Content-length: 201170
Content-Type: text/html; charset=UTF-8
Atavachron Digest - The Allan Holdsworth Discussion Digest
Number 129
Wednesday, 1 March 1995
TODAY'S TOPICS:
==============
Re: Atavachron Digest Number 128
Level 42
Re: Atavachron Digest Number 128
Re: Atavachron Digest Number 128
In_Suffer_able omissions
Re: In_Suffer_able omissions
Re: In_Suffer_able omissions
Gift of Ale
load box?
Re: Atavachron Digest Number 128
Re: In_Suffer_able omissions
Paradox: Holdsworth ripoff
Re: Paradox: Holdsworth ripoff
Re: Paradox: Holdsworth ripoff
Re: Paradox: Holdsworth ripoff
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Sun, 26 Feb 1995 20:53:28 -0800 (PST)
From: John Edward Martin Shuford
Subject: Re: Atavachron Digest Number 128
Thanks for the feedback on Holdsworth and L42. It's always interesting
to hear the other perspective. For L42 fans, the Holdsworth and Husband
addition is kind of a strange allegiance too because it brings a harder
edge to the music than in the albums immediately before and after their
efforts. But before any of you think that L42 is just a bunch of lite
rock, they do have very strong roots in fusion. That much is evident for
anyone who has seen them play in a live context with Gary Husband and
perform any of their early instrumentals. I'm not making a defense of
them, because I think they made some questionable career choices which
led to their demise and ultimately to the dissolution of the band in
order to pursue ends which were more professionally and musically
satisfying. But all in all, I was really pleased with Allan's work on
the album, and was extremely pleased by his decision to play with these
guys. Oh, someone mentioned the bluesy-Clapton feel of the She Can't Help
Herself solo. Clapton played guitar for L42 in one of the Prince's Trust
beniefit concerts, and L42 similarly backed Clapton during the show.
Thanks again for the feedback!
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Mon, 27 Feb 1995 00:29:12 -0500 (EST)
From: Jeff Preston
Subject: Level 42
> From: John Edward Martin Shuford
> Subject: Re: Atavachron Digest Number 128
> But before any of you think that L42 is just a bunch of lite
> rock, they do have very strong roots in fusion. That much is evident for
> anyone who has seen them play in a live context with Gary Husband and
> perform any of their early instrumentals. I'm not making a defense of
> them, because I think they made some questionable career choices which
> led to their demise and ultimately to the dissolution of the band in
> order to pursue ends which were more professionally and musically
> satisfying.
I can't say the first bad thing about Level 42. I recall when their
big radio hit was saturating the airwaves in the U.S. (forget the title,
sorry, but I think it was from _World Machine_), and my initial thought
was that it was pretty well done for dance music. It grew on me with
repeated listens (and since I don't really hear too much radio -- by
design! -- I didn't get burnt-out on the tune), and though I wasn't
actually moved to buy any of their albums, I certainly didn't class
them with their FM-radio contemporaries. This may have something to do
with my ability to hear something of value in Buckethead's playing...
I just don't know. ;)
> But all in all, I was really pleased with Allan's work on
> the album, and was extremely pleased by his decision to play with these
> guys.
I wish I could locate that copy of Modern Drummer that featured Gary
Husband. It came out a few months before the U.S. release of _Guaranteed_
and described the circumstances of Allan's agreeing to do the album.
As I recall, the previous guitarist had died, and Mark King asked Gary
if he thought Allan might be interested. It seems Gary thought it
unlikely, but asked anyway, and Allan was all for it. So much for the
"jazz snob" image, eh? :)
Jeff
--
Jeff Preston \\\ Moderator of the Allan Holdsworth discussion forum
to subscribe \\\ e-mail: atavachron-request@msuacad.morehead-st.edu
Web Page URL \\\ http://suppcoo.morehead-st.edu/atav/docs/home.html
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: pvallado@waynesworld.UCSD.EDU (Paolo Valladolid)
Subject: Re: Atavachron Digest Number 128
Date: Mon, 27 Feb 1995 08:42:42 -0800 (PST)
> efforts. But before any of you think that L42 is just a bunch of lite
> rock, they do have very strong roots in fusion. That much is evident for
They started out as a fusion band. When they decided to pursue a
more pop-oriented direction, the bass player, Mark King, was
chosen to be their vocalist since in their opinion he had the
least terrible singing voice. Allan replaced another guitarist
named Allan - Allan Murphy, who died of AIDS. According to the
music press, he was apparently another master of the whammy
bar, being compared to Holdsworth.
--
Paolo Valladolid
-----------------------------------------------------------------
|Moderator of Digital Guitar Digest, an Internet mailing list |\
|for Music Technology and Stringed Instruments | \
----------------------------------------------------------------- |
\ finger pvallado@waynesworld.ucsd.edu for more info \ |
\ http://waynesworld.ucsd.edu/DigitalGuitar/home.html \|
-----------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Mon, 27 Feb 95 14:10:20 EST
From: "Bob Lynch"
Subject: Re: Atavachron Digest Number 128
Allan replaced another guitarist
>named Allan - Allan Murphy, who died of AIDS. According to the
>music press, he was apparently another master of the whammy
>bar, being compared to Holdsworth.
I believe Allan Murphy played the guitar solo on Mike and the Mechanics'
"Can You Hear Me". When I first heard it I thought it was Mr. H. himself. I
later read that the solo was done by either Mike Rutherford (not a chance)
or Allan Murphy. Sorry to hear he has passed away. The album or CD (not what
we heard on FM) version of that song has the solo extending on for another
minute or two, it was very tastily whammified.
Anyone have info on Ollie Halsell? I have heard Allan mention him before.
--Bob
_____________________________________________________________________________
Bob Lynch
GES (JvNCnet)
3 Independence Way, Princeton, NJ 08540
Voice: 609-897-7335 Fax: 609-897-7310
Pager: 800-SKY-PAGE PIN# 5793165
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Mon, 27 Feb 1995 14:43:00 -0500 (EST)
From: Jeff Preston
Subject: In_Suffer_able omissions
Gawsh dawg, I forgot to tell Jerfo who the personnel are on _Suffer_:
Bon Lozaga: guitar, E-bow
Hansford Rowe: bass, just intonation bass
Benoit Moerlen: vibes, marimba, mallet Kat
Bobby Thomas: percussion
Allan Holdsworth: guitar [1, 2, 6, 9]
Lionel Cordew: drums [1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 11]
Vic Stevens: drums [9, 10]
Ben Perowsky: drums [5]
Sam Rowe: vocalizing [11]
Btw, I've added this (and some other things that Mike Uchima sent a
year ago... gee, does anyone wanna maintain this for me? (heh heh)) to
the WWW discography, so take a gander if you are so inclined!
Jeff
--
Jeff Preston | preston@msuacad.morehead-st.edu
Technical Support Specialist | ////\\\\////\\\\////\\\////\\\\
110 Ginger Hall, Morehead State University | (606) 783-5000
Morehead, Kentucky 40351 | (606) 783-5297
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Mon, 27 Feb 1995 16:41:54 -0500
From: jerfo@student.umass.edu
Subject: Re: In_Suffer_able omissions
> Gawsh dawg, I forgot to tell Jerfo who the personnel are on _Suffer_:
I appreciate your reply, but please keep the foul language to a minimum.
:)
> Bon Lozaga: guitar, E-bow
> Hansford Rowe: bass, just intonation bass
> Benoit Moerlen: vibes, marimba, mallet Kat
> Bobby Thomas: percussion
> Allan Holdsworth: guitar [1, 2, 6, 9]
> Lionel Cordew: drums [1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 11]
> Vic Stevens: drums [9, 10]
> Ben Perowsky: drums [5]
> Sam Rowe: vocalizing [11]
I may be beating a dead horse here, but what happened to Pierre Moerlen...
i.e. what has he been up to lately? I'm a reasonably big fan of his drumming.
One more little thing: has Allan ever experimented with an E-bow? I've
never used one, but I assume that one could perform some wacky legato tricks
with one, which I presume would be right down Allan's alley.
*Jerfo*
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Mon, 27 Feb 95 18:54:50 EST
From: "Bob Lynch"
Subject: Re: In_Suffer_able omissions
> One more little thing: has Allan ever experimented with an E-bow? I've
>never used one, but I assume that one could perform some wacky legato tricks
>with one, which I presume would be right down Allan's alley.
>
>*Jerfo*
>
You can, but it's not that easy to switch strings quickly. The unit has two
little grooves that sit on the strings adjacent to the one you are directing
it's magnetic filed to. You have to adjust to each string for a second or
two to get it vibrating.
--Bob
_____________________________________________________________________________
Bob Lynch
GES (JvNCnet)
3 Independence Way, Princeton, NJ 08540
Voice: 609-897-7335 Fax: 609-897-7310
Pager: 800-SKY-PAGE PIN# 5793165
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Mon, 27 Feb 1995 20:57:36 -0400 (EDT)
From: X90LESAGE@wmich.edu
Subject: Gift of Ale
Hello All,
I was intrigued by the idea of giving Allan the gift of ale. I live in
Kalamazoo Michigan, home of a very fine micro brewery called the Kalamazoo
Brewing Co. (or more affectionately known as "Bell's" after the owner's
name). They make an excellent brown, a knock-your-socks-off old ale, a
pleasing porter, and a scrumptous double-cream stout to name a few of
my favorites. They also make specialty brews on a regular basis (the
Irish wiskey stout literally brought tears of joy to my eyes). Anyway,
the last time Allan was here (Secrets tour?), I wondered if he knew of and/or
had any of Bell's ales. I would really like to send him a sample. How
could I go about doing this?
Mark LeSage
P.S. I am in no way affiliated with the Kalamazoo Brewing Co. other than
as a loyal customer.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Mon, 27 Feb 1995 23:39:35 -0800
From: uk438@freenet.victoria.bc.ca (Graeme McIntryre)
Subject: load box?
The harness sounds a lot like a load box to me. Although it's
probably more complex, it seems to bring the amp output down to line level
to be processed, compressed, eq'd, etc. and then sent back the power
section of the head or to a separate amplifier (as in Bradshaw set-ups).
I've seen both of the CD's with Gordon Hunt (?) and was wondering
what they were like and if any board members could offer me a brief review.
Please reply to me directly to relieve other subscribers of having to read
20 responses to my inquiry. I'm looking out for ya' mgr!
Also, more info on Canadian tour dates would be appreciated.
--
Graeme McIntyre - uk438@freenet.victoria.bc.ca
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Tue, 28 Feb 1995 11:48:06 -0600 (CST)
From: "Patrick M. McMillin"
Subject: Re: Atavachron Digest Number 128
On Mon, 27 Feb 1995, Bob Lynch wrote:
> Allan replaced another guitarist
> >named Allan - Allan Murphy, who died of AIDS. According to the
> >music press, he was apparently another master of the whammy
> >bar, being compared to Holdsworth.
>
> I believe Allan Murphy played the guitar solo on Mike and the Mechanics'
> "Can You Hear Me". When I first heard it I thought it was Mr. H. himself. I
> later read that the solo was done by either Mike Rutherford (not a chance)
I am glad someone else made this comparison to Holdworth
in the Mechanics solo...I always joked about it in the
fact that are both Steinberger players, and possibly
the instrument lends to this sound. The entire tone
on that tune is very Allan-like.
Patrick McMillin
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: pvallado@waynesworld.UCSD.EDU (Paolo Valladolid)
Subject: Re: In_Suffer_able omissions
Date: Wed, 1 Mar 1995 17:36:05 -0800 (PST)
> One more little thing: has Allan ever experimented with an E-bow? I've
> never used one, but I assume that one could perform some wacky legato tricks
> with one, which I presume would be right down Allan's alley.
He said he had tried it when I asked him at the Guitars West clinic
in San Marcos. I thought it would allow him to circumvent a problem
he find with guitar - the inability to play a note, change the
timbre, make it soft, then make it go loud again without re-plucking
the note. Something like this can be done on violin and many
wind instruments but not on guitar - unless an Ebow is used.
--
Paolo Valladolid
-----------------------------------------------------------------
|Moderator of Digital Guitar Digest, an Internet mailing list |\
|for Music Technology and Stringed Instruments | \
----------------------------------------------------------------- |
\ finger pvallado@waynesworld.ucsd.edu for more info \ |
\ http://waynesworld.ucsd.edu/DigitalGuitar/home.html \|
-----------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Wed, 1 Mar 95 20:59:41 -0500
From: rardin%orion.dnet@auriga (R. Lynn Rardin)
Subject: Paradox: Holdsworth ripoff
Has anyone heard Japanese fusion group Paradox's BROKEN BARRICADE (Verve/
Forecast)? Boy does Bill Milkowski blast it in the latest issue of Tower's
Pulse! "magazine": "There is a fine line between homage and blatant rip-off.
For a guitarist to be greatly influenced by a Wes Montgomery, Jimi Hendrix or
George Benson is one thing, but to systematically cop the licks and harmonic
sensibility of another artist without so much as giving any kind of credit in
the inner sleeve is an unpardonable sin. Such is the case with Yoichi Tanabe,
guitarist with Japanese fusion group Paradox...Tanabe 'does' Allan Holdsworth
like an Elvis imitator mimics the King. All the unorthodox phrasing, the
daring leaps up the fretboard, the whammy bar inflections and dizzying legato
lines have been carefully studied and regurgitated with uncanny accuracy by
Tanabe. He has even gone so far as to copy every bit of gear in Holdsworth's
effects rack, including one customized sound processing device that Holdsworth
himself invented and later marketed through Rocktron..." Yow! Sounds like
Allan should be raking in some royalties from this one. :) :)
-Lynn
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Wed, 1 Mar 1995 21:29:19 -0500 (EST)
From: Jeff Preston
Subject: Re: Paradox: Holdsworth ripoff
> From: R. Lynn Rardin
> Subject: Paradox: Holdsworth ripoff
> He has even gone so far as to copy every bit of gear in Holdsworth's
> effects rack, including one customized sound processing device that
> Holdsworth
> himself invented and later marketed through Rocktron..."
I'd be surprised if Allan ever used a Rocktron Juice Extractor -- as
I understand it, they made numerous design changes which caused Allan
to say it was "ruined"; this is why he didn't go to them with the
Harness last summer.
Jeff
--
Jeff Preston \\\ Moderator of the Allan Holdsworth discussion forum
to subscribe \\\ e-mail: atavachron-request@msuacad.morehead-st.edu
Web Page URL \\\ http://suppcoo.morehead-st.edu/atav/docs/home.html
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: pvallado@waynesworld.UCSD.EDU (Paolo Valladolid)
Subject: Re: Paradox: Holdsworth ripoff
Date: Wed, 1 Mar 1995 18:37:40 -0800 (PST)
>
> Has anyone heard Japanese fusion group Paradox's BROKEN BARRICADE (Verve/
> Forecast)? Boy does Bill Milkowski blast it in the latest issue of Tower's
> Pulse! "magazine": "There is a fine line between homage and blatant rip-off.
Is this the same critic who blasted Pat Metheny for his masterpiece
_Zero Tolerance For Silece_? After reading that review, I got the
impression that this person doesn't really listen to the music.
--
Paolo Valladolid
-----------------------------------------------------------------
|Moderator of Digital Guitar Digest, an Internet mailing list |\
|for Music Technology and Stringed Instruments | \
----------------------------------------------------------------- |
\ finger pvallado@waynesworld.ucsd.edu for more info \ |
\ http://waynesworld.ucsd.edu/DigitalGuitar/home.html \|
-----------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Wed, 1 Mar 95 23:25:59 -0500
From: rardin%orion.dnet@auriga (R. Lynn Rardin)
Subject: Re: Paradox: Holdsworth ripoff
>> Has anyone heard Japanese fusion group Paradox's BROKEN BARRICADE (Verve/
>> Forecast)? Boy does Bill Milkowski blast it...
>
>Is this the same critic who blasted Pat Metheny for his masterpiece
>_Zero Tolerance For Silece_? After reading that review, I got the
>impression that this person doesn't really listen to the music.
Good point, Paolo. I think Milkowski may have reviewed ZTFS.
BTW, in case it wasn't obvious from my post, I haven't heard BB. I was
curious to hear if it's really as derivative of Allan's style as Milkowski
makes it out to be.
-Lynn
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
========= End of Atavachron Digest ========= I
\ :::: ]I[ :::: /
Administrative requests to: : ::::::: ]] [[ ::::::: :
listserv@msuacad.morehead-st.edu ::: ]] [[ :::
''::]]]]]] ]] [[ [[[[[[::''
Postings to: ::: ]]] ]] [[ [[[ :::
atavachron@msuacad.morehead-st.edu ::: =a=t=a=v=a=c=h=r=o=n= :::
::: ]]] ]] [[ [[[ :::
For more info, send HELP as the first ,,::]]]]]] ]] [[ [[[[[[::,,
line in e-mail to the listserv above. ::: ]] [[ :::
: :::::: ]] . [[ :::::: :
All opinions expressed herein are / :: ] ::: [ :: \
those of the individual contributors. I I
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Check out the Atavachron WWW Page!
http://suppcoo.morehead-st.edu/atav/docs/home.html
Atavachron Digest - The Allan Holdsworth Discussion Digest
Number 130
Friday, 3 March 1995
TODAY'S TOPICS:
==============
Re: Atavachron Digest Number 129
ZTFP..
Milkowski/old stuff
Re: Allan Murphy
Re: ZTFP..
Re: Milkowski/old stuff
Re: Reviewing Holdsworth
Re: ZTFP..
Re: ZTFP..
Re: ZTFP..
Re: ZTFP..
Hey, I like Pat. However...
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Wed, 1 Mar 1995 21:30:27 -0800 (PST)
From: John Edward Martin Shuford
Subject: Re: Atavachron Digest Number 129
I'll try to keep this brief, so I don't turn this into the L42 digest (we
already have one of those, thanks), but I want to respond to a couple of
things raised last issue. Alan Murphy played with Mike & The Mechanics,
Go West, and SFX before he was asked to sit in on L42's first album after
their initial split, then was asked to join the band. L42 originally
brought in someone named Steve Topping, who Gary Husband recommended
(does anyone know this name and know his work). He didn't pan out, so
enter Alan. He did play a lot of whammy but he really had his own
sound. Great guitarist.
After a lay-off, L42 went to work on their next to last album,
Guaranteed. Allan played on five tracks, then was asked to join the
band. He played with them for about four months, but decided he wanted
to go back to doing other things. Yes, Jeff, you are right that Gary
thought Allan would not want to come in, but Mark King called him up and
it went from there. On that album, Dominic Miller (who was actually
L42's original guitarist 15 years ago--for about a day) and Mark King
also played guitar. On their last efforts, Jakko Jakszyk and Danny Blume
provided the delicious work. I'd highly recommend checking both of these
guys out.
Finally, Gary's flirtations with L42 go as far back as 1985, when founder
Phil Gould quit the band for a few days. Phil came back, and Gary was
out. When the band split for good in late 1987, they asked Gary to come
in mid-tour, but he wanted to join when the new album was underway in
1988. So there you have it!
We now return you to your scheduled programming, already in progress...
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Thu, 2 Mar 1995 08:35:38 -0600
From: Glenn Astarita
Subject: ZTFP..
Re; ZTFP by Metheny,
In all fairness to Bill Milkowski, I've seen many negative reviews for
ZTFP..Downbeat gave it 1/2 a star and a few newspaper critics panned it. I
bought it, played it once and sold it to a used cd store..
Glenn
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Thu, 02 Mar 1995 11:29:21 -0600 (CST)
From: Marty Graw
Subject: Milkowski/old stuff
>From: pvallado@waynesworld.UCSD.EDU (Paolo Valladolid)
>Subject: Re: Paradox: Holdsworth ripoff
>Date: Wed, 1 Mar 1995 18:37:40 -0800 (PST)
>
>> Has anyone heard Japanese fusion group Paradox's BROKEN BARRICADE (Verve/
>> Forecast)? Boy does Bill Milkowski blast it in the latest issue of Tower's
>> Pulse! "magazine": "There is a fine line between homage and blatant rip-off.
>Is this the same critic who blasted Pat Metheny for his masterpiece
>_Zero Tolerance For Silece_? After reading that review, I got the
>impression that this person doesn't really listen to the music.
Well, I never thought I'd see myself standing up for a *critic*, but
Milkowski is pretty good. Some of you may remember that he reviewed AH's
contribution to _Come Together_ and talked glowingly of how Allan sounded
when allowed to cut loose in a hard-swinging jazz context.
I think if you were to check out a broad cross-section of his writings,
you would see that he generally has a good handle on what he writes about.
In fact, Milkowski is one of the few critics who I regularly agree with
when it comes to evaluating guitar-based fusion/jazz.
As for his review of _ZTFS_ -- frankly, I haven't heard the disc or read
the review. However, I'm sure that we'd all be in agreement that even a
critic can have a bad day. :*)
While I'm de-lurking, on to other old non-AH-related (sorry) things: I
tried to stay out of the Buckethead/Laswell discussion, because I tend to
see The Bucketed One's work as inconsistent. However, I would highly
recommend that anyone interested in his work check out Praxis'
_Transmutation ..._. He shows that he is more than a simple shredder on
this disc, as he does some very lyrical, pensive work that would be right
at home in the extended jams from _Maggot Brain_ (the old classic from
Praxis' musical god-father, Funkadelic).
_Bucketheadland_ has a few fine moments, but tends to get too caught up
in space-monster/futuristic-theme-park imagery and my-guitar-is-my-weenie
masturbatory sessions. (It's also a double CD from John Zorn's Avant
label, so it will set you back severely.)
As for Laswell -- check out some of the stuff from Last Exit, his
_Basslines_ record, or _Low Life_ duets with Peter Brotzmann if you want to
get a feel for what he has to offer as a bass-player. He's definitely not
a lightweight. Unfortunately, it seems that over the years he has been in
such demand as a producer/promoter that his recorded output is not as great
as it could be.
Well, I guess that's enough non-AH content for now. Back to my cave.
:*)
Chuck Vance ("chuckrateez")
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: "Dr. Philip Rous"
Subject: Re: Allan Murphy
Date: Thu, 2 Mar 1995 13:10:36 -0500 (EST)
Patrick M. McMillin writes:
> I am glad someone else made this comparison to Holdworth
> in the Mechanics solo...I always joked about it in the
> fact that are both Steinberger players, and possibly
> the instrument lends to this sound. The entire tone
> on that tune is very Allan-like.
Actually, in a 1988 interview for the British magazine Guitarist,
Allan H. made quite a disparaging remark about the guitarist in
Mike and the Mechanics, to the effect that he was "ripping-off"
H's style.
I cannot remember the exact quote, but I remember being distinctly
dissappointed by the rather ungenerous nature of the comment since
it was made about a well respected guitarist who was apparently
unknown to Allan H. I had always enjoyed that solo and felt it
was nice to hear a tribute to Holdsworth in a more mainstream context.
Philip
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: pvallado@waynesworld.UCSD.EDU (Paolo Valladolid)
Subject: Re: ZTFP..
Date: Thu, 2 Mar 1995 11:03:12 -0800 (PST)
> Re; ZTFP by Metheny,
> In all fairness to Bill Milkowski, I've seen many negative reviews for
> ZTFP..Downbeat gave it 1/2 a star and a few newspaper critics panned it. I
> bought it, played it once and sold it to a used cd store..
>
> Glenn
The magazine where I saw Milkowski's review ran another review
by another critic on the same album. The other review was very postive.
Thus the reader got a pro/con kind of feature on ZTFS and thus
it was left up to the reader to decide which critic he agreed with
more.
--
Paolo Valladolid
-----------------------------------------------------------------
|Moderator of Digital Guitar Digest, an Internet mailing list |\
|for Music Technology and Stringed Instruments | \
----------------------------------------------------------------- |
\ finger pvallado@waynesworld.ucsd.edu for more info \ |
\ http://waynesworld.ucsd.edu/DigitalGuitar/home.html \|
-----------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: pvallado@waynesworld.UCSD.EDU (Paolo Valladolid)
Subject: Re: Milkowski/old stuff
Date: Thu, 2 Mar 1995 11:11:18 -0800 (PST)
> Well, I never thought I'd see myself standing up for a *critic*, but
> Milkowski is pretty good. Some of you may remember that he reviewed AH's
> contribution to _Come Together_ and talked glowingly of how Allan sounded
> when allowed to cut loose in a hard-swinging jazz context.
>
> I think if you were to check out a broad cross-section of his writings,
> you would see that he generally has a good handle on what he writes about.
> In fact, Milkowski is one of the few critics who I regularly agree with
> when it comes to evaluating guitar-based fusion/jazz.
Perhaps I was a bit harsh on Milkowski. The main problem with having
him review ZTFS is that he reviewed it as a jazz/fusion album when
ZTFS would be more properly classified as a 20th century classical
album. It's like having a classical music critic review a Blind
Lemon Jefferson recording - the critic has little understanding
or interest in Jefferson's musical genre. So I'm not surprised
that jazz/fusion fans who hate contemporary classical music sould
not like ZTFS.
If you're going to have someone review an album, get someone who
is familiar with the genre that album represents. Imagine what
would happen if you got someone who usually reviews recordings
of 18th century classical music to review an Allan Holdsworth
album.
--
Paolo Valladolid
-----------------------------------------------------------------
|Moderator of Digital Guitar Digest, an Internet mailing list |\
|for Music Technology and Stringed Instruments | \
----------------------------------------------------------------- |
\ finger pvallado@waynesworld.ucsd.edu for more info \ |
\ http://waynesworld.ucsd.edu/DigitalGuitar/home.html \|
-----------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Thu, 02 Mar 1995 16:22:21 -0500
From: jerfo@student.umass.edu
Subject: Re: Reviewing Holdsworth
>If you're going to have someone review an album, get someone who
>is familiar with the genre that album represents. Imagine what
>would happen if you got someone who usually reviews recordings
>of 18th century classical music to review an Allan Holdsworth
>album.
I could read it now:
"...and NONE of the chords resolved, whatsoever! Utterly dreadful.
The string section on 'Distance vs. Desire' sounded lifeless.
A definite thumbs down."
*Jerfo*
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Thu, 2 Mar 95 17:30:12 PST
From: "Chris Manuel"
Subject: Re: ZTFP..
*** Reply to note of 03/02/95 12:28
Zero Tolerance is a bit of an emperor's new clothes. If anyone else released
it I don't think it would have received one positive review. The fact is it is
incredibly aggressive sounding, sometimes out of tune, and generally
unpleasant. Unfortunately for Pat Metheny, as a recognized recording artist he
has to learn his distortion tone chops too much in the public eye. He uses a
similar tone with Scofield on their collaboration album, it fits a little
better with drums and cymbals sizzling.
I was able to steer clear of the Ornette Coleman record (title escapes me) but
wasn't fortunate to hear "Zero" before buying. Anyone want a free copy?
Chris Manuel
BC Systems Corporation
V: 604.389.3503 F:360.7285
CPMANUEL@BCSC02.GOV.BC.CA
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Fri, 3 Mar 95 01:21:15 -0600
From: uchima@fncrd8.fnal.gov (Mike Uchima)
Subject: Re: ZTFP..
"Chris Manuel" wrote:
> Zero Tolerance is a bit of an emperor's new clothes. If anyone else released
> it I don't think it would have received one positive review. The fact is it is
> incredibly aggressive sounding, sometimes out of tune, and generally
> unpleasant. Unfortunately for Pat Metheny, as a recognized recording artist he
> has to learn his distortion tone chops too much in the public eye. He uses a
> similar tone with Scofield on their collaboration album, it fits a little
> better with drums and cymbals sizzling.
Well, since everyone seems to be putting in their 2 cents worth on ZTFS...
I generally didn't care for it either; I'll agree with your choice of the word
"unpleasant" to describe it, especially "part 1". There's no middle ground on
ZTFS; seems like people either think it's a masterpiece, or dislike it pretty
strongly.
I don't really think it's a question of "learning", though. I suspect it's a
case of Metheny just wanting to do something really different. I'll give him
credit for being willing to experiment, and step "out of character", as it
were -- but that doesn't mean I have to like listening to the result.
I played it for a friend, who's a pretty big Metheny fan... his comment was "I
have zero tolerance for this album".
> I was able to steer clear of the Ornette Coleman record (title escapes me) but
> wasn't fortunate to hear "Zero" before buying. Anyone want a free copy?
Hey, it'll probably go out of print, and become a collector's item someday! :)
-- Mike Uchima
-- uchima@fnal.fnal.gov
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Fri, 03 Mar 95 03:11:09 EST
From: "I've thrown a lot of time away to be with you...."
Subject: Re: ZTFP..
Chris,
The Ornette Title is _Song X_, which i enjoyed. And I would LOVE a
copy of ZTFS; I'll gladly cover postage :).
Dan Ginsberg
dginsber@uconnvm.uconn.edu
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Fri, 3 Mar 95 09:37:21 EST
From: "Bob Lynch"
Subject: Re: ZTFP..
>> I was able to steer clear of the Ornette Coleman record (title escapes me)
but
>> wasn't fortunate to hear "Zero" before buying. Anyone want a free copy?
>
>Hey, it'll probably go out of print, and become a collector's item someday! :)
It was called "Song X". I have it. Pretty dern noisy. Very anti-Metheny.
--Bob
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Fri, 3 Mar 1995 11:36:38 -0500 (EST)
From: Jeff Preston
Subject: Hey, I like Pat. However...
... this is the Allan Holdsworth discussion forum; let's try to
steer the boat back on-course. :)
Nothing against Pat Metheny, of course... in fact, I have tickets
to see him this Sunday in Lexington!
Jeff
--
Jeff Preston \\\ Moderator of the Allan Holdsworth discussion forum
to subscribe \\\ e-mail: atavachron-request@msuacad.morehead-st.edu
Web Page URL \\\ http://suppcoo.morehead-st.edu/atav/docs/home.html
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I ========= End of Atavachron Digest =========
\ :::: ]I[ :::: /
: ::::::: ]] [[ ::::::: : Administrative requests to:
::: ]] [[ ::: listserv@msuacad.morehead-st.edu
''::]]]]]] ]] [[ [[[[[[::''
::: ]]] ]] [[ [[[ ::: Postings to:
::: =a=t=a=v=a=c=h=r=o=n= ::: atavachron@msuacad.morehead-st.edu
::: ]]] ]] [[ [[[ :::
,,::]]]]]] ]] [[ [[[[[[::,, For more info, send HELP as first
::: ]] [[ ::: line in e-mail to the listserv above.
: :::::: ]] . [[ :::::: :
/ :: ] ::: [ :: \ All opinions expressed herein are
I I those of the individual contributors.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Check out the Atavachron WWW Page!
http://suppcoo.morehead-st.edu/atav/docs/home.html
Atavachron Digest - The Allan Holdsworth Discussion Digest
Number 131
Monday, 6 March 1995
TODAY'S TOPICS:
==============
soloing
Metal Fatigue
Re: Metal Fatigue
Allan's Gear
Re: Metal Fatigue
David Torn
Paradox and Yoichi Tanabe
Metal Fatigue
Holdsworth Tour Dates?
Re: Metal Fatigue
Old Beat Instrumental quotes
David Torn
Hard Hat Area; Torn
Re: Hard Hat Area; Torn
_HHA_ / Call for Reviews
Re: David Torn
What ever happened to . . .
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Fri, 3 Mar 1995 15:57:44 -0600
From: Glenn Astarita
Subject: soloing
A few issues back there was some chatter about AH's guest appearances as a
soloist only. Funny, recently I listened to a Jack Bruce cd called "A question
of time" (something like that). Wasn't a bad recording. Whole bunch of heavy
hitters appeared on this one..e.g. Tony Williams, Ginger Baker, Vernon Reid
and AH. The cuts where AH was featured seem to justify some of this debate.
Now going back it seems as though Jack said..cmon Allen play some hot leads on
these songs, get your paycheck and addios amigo ! Out of nowhere we hear AH
blazing away for 30 seconds on a cut and then promptly returns his axe to the
guitar stand, smokes a cigarette and waits for the next cue..Of course I'm
just visualizing to an extent..
I think it was Peter S. ? who pointed this out awhile back that AH was
somewhat disenchanted with being stereotyped with this type of role. I myself
countered to some degree that AH was primarily known for his lead soloing and
not his rhythm expertise. Maybe I was classifying Allen as perhaps Jack Bruce
might have...(I suppose many examples could be brought to light)...
Glenn
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Sat, 4 Mar 95 12:51:33 EST
From: "Bob Lynch"
Subject: Metal Fatigue
Just picked up another copy of Metal Fatigue on CD. There is a picture of
Allan on the inside holding a guitar that I have never seen. It has a Strat
style headstock, and what appears to be a Tele style body. You can't see
much more (pickups, controls, tailpiece), and being a Atavachronie, as we
all are, it bugs me that I can't identify it.
Any idears?
--Bob
lynch@jvnc.net
_____________________________________________________________________________
Bob Lynch
GES (JvNCnet)
3 Independence Way, Princeton, NJ 08540
Voice: 609-897-7335 Fax: 609-897-7310
Pager: 800-SKY-PAGE PIN# 5793165
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Sat, 4 Mar 1995 13:13:46 -0500 (EST)
From: Jeff Preston
Subject: Re: Metal Fatigue
On Sat, 4 Mar 1995, Bob Lynch wrote:
> Just picked up another copy of Metal Fatigue on CD. There is a picture of
> Allan on the inside holding a guitar that I have never seen. It has a Strat
> style headstock, and what appears to be a Tele style body. You can't see
> much more (pickups, controls, tailpiece), and being a Atavachronie, as we
> all are, it bugs me that I can't identify it.
Hey, I never noticed that before! I'm not so sure it's a Tele-body
(the lower bout looks awfully round), but I don't recall seeing that
anywhere else. Maybe it belonged to the photographer (along with the
hat in the photo... ever see Allan with a *hat*?). ;)
Jeff
--
Jeff Preston \\\ Moderator of the Allan Holdsworth discussion forum
to subscribe \\\ e-mail: atavachron-request@msuacad.morehead-st.edu
Web Page URL \\\ http://suppcoo.morehead-st.edu/atav/docs/home.html
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Sat, 04 Mar 1995 13:45:17 EDT
From: jwu@uhavax.hartford.edu
Subject: Allan's Gear
I was wondering if anyone knew what kind of gear Allan used. From guitars
to rack gear. Anyone know??
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Sat, 4 Mar 95 14:04:02 EST
From: "Bob Lynch"
Subject: Re: Metal Fatigue
> Hey, I never noticed that before! I'm not so sure it's a Tele-body
> (the lower bout looks awfully round), but I don't recall seeing that
> anywhere else. Maybe it belonged to the photographer (along with the
> hat in the photo... ever see Allan with a *hat*?). ;)
>
> Jeff
True, it's not a Tele. Couldn't think of another way to describe it. Perhaps
it is a prototype of the AH-10?
Allan probably said that the hat could be in the picture, but not on his head!
--Bob
_____________________________________________________________________________
Bob Lynch
GES (JvNCnet)
3 Independence Way, Princeton, NJ 08540
Voice: 609-897-7335 Fax: 609-897-7310
Pager: 800-SKY-PAGE PIN# 5793165
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Sat, 4 Mar 1995 16:12:22 -0500
From: RickerRA@aol.com
Subject: David Torn
I must say that I am a little mystified with all the Buckethead talk here.
Don't get me wrong, I like Material/Praxis and think there is validity to
Buckethead's playing.
However, I always expect to see names like David Torn pop up. While Torn is
no AH, he is (IMO) emotional involving in much the way AH is. He has also
developed his own style and has the ability to communicate his music in a
variety of settings.
Comments?
Reed Ricker
rickerra@aol.com
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Sat, 4 Mar 1995 16:12:19 -0500
From: RickerRA@aol.com
Subject: Paradox and Yoichi Tanabe
Bill Milkowski's review of Paradox's Broken Barricade CD (Pulse 03/95):
>>>. . .Tanabe "does" Allan Holdsworth like an Elvis imitator mimics the
King. All the unorthodox phrasing, the daring leaps up the fretboard, the
whammy bar inflections and dizzying legato lines have been carefully studied
and regurgitated with uncanny accuracy by Tanabe. . .<<<
Yoichi Tanabe's soloing does resemble Holdsworth's. Certainly, there is a
huge influence here and a strong effort on Tanabe's part to imitate AH. But
in total musical terms, I don't agree with Milkowski's review.
Here is my rated comparison of Tanabe to AH in order of musical importance to
me:
emotionally involving: AH=10 YT=4 (few will ever compare to AH)
composition: AH=9 YT=5 (little similarity, not other that fusion)
solo phrasing: AH=10, YT=5 (YT more strait ahead, definitely not AH)
tone: AH=10, YT=9 (YT has closest AH tone reproduction I've heard)
(other)
whammy inflections: AH=10, YT=5 (YT occasional and very similar to AH)
non-percussive guitar ability: AH=10, YT=3
(I hate to even list, but) solo speed: AH=10, YT=6
I also hear in Tanabe's playing others such as Jeff Beck and Scott Henderson.
I do enjoy Paradox's music, but Tanabe is not Holdsworth >>regurgitated with
uncanny accuracy<<.
In summary, YT is somewhat technically similar to AH, but not as musical.
AH=GOD, YT=merely mortal
Reed Ricker
rickerra@aol.com
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Sat, 4 Mar 1995 20:47:27 -0500
From: RickerRA@aol.com
Subject: Metal Fatigue
> Just picked up another copy of Metal Fatigue on CD. There is a picture of
> Allan on the inside holding a guitar that I have never seen. It has a Strat
> style headstock, and what appears to be a Tele style body. You can't see
> much more (pickups, controls, tailpiece), and being a Atavachronie, as we
> all are, it bugs me that I can't identify it.
I believe it is a Ripley Hex Guitar. If you look real, real close, you can
see 6 knobs on the Tele looking area of the guitar. Also, the text on the
headstock looks like 'Ripley.'
Now that I look at the liner notes, I do see Ripley as one of the special
thanks.
Reed Ricker
rickerra@aol.com
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Sat, 4 Mar 1995 20:34:09 -0600 (CST)
From: Tim Howard
Subject: Holdsworth Tour Dates?
A few digests ago, I heard that Holdsworth would be touring soon (or
thought I heard). Anyone got anymore info?
Also, how is the new "Hard Hat Area" album? Is it mosty guitar (or tenor
guitar) or are we back in guitar-synth land?
Tim
******************************************************************************
Tim Howard Sandy Creek Schools
Vocal Music Director Rt. 1 Box 127
thoward@esu9.esu9.k12.ne.us Fairfield, NE 68938
(402) 726-2155
******************************************************************************
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Sun, 5 Mar 1995 05:42:09 -0500
From: hiroomi@panix.com (Hiroomi Nakazawa)
Subject: Re: Metal Fatigue
>Just picked up another copy of Metal Fatigue on CD. There is a picture of
>Allan on the inside holding a guitar that I have never seen. It has a Strat
>style headstock, and what appears to be a Tele style body. You can't see
>much more (pickups, controls, tailpiece), and being a Atavachronie, as we
>all are, it bugs me that I can't identify it.
>
This is a Ripley Hex Guitar made by Steve Ripley.(Edward Van Halen has a
guitar made by Steve also.)
This guitar features :
1) parallel output with 6 individual string pickup.
2) 6 individual switchs to specify its panpot.
3) Green finish for the body and natural finish for the head.
I have got this information from "Guitar magazine" ( Japanese magazine).
Hiroomi Nakazawa
hiroomi@panix.com
New York, NY
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: Mr M P Hughes
Date: Mon, 6 Mar 95 12:16:17 GMT
Subject: Old Beat Instrumental quotes
After searching through my father's old Beat Instrumental collection, I've found
a few interesting articles. BI was a monthly musician magazine that ran from
the mid-60's to the early 80's; they ran a Player of the Month article to
highlight up'n'coming talent, and copies of these are oft reprinted (especially
the Jimmy Page, Peter Green and Jeff Beck issues, the latter of which can be
found in the Ultimate Guitar Book). In the October 77 issue, it was Allan's
turn. Rather than transcribe the whole article (am I allowed to do that for
this forum?), I thought I'd mention my fave quote: does Allan use pedals? "No.
The only thing I've used is a noise gate. And an MXR phase shifter. But I
don't use anything now at all. Everybody goes through these trends. You
can almost hear what year a record was made in by the gadgets. So now I'm
trying to get the best sound possible straight from the guitar." Ironic that
he should become Mr Guitar Synthesis....
On the Van Halen issue, in Sept 79, in response to whether he listened to jazz,
Ed said "Are you talking about say Jeff Beck and Stanley Clarke style or about
Buddy Rich? I like Allan Holdsworth a lot. I like the first UK album with him
and Bill Bruford on it, but I don't like the second one because they're not
on it"
Finally on the gear front: in the PotM article AH was using Marshalls, then
shifted to Burmans (which you can still get in the UK for ~$300; he said he
preferred them to Boogies! What happened there, Allan??), and finally onto the
Gibson Lab Series: he appeared on their ad, saying this: "My curiosity about
amplifiers is unlimited. Having tried the Lab Series, I now use a pair of L5
combos as part of my stage setup; they're DEMONS! They deliver a really good
clean sound and the tone controls are very flexible. They can also deliver a
very strong single note sound, which in the past I've found to bevery elusive".
Let's hope he's right: I've just ordered my L9! :)
Michael
+++++++++++++++++++/ )+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
+ #### / | Michael Pycraft Hughes pycraft@sees.bangor.ac.uk +
+ uu 3# /\_| Institute of Molecular & Biomolecular Electronics +
+ __ / ## /// Dean Street, Bangor, North Wales, U.K. LL65 1UT +
+ / #U#&\ /// "Everything in moderation - including moderation" +
+ / v __ c/// -Zen proverb +
++++| | _( ( /E]]++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Mon, 6 Mar 95 08:40:26 PST
From: "Chris Manuel"
Subject: David Torn
*** Reply to note of 03/05/95 13:23
RE: David Torn
Check out a recording called "Stilleto" by Michael Shrieve. My brother has a
copy so I'm working from memory but I think Torn, Andy Summers and Allan
Holdsworth appear on it. Definitely worth a listen ...
Chris Manuel
BC Systems Corporation
V: 604.389.3503 F:360.7285
CPMANUEL@BCSC02.GOV.BC.CA
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Mon, 6 Mar 95 10:50:32 -0600
From: uchima@fncrd8.fnal.gov (Mike Uchima)
Subject: Hard Hat Area; Torn
Tim Howard wrote:
> Also, how is the new "Hard Hat Area" album? Is it mosty guitar (or tenor
> guitar) or are we back in guitar-synth land?
I think HHA strikes a nice balance between the guitar and synthaxe. Actually
(as has been pointed out here before), it is becoming difficult to distinguish
Allan's synthaxe from Steve Hunt's keyboards! I think there's been a general
trend towards less prominent use of the synthaxe since _Secrets_, and HHA is
no exception to this.
What *is* different about HHA (in my opinion) is that it seems to be a lot
more focused than the previous couple of albums. Probably has something to do
with the fact that (except for the two tracks that are listed as improvs), he
wrote all of the material himself, instead of allowing his bandmates to
contribute a track here and there. Don't get me wrong -- I really *like* the
tracks that Chad Wackerman has written on previous albums, and City Nights (on
_Secrets_, written by Gary Husband) is an absolutely killer track. HHA just
seems more cohesive to me, somehow.
Changing the subject: I wonder if it would be possible to incorporate brief
descriptions and/or reviews into the WWW discography? I'm sure a lot of
people on the list would be willing to contribute commentary. (This, of
course, assumes that Jeff can find the time to merge the stuff in...)
And, Reed Ricker (rickerra@aol.com) said:
> However, I always expect to see names like David Torn pop up. While Torn is
> no AH, he is (IMO) emotional involving in much the way AH is. He has also
> developed his own style and has the ability to communicate his music in a
> variety of settings.
>
> Comments?
Well, I'm pretty sure that it was someone on this list that introduced me to
Torn's music a couple of years ago (thanks, whoever you are!), so his name
*has* come up here before. I agree that, like Holdsworth, Torn seems to have
his own unique voice on the guitar -- he's definitely one of the more
recognizable players around. I really like _Polytown_, and _Cloud About
Mercury_. Not to start another non-Holdsworth thread :), but has anyone heard
his new one (_Tripping Over God_) yet?
-- Mike Uchima
-- uchima@fnal.fnal.gov
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Mon, 6 Mar 95 12:28:32 -0500
From: rardin%orion.dnet@auriga (R. Lynn Rardin)
Subject: Re: Hard Hat Area; Torn
>...Not to start another non-Holdsworth thread :), but has anyone heard
>his new one (_Tripping Over God_) yet?
I heard it's supposed to be released tomorrow (3/7).
-Lynn
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Mon, 6 Mar 1995 12:44:48 -0500 (EST)
From: Jeff Preston
Subject: _HHA_ / Call for Reviews
> From: Mike Uchima
> Subject: Hard Hat Area; Torn
> Tim Howard wrote:
> > Also, how is the new "Hard Hat Area" album? Is it mosty guitar (or tenor
> > guitar) or are we back in guitar-synth land?
> I think HHA strikes a nice balance between the guitar and synthaxe. Actually
> (as has been pointed out here before), it is becoming difficult to distinguish
> Allan's synthaxe from Steve Hunt's keyboards! I think there's been a general
> trend towards less prominent use of the synthaxe since _Secrets_, and HHA is
> no exception to this.
Isn't it funny that we still tend to think of a year-old album as "new"?
:)
As an aside, I saw that a former Atavachron reader had some positive
comments regarding _Hard Hat Area_ on one of the Usenet guitar newsgroups
today.
> Changing the subject: I wonder if it would be possible to incorporate brief
> descriptions and/or reviews into the WWW discography? I'm sure a lot of
> people on the list would be willing to contribute commentary. (This, of
> course, assumes that Jeff can find the time to merge the stuff in...)
Oh, I can probably find the time, but I don't know about "a lot of
people willing to contribute"; Chris Manuel suggested this in early
January, and only Chris Hoard has sent anything in. My idea was to
set up a fill-in form on the WWW server for submissions, but I don't
know how to create forms and haven't had time to figure it out.
So!
*****************************
ANNOUNCING A CALL FOR REVIEWS
*****************************
If you would like to have your review of a Holdsworth release (or a
release on which Holdsworth has appeared) included in the Atavachron
WWW pages, please send your review(s) to:
preston@msuacad.morehead-st.edu
Thanks,
Jeff
--
Jeff Preston \\\ Moderator of the Allan Holdsworth discussion forum
to subscribe \\\ e-mail: atavachron-request@msuacad.morehead-st.edu
Web Page URL \\\ http://suppcoo.morehead-st.edu/atav/docs/home.html
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: pvallado@waynesworld.UCSD.EDU (Paolo Valladolid)
Subject: Re: David Torn
Date: Mon, 6 Mar 1995 10:55:27 -0800 (PST)
> However, I always expect to see names like David Torn pop up. While Torn is
> no AH, he is (IMO) emotional involving in much the way AH is. He has also
Nor is Allan Holdsworth a David Torn.
What I know about Torn's background is that he studied jazz guitar
with John Abercrombie and Pat Martino, learned two-handed tapping
technique from watching/listening to Harvey Mandel, and co-developed
the TransTrem with Ned Steinberger. From what I gathered from
interviews, Torn wetn through a period where he soloed with
a lot of wide interval skips like Holdsworth "and other head stuff"
until he was inspired by Don Cherry to try and rediscover the
magic of having never played an instrument before (this echoes
John McLaughlin's comment to Robert Fripp about the importance
of being willing to forget acquired knowledge as part of the
improvisation process). He also plain got tired of being told
by people that he sounded just like Allan and so set out to
establish his own sound.
--
Paolo Valladolid
-----------------------------------------------------------------
|Moderator of Digital Guitar Digest, an Internet mailing list |\
|for Music Technology and Stringed Instruments | \
----------------------------------------------------------------- |
\ finger pvallado@waynesworld.ucsd.edu for more info \ |
\ http://waynesworld.ucsd.edu/DigitalGuitar/home.html \|
-----------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Mon, 6 Mar 1995 22:19:25 -0500
From: RickerRA@aol.com
Subject: What ever happened to . . .
(hope none of this has been covered before)
1) What ever happened to John Clark who replaced AH on Bruford's _Gradually
Going Tornado_. Also, where did he come from?
2) Anyone ever heard Alan Pasqua's band Giant?
3) I saw Gary Husband's name on a Jack Bruce live compilation CD. When did
they perform together?
Reed Ricker
rickerra@aol.com
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
========= End of Atavachron Digest ========= I
\ :::: ]I[ :::: /
Administrative requests to: : ::::::: ]] [[ ::::::: :
listserv@msuacad.morehead-st.edu ::: ]] [[ :::
''::]]]]]] ]] [[ [[[[[[::''
Postings to: ::: ]]] ]] [[ [[[ :::
atavachron@msuacad.morehead-st.edu ::: =a=t=a=v=a=c=h=r=o=n= :::
::: ]]] ]] [[ [[[ :::
For more info, send HELP as the first ,,::]]]]]] ]] [[ [[[[[[::,,
line in e-mail to the listserv above. ::: ]] [[ :::
: :::::: ]] . [[ :::::: :
All opinions expressed herein are / :: ] ::: [ :: \
those of the individual contributors. I I
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Check out the Atavachron WWW Page!
http://suppcoo.morehead-st.edu/atav/docs/home.html
Atavachron Digest - The Allan Holdsworth Discussion Digest
Number 132
Thursday, 9 March 1995
TODAY'S TOPICS:
==============
Burman amps
Torn etc.
Torn & Holdsworth
Re: What ever happened to . . .
Re: What ever happened to . . .Giant...
Re: Atavachron Digest Number 131
Door X (re: David Torn)
Japanese Holdsworth CDs?
Re: Japanese Holdsworth CDs?
Re: Japanese Holdsworth CDs?
RE: Japanese boots
Allan can't play chords ????!!!!
Re: Allan can't play chords ????!!!!
Re: Allan can't play chords ????!!!!
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Tue, 07 Mar 95 09:37:25 GMT
From: mley@acorn.co.uk (Martin Ley)
Subject: Burman amps
Hi,
Michael Pyecraft Hughes wrote:
>> Finally on the gear front: in the PotM article AH was using Marshalls, then
>> shifted to Burmans (which you can still get in the UK for ~$300; he said he
>> preferred them to Boogies! What happened there, Allan??),
I got into Burmans a few years ago, after hearing a good friend playing
through one, and discovering that one of my favourite guitarists at the
time used one (Scott Gorham of Thin Lizzy). I've got a 75W combo, which I
bought for around 300GBP. I played it for a few years "in the privacy of my
own bedroon" as they say, before gigging it and realising all was not as it
could/should be. After a 12,000 mile service and a new set of valves (KT88s)
it sounded like a new amp, and I love it to bits!
The guy who serviced it for me is a real Burman man through and through
(apparently, his party piece is to draw the schematics on a cigarette packet
:-). He _did_ manage to fry a matched pair of EL34s while tring to bias it
for the first time, realising too late that the amp had been seriously
modded before he'd got his hands on it, and there was about 200V across the
plates! I think the reason I like him so much is that _most_ amp repairers
would probably have charged me for the EL34s. He didn't.
My Burman blows the socks off our rhythmn guitarists 100W Marshall stack...
Mart
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Tue, 7 Mar 1995 10:02:34 +0000
From: Jason.Grossman@ucs.cam.ac.uk (Jason Grossman)
Subject: Torn etc.
>>...Not to start another non-Holdsworth thread :), but has anyone heard
>>his new one (_Tripping Over God_) yet?
No, but I heard him live recently promoting it, and it was fabulous.
>1) What ever happened to John Clark who replaced AH on Bruford's _Gradually
>Going Tornado_. Also, where did he come from?
He came from the same place he went to: playing for Cliff Richard. You can
see him on TV quite often (in Britain, at any rate), but not in a context
in which you'd notice him!
He's an old friend of Bill Bruford's who likes to make a good living
instead of good music.
Jason Grossman
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Mon, 6 Mar 1995 20:36:52 -438228648 (PST)
From: Andre LaFosse
Subject: Torn & Holdsworth
David Torn strikes me as a player who has been highly influenced by
Holdsworth but was able to grow beyond the realm of sheer imitation and
use Holdsworth's influence as the jumping-off point towards his own style.
I recently got a copy of the Everyman Band, an out-of-print album from
many years ago which was one of Torn's first releases, and there's a
definite Holdsworthian influence; Torn's technique is very together, and
he does the infamous left-hand legato thing very cleanly, but it's
impossible to hear it and not hear an echo of Holdsworth. There are
still numerous ideas which are uniquely Torn's, but Allan's influence
looms large.
Now fast-forward to 1995; on his just released- _Tripping Over God_ album,
it is apparent that Torn has his own voice; the Holdsworth-isms are
identifiable, but sound like one ingredient in a much larger overall
picture, rather than the total attempted idea itself (not unlike the
manner in which one can hear John Coltrane in Holdsworth's playing). The
pseudo-Holdsworth legato runs are gone. The whammy bar work sounds less
like a copy of Allan's phrasing and more like the next evolutionary step
in the use of the mechanism. Torn's use of middle-eastern scales and
phrasing is in sharp contrast to Holdsworth's more modal/jazz-derived
approach; the legendary smooth sheen of Allan's tone and immaculate
phrasing is a far cry from the often deliberately jagged edges of David's
sound and playing. ("Torn" indeed.) And although Allan has made numerous
strides in terms of expanding the sonic pallette of the guitar, as well as
his considerable mastery of synthesis technology, Torn coaxes an
altogether wider array of ambient sound out of his natural guitar's tone
via a deceptively concise array of outboard looping and processing gear.
It's inspiring to hear the progress of someone like Torn, who is one of
the more distinctive voices in electric guitar today. Since I started
studying with Miroslav Tadic (a good friend of Torn's and a phenomenal
guitarist in his own right), I've become more and more aware of Torn's
work, and of the fact that he's an extremely unique player. It's important
to keep in mind that most players never really establish their own
identities (if they do at all) until they're well into their thirties;
artists such as Holdsworth, whose styles are both so precocious and so
unprecedented, are exceptions rather than rules.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Tue, 7 Mar 95 09:39:25 -0600
From: uchima@fncrd8.fnal.gov (Mike Uchima)
Subject: Re: What ever happened to . . .
> 2) Anyone ever heard Alan Pasqua's band Giant?
My wife likes them. I remember pointing the Holdsworth connection out to her
a few years back -- she *really* doesn't like Holdsworth; it's become sort of
a joke at our house. I think Giant has two albums out; fairly standard arena
rock, as I recall. I haven't listened to them in a couple of years at least.
Damn, now I'll probably have to dig those CDs up and give 'em another
listen... (Our CD collection is so disorganized, they could be just about
*anywhere*... :)).
-- Mike Uchima
-- uchima@fnal.fnal.gov
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Tue, 7 Mar 1995 11:04:33 -0600 (CST)
From: "Patrick M. McMillin"
Subject: Re: What ever happened to . . .Giant...
I may be clueless, but is the same Giant that featured
the great player Dann Huff ? I never really heard the
band but I do know Dann is one the most sought after
session players in the industry...incredible chops
from Nashville twang to 'super-metal.' I seem to
remember some Holdsworth connection to Dann but will
have to ponder that one for a while...
Patrick McMillin
Austin, TX
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: PAB3PSH
Date: Tue, 7 Mar 1995 14:17:07 GMT
Subject: Re: Atavachron Digest Number 131
hi there i'm writing from England and I thought that i'd ask if anybody
knows where to get hold of a copy of road games.My friends and i
have tried everywhere but we just can't get hold of a copy.Thanx to
you all
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Tue, 07 Mar 1995 17:16:28 GMT
From: pcole@sseyod.demon.co.uk (Pete Cole)
Subject: Door X (re: David Torn)
Hi all,
I s'pose I out to put in my 2 cents here, and remind you all of the presence
of Door X - the David Torn mailing list ... issue 26 out now, featuring both a
review of his recent London concert and a review of the new album, Tripping
Over God. Issue 27 will probably be out by the time you read this ...
Now, back to Mr. A.H. ...
Pete
P.S. Keep it up, Jeff !
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pete Cole pcole@sseyod.demon.co.uk
Moderator of Door X, the David Torn mailing list - mail me for details !
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Tue, 7 Mar 1995 21:42:07 -438228648 (PST)
From: Andre LaFosse
Subject: Japanese Holdsworth CDs?
A friend of mine will be in Japan in a couple of weeks, and I'm wondering
if there are any Holdsworth or Holdsworth-related discs I should have him
look for on my behalf. I know about _Wardenclyffe Tower +3_; are there
any others to be on the lookout for?
--Andre
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Wed, 08 Mar 1995 01:22:52 -0500
From: jerfo@student.umass.edu
Subject: Re: Japanese Holdsworth CDs?
>A friend of mine will be in Japan in a couple of weeks, and I'm wondering
>if there are any Holdsworth or Holdsworth-related discs I should have him
>look for on my behalf. I know about _Wardenclyffe Tower +3_; are there
>any others to be on the lookout for?
According to CDEUROPE on the net, _The Things You See/Sunbird_ and
(get this) _Best Works Collection_ are available in Japan. Personally, I'm
extremely curious about _Things..._ and would love to get an idea of what it
was like, but that's just me. As for the _Best Works..._, who knows what that
might turn out to be...
All this being said, WT+3 is probably the safest bet...I'd love to have
a copy myself!
NOTE: John Stevens's albums (_Retouch_, _Touching On_, etc.) may actually be
listed under Allan's name in Japan, as I'm pretty sure that they used his name
pretty extensively on the album covers. Though Allan might poo-poo the idea
of someone picking up one of these, it might prove to be an interesting
addition to one's Holdsworthy collection.
*Jerfo*
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Wed, 8 Mar 1995 08:33:02 -0500 (EST)
From: Jeff Preston
Subject: Re: Japanese Holdsworth CDs?
> From: jerfo@student.umass.edu
> Subject: Re: Japanese Holdsworth CDs?
> As for the _Best Works..._, who knows what that
> might turn out to be...
Total bootleg. It couldn't have a more ironic name, either.
Jeff
--
Jeff Preston \\\ Moderator of the Allan Holdsworth discussion forum
to subscribe \\\ e-mail: atavachron-request@msuacad.morehead-st.edu
Web Page URL \\\ http://suppcoo.morehead-st.edu/atav/docs/home.html
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Wed, 8 Mar 95 08:48:00 -0500
From: rardin%orion.dnet@auriga (R. Lynn Rardin)
Subject: RE: Japanese boots
>> As for the _Best Works..._, who knows what that
>> might turn out to be...
>
> Total bootleg. It couldn't have a more ironic name, either.
It's worth pointing out, too, that this material is all available in more
legitimate forms.
-Lynn
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: Paul Porcelli
Subject: Allan can't play chords ????!!!!
Date: Wed, 8 Mar 1995 14:05:14 +0000 (GMT)
All this talk of Allan in Level 42 reminds me of an article i read. It was in
a British magazine called Making Music. The mag is free in most music shops
around the country.
Anyway it was just after Allan had left Level 42 and the interview was with
MarkKing. I don't remember much about the article but one statement left me
absolutely dumbfounded. King said that one of the reasons that Holdsworth
didn'tfit in was that he couldn't really play chords and was really just a
soloist.
I'm sure this must have been taken out of context but at the time it seemed
suchan incredible statemnt.
Cheers.
--
Paul Porcelli
University of Glasgow
E-Mail: gnaa38@aero.gla.ac.uk
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: pvallado@waynesworld.UCSD.EDU (Paolo Valladolid)
Subject: Re: Allan can't play chords ????!!!!
Date: Wed, 8 Mar 1995 17:35:19 -0800 (PST)
> All this talk of Allan in Level 42 reminds me of an article i read. It was in
> a British magazine called Making Music. The mag is free in most music shops
> around the country.
> Anyway it was just after Allan had left Level 42 and the interview was with
MarkKing. I don't remember much about the article but one statement left me
> absolutely dumbfounded. King said that one of the reasons that Holdsworth
didn'tfit in was that he couldn't really play chords and was really just a
soloist.
> I'm sure this must have been taken out of context but at the time it seemed
suchan incredible statemnt.
> Cheers.
Apparently Mark King had not heard the IOU or Metal Fatigue albums.
--
Paolo Valladolid
-----------------------------------------------------------------
|Moderator of Digital Guitar Digest, an Internet mailing list |\
|for Music Technology and Stringed Instruments | \
----------------------------------------------------------------- |
\ finger pvallado@waynesworld.ucsd.edu for more info \ |
\ http://waynesworld.ucsd.edu/DigitalGuitar/home.html \|
-----------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Thu, 9 Mar 95 09:48:51 -0600
From: uchima@fncrd8.fnal.gov (Mike Uchima)
Subject: Re: Allan can't play chords ????!!!!
> > ... King said that one of the reasons that Holdsworth didn't fit in was
> > that he couldn't really play chords and was really just a soloist. ...
>
> Apparently Mark King had not heard the IOU or Metal Fatigue albums.
...and was obviously confusing an *unwillingness* to play chords with an
*inability* to do so. But as far as he (King) was concerned, I suppose the
two were effectively equivalent.
I thought Allan's playing worked surprisingly well in the Level 42 context.
-- Mike Uchima
-- uchima@fnal.fnal.gov
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I ========= End of Atavachron Digest =========
\ :::: ]I[ :::: /
: ::::::: ]] [[ ::::::: : Administrative requests to:
::: ]] [[ ::: listserv@msuacad.morehead-st.edu
''::]]]]]] ]] [[ [[[[[[::''
::: ]]] ]] [[ [[[ ::: Postings to:
::: =a=t=a=v=a=c=h=r=o=n= ::: atavachron@msuacad.morehead-st.edu
::: ]]] ]] [[ [[[ :::
,,::]]]]]] ]] [[ [[[[[[::,, For more info, send HELP as first
::: ]] [[ ::: line in e-mail to the listserv above.
: :::::: ]] . [[ :::::: :
/ :: ] ::: [ :: \ All opinions expressed herein are
I I those of the individual contributors.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Check out the Atavachron WWW Page!
http://suppcoo.morehead-st.edu/atav/docs/home.html
Atavachron Digest - The Allan Holdsworth Discussion Digest
Number 133
Tuesday, 14 March 1995
TODAY'S TOPICS:
==============
Re: Allan can't play chords ????!!!!
re: atavachron v. 132,
The LEATHER post! (boots and harnesses... harnii?)
Re: The LEATHER post! (boots and harnesses... harnii?)
Re: The LEATHER post! (boots and harnesses... harnii?)
Holdsworth' drummers
AH Tour Schedule?
Torn
Fast Impressions
The Holdsworth Influence?
Re: Holdsworth' drummers
Re: Holdsworth' drummers
Re: Holdsworth' drummers
Re: Straight Ahead Allan
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Thu, 9 Mar 95 10:54:42 PST
From: "Chris Manuel"
Subject: Re: Allan can't play chords ????!!!!
*** Reply to note of 03/09/95 09:18
Level 42 uses pretty thick keyboard timbres - as a result it would be
difficult to find room for Allan's unique voicings. Probably the best
keyboard/guitar combination is Pat Metheny and Lyle Mays: look at how long
they've worked together to achieve their balance.
My guess is that Allan wasn't that excited at playing funky rhythm chops over
Mark King's basslines. That seems to be the most straightforward approach - a
lot more rehearsal would have been necessary to come up with something new
that actually made use of Allan's rhythm "thing".
Chris Manuel
BC Systems Corporation
V: 604.389.3503 F:360.7285
CPMANUEL@BCSC02.GOV.BC.CA
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Thu, 09 Mar 95 13:49:48 MST
From: masser@SMTPGATE.lds-az.loral.com (masser)
Subject: re: atavachron v. 132,
Hello,
>>> As for the best Works..._, who knows what that
>>> might turn out to be...
>>
>> Total bootleg. It couldn't have a more ironic name, either.
>It's worth pointing out, too, that this material is all available in more
>legitimate forms.
> The Harness
> Ripley Guitar (again)
Are you referring to bootlegs or Japanese releases? My point, why is the "+3"
of _Wardenclyffe Tower +3_ is not included on the domestic _Wardenclyffe
Tower_, were is the legitimate form (except from Hi-priced Japanese imports)?
The fade-in & out on the +3 Unmerry Go-Round drives my nuts! How long was this
beautiful cascade of notes, we will never know :(!
Regarding _The Things You See/Sunbird_ :) ... there are two CD releases (I
believe) The first release is missing a song or two from _Sunbird_, my
understanding is the currently available _The Things You See/Sunbird_ has the
same song set as was released on the turn-table version of _Sunbird_.
Regarding the Harness? I am new to your group and am not familiar with the
term Harness, but I believe you are referring to the reactive load (Juice Man,
Juice Extractor by Rocktron). AH's version of this will soak up to 100 watts
of power and then, via a switch, allows him to run (the now pre-amp level)
signal thru a passive eq or out as is, the version I heard of had two signal
level outs - one straight and one eq'd,. AH's concern with the Rocktron Juice
Extractor was Rocktron used equivalent circuit elements for the coils AH used
in his prototype (the equivalent circuit element employing op amps, as used by
Rocktron was described as coil-less, thus less juicy to AH's ears).
And finally, the Ripley guitar from v. 131, I believe this design (body shape)
is from a Grover Jackson prototype with a Tele body (w/ only a nub of a horn)
and Strat contouring (for comfort). The one I am familiar with is made of bass
wood no finish and all maple neck & two D'Marzio custom humbuckings. I saw
another one that was dark green (seems like one of AH's fav colours) that was
made of several types of wood glued together and had a ebony fret board.
.. I love your group, thanks Jeff.
RJM-
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Thu, 9 Mar 1995 21:06:12 -0500 (EST)
From: Jeff Preston
Subject: The LEATHER post! (boots and harnesses... harnii?)
> From: masser
> Subject: re: atavachron v. 132,
> Are you referring to bootlegs or Japanese releases?
If you mean Jimco's "Best Works," I mean a *bootleg* -- i.e., Jimco
does has no rights to reproduce the material on that CD. Period.
> My point, why is the "+3"
> of _Wardenclyffe Tower +3_ is not included on the domestic _Wardenclyffe
> Tower_, were is the legitimate form (except from Hi-priced Japanese imports)?
There's a question that needs to be added to the FAQ; thanks for
pointing that out! Polygram Japan was only interested in releasing
_Wardenclyffe Tower_ in Japan *if* it had extra material on it. Their
reasoning? U.S. import CDs are lower in price than domestically-produced
and distributed CDs in Japan. Polygram Japan reasonably concluded that
although U.S. pressings are considered inferior to Japanese consumers,
they would buy the U.S. version of _WT_ unless there were more reason
for them to part with another 700 yen. Hence the "+3" for the Japanese
release.
> The fade-in & out on the +3 Unmerry Go-Round drives my nuts!
Ouch. :)
> How long was this
> beautiful cascade of notes, we will never know :(!
I didn't comprehend that fade-game, either, but Claire assured me
that it was purely intentional on Allan's part.
> Regarding the Harness? I am new to your group and am not familiar with the
> term Harness, but I believe you are referring to the reactive load (Juice Man,
> Juice Extractor by Rocktron).
Actually, no; the Harness is a new device which is hand-crafted by
Allan himself, partly as a reaction to Rocktron's modifications to
the Juice Extractor (and even moreso, hopefully, in an effort to
make some good money for a change!). Has anyone seen the latest issue
of Guitar Player (where Allan is supposed to have an advert for it)?
> .. I love your group, thanks Jeff.
Don't thank me -- just keep contributing! ;)
Jeff
--
Jeff Preston \\\ Moderator of the Allan Holdsworth discussion forum
to subscribe \\\ e-mail: atavachron-request@msuacad.morehead-st.edu
Web Page URL \\\ http://suppcoo.morehead-st.edu/atav/docs/home.html
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: pvallado@waynesworld.UCSD.EDU (Paolo Valladolid)
Subject: Re: The LEATHER post! (boots and harnesses... harnii?)
Date: Fri, 10 Mar 1995 08:37:39 -0800 (PST)
> Actually, no; the Harness is a new device which is hand-crafted by
> Allan himself, partly as a reaction to Rocktron's modifications to
> the Juice Extractor (and even moreso, hopefully, in an effort to
> make some good money for a change!). Has anyone seen the latest issue
> of Guitar Player (where Allan is supposed to have an advert for it)?
I have it, but I couldn't find Allan's ad.
--
Paolo Valladolid
-----------------------------------------------------------------
|Moderator of Digital Guitar Digest, an Internet mailing list |\
|for Music Technology and Stringed Instruments | \
----------------------------------------------------------------- |
\ finger pvallado@waynesworld.ucsd.edu for more info \ |
\ http://waynesworld.ucsd.edu/DigitalGuitar/home.html \|
-----------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Fri, 10 Mar 1995 13:59:35 -0500 (EST)
From: Jeff Preston
Subject: Re: The LEATHER post! (boots and harnesses... harnii?)
> From: Paolo Valladolid
> Subject: Re: The LEATHER post! (boots and harnesses... harnii?)
> > Has anyone seen the latest issue
> > of Guitar Player (where Allan is supposed to have an advert for it)?
> I have it, but I couldn't find Allan's ad.
I may have misunderstood Claire, then. She may have meant that Allan
had only *placed* the ad; there may be some lead time before it appears.
Jeff
--
Jeff Preston \\\ Moderator of the Allan Holdsworth discussion forum
to subscribe \\\ e-mail: atavachron-request@msuacad.morehead-st.edu
Web Page URL \\\ http://suppcoo.morehead-st.edu/atav/docs/home.html
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Thu, 9 Mar 1995 19:33:52 +0100
From: rene@via.nl (Rene Janssen)
Subject: Holdsworth' drummers
Hi there,
I am a Dutch drummer and I would like to discuss about the drummers Allan
has played with. These include some of my alltime heroes like Tony Williams
Vinnie Colaiuta and Chad Wackerman (The Zappa Drummers). The first cd I've
heard from Allan was Secrets. And that surely struck me like lightning. Not
only the outher space technique of Vinnie but mostly the delicate touch of
Allan. It has so much emotional energy in it..
The synenergy between these musicians was great. I've read an interview
with Vinnie where he tells that they did City Lights in 2 or 3 takes !
Well we all know that Vinnie reads music like HELL..
Check out his solo album if ya did not yet heard it!
Welll, its obvious that Allan has played with some of the greatest drummers
in the world. Does anyone know if he has a favourite drummer and why ?
Does anyone know what Allans favourite recordings are ?
Does anyone know when he is coming to the Netherlands again ?
I missed his last concert ! (&@%$!"&%!!!!!!)
Greetings,
/\ Rene. /\
Email : rene@via.nl
WWW : http://www.via.nl/~rene/rene.html
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Sat, 11 Mar 1995 10:21:29 +0500
From: fstopron@inforamp.net (Ron Belli)
Subject: AH Tour Schedule?
Just wondering if and when AH will be performing anywhere near Toronto,
Ontario, Canada in the near or distant future. It has been a few years
since I saw AH perform live, but it still remains a very memorable
experience. Back in the late '80's Allan was touring with the "Jazz
Explosion" band, comprised of Stanley Clarke, Randy Brecker, Steve Smith
and a keyboard player whose name escapes me. I can only describe Allan's
playing as absolutely flawless (even in a live setting), and very
expressive.
I wonder how many hours or days some of today's rock stars (who have good
barbers, as Frank Zappa used to say) would take to get their short,
polished and contrived guitar solos on tape, whereas Allan could do it
right the very first time, and every other time in a variety of creative
ways.
By the way, I was very surprised to see Jimmy Johnson playing bass for
James Taylor at a recent concert in Nov. 94. Now, there's a change in
musical direction! (My wife is the James Taylor fan in the family... I felt
I should explain). Which leads me to my next question: Is there a James
Taylor newsgroup or something on the internet she can join? (Personal
E-mail is welcome).
Sorry about straying off topic, guys. It's strictly AH info from now on.
Ron Belli
Toronto, Ontario
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Mon, 13 Mar 1995 15:14:00 -0600
From: Glenn Astarita
Subject: Torn
Hi,
AH is one of my musical idols, no doubt ! In defense of David Torn and
others..Of course all musicians have influences. Thats it. We learn from
others as in any profession or interest. I see no reason why we spend so much
time comparing young Bucketheads, Torns, and so on to AH ! These artists have
established themselves and have developed unique voices. Listen to DT's
recordings over the last several years. In my wildest imagination I see no
similarities. In fact like AH, DT is probably impossible to imitate. In fact
AH is possibly the most studied electric guitarist over the last 15 years or
so. We know that. Lets find out what these gifted musicians are up to now and
what looms ahead..
Glenn
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Mon, 13 Mar 1995 16:58:43 -0500
From: jerfo@student.umass.edu
Subject: Fast Impressions
Whilst fumbling through a local record store, I happened to stumble upon
a sealed vinal copy of _Fast Impressions_ by Jon St. James...I immediately
recognized the title from the Holdsworth discography and snagged it, driving
home with baited breath, aglow in anticipation, basking in a veritable pool
of cliche...
That being said, this has to be one of the worst albums that I have ever
heard in my life.
Before I continue, here are the specifications missing from the
discography:
Jon St. James:
Fast Impressions
==== ===========
(c) 1986; Enigma Records ST-73214 (vinal)
Allan appears on "Fast Impressions" and "Rainy Taxi" only.
Though his solos are quite good on both tunes (the synthaxe solo on "Fast
Impressions" is in the _Atavachron_ vein, while he gets to stretch out on
guitar on "Rainy Taxi") the music is the worst of the 1980's "smooth", drum
machined-to-death, neo-fuzak jazz. In other words, Jon St. James is probably
is big fan of Kenny G...though I would hesitate to offend Mr. G by saying such
a thing.
I realize that this is merely my own opinion, however I also don't believe
that it's merely a coincidence that this album is hard to find...
I apologize for the harsh tone that I have taken here. I am normally a
very open-minded listener of music...however, this album should be bought ONLY
for the sake of completing a Holdsworth collection. Case closed.
*Jerfo*
jerfo@student.umass.edu
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Mon, 13 Mar 1995 17:21:21 -0500
From: jerfo@student.umass.edu
Subject: The Holdsworth Influence?
I hope that someone out there gets a kick out of this...
I am nineteen years old and been playing guitar for eleven of them.
My two largest influences would have to be John McLaughlin and (of course)
Allan Holdsworth, and I consider my style to be a unique mesh of the staccato,
rapid blurs of McLaughlin with the legato flow of Mr. Holdsworth. Anyway...
Yesterday, I happened to have a fellow guitar-playing friend in the room, and
I was playing him a few of the demos I had done on a borrowed four track
recorder. He then said something to the effect of "That's terrific! You
sound just like Scott Henderson."
I don't even own a Scott Henderson record. I think he's great, but could
hardly call him an "influence".
I figured that this may hold some interest to some of you good folks out there,
as there has been considerable conversation lately about players like David
Torn and Buckethead and their similarities to other players...in the long run,
these similarities could really just be by accident, eh?
*Jerfo*
jerfo@student.umass.edu
PS Send me email privately if you would be interested in obtaining a copy of
some of the tunes on this demo tape. The more opinions I get (especially the
opinions of those well versed in Holdsworthiness), the better.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Tue, 14 Mar 1995 18:27:51 +0100
From: rene@via.nl (Rene Janssen)
Subject: Re: Holdsworth' drummers
>> The synenergy between these musicians was great. I've read an interview
>> with Vinnie where he tells that they did City Lights in 2 or 3 takes !
>> Well we all know that Vinnie reads music like HELL..
>> Check out his solo album if ya did not yet heard it!
>I plan to... City Nights is one of my favorite Holdsworth tracks (only
>problem is it's much too short... :)). By the way, did you happen to notice
>that City Nights was actually written by *another* of Holdsworth's drummers,
>Gary Husband?
>
Yes indeed, I know that Gary plays piano too. Its a guess why he did not
play on that track himself..
>And while we're on the subject of Allan's drummers, I really love both of
>Chad Wackerman's solo releases. I recommend both of them highly, if you
>haven't heard them.
Yes, I've got them both. Their two of my favourite CDs.
I've read that Chad has toured with John Patitucci. I am curious about the
next Patittuci solo album, maybe he will be on that (or Vinnie again). Does
anybody know something about that ?
Well I have got a tip for die-hard Holdsworth collectors. Allan is featured
on one track of the solo album of saxophonist Steve Tavaglione called Blue
Tav. Its available on Sohbi/Creatchy Records (Japanese Import). The track is
called Tsunami. And again .. yes here he is again.. *Vinnie* playing along.
Tsunami is that Japanese for some kind of natural disaster ? The track
sounds in fact like one..
Greetings,
Rene.
email : rene@via.nl
WWW : http://www.via.nl/users/rene/rene.html
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Tue, 14 Mar 95 13:38:11 PST
From: "Chris Manuel"
Subject: Re: Holdsworth' drummers
*** Reply to note of 03/14/95 12:38
Rene asks: "Tsunami is that Japanese for some kind of natural disaster ?"
Tsunami = tidal wave, under the right circumstances that can be a natural
disaster.
On the drummers' topic, I would love to hear Allan Holdsworth with Tony
Williams on a straightahead session. Creed Taylor had the right idea back on
the Velvet Darkness sessions, unfortunately the execution was a little
lacking.
There was a note recently about the "jazz tour" of a few years ago, with
Stanley Clarke. I would have killed to hear that; I'm really curious to hear
Holdsworth play a standard. I wonder if his "thing" translates to that
context?Is there an upcoming recording project - I'm a blank today but seem to
remember something of that nature coming down the pipe.
Chris Manuel
BC Systems Corporation
V: 604.389.3503 F:360.7285
CPMANUEL@BCSC02.GOV.BC.CA
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: pvallado@waynesworld.UCSD.EDU (Paolo Valladolid)
Subject: Re: Holdsworth' drummers
Date: Tue, 14 Mar 1995 12:50:53 -0800 (PST)
> >Gary Husband?
> >
>
> Yes indeed, I know that Gary plays piano too. Its a guess why he did not
> play on that track himself..
Is he still touring with Billy Cobham as his keyboardist/second
drummer?
--
Paolo Valladolid
-----------------------------------------------------------------
|Moderator of Digital Guitar Digest, an Internet mailing list |\
|for Music Technology and Stringed Instruments | \
----------------------------------------------------------------- |
\ finger pvallado@waynesworld.ucsd.edu for more info \ |
\ http://waynesworld.ucsd.edu/DigitalGuitar/home.html \|
-----------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Tue, 14 Mar 1995 17:29:13 -0500
From: jerfo@student.umass.edu
Subject: Re: Straight Ahead Allan
>Is there an upcoming recording project - I'm a blank today but seem to
> remember something of that nature coming down the pipe.
If I remember correctly, the new project is well underway. Supposedly, it
is indeed leaning more towards a straight ahead jazz vein...in fact, I believe
that the musicians are exactly the same as those on "Michelle" on the Beatles
tribute disc...which is a GOOD thing. (I happen to love Gary Willis's bass
tone, and Gordon Beck is...well...GORDON BECK!)
I hope that I've managed to get my facts straight. (Back me up, Mr. Preston?)
*Jerfo*
jerfo@student.umass.edu
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
========= End of Atavachron Digest ========= I
\ :::: ]I[ :::: /
Administrative requests to: : ::::::: ]] [[ ::::::: :
listserv@msuacad.morehead-st.edu ::: ]] [[ :::
''::]]]]]] ]] [[ [[[[[[::''
Postings to: ::: ]]] ]] [[ [[[ :::
atavachron@msuacad.morehead-st.edu ::: =a=t=a=v=a=c=h=r=o=n= :::
::: ]]] ]] [[ [[[ :::
For more info, send HELP as the first ,,::]]]]]] ]] [[ [[[[[[::,,
line in e-mail to the listserv above. ::: ]] [[ :::
: :::::: ]] . [[ :::::: :
All opinions expressed herein are / :: ] ::: [ :: \
those of the individual contributors. I I
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Check out the Atavachron WWW Page!
http://suppcoo.morehead-st.edu/atav/docs/home.html
Atavachron Digest - The Allan Holdsworth Discussion Digest
Number 134
Thursday, 16 March 1995
TODAY'S TOPICS:
==============
Re: Atavachron Digest Number 133
Southern VA?
Re: Atavachron Digest Number 133
Re: Soma
Holdsworth Drummers
Re: Soma
Rounding Up The Usual Suspects...
Re: Revised San Diego Performance date
Alan Pasqua
Rounding Up The Usual Suspects...
Re: Gary Husband
Re: Gary Husband
any new recordings ?
Mid-West Tour Dates?
Re: any new recordings ?
Tour Dates: Yes, We WILL Have Them; Patience, Please!
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Tue, 14 Mar 1995 20:08:00 -0500
From: AFCPeterS@aol.com
Subject: Re: Atavachron Digest Number 133
> Date: Mon, 13 Mar 1995 16:58:43 -0500
> From: jerfo@student.umass.edu
> Subject: Fast Impressions
> Whilst fumbling through a local record store, I happened to
> stumble upon a sealed vinal copy of _Fast Impressions_ by Jon
> St. James...I immediately recognized the title from the
> Holdsworth discography and snagged it, driving home with baited
> breath, aglow in anticipation, basking in a veritable pool of
> cliche...
>
> That being said, this has to be one of the worst albums that I
> have ever heard in my life.
I guess you haven't heard the Soma album yet. :) Compared to that, _Fast
Impressions_ is a masterpiece.
Peter Stoller
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Wed, 15 Mar 1995 09:58:55 -0500 (EST)
From: Ashley Collins
Subject: Southern VA?
As much as I'd love to add my insights on AH's genius, I have nothing to
contribute other than the acknowledgement of its existance. This post is
yet another plea for him to play somewhere close to my area of the
country, Norfolk, VA. I blew the last chance I had to see him in 1991, when I
was in my freshman year at the University of Maryland. He played some club in
northern Virginia, and I would have gone, but the metro shuts down at
midnight, and the only way I would have been able to see the entire show
would have been to take a 30 or 40+ minute cab ride home, something the
average college freshman probably can't afford. I was seriously
considering spending the night on the street afterward, though, and
catching the metro back the next morning. Anyhoo, that's my story and my
request. Any info would be greatly appreciated.
Ashley Collins
acollins@CapAccess.org
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Wed, 15 Mar 1995 09:40:50 -0600 (CST)
From: ST40V@Jetson.UH.EDU
Subject: Re: Atavachron Digest Number 133
Does anyone know anything about the program Finale?
ST5FH@JETSON.UH.EDU
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Wed, 15 Mar 1995 10:50:24 -0500
From: jerfo@student.umass.edu
Subject: Re: Soma
>I guess you haven't heard the Soma album yet. :) Compared to that, _Fast
>Impressions_ is a masterpiece.
Any idea where I can get a copy? I'm a glutton for Holdsworthy punishment.
8)
*Jerfo*
jerfo@student.umass.edu
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: Steve_Vaughan@ilink.demon.co.uk
Date: Wed, 15 Mar 95 14:55:47 GMT
Subject: Holdsworth Drummers
Rene Janssen writes:
> I am a Dutch drummer and I would like to discuss about the drummers Allan
> has played with. These include some of my alltime heroes like Tony Williams
> Vinnie Colaiuta and Chad Wackerman (The Zappa Drummers). The first cd I've
> heard from Allan was Secrets. And that surely struck me like lightning. Not
> only the outher space technique of Vinnie but mostly the delicate touch of
> Allan. It has so much emotional energy in it..
Holdsworth's certainly worked with some of the best drummers around. You
may call me an oddball but I prefer Holdsworth's work with Bill Bruford. He
may not be as swift as some of the above, but I think there's something
tight and accurate in his playing that seems to compliment Holdsworth's work
perfectly. Maybe it's a case of "less is more".
Too bad there's not that much available featuring them both.
Maybe in the future...
Incidentally, since there was a mention of Holdsworth playing with Stanley
Clarke, I hope you are all aware that Holdsworth features on his album
"If this Bass could Only Talk".
Steve Vaughan
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Wed, 15 Mar 1995 18:55:58 -0500 (EST)
From: Jeff Preston
Subject: Re: Soma
> From: jerfo@student.umass.edu
> Subject: Re: Soma
> Any idea where I can get a copy? I'm a glutton for Holdsworthy punishment.
> 8)
You might want to check this with Chris Hoard, but I think this is
the address I used to order my copy (white vinyl, as-yet-unplayed
since I have no turntable):
Occidental Records
PO Box 661
Lake Forest, IL 60045
I seem to recall the price being around $11.00, postpaid.
Jeff
--
Jeff Preston \\\ Moderator of the Allan Holdsworth discussion forum
to subscribe \\\ e-mail: atavachron-request@msuacad.morehead-st.edu
Web Page URL \\\ http://suppcoo.morehead-st.edu/atav/docs/home.html
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Wed, 15 Mar 1995 22:18:02 -0800
From: edumark@ix.netcom.com (chris hoard)
Subject: Rounding Up The Usual Suspects...
City Nights, Torn, Henderson, Level 42, Straight Ahead, Drummers...
Just a few comments based on these topics--a great array of Holdsworth
topics in #133 and the past few editions of Atavachron!
Forgive my re-posting this, but Gary Husband DID play on City Nights,
and it wasn't the first time Enigma botched the credits--Gary Played
the keyboard track--and he played a keyboard solo on "Wardenclyffe" and
one track on IOU, "Temporary Fault?" Speaking of Level 42 and Mark King,
despite the quote AH and he are on very good terms... Factually speaking,
it's not that AH doesn't play chords, it's that he doesn't play
traditional *rhythm* guitar--it's not his thing. Although--I've heard
him putz around, and am certain he can play rhythm if he wanted to.
He chooses not to, however, and Level 42's R&B based style calls for
a lot of rhythm guitar--that's what Mark King meant I'm sure--if King
heard "Shallow Sea" or "Unmerry Go Round" he'd probably say "that's not
chords, that's the whole bloody orchestra!"
Torn is a fan of Holdsworth--and AH has often cited Torn, along with Henderson,
as two of a newer generation of guitarists he really appreciates. AH and SH
get together every now and then--you might say they're friends even, just
as AH and Gambale are mutal admirers. I think AH's two favorites remain
Metheny and McLaughlin in terms of his contemporaries he likes the most--but
AH listens more to sax players, but about a year ago, he turned me onto
the Jerky Boys before they suddenly became immensely popular and then came
out with a movie...
The new record (the title has changed a few times)... is VERY straight ahead,
and one of Gordon Beck's and Gary Willis' best ever. AH is still struggling
finishing the solos, given that he was unable to synch 3 ADAT recorders with
much success, and has read Alesis the riot act... Get ready for the first
AH 8 track album--but somehow I think we'll all find it smokes maniacally,
and won't be disappointed by the quality even so.
As for great jazz drummers AH has played/recorded with, how about adding:
Narada Michael Walden
Lenny White
Billy Cobham
John Marshall
Tony Oxley
Danny Gottlieb
I'm certain I've missed a few as well.
One drummer AH has always admired, and wanted to play with is Elvin Jones--
I think they've talked about it, but it hasn't happened yet. Another drummer
I know wants to play with AH is Jeff Tain Watts... Other great drummers I want
to hear AH play with: Jack DeJonette, Roy Haynes, Marvin Smitty Smith, and
Peter Erskine. I know Peter would like to do a project with Allan, but
that hasn't come about either. Other than those, and Max Roach, AH has
pretty much had his pick of the greatest drummers alive. Another fantastic
drummer who knows and loves AH--and I think it's only a matter of time
before they play together--is Dennis Chambers (recently with Brecker Bros/
Steely Dan). I'd hazard a guess that if AH had to pick a personal favorite--
the drummer he most admires as a great musician and the perfect
sensibilities to play with--he'd probably pick Tony Williams.
I've heard on good authority there's a boot out with an all-star Jazz
tour AH did in '87? with Stanley Clarke, Steve Smith, and Randy Brecker...
I saw the gig in LA and it was pretty enjoyable -- AH played lots of
synthaxe. The beat goes on...
Regards/Chris
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Wed, 15 Mar 95 23:03 PST
From: chrisr@cts.com (Chris Richards)
Subject: Re: Revised San Diego Performance date
Just a brief note that Allan will perform at the Belly Up Tavern here in San
Diego county on *June 14th* according to today's San Diego Union-Tribune.
The Belly Up is in Solana Beach.
Cheers,
Chris Richards
P.S. Sorry Jeff, The correct *date* is appended above! I hope by then they
(Belly Up) have Sierra Nevada on tap again!
CineScout Location Services | (619)756-9429 (TEL) | Motion Picture Locations
San Diego | (619)756-3305 (FAX) | Los Angeles
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Wed, 15 Mar 95 23:50:23 CST
From: Bill=Purcell%TS=SysCall%CS=Hou@bangate.compaq.com
Subject: Alan Pasqua
Greetings, all ...
I was wondering if anyone knew whether AH had plans to record with Mr. Pasqua
on any upcoming albums? In my opinion, AP's work on _Metal Fatigue_,
_Atavachron_ and _Sand_ is by far the best keyboard work contributed to AH's
music. AP seems to have much more of a unique and personal voice than Steve
Hunt, for instance. Nothing against SH of course, :) but I think that AP's
solos on tracks such as the title track "Atavachron" and "Pud Wud" from
_Sand_ are beautifully melodic, and work around the chord changes with a
great deal of confidence and imagination. Unfortunately, AP hasn't appeared
on an AH album since _Secrets_. Hopefully, Alan and Allan will produce more
of the great collaborations in the future!
By the way, I picked up a copy of Alan Pasqua's CD entitled _Milagro_ ...
good stuff, indeed. Guests include Michael Brecker, Dave Holland and Jack
DeJohnette.
Until next time, take care ...
--- Bill Purcell ---
Holdsworth Metheny Johnson Malmsteen Segovia Morse Satriani
Listen ...
Learn ...
Live ...
Love.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Thu, 16 Mar 95 09:24:01 PST
From: "Chris Manuel"
Subject: Rounding Up The Usual Suspects...
*** Reply to note of 03/15/95 22:28
Chris Hoard writes:
"Another fantastic drummer who knows and loves AH--and I think it's only a
matter of time before they play together--is Dennis Chambers (recently with
Brecker Bros/Steely Dan)."
I saw Dennis Chambers with John Scofield's Loud Jazz era quintet. The
bassist's name escapes me; I think he was an alumnus of Parliament/Funkadelic.
Were they ever funky together! Chambers was using a double bass setup with
what a drummer friend described as a speed pedal. This was in Roy Thomson Hall
in Toronto: designed for classical music and the hoi polloi it attracts, it
was really different sitting in the audience with a sweaty, funky rhythm
section doing their thing. I loved it!
I'd be curious to hear more about the ADAT synch problem Chris Hoard noted.
You'd think that would be a straightforward task given the number of multiple
ADAT setups around, receiving album credits.I often wish for a second ADAT (ju
st five more minutes Mom, just one more track Mr. Banker!)
Later.
Chris Manuel
BC Systems Corporation
V: 604.389.3503 F:360.7285
CPMANUEL@BCSC02.GOV.BC.CA
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Thu, 16 Mar 1995 19:05:51 +0100
From: rene@via.nl (Rene Janssen)
Subject: Re: Gary Husband
> >Gary Husband?
> >
>
> Yes indeed, I know that Gary plays piano too. Its a guess why he did not
> play on that track himself..
Paolo asks :
>Is he still touring with Billy Cobham as his keyboardist/second
>drummer?
You've gotta be kiddin' ! Really ? I really dont know what Gary is doing at
the moment. I thought that Billy Cobham was doing tours with Peter Gabriel.
Well If thats the case its is certainly a cool thing..
Or are they playing songs with two drummers ? I hope this does not end in a
drum-battle..
Anyway back to Allan Holdsworth...who can tell me what he's doing at the
moment ?
Rene.
email : rene@via.nl
WWW : http://www.via.nl/users/rene/rene.html
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: pvallado@waynesworld.UCSD.EDU (Paolo Valladolid)
Subject: Re: Gary Husband
Date: Thu, 16 Mar 1995 11:35:26 -0800 (PST)
> Paolo asks :
>
> >Is he still touring with Billy Cobham as his keyboardist/second
> >drummer?
>
> You've gotta be kiddin' ! Really ? I really dont know what Gary is doing at
> the moment. I thought that Billy Cobham was doing tours with Peter Gabriel.
> Well If thats the case its is certainly a cool thing..
> Or are they playing songs with two drummers ? I hope this does not end in a
> drum-battle..
I do remember seeing a post in this very list reviewing a gig
of Gary's as a sideman for another big name drummer in which
Gary mostly played keyboards butpounded the skins for a few
numbers.
> Anyway back to Allan Holdsworth...who can tell me what he's doing at the
> moment ?
He's scheduled to appear at the Belly Up in San Diego in June.
I wonder if he will be touring with Gordon Beck and playing
music form the straightahead project Chris described.
--
Paolo Valladolid
-----------------------------------------------------------------
|Moderator of Digital Guitar Digest, an Internet mailing list |\
|for Music Technology and Stringed Instruments | \
----------------------------------------------------------------- |
\ finger pvallado@waynesworld.ucsd.edu for more info \ |
\ http://waynesworld.ucsd.edu/DigitalGuitar/home.html \|
-----------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Thu, 16 Mar 1995 14:00:06 -0600
From: Glenn Astarita
Subject: any new recordings ?
Hi all,
Any new studio recordings on the burners from AH ? Also, a few years ago I
recall that Tony Williams and Jan Hammer formed a band and toured the states
for awhile They never did release anything from that stint, from what I
remember the reviews were positive. Was AH the guitarist by chance ? Also
heard that Tony Williams has been in the studios recording an electric outfit
after a long "fusion-recording" hiatus. Again, wondering if AH is involved ?
Anybody know ?
Glenn
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Thu, 16 Mar 95 15:06:42 EST
From: jveatc01@eng.eds.com (Jef Veatch)
Subject: Mid-West Tour Dates?
Anybody kno'? Seems like AH really like the west coast, etc, but i
haven't seen any dates for the MidWest.
Peace.
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
"My cerebellum just fused..." - Calvin
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
_ /|
Jef Veatch \'o.O'
=(___)=
jveatc01@eng.eds.com U
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Thu, 16 Mar 1995 15:44:05 -0500
From: jerfo@student.umass.edu
Subject: Re: any new recordings ?
>Any new studio recordings on the burners from AH ?
I've heard from reliable sources that Gongzilla's _Suffer_ is the nectar
of the gods for some Holdsworth fans. :)
*Jerfo*
jerfo@student.umass.edu
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Thu, 16 Mar 1995 15:49:59 -0500 (EST)
From: Jeff Preston
Subject: Tour Dates: Yes, We WILL Have Them; Patience, Please!
> From: Jef Veatch
> Subject: Mid-West Tour Dates?
> Anybody kno'? Seems like AH really like the west coast, etc, but i
> haven't seen any dates for the MidWest.
The San Diego date is the ONLY date published thusfar. That's it.
As soon as I hear from Claire with firm dates (listing venues, etc.),
I promise with all my heart to
a) post the dates to Atavachron;
b) put the dates in the Atavachron WWW page
(http://suppcoo.morehead-st.edu/atav/docs/dates.html);
c) put the dates in my .plan so they will be readily available
to people who don't have a Web browser, but know how to
"finger";
d) put a reminder at the end of each Atavachron Digest.
In other words, I hope everyone will check the available resources
before posting, "Is Allan playing my town?" One of my biggest
motivations for starting Atavachron was because I was sick and tired
of missing Allan's shows (and hearing some lucky sumbitch talk about
what a GREAT set Allan played... a MONTH ago), so please believe me
when I say I will go to great lengths to get those dates for y'all
as far in advance as possible, and try to make them as easily
obtainable as possible, as well. Keep the faith! ;)
That said, Claire has only said this thusfar:
Allan has a new booking agent, and there are TENATIVE plans to visit
Tokyo during Golden Week (first week of May), Australia after that,
then the U.S. west coast, Canada (several more dates than usual, btw),
and finally, the eastern U.S. As always, Claire wanted me to emphasize
that these plans may change, so nothing is finalized as of now!
I'm only guessing here, but I would bet that the east/midwest dates
won't come around until August-September.
Jeff
--
Jeff Preston \\\ Moderator of the Allan Holdsworth discussion forum
to subscribe \\\ e-mail: atavachron-request@msuacad.morehead-st.edu
Web Page URL \\\ http://suppcoo.morehead-st.edu/atav/docs/home.html
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I ========= End of Atavachron Digest =========
\ :::: ]I[ :::: /
: ::::::: ]] [[ ::::::: : Administrative requests to:
::: ]] [[ ::: listserv@msuacad.morehead-st.edu
''::]]]]]] ]] [[ [[[[[[::''
::: ]]] ]] [[ [[[ ::: Postings to:
::: =a=t=a=v=a=c=h=r=o=n= ::: atavachron@msuacad.morehead-st.edu
::: ]]] ]] [[ [[[ :::
,,::]]]]]] ]] [[ [[[[[[::,, For more info, send HELP as first
::: ]] [[ ::: line in e-mail to the listserv above.
: :::::: ]] . [[ :::::: :
/ :: ] ::: [ :: \ All opinions expressed herein are
I I those of the individual contributors.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Check out the Atavachron WWW Page!
http://suppcoo.morehead-st.edu/atav/docs/home.html
Atavachron Digest - The Allan Holdsworth Discussion Digest
Number 135
Monday, 20 March 1995
TODAY'S TOPICS:
==============
Paradox/other AH-inspired guitarists/UK
Re: any new recordings ?
Australian tour dates?
U.K. Reunion? I dunno...
Re: Paradox/other AH-inspired guitarists/UK
Andrea Marcelli
New URL
What's Doin'
Chapman Stick
Suddenly, the room went all swimmy, and...
Re: Tour Dates: Yes, We WILL Have Them; Patience, Please!
Re: Gary Husband
Re: Gary Husband
Re: Gary Husband
Holdsworth, the Hurdy Gurdy Man
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Thu, 16 Mar 1995 18:01:12 -0500
From: AURACLE@aol.com
Subject: Paradox/other AH-inspired guitarists/UK
Hi all...I've been lurking around for a while and really enjoying the
Holdsworthian discourse that's been taking place on this list. Thanks for
being here. Anyway, after hearing about Paradox and their Allan-inspired
guitarist, Yoichi Tanabe, I went out and bought the disc, and I'm really glad
I did. I think it's some of the best fusion stuff I've heard since...well,
since "Hard Hat Area"! :-)
Yes, Tanabe does indeed sound quite abit like AH--there exists no higher
compliment in the world of electric guitar--but I think he sounds more like
Allan did back in the days of Tony Williams' Lifetime, with an edgier,
heavier, more distorted tone than the maestro currently employs. Tanabe's
playing has a lot of fire and aggression to it; I like that. But he's not the
only great player in the group. Masato Matsuda's piano solos are a perfect
counterpoint to Mr. Tanabe's frantic fretboard flights--that whole light/dark
contrast thing is always extremely effective. And Hiroki Takeda's phrasing on
the fretless bass is always sweet and tasty, while drummer Kozo Sugamura's
aggressive style reminds me of Chad Wackerman.
Listening to Paradox' "Broken Barricade" and Yoichi Tanabe, I began to
think about some of the other AH-inspired guitarists whose work I've enjoyed
since I discovered Allan on the "Road Games" album (on vinyl!) way back in
high school. Ex-Return to Forever axeman Bill Connors is at the top of the
list; if any of you don't have any of his three *very* AH-inspired solo
discs, you should run out and get them. The first one, "Step It," features a
young Dave Weckl on drums, and like the two which followed, "Assembler" and
"Double Up," it's chock-full of Holdsworthian legato runs and beautifully
strange chord voicings. Then there's Scott Henderson, whom I guess you might
call a bluesy version of AH; Frank Gambale, whose "Live!" disc is absolutely
frightening (and the keyboard player, Kei Akagi, who's played with Allan as
well, is incredible too); Eric Johnson has often named AH as a major
influence (though I think there's more of Steve Morse than there is of Allan
in his playing--and yet, Morse acknowledges Holdsworth's genius quite
readily, too); but I think my very favorite AH acolyte is the phenomenal
Shawn Lane. This unsung hero from Memphis, TN (I think), could be the heir to
Allan's title as most jaw-dropping soloist and composer on the planet. He's
an absolute MONSTER! And he's equally amazing (!) on piano and keys,
too...miss his Warner Bros. debut, "Powers of Ten," at your peril. Oh, and
then there's Alex Skolnick, Yngwie Malmsteen, Joe Satriani, Steve Vai,
Dweezil Zappa, etc., etc. (It occurs to me that with all these great players
around who admire Allan so much, there could be an amazing AH tribute album
someday.)
I know this is getting long, but I just have to ask: is it true that Allan
will be participating in a UK reunion album sometime this year or next? I've
heard this from a very reliable source, and I seriously hope that it's true
indeed. I think UK was an unbelievably great band, and would love to hear
Allan play with Eddie Jobson, John Wetton, and especially Bill Bruford again.
(Though I'm bummed that Terry Bozzio, who replaced Bruford in the group, will
reportedly not be involved--now there's a great drummer with whom Allan
hasn't played!)
Lengthily yours,
Jeff :^D
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Thu, 16 Mar 1995 18:39:19 -0500
From: DMB5561719@aol.com
Subject: Re: any new recordings ?
Glenn Astarita queried:
>Hi all,
>Any new studio recordings on the burners from AH ? Also, a few years ago I
>recall that Tony Williams and Jan Hammer formed a band and toured the states
>for awhile They never did release anything from that stint, from what I
>remember the reviews were positive. Was AH the guitarist by chance ? Also
>heard that Tony Williams has been in the studios recording an electric
outfit
>after a long "fusion-recording" hiatus. Again, wondering if AH is involved ?
>Anybody know ?
>Glenn
I saw that show at the Bottom Line, NYC. No AH was not the guitar player.
There was no guitar player. Fernando Sanders on bass and a name-less
2nd keyboard player. Well I'm sure he had a name, I just don't know what
it was.
later,
David Beardsley
dmb5561719@aol.com
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Fri, 17 Mar 1995 09:48:51 +1000
From: Michael Ibrahim
Subject: Australian tour dates?
When you release the tour dates, I certainly hope that you don't forget about us
down here!
I saw Holdsworth in Sydney early last year. It was one of the most intense
musical experience I've ever had. Hearing him in the studio is one thing but
live,...was indescribable. I made the mistake of only seeing one of the four
shows he played in Sydney. I'm not making that mistake again!
It's such an honour (I can find not other way to describe it) to have the
opportunity to see one of the most innovative musicians of the twentieth century.
Later
Michael Ibrahim (or as I am more affectionately know, "Miko")
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Fri, 17 Mar 1995 11:06:01 -0500 (EST)
From: Jeff Preston
Subject: U.K. Reunion? I dunno...
> From: AURACLE@aol.com
> Subject: Paradox/other AH-inspired guitarists/UK
> I know this is getting long, but I just have to ask: is it true that Allan
> will be participating in a UK reunion album sometime this year or next? I've
> heard this from a very reliable source, and I seriously hope that it's true
> indeed.
I thought I remembered Chris Hoard saying there was some possibility
of this happening, but I can't find it in the archives. If Chris *didn't*
say anything of the sort (a possibility, since I seem to "remember" things
that never happened, at times), I'd be highly surprised to hear of Allan's
involvement with the project.
Jeff
--
Jeff Preston \\\ Moderator of the Allan Holdsworth discussion forum
to subscribe \\\ e-mail: atavachron-request@msuacad.morehead-st.edu
Web Page URL \\\ http://suppcoo.morehead-st.edu/atav/docs/home.html
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Fri, 17 Mar 95 11:42:22 -0600
From: uchima@fncrd8.fnal.gov (Mike Uchima)
Subject: Re: Paradox/other AH-inspired guitarists/UK
> [...]
> Ex-Return to Forever axeman Bill Connors is at the top of the
> list; if any of you don't have any of his three *very* AH-inspired solo
> discs, you should run out and get them. The first one, "Step It," features a
> young Dave Weckl on drums, and like the two which followed, "Assembler" and
> "Double Up," it's chock-full of Holdsworthian legato runs and beautifully
> strange chord voicings.
> [...]
Seems to me that each successive release in this trio of albums got a little
more polished. I like _Assembler_ (which was in fact the last of the three)
best. Yeah, you could fault these albums for being a bit *too* AH-derivative
at times, but I like 'em anyway. Sort of like having a set of Holdsworth
out-takes from the I.O.U. era. :)
-- Mike Uchima
-- uchima@fnal.fnal.gov
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Fri, 17 Mar 1995 15:48:57 -0600
From: Glenn Astarita
Subject: Andrea Marcelli
Hi all,
FYI, Went to Tower records today and picked up the new Andrea Marcelli cd. If
any fellow AH buffs don't know about Mr Marcelli....Well here goes: He's an
Italian drummer/composer/arranger. Released a cd about 4-5 years ago which
featured AH and Mike Stern on the guitars..Was a highly regarded recording and
generally warmed the critics over. The new one has another all-star lineup
featuring heavyweights like AH, Ralph Towner, Gary Willis, Mitch Forman, Mike
Mainieri and a cast of others.....The title is "Oneness" on lipstick records..
Glenn
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Fri, 17 Mar 95 16:23:37 PST
From: "Chris Manuel"
Subject: New URL
Hey Folks,
I just put up my (incomplete) home page and am looking for responses.
Try:
http://bcsc02.gov.bc.ca/~cpmanuel/
The audio and QuickTime files are not available yet but the inline graphics
and text links should be there.
Enjoy.
Chris Manuel
BC Systems Corporation
V: 604.389.3503 F:360.7285
CPMANUEL@BCSC02.GOV.BC.CA
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Fri, 17 Mar 1995 19:03:10 -0800
From: edumark@ix.netcom.com (chris hoard)
Subject: What's Doin'
Some questions,
Allan is in the studio now, working away at finishing his new jazz record.
Projects Recorded include: the new album (was called "A Regular Concern" -- but
there's a new name now, Neverwasneverwillbe--some ex-Soma musicians, with
Victor Bailey, Jerry Goodman, The Earthless (rough demo with six tracks with
AH).
Re: Soma - sober up:
If any of you can write better songs than Markham Gleed, I'd like to hear them
and possibly produce it. Any suggestions (highly speculative) about
West-Coast based vocalists (or other) that might be good in a Holdsworth
rock project?
--Chris
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Sat, 18 Mar 1995 13:56:27 -0500
From: RickerRA@aol.com
Subject: Chapman Stick
I believe Emitt Chapman told me that he sold a Chapman Stick to Allan. Can
anybody tell me if this is so? Does Allan ever play the thing. I've had my
Stick for almost 3 years now and while I love poking around on it, I'm not
getting very far.
Reed Ricker
rickerra@aol.com
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: lakes!chip@galois.nscf.org (Chip McDonald)
Subject: Suddenly, the room went all swimmy, and...
Date: Sat, 18 Mar 1995 02:05:25
edumark@ix.netcom.com (chris hoard) wrote:
>One drummer AH has always admired, and wanted to play with is Elvin Jones--
>I think they've talked about it, but it hasn't happened yet. Another drummer
Yes yes yes yes!! What's with this "talked about it" business, tell him to
get with it! Time's wasting!
>I know wants to play with AH is Jeff Tain Watts... Other great drummers I want
Yes yes yes yes yes! And while we're at it, how about bringing Kenny
Kirkland along (tell him to leave the synths at home, bring the Bosendorfer)
and give Ron Carter a call?
And then (since we're fantasizing here... or at least *I* am), stick
them in a nice sounding mid-sized room, say... 35x45 with wood floors, with
a combination of raw brick and stucco walls, Sonex on one wall to knock out..
.. uhmmm, never mind... Put a "few" in them, maybe let them watch a few old
tapes of some steaming stuff to set a tone, maybe some Coltrane with Miles,
maybe something else (an old tape of Elvin Jones comes to mind). While this
happens, set up a real straight foward pseudo-ambient "traditional" mic set
up, like maybