackerman on drums, though Kat thought he was "masturbating" a bit
>and overplaying his part. I'll have a hard time talking her into going to
>another Holdsworth show. Meanwhile she's forcing me to go see Fred Frith
>again next week... and Ozric Tentacles and Faust are coming in a few weeks
>too. :^)
I have to agree with your girlfriend, Malcom, about Hunt. IMHO, his
contributions are completely disposable. I'd rather have more AH solos.
Bill
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Fri, 15 Apr 94 14:46:11 CDT
From: bresloff@oxygen.aps1.anl.gov (Cynthia Bresloff)
Subject: from an AH fan of the Female persuasion
Awright, you guys, I've had enough! :-o
All these posts about *female* significant others of Holdsworth fans
being unable to appreciate Allans' music is beginning to drive me batty - enough
to have to tell ya, it works the other way, too, you know...
A former boyfriend of mine(musician, in fact) used to *hate* it
when I'd play Allan Holdsworth - especially if it was when he was driving ('hey,
cantcha play something *melodic*?!? I can't drive to *this*!!') He even had a
hard time with _Road Games_ and _Metal
Fatigue_ ... although, I must admit, he did come to his senses after a while.
Draggin' him to an AH concert helped.
I just don't get it, though, WHY is it assumed that women can't/won't/don't
*get* Allan's music?? I remember the time I bought my first AH record - It
was _Road Games_; I went up to the counter of this small, independent record
store, and the guy behind the counter goes ''YOU listen to *Allan
Holdsworth*???'
Actually, I get this kinda thing for listening to the likes of Steve Morse,
Scott Henderson, Frank Gambale.... what gives, guys????
(sigh...)
-Cyndy
-------------------------------------------------------------------
be a musician, or, just listen like one!
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Fri, 15 Apr 94 21:37:10 -0400
From: rardin%cygnus.dnet@auriga (R. Lynn Rardin)
Subject: women and Holdsworth
>All these posts about *female* significant others of Holdsworth fans
>being unable to appreciate Allans' music is beginning to drive me batty -
>enough to have to tell ya, it works the other way, too, you know...
I wasn't trying to criticize my wife for not being more into Allan's music.
Hell, I would love it if Allan's music clicked with her at some point.
>I just don't get it, though, WHY is it assumed that women can't/won't/don't
>*get* Allan's music??...
>
>Actually, I get this kinda thing for listening to the likes of Steve Morse,
>Scott Henderson, Frank Gambale.... what gives, guys????
>(sigh...)
What gives is that I just don't see that many women at Holdsworth shows. To
me, that means there must not be that many women interested in his music. I,
for one, would be ecstatic if more women were interested in Allan's music (and
jazz, for that matter). Then there would be a bigger market for the music I
like, musicians would have an easier time making a living, etc., etc.
-Lynn (rardin@auriga.rose.brandeis.edu)
(who's glad to know we have a woman AH fan on the list! :)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Sat, 16 Apr 94 02:20:08 PDT
From: uk438@freenet.victoria.bc.ca (Graeme McIntryre)
Subject: biography
JUst finished reading the biography. Excellent job! I enjoyed
reading it........ very succinct and to the point. It has a bunch
of new stuff that wasn't in the old bio. sheet. Could anybody tell
me if Allan is planning to come to the Northwest any time soon?
I've never seen him live and would love to know if he's going to
be playing Vancouver or Seattle anytime soon. By the way, I just
got a recording of "Road Games" off a friend...... anybody else
fallen in love with "Water on the Brain"? Great Stuff! I also dg
up an old guitar mag with a transcription of "Road Games" and a bunch
of snippets from some other songs. It also has an analysis of his
playing..... good stuff. Keep up the good work, Jeff!
--
@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@
@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@ Graeme McIntyre @@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@
@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@ uk438@freenet.victoria.bc.ca @@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@
@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Sat, 16 Apr 94 13:17:22 -0500
From: uchima@fncrd8.fnal.gov (Mike Uchima)
Subject: Re: from an AH fan of the Female persuasion
bresloff@oxygen.aps1.anl.gov (Cynthia Bresloff) wrote:
> Awright, you guys, I've had enough! :-o
>
> All these posts about *female* significant others of Holdsworth fans
> being unable to appreciate Allans' music is beginning to drive me batty -
enough
> to have to tell ya, it works the other way, too, you know...
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
I never meant to imply that it *didn't*.
I think you're just seeing a statistical effect of the fact that *most*
subscribers to this list do happen to be male; it follows that most
"significant others" of Atavachron readers are going to be female. IMHO,
Holdsworth's music is somewhat of an acquired taste, for someone of *either*
gender. Therefore (unless you have selected your SO primarily on the basis of
their musical tastes), it is pretty unlikely that *anyone's* SO is going to
turn out to be a Holdsworth fan.
Most *guys* that I've tried to introduce Holdsworth's music to have not
exactly been enthusiastic either. I get a lot of comments like "Gee, I kind
of like music to have a *melody*." or "Well, that was... uh... interesting...
I guess." (I think you get the idea). :)
-- Mike Uchima
-- uchima@fnal.fnal.gov
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: "Allan Blackman"
Date: 17 Apr 94 17:32:31 GMT+1200
Subject: NZ Dates?
Hi from NZ - has anyone got confirmation of the prospective New
Zealand (presumably Auckland) tour date yet?
Thanks
Allan
**********************************************************************
Allan Blackman, Department of Chemistry, University of Otago, Dunedin,
New Zealand. e-mail blackman@alkali.otago.ac.nz
**********************************************************************
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: Jeff Preston
Subject: Re: NZ Dates?
Date: Sun, 17 Apr 94 0:51:29 EDT
> From: "Allan Blackman"
> Subject: NZ Dates?
> Hi from NZ - has anyone got confirmation of the prospective New
> Zealand (presumably Auckland) tour date yet?
Nothing yet, so I would assume the date is on; I'll post here if and
when I get more specific information from Claire. I'm waiting to hear
from her now concerning a report from another netter that the May 13th
show at New George's in San Rafael, California may have been cancelled.
Jeff
--
Jeff Preston =*= Moderator of the Allan Holdsworth discussion forum
=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*= atavachron-request@msuacad.morehead-st.edu =*=*=*=
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
========= End of Atavachron Digest ========= I
\ :::: ]I[ :::: /
Administrative requests to: : ::::::: ]] [[ ::::::: :
listserv@msuacad.morehead-st.edu ::: ]] [[ :::
''::]]]]]] ]] [[ [[[[[[::''
Archives via FTP available from: ::: ]]] ]] [[ [[[ :::
ftp.uwp.edu (login anonymous, send ::: =a=t=a=v=a=c=h=r=o=n= :::
full e-mail address as password) ::: ]]] ]] [[ [[[ :::
cd holdsworth.allan ,,::]]]]]] ]] [[ [[[[[[::,,
cd mail.list/archives ::: ]] [[ :::
: :::::: ]] . [[ :::::: :
All opinions expressed herein are / :: ] ::: [ :: \
those of the individual contributors. I I
Atavachron Digest - The Allan Holdsworth Discussion Digest
Number 88
Thursday, 21 April 1994
TODAY'S TOPICS:
==============
HHA and Canadian Dates
AH Magazine Coverage
Velvet Darkness, the CD reissue
Re: AH Magazine Coverage
Hey-count me in too!
Listening to AH (male vs female)
Atavachron Digest Number 87
Re: Atavachron #87 (Subject: more on the other half...)
Re: Subject: from an AH fan of the Female persuasion
A new listener writes...
Gig cancellation / Anyone going to Tempe?
Just the FAQ, ma'am
Allan playing in the Northeast?
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Mon, 18 Apr 1994 09:28:00 +0000
From: Gino.Smecca.BRGXS06@nt.com
Subject: HHA and Canadian Dates
I have a couple of questions that I hope someone can answer.
1) Does anyone know if HHA is available in Canada yet?
2) Is Allan going to be coming anywhere near Toronto on
his tour?
Gino Smecca
'gino.smecca@nt.com'
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Mon, 18 Apr 94 16:28:52 +0100
From: koelman@stc.nato.int (Ton Koelman)
Subject: AH Magazine Coverage
I realize this may be somewhat ambitious, but should
we attempt to make a list of AH magazine coverage?
In magazines such as Guitar Player etc.. (or any
magazine for that matter)
A lot of these coverages have transcriptions and stuff.
Ton K.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Mon, 18 Apr 94 16:41:31 +0100
From: koelman@stc.nato.int (Ton Koelman)
Subject: Velvet Darkness, the CD reissue
Is it really true that the CD reissue
of Velvet Darkness (the one with the
alternate takes) is now out of print?
I bought a copy in Germany in 1990.
Do I hear any offers? :-)
Ton K.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: Jeff Preston
Subject: Re: AH Magazine Coverage
Date: Mon, 18 Apr 94 11:01:15 EDT
> From: koelman@stc.nato.int (Ton Koelman)
> Subject: AH Magazine Coverage
> I realize this may be somewhat ambitious, but should
> we attempt to make a list of AH magazine coverage?
> In magazines such as Guitar Player etc.. (or any
> magazine for that matter)
I think that's a great idea. Are you volunteering? :)
Honestly folks, haven't I done *enough*? I need help!
Jeff
--
Jeff Preston =*= Moderator of the Allan Holdsworth discussion forum
=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*= atavachron-request@msuacad.morehead-st.edu =*=*=*=
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: Dawn L Locniskar
Subject: Hey-count me in too!
Date: Mon, 18 Apr 1994 14:44:07 -0400 (EDT)
I am also a AH fan of the female gender, and have been for about three years,
ever since a friend introduced me to 'Secrets'. We went to see AH at a very
small place in St. Petersburg, FL called Club Detroit, which was pretty well
packed that evening. Admittedly, 95% of the audience was male, and I suspect
most were guitar players. Didn't bother me-I just stood back and enjoyed the
music (and got autographs from AH and Chad Wackerman after the show too)
Just my .02,
Dawn Locniskar
locniska@studentl.msu.edu
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Tue, 19 Apr 1994 11:08:01 +1000
From: Andrew Studer
Subject: Listening to AH (male vs female)
I think enough comments on the male vs female thing have appeared to demonstrate
that, naturally, it's not the gender that matters, just whether the listener
has enough musical intelligence to rise above the morass of music biz created
garbage which populates the airwaves.
Interesting, though, the comment that jazz in the US tends to be dominated by
male fans: this is not nearly the case here in SYdney, where there's a healthy
mix at most jazz venues. Furthermore, there are a bunch of excellent Sydney
jazz musicians of the female persuasion. Funnily enough, though, when AH
toured here last time, it was a strongly male dominated audience! Maybe the
advertising for the shows (which was pretty crappy- in spite of which, AH sold
out a week's worth of pub shows here) didn't target the jazz audience enough.
As for me, if AH comes here in May (as promised), I'm going with my SO, who
plays tenor sax, loves Coltrane, and listens to Bruford's "One of a Kind" on a
healthy basis. So I don't forsee much of a problem. Go on and let all those
notes rip, Allan, mate!
Andrew Studer ... studer@physics.su.oz.au
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Subject: Atavachron Digest Number 87
From: gil.amarilio@execnet.com (Gil Amarilio)
Date: Mon, 18 Apr 94 20:48:00 -0500
Hello friends,
I want to let everybody know that we are currently trying to get the
rights to reissue Road Games on CD. I have found that Warner Brothers
doesn't care that much about Allan's album. We are still waiting for an
answer (so far-6 months). I'll let you know the answer when i'll get it.
Regards,
Gil Amarilio
Ozone Records
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: afcpeters@aol.com
Date: Tue, 19 Apr 94 01:01:15 EDT
Subject: Re: Atavachron #87 (Subject: more on the other half...)
On Fri, 15 Apr 1994 10:17:39 -0700, Malcolm Humes wrote:
> She doesn't have any problems with AH with Gong or Soft Machine, but
> the vocals on Road Games scare here away... she hasn't explored AH
> much further than that.
Funny, my SO is crazy about AH, especially the I.O.U. album. The only reason
she hasn't gotten into Road Games so much is the lack of a CD.
> we both though the most dynamic player was Wackerman on drums,
> though Kat thought he was "masturbating" a bit and overplaying his
> part.
He is dynamic, and I suppose sometimes he does go a tad over the top. :)
Gotta love 'im, though. Personally, as much as I enjoy Chad's work, I prefer
watching Gary Husband with Holdsworth. It's hard to explain it, but Husband
phrases his drumming the way Holdswoth phrases guitar. Wackerman is exciting,
but there's a peculiar quality in Husband's playing; the way he leaves you
hanging for a few bars to the extent where you're almost sure he's lost, and
then, wham! - he's right on the nose. It's a little like Indian music, where
the players break down the rhythmic cycle completely differently, and the
climax is when they all come back to the downbeat. Very cool.
> Meanwhile she's forcing me to go see Fred Frith again next week...
Oh, yeah, I'm sure she's really twisting your arm. :)
Peter Stoller
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: afcpeters@aol.com
Date: Tue, 19 Apr 94 01:16:09 EDT
Subject: Re: Subject: from an AH fan of the Female persuasion
On Fri, 15 Apr 94 14:46:11 CDT, Cynthia Bresloff remarked:
> WHY is it assumed that women can't/won't/don't *get* Allan's music??
> I remember the time I bought my first AH record - It was _Road Games_;
> I went up to the counter of this small, independent record store, and
> the guy behind the counter goes 'YOU listen to *Allan Holdsworth*???'
>
> Actually, I get this kinda thing for listening to the likes of Steve
> Morse, Scott Henderson, Frank Gambale.... what gives, guys????
What gives is that "music for musicians" is perceived (with a certain degree
of statistical accuracy) as a "boys' club" - you see a relatively small
number of female fans at the gigs of artists known primarily for their
technical accomplishments, and of those, a fair percentage are only there
because their boyfriends dragged them. Of course, there are appreciative
women in the audiences; some musicians, some not.
You see whole threads about this in alt.music.progressive (it's in the bloody
FAQ!), and elsewhere; guys whining that they can't find women who share their
appreciation for the music. What can I say? They're hangin' out with the
wrong class of people. :) I don't think I could seriously consider a
long-term relationship with a woman who didn't "get" AH et al (music is too
important to me)...and I've never had a big problem finding them.
Peter Stoller
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Tue, 19 Apr 1994 14:11:14 +0100 (BST)
From: Paul Fox
Subject: A new listener writes...
Up until last year, I'd never heard any of Allan's music. I had read about
him in guitar magazines, where he was occasionally mentioned by other
players in interviews, but I don't remember seeing much about the man
himself. I do remember somebody writing about playing techniques, and
making a comment like "Allan Holdsworth's got so much technique it's
ridiculous." I decided that one of these days I would listen to Allan
to find out what everyone was talking about. Well, about May last year he
played at my local arts centre (Stockton, north east England), so I thought
I'd go along and hear him for myself.
Two things surprised me that evening. The first was the guitar. I'd
been wondering what sort of guitar he would play, but when he walked on
with the headless, I was immediately intrigued. He hadn't even plugged it
in yet and he had my attention. I was about ten feet from Allan, and was
trying to see something on the guitar that would identify it. There was
nothing obvious, so I settled down to listen, eager to hear this mysterious
instrument. The second surprise was that (in)famous technique.
As someone seeing and hearing Allan for the first time, I was amazed by the
chords he played. I've been playing guitar for twenty years, and couldn't
begin to attempt some of those fingerings. And the sound! When he played fast
solos, I decided he must have six fingers and a thumb on his left hand, but
every time he slowed down again I saw I was wrong.
Allan, Steve, Gary and Skuli all played really well, but at the end of the
night I wasn't sure whether I liked what I'd heard or not. I suppose the
music isn't easy to remember when you've only heard it once, and it's not
really like anything you've heard before. I decided that what I'd seen
was technical excellence, but that what I'd heard couldn't be appreciated
without a few listenings. I've been hunting down Allan's CD's since then,
but have only come across "Sand", "Wardenclyffe Tower" and I've just got
"Hard Hat Area", which I suppose is more or less what the band played when I
saw them. I've copied them all onto cassette, and play them in the car when
I'm on my own (*my* wife can't stand AH either!).
BTW, last year Steve Howe played at the same venue, but I didn't get to
see him because I was away on holiday. He's coming back again at the end
of this month and I'll be away again :-(
=========================================================================
Paul Fox The Language Centre
Computing Officer The University of Newcastle upon Tyne
Newcastle upon Tyne
Tel: 091 222 6000 Ext 7517 NE1 7RU
Fax: 091 261 1182 United Kingdom
Email : Paul.Fox@newcastle.ac.uk
=========================================================================
As far as I know, the University of Newcastle upon Tyne has no opinions on
Allan Holdsworth. Those expressed here are all mine.
=========================================================================
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: Jeff Preston
Subject: Gig cancellation / Anyone going to Tempe?
Date: Wed, 20 Apr 94 1:16:32 EDT
I spoke with Claire this morning, and sure enough, the May 13th
show at New George's in San Rafael, CA has been cancelled due to a
scheduling conflict. As far as she knows, though, the Australia and
New Zealand dates are still on; just no specifics on the venues yet.
Well, me dear ol' mum, who lives in Glendale, Arizona, has been
after me for a while to come visit her. So, I'm taking seven days
off from work starting next Tuesday and heading that direction.
Quite by coincidence, Allan is playing just up the road in Tempe
next Thursday, so I guess I'll have to somehow manage to drop by
and check thing out. :) Anyone here planning on being there?
Anyone from SoCal wanna cross the desert for a party? :)
Jeff
P.S. -- Don't tell Mom that I actually waited for a Holdsworth
show before I'd come out west to visit her... it'd surely
break her heart. ;)
--
Jeff Preston =*= Moderator of the Allan Holdsworth discussion forum
=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*= atavachron-request@msuacad.morehead-st.edu =*=*=*=
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: Jeff Preston
Subject: Just the FAQ, ma'am
Date: Thu, 21 Apr 94 8:25:08 EDT
Version 1.0 of the Atavachron Frequently Asked Questions file is
now available for your perusal; y'all take a look at it and tell
me what I left out. :) Remember, this will eventually also be
available as a hypertext document once we get our WWW stuff in place
(hopefully by early June), so there'll be a lot of room for
improvement between here and there.
To get the FAQ, send e-mail to listserv@msuacad.morehead-st.edu
with the following as the sole text in the body of the message:
get atavachron faq
Tear it apart, folks! :)
Jeff
--
Jeff Preston =*= Moderator of the Allan Holdsworth discussion forum
=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*= atavachron-request@msuacad.morehead-st.edu =*=*=*=
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Thu, 21 Apr 94 13:42:35 -0400
From: jerfo@student.umass.edu
Subject: Allan playing in the Northeast?
The latest New England Jazz News (which has a fun little interview
with Allan) quotes him as saying that he was to tour New England sometime
around May or June. Is there any information available to either verify or
contradict this?
*Jerfo at UMass*
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I ========= End of Atavachron Digest =========
\ :::: ]I[ :::: /
: ::::::: ]] [[ ::::::: : Administrative requests to:
::: ]] [[ ::: listserv@msuacad.morehead-st.edu
''::]]]]]] ]] [[ [[[[[[::''
::: ]]] ]] [[ [[[ ::: Archives via FTP available from:
::: =a=t=a=v=a=c=h=r=o=n= ::: ftp.uwp.edu (login anonymous, send
::: ]]] ]] [[ [[[ ::: full e-mail address as password)
,,::]]]]]] ]] [[ [[[[[[::,, cd holdsworth.allan
::: ]] [[ ::: cd mail.list/archives
: :::::: ]] . [[ :::::: :
/ :: ] ::: [ :: \ All opinions expressed herein are
I I those of the individual contributors.
Atavachron Digest - The Allan Holdsworth Discussion Digest
Number 89
Monday, 25 April 1994
TODAY'S TOPICS:
==============
Re: Atavachron Digest Number 88
Trivial Pursuit
Re: Conspiracy mode
Re: Confirmed Proto-Cosmos sighting on Cahuenga Blvd.
On the subject of Eddie Jobson
Re: On the subject of Eddie Jobson
Re: On the subject of Eddie Jobson
Re: On the subject of Eddie Jobson
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: afcpeters@aol.com
Date: Thu, 21 Apr 94 19:44:20 EDT
Subject: Re: Atavachron Digest Number 88
> Subject: Atavachron Digest Number 87 From: gil.amarilio@execnet.com
> (Gil Amarilio) Date: Mon, 18 Apr 94 20:48:00 -0500
>
> Hello friends,
>
> I want to let everybody know that we are currently trying to get the
> rights to reissue Road Games on CD. I have found that Warner
> Brothers doesn't care that much about Allan's album. We are still
> waiting for an answer (so far-6 months). I'll let you know the
> answer when I'll get it.
>
> Regards,
> Gil Amarilio
> Ozone Records
Does anyone know if there's any unissued material from these sessions that
could be released as part of the package (with Allan's approval, of course)?
Good luck, Gil! :)
Peter Stoller
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Fri, 22 Apr 94 03:18 GMT
From: chip@lakes.trenton.sc.us
Subject: Trivial Pursuit
This has been bugging for a while now.......
Long time ago, I was thumbing through a manual for an Epson XT computer.
Somewhere in there I stumble across "Fred Bloggs, Ltd." as an example
of some sort or another - realizing that the only place I've seen the
name is in the liner notes for Holdsworth recordings....
So, is this just some sort of cockney slang for something, or
(this is the part that has been collecting dust in a corner of my
mind) is it possible the guy that wrote the manual was actually a
fan? (yes, go ahead and laugh at my utter retentiveness....)
Just one of those things where you go, "hmmmmm...".. And of course
here seems like the place to find out...
And on to other seemingly inconsequential things, does anyone
know if A.H. reads sci-fi? BECAUSE-
The song title "Devil Take the Hindmost" probabably is just
some old British saying, BUT... Maybe it is a very tenuous reference
to a certain Larry Niven book?
AND ON A DIFFERENT TANGENT
I finally found a copy of HHA.. Along with a "flood" of Metal Fatigue,
IOU and Atavachron Restless re-releases. In fact, I've never seen
the bins this well stocked with Holdsworth before - what's Restless
up to? Maybe their distribution is the slowest on the planet? Has
anyone else noticed this? It seems odd, though, that I can find
a plethora of M. Fatigue and IOU right when he has a new release..?
Not trying to fulfill some sort of "number" obligation, are they?
(CONSPIRACY MODE: OFF)
AND HOW ABOUT
A nominee for "Best Moment on HHA":
The Bb at 7:16 at the end of "House of Mirrors"?
Comments?
--
]] Chip McDonald / chip@lakes.trenton.sc.us / chip@wa4phy.async.com [[
"Everything is important and nothing is as important as everything"
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Fri, 22 Apr 94 09:49:01 CDT
From: crispen@eight-ball.boeing.com (Bob Crispen)
Subject: Re: Conspiracy mode
chip@lakes.trenton.sc.us sez:
>I finally found a copy of HHA.. Along with a "flood" of Metal Fatigue,
>IOU and Atavachron Restless re-releases.
Aha! Guess what CDs I found at exactly the same time: HHA, Metal
Fatigue and IOU (somebody must have snagged the Atavachron).
But HHA had a defect on track 2 that manifested itself ONLY on my
home CD player. And it's the first CD that my pretty nice home player
has ever found a flaw on. Not only is this a conspiracy, it's a
conspiracy against ME!
One of these days I'll get a copy of HHA I don't have to give back.
+-------------------------------+--------------------------------------+
| Rev. Bob "Bob" Crispen | Music should not be held responsible |
| crispen@foxy.boeing.com | for the people who listen to it. |
+-------------------------------+--------------------------------------+
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: C_HOARD@BAX.compuserve.com
Date: 22 Apr 94 17:29:54 EDT
Subject: Re: Confirmed Proto-Cosmos sighting on Cahuenga Blvd.
Hello Atavachronians...
I'm forwarding a post a friend of mine sent to the Allmusic digest--and
a few of interest I borrowed from the last few Disciplines)...
>One thing that amazes me every time I see Allan Holdsworth play--he
starts out the first set with the most phenomenal chordal sounds in
this galaxy--then launches into a solo--which (especially in a small
room like Catalina's) can't be heard over Gary Husband's drums and
Skuli's bass... The whole audience then enters into the opening set
ritual (at the first available break--after track 2)--"turn up yer
fuckin' guitar, Allan!" AH then politely apologizes for the fact
that there's no PA--no soundman, and then we finally have blast-off.
>Holdsworth includes in his set a piece from (written by A. Pasqua--
I stand corrected by J. Preston) called "Proto-Cosmos." It was from
one of hical beast toying with a scrap of virginal human
flesh--one moment--than caressing it, tugging it, bending it...
slowly massaging it into a fusiongasm that seems to just leave the
whole crowd soaked in... electrojazzamajizz!
>I can barely function this week, thinking about catching it all again
on the closing date of this engagement Sunday night...!
>--Amon Freon of Cydonia
***********************
And re: our man Todd posts about my post about his post in Discipline:
>From: "ToddM"
>Organization: LaserMaster Technologies, Mpls, MN
>Date: 18 Apr 1994 17:42:50CST6CDT
>Subject: Responses to Chris' Comments
Chris' had a few interesting comments in this area due to the fact that his
relations with the artists in question allowed us to go beyond the "gee,
imagine the way it was" to the "this IS the way it was".
Chris says:
> My three favorite "progressive albums" released between '75 and '80 (when
> KC had left the scene for 5 years...) were the first UK, BB's _One of a
> Kind_, and Gentle Giant's _Free Hand_. Danger Money--sorry.
Actually, I like all four. But yeah, UK/UK was more of an adventure. With
"Danger Money" I kind of knew what I would hear after the first tune.
> I wouldn't recommend against its purchase--especially for Wetton/Jobson fans,
> because there's some great Wetton there--far surpassing, say the Asia schlock.
Agreed. Asia really bothered me because there was such a buildup of
advertising for it before it was released. After "Drama", I thought they
might even go farther with progressive sounds and what happened? Asia.
Blecch. And one of the worst sounding recordings of all time, IMHO.
Today, it holds up on the radio because a lot of other garbage has been
released. But yeah, most of it is pretty forgettable.
> The fragile chemistry that couldn't hold together with the first UK
> ensemble--was something totally unique IMO because of Holdsworth, who
> brought a completely different mood and feel to that band--and frankly AH's
> singular sense of melody and improvisation--to me--made that band's music a
> lot more interesting than it otherwise would have been.
Exactly. UK with Fripp could have been Crimson. But with Holdsworth, an
interesting HYBRID emerged, such songs as "Mental Medication" and
"NeverMore" - I could stand to have heard several more albums of stuff like
that. Kind of a weird combination of Gong's "Night Illusion" (excellent,
excellent Holdsworth soloing and lines on that one), Jobson's synthesizer
and violin visions as well as Wetton's husky voice and deep bass. I heard
distinct classical, jazz, rock, and modern synthesizer musics on the first
UK.
> I actually
> discussed this at length with Jobson--who seemed to agree with me on that
> point--but at the time, AH was not interested in making "glued together"
> music--i.e., meticulously crafted projects via the overdubbing process.
Yeah, some of the sections sounded grafted together. And Jobson - he's
relegated to doing commercials for the most part? I'd rather hear him do
soundtracks so we can at least BUY something by him. I guess "Theme of
Secrets" didn't do too well and he chucked the pop music world once and for
all. Anything else recent by him besides the "Viper" TV show?
> His homemade _I.O.U._ project which followed was really a "live" response
> to all that rehashing (which I frankly loved)--
The album that redefined the role, sound, timbre and technique of "rhythm"
guitar forever. The album that showed Holdsworth's soloing ability was
there as never before. A very forward thinking album and a prelude of what
was to come. It is excellent.
> that went into the Bruford
> and UK projects. AH, like Fripp, was a distressed musician at the "I used to
just
get drunk".. Fair enough, but I'm glad he's moved out of that period of
his life. At the same time, it's obvious AH's role was to create
structures to improvise over, not create little blocks and graft them
together and then play the same lines over them night after night
(after....).
> AH never denied this--claiming the music--and the restrictions placed on him
> by EJ and JW made him feel all the more wretched. I thought some of
> Wetton's best vocals ever were one the tune's co-penned by AH--"Never More"
> and "Mental Medication." Upon making that comment to AH he said something
> to the effect it was hell to get Wetton to sing the parts AH wrote-- he
> couldn't understand the harmonies, and AH had to coach him through the
> singing in the studio until JW got it right.
You can see hear JW fluff it on: "Metal Medication......SWUH Music's....."
where he should have said "Sweet", or at least enunciated it a bit better.
> Needless to say there was
> tension all around with that project--but the results-- however short
> lived--I thought were magnificent.
Sometimes life is like that. I keep thinking of Crimson's "Red" and going:
"I want to hear what comes after that". I wonder if that lineup had
survived what would have transpired.
In the meantime, I've discovered a Japanese band called Bi Kyo Ran that, of
all things sounds incredibly like '73-'74 Crimson. In fact, they sound
more like Crimson than even Anekdoten does, even the improvisations. I'll
fill you in a little more later.
-ToddM.
<<>>:
>I don't know about your rumor, but The Bruford tune "Forever Until Sunday"
originated as a UK piece; it was played by the original lineup on their 1st
North American tour. Unauthorized recordings of this exist. Ditto for the
previously mentioned "Carrying No Cross" and "The Only Thing She Needs".
The Pittsburgh version of "Starless" from "The Great Deceiver" features
lyrics not in the original song that ended up in UK's "Caesar's Palace
Blues", as has been pointed out previously on this list.
I've always wondered if "Carrying No Cross" was a KC leftover and if
perhaps the title referred to its one-time violinist. Hey, perhaps Fripp,
Levin, Belew et al will have a track called "Carrying No Bruford" on their
forthcoming album. :-)
-
>Dave Lane davidl@ratsys.com
For the record--as I probably posted here before--both Bruford and Jobson
had told me UK was originally a King Crimson reunion of sorts--Fripp had
agreed to it--but only under a different name (The League of Gentlemen)
--a name which RF used several years later with an underground "new wave"
band. Fripp later backed out and AH was coaxed in--as BB and EJ's version
went. That was the rumour D. Lane referred to above, as I recall.
*************************
I had a brief chat with Gary Husband--I'll try and talk with him more
when the gang and I catch AH on Sunday night again at Catalinas...
Anyway... he's playing better than I can ever remember (which is
obscenely good!). I'd heard from somebody once he'd secured a deal
with CMP--he's a multi-faceted musician (also a damn good keyboard
player). But so far, as he's told me, not been able to raise any
interest in someone financing his solo project. AH has always told
me--if he ever had the resources--he'd gladly produce a solo
record of Husband's music--I have a feeling that would be a very
memorable project.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Fri, 22 Apr 1994 15:54:07 -0700
From: dmick@pongo73.West.Sun.COM (Dan Mick)
Subject: On the subject of Eddie Jobson
Since we're discussing UK and Jobson, does anyone know how to get
hold of a Jobson album from ca. 1982/83 called Green? I remember
really enjoying that, but my tape of it broke a long time ago, and
I can't find it in any catalog; I'd love to see if I was nuts or
if it really was an interesting album.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Mon, 25 Apr 94 09:22:25 -0500
From: uchima@fncrd8.fnal.gov (Mike Uchima)
Subject: Re: On the subject of Eddie Jobson
> Since we're discussing UK and Jobson, does anyone know how to get
> hold of a Jobson album from ca. 1982/83 called Green? I remember
> really enjoying that, but my tape of it broke a long time ago, and
> I can't find it in any catalog; I'd love to see if I was nuts or
> if it really was an interesting album.
Compact Disc Connection has it in their catalog (on One Way Records). What's
it like?
-- Mike Uchima
-- uchima@fnal.fnal.gov
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: dmick@pongo.West.Sun.COM (Dan Mick)
Subject: Re: On the subject of Eddie Jobson
Date: Mon, 25 Apr 1994 11:18:46 -0700 (PDT)
> > Since we're discussing UK and Jobson, does anyone know how to get
> > hold of a Jobson album from ca. 1982/83 called Green? I remember
> > really enjoying that, but my tape of it broke a long time ago, and
> > I can't find it in any catalog; I'd love to see if I was nuts or
> > if it really was an interesting album.
>
> Compact Disc Connection has it in their catalog (on One Way Records). What's
> it like?
Well, one of the reasons I'd like to hear it again is that I don't have
very clear memories of it. It seems to me it was mostly keys (no big
surprise) with some violin (again, no huge surprise); sort of like the
stuff JLP was doing around then, but more contemplative, heading toward
the Windham Hill stuff but not there yet (I can't take much "soft jazz",
but I'm struggling for a memory here..) I seem to remember echoes of
Jobson w/UK in it, but much more updated, more produced. I'm pretty sure
there were vocals on most tracks. I think it didn't sound extremely
dissimilar to Eric Johnson's _Tones_, but with lots less guitar.
Anyway, can you mail me privately about this CDC? I'd like to get
a Green, just to make a bridge with my past...and I know I should know
about CDC already, but I haven't used them yet.
>
> -- Mike Uchima
> -- uchima@fnal.fnal.gov
>
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Mon, 25 Apr 1994 13:58:18 CDT
From: "Alaric S. Haag - IMRlab System Manager and part-time Visigoth"
Subject: Re: On the subject of Eddie Jobson
> From: MX%"atavachron@msuacad.morehead-st.edu" 25-APR-1994 09:59:07.80
> Subj: Re: On the subject of Eddie Jobson
> > Since we're discussing UK and Jobson, does anyone know how to get
> > hold of a Jobson album from ca. 1982/83 called Green? I remember
> > really enjoying that, but my tape of it broke a long time ago, and
> > I can't find it in any catalog; I'd love to see if I was nuts or
> > if it really was an interesting album.
>
> Compact Disc Connection has it in their catalog (on One Way Records). What's
> it like?
>
> -- Mike Uchima
> -- uchima@fnal.fnal.gov
>
I have the LP, (either the title or the band was called Zinc,
unless the above refers to another one) and though I haven't
listened to it in quite awhile, I remember enjoying it quite a
bit. Some might not like the vocals, but I thought they were OK,
and some really great analog synth sounds!! I'd have to look to
see who the lineup was on the LP, seems like the drummer was real
good (Simon Phillips, perhaps) but I just can't recall. The
overall sound was a little less "progressive" than UK, but very
synth-heavy. It has some tracks that drift off in really
wonderful spacey directions too.
Ric
%^{)
----
[ Alaric S. Haag, Research Associate haag@imr00.me.lsu.edu ]
[ Louisiana State University, Mech. Engr. Dept. Facts: (504) 388-5924 ]
[ Baton Rouge, LA 70803 Opinions: (504) 388-5897 ]
================== This disclaimer intentionally left blank ===================
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
========= End of Atavachron Digest ========= I
\ :::: ]I[ :::: /
Administrative requests to: : ::::::: ]] [[ ::::::: :
listserv@msuacad.morehead-st.edu ::: ]] [[ :::
''::]]]]]] ]] [[ [[[[[[::''
Archives via FTP available from: ::: ]]] ]] [[ [[[ :::
ftp.uwp.edu (login anonymous, send ::: =a=t=a=v=a=c=h=r=o=n= :::
full e-mail address as password) ::: ]]] ]] [[ [[[ :::
cd holdsworth.allan ,,::]]]]]] ]] [[ [[[[[[::,,
cd mail.list/archives ::: ]] [[ :::
: :::::: ]] . [[ :::::: :
All opinions expressed herein are / :: ] ::: [ :: \
those of the individual contributors. I I
Atavachron Digest - The Allan Holdsworth Discussion Digest
Number 90
Friday, 29 April 1994
TODAY'S TOPICS:
==============
Recommendations on Music
re: Atavachron Digest Number 89
Re: Recommendations on Music
Re: UK (aka "phew-kay")
Re: Recommendations on Music
Ozone Records
Re: Atavachron Digest Number 89
Re: Recommendations on Music- Phil Keaggy
--- AH Bibliography
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[ Moderator's note: This issue of Atavachron Digest proudly sponsored by
Mick Porter and Apple Powerbook, by way of Tempe, Arizona & Sierra Nevada
Pale Ale... ummmm! :) --JP ]
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Mon, 25 Apr 94 17:42:15 CDT
From: Jef=Veatch%EDI=Srvc%Contractors@bangate.compaq.com
Subject: Recommendations on Music
Peoples,
I kno' this group is intended for AH discussions, so this
question might be a touch "out of scope".
I listen to virtually all forms of music, everything from
Classical to classic rock. (Still have a hard time listening
to country and RAP, but that's another story...) I have been
listening to AH for about 5 years now, and i must say, out of
all of the different forms of music that i listen to, AH
effects me the most.
I have tried to track down other artists with similar styles,
but what i have came across has been very limited. I grabbed
some of Bill Bruford's CDs, and some Jeff Berlin stuff is
pretty outrageous, too. What i am looking for is some
recommendations on other artists that might fall in to this
(for lack of a better term) "category" of music.
Any he'p would be way cool.
Peace.
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
" I repeat myself when under stress.
I repeat myself when under stress.
I repeat myself when under stress..." - Adrian Belew
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Jef Veatch _ /|
\'o.O'
=(___)=
(email) veatch@csid.gmeds.com U
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Mon, 25 Apr 94 23:14:53 EDT
From: David=Lane%HQ%Rational@Vines1.ratsys.com
Subject: re: Atavachron Digest Number 89
>Date: Fri, 22 Apr 1994 15:54:07 -0700
>From: dmick@pongo73.West.Sun.COM (Dan Mick)
>Subject: On the subject of Eddie Jobson
>
>Since we're discussing UK and Jobson, does anyone know how to get
>hold of a Jobson album from ca. 1982/83 called Green? I remember
>really enjoying that, but my tape of it broke a long time ago, and
>I can't find it in any catalog; I'd love to see if I was nuts or
>if it really was an interesting album.
Eddie Jobson / Zinc "The Green Album"
This was reissued in the last year or so, and is in the
last several Noteworthy catalogs for what I remember to
be around $8 or $9. It was pretty interesting, but the
vocals are an acquired taste to say the least. Folklore
has it that EJ was so self-conscious about his singing
that he made everyone, including the engineer, leave the
studio when he was doing the vocal tracks.
Some moments of the record are solo piano, others are standard
prog-sounding. None of the members of the band's names ring a
bell with me right now, but I remember that the guitarist was
from Gentle Giant.
I also remember seeing a video of one of the songs once in the
mid-80's.
dave lane davidl@ratsys.com
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Tue, 26 Apr 1994 10:10:36 -0400
From: jerfo@student.umass.edu
Subject: Re: Recommendations on Music
>pretty outrageous, too. What i am looking for is some
>recommendations on other artists that might fall in to this
>(for lack of a better term) "category" of music.
Try any album with Scott Henderson on it; his group "Tribal Tech" has
some great musicians in it, and Henderson himself is an absolutely marvelous
guitarist...I remember reading somewhere that Holdsworth himself admired
Henderson's playing to a terrific extent.
In the bargin bins in most record stores you will probably be able to find
an album called "Players" that features Henderson, Jeff Berlin, Steve Smith
(a multi-talented drummer) and T Lavitz on keys; it gets my highest praise.
You might also enjoy certain albums by Al DiMeola, John Schofield, Frank
Gambale...and even Chick Corea's recent stuff.
I hope that this helps somewhat.
*Jerfo @UMass*
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: Kingsley Durant Jr
Subject: Re: UK (aka "phew-kay")
Date: Tue, 26 Apr 94 10:43:20 EDT
Greetings from VA :-)
I feel compelled to pitch in RE: the UK nostalgia trip. I had
the pleasure of attending 3 Boston UK shows in 78-79 and they
could well have been three different bands. Revisionist
history suggests that Allan was completely and utterly
miserable throughout. Well the first Boston show, July 78 at
the Paradise, contradicts that completely. The gig was
broadcast live by WBCN and, as I was at the show (actually,
since I had friends at WBCN but no tickets, I was hanging out
at the back door & in the van) I was unable to tape it then,
but I caught a re-broadcast (edited severely) a few months
later which I still have. Allan was all over the place on that
gig - definitely coloring outside the lines, which probably
drove Wetton & Jobson nuts but really added some looseness and
color to the music, that is mostly lacking on the records. (To
digress, does anybody else out there share my opinion the
opening bit of AH's _Thirty Years_ solo is one of the best bits
ever recorded by AH or any other guitarist?) I only wish I had
the whole show on tape. At the time, WBCN DJ Tracy Roach
promised me she'd try to spririt out a complete dub (which
*did* include _Forever Until Sunday_, BTW) but she never came
through. Of course, it would have been somewhat reckless on
her part - she didn't know me all that well & it would have
made a great bootleg, not that I had any such plans. I wonder
if it's still socked away in their library somewhere?
I got motivated to find the tape and give it a listen this
morning - very enjoyable. Allan is mixed well up - you can
hear every little thing he does, but the board person obviously
didn't know the music too well - he kept missing vocal &
keyboard cues. For a Holdsworth fan, though, this mix is a
dream come true! Wetton comes of like a real goober with his
onstage patter: "Is this really Paradise?" "Thank you very
much - very much - very much" (cheesey echoplexed vocal tag to
CNC), and the best part - he forgot the 2nd verse to CPB,
improvised some gibberish for a couple of lines then just gave
up and yelled. Not the sort of thing that ends up released as
a live record! Each of them missed a cue here & there, and
Bruford got the beat turned around in a couple of places (and
acted like it should have been there all along, good old
Broof). All in all, an incredibly interesting bit of history.
I've got two other observations to share. #1: best prog-rock
75-80? No question in *my* mind, it's National Health's _Of
Queues and Cures_. (Too left of center, Chris?) #2: I listened
to WT back-to-back with Michael Brecker's _Don't Try This At
Home_ last night and heard Allan's solo voice in a whole new
light. Rather than belaboring the point, all I can say is try
this yourselves. Lots of guitarists give lip service to trying
to play like a good saxophonist, but Allan's the only one who
really *does* it. Chris, do whatever it takes to get AH and MB
playing on the same session. *PLEASE!* Just imagine MB (with
all due apologies to my buddy Steve) taking a solo on _Sphere
of Innocence_ or _Tullio_! Kinda gives me the chills.
One other thing. I'm moving to the west side of Cleveland in
July - any Atavachronistas out that way?
--Kingsley
--
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Kingsley Durant a.k.a. kd3e@uva386.schools.virginia.edu
1602 Townwood Court
Charlottesville, VA 22901
(804) 974-7108
"Not everything that counts can be counted, and not
everything that can be counted, counts."
--A. Einstein
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: Udo Merkel
Date: Tue, 26 Apr 94 17:20:47 +0200
Subject: Re: Recommendations on Music
veatch@csid.gmeds.com wrote:
> Peoples,
> I kno' this group is intended for AH discussions, so this
> question might be a touch "out of scope".
> I listen to virtually all forms of music, everything from
> Classical to classic rock.
What about adding jazz to this scope -- then you might well find
Pat Martino no less an inventive and skilled guitar player than AH.
> (Still have a hard time listening
> to country and RAP, but that's another story...)
we all have; how could we ever hope to escape this kind of stuff ;)
> I have been
> listening to AH for about 5 years now, and i must say, out of
> all of the different forms of music that i listen to, AH
> effects me the most.
this may be so because AH is expressing something more akin to
our day to day experiences; I'm sure you had moments too you'd
find classical music the most affecting. I find it still rewarding
at times to listen to Sibelius (.. am I getting out of scope?)
> I have tried to track down other artists with similar styles,
> but what i have came across has been very limited. I grabbed
> some of Bill Bruford's CDs, and some Jeff Berlin stuff is
> pretty outrageous, too. What i am looking for is some
> recommendations on other artists that might fall in to this
> (for lack of a better term) "category" of music.
> Any he'p would be way cool.
The category you allude to is steadily broadening; compare Allan's
contribution to JLP's Enigmatic Ocean with stuff from the album HHA
and you'll find there was a long way to go. Some of the HHA material
though reminded me of Norwegian guitarist Terje Rypdal's work around
the mid 80s -- sort of "Nordic" style based on icy synth sounds..
Sorry I seem to remember I'd heard it on radio and do not have any
references handy.
> Peace.
Udo
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Udo Merkel merkel@informatik.uni-stuttgart.de
Institut f"ur Informatik, Universit"at Stuttgart Tel: (+49 711) 7816-305
Breitwiesenstrasse 20-22, D-70565 Stuttgart, Germany Fax: (+49 711) 7816-370
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
He makes himself me nothing, you nothing out of the dust. (Automated transl.)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Tue, 26 Apr 94 17:19:47 EDT
From: David=Lane%HQ%Rational@Vines1.ratsys.com
Subject: Ozone Records
Seeing as how Ozone Records is looking into the possibility
of putting out "Road Games" on CD [Yessssssss!], and is also
planning on issuing a new Gong album with AH appearing on it,
I figured I'd mention the other material they have to offer.
As far as I can tell, what their releases so far all have in
common is that they feature past and present members of the band
Brand X. Apparently, they plan on expanding their scope, given
the recent news.
For those of you who might not know, Brand X is a prog/fusion
revolving roster of musicians that put out several albums from
'76 to '82 and reunited in '92.
Their members include(d):
guitar: John Goodsall [Fire Merchants]
bass: Percy Jones, John Giblin [Fish, Simple Minds]
drums: Phil Collins [Beer ads], Mike Clarke, Kenwood Dennard
Keyboards: David Robinson [Phil Collins], Robin Lumley [Phil Collins]
Percussion: Morris Pert [Peter Gabriel, Anthony Phillips]
Current Ozone offerings: Brand X personnel:
========================================= ==================================
OZ-001 Brand X "Xcommunication" (Jones, Goodsall, Katz)
OZ-002 Wilding / Bonus "Pleasure Signals" (Collins, Goodsal, Lumley)
OZ-003 Paranoise "Start A New Race" (Jones)
OZ-004 Jones Percy "With Tunnels" (Jones (obviously), Katz)
OZ-005 Marscape "Marscape" (Collins, Jones, Goodsall, Lumley)
OZ-006 Zentner Michael "Present Time" (Jones, Dennard)
OZ-007 Big Jim Sullivan "Test Of Time" (?)
I already have #1 and #2. I plan on getting the rest.
"XCommunication" gets heavy amounts of playing time, but I really haven't
gotten into "Pleasure Signals" too much yet. Also worth mentioning is the
eponymous album by Fire Merchants (featuring P. Jones, Doug Lunn [Mike
Kenneally's Hat] and Chester Thompson [Weather Report, Zappa, Genesis])
which is on another record label.
One of my musical fantasies has AH teaming up with Percy Jones. We should
hound Chris Hoard & Gil Amarilio incessantly until it happens.
(Note: I'm just a satisfied customer. As far as I know, I'm not
going to get any kickbacks for mentioning Ozone.)
- - -
dave lane davidl@ratsys.com
"Yadda yadda yadda"
-- "Spooky" Mulder
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Wed, 27 Apr 1994 10:00:34 -0400 (EDT)
From: "Who cares if it works... it just has to SELL!"
Subject: Re: Atavachron Digest Number 89
RE: IOU...
I still have the original vinyl that I bought at my very first Holdsworth show,
at Oddfellows Hall in Towson. The original IOU lineup performed; it was great.
I guess I got it out recently because for some reason I wanted to figure out
'temporary fault' and now I can't get it off the turntable. I think this is my
fave AH album. Every single song is superb, compositionally, and the overall
sound is spectacular. Amazing for a low budget project. I love Paul Williams'
vocals, I think he's far superior to Jack Bruce. It's really too bad he was
booted from the road games project, but I guess it's typical of record company
Tom O'Toole - ecf_stbo@jhuvms.hcf.jhu.edu - JHUVMS system programmer
Homewood Computing Facilities - Johns Hopkins University, Balto. Md. 21218
Disco music makes it possible to have 'disco entertainment centers',
where dull, boring people can meet, and reproduce. - Frank
manager-morons...
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: dsimms@aol.com
Date: Wed, 27 Apr 94 11:23:39 EDT
Subject: Re: Recommendations on Music- Phil Keaggy
If you like the Holdsworth sound/style, you might want to check out Phil
Keaggy. He is a Christian artist who does a lot of instrumentals. I had a
chance to see him live at a NAMM show about 7 years ago. He is a great
guitarist with a lot of the fast, fluid legato runs and interesting chords
like AH. I'm not sure which of his albums to recommend, since I don't own
any, but he has been recording for at least the last ten years. By the way,
I have a UK album from the early 80's (includes songs like Alaska and Mental
Medication). Are there any other UK albums like this out? I'm a recent
subscriber to Atavachron, so I haven't kept up with this.
Thanks
Doug Simms
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Wed, 27 Apr 94 17:33:20 +0100
From: koelman@stc.nato.int (Ton Koelman)
Subject: --- AH Bibliography
>
> Subject: Re: AH Magazine Coverage
> Date: Mon, 18 Apr 94 11:01:15 EDT
>
> > From: koelman@stc.nato.int (Ton Koelman)
> > Subject: AH Magazine Coverage
>
> > I realize this may be somewhat ambitious, but should
> > we attempt to make a list of AH magazine coverage?
> > In magazines such as Guitar Player etc.. (or any
> > magazine for that matter)
>
> I think that's a great idea. Are you volunteering? :)
>
> Honestly folks, haven't I done *enough*? I need help!
>
> Jeff
Well, I can only volunteer to make a start. I'll have a look
through my Guitar Player back issues. I'd better not include
German and Dutch music magazines I guess, at least not initially.
So we'll have a bibliography as a companion to the
discography. I'm also willing to maintain the bibliography
if folks mail me additions. Of course I won't be able
to verify a lot of them.
Ton K.
---
Ton Koelman e-mail: koelman@stc.nato.int (NeXT Mail Welcome!)
SHAPE Technical Centre, P.O. Box 174, 2501 CD The Hague
The Netherlands (voice: 31-70-3142431, fax: 31-70-3142111)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I ========= End of Atavachron Digest =========
\ :::: ]I[ :::: /
: ::::::: ]] [[ ::::::: : Administrative requests to:
::: ]] [[ ::: listserv@msuacad.morehead-st.edu
''::]]]]]] ]] [[ [[[[[[::''
::: ]]] ]] [[ [[[ ::: Archives via FTP available from:
::: =a=t=a=v=a=c=h=r=o=n= ::: ftp.uwp.edu (login anonymous, send
::: ]]] ]] [[ [[[ ::: full e-mail address as password)
,,::]]]]]] ]] [[ [[[[[[::,, cd holdsworth.allan
::: ]] [[ ::: cd mail.list/archives
: :::::: ]] . [[ :::::: :
/ :: ] ::: [ :: \ All opinions expressed herein are
I I those of the individual contributors.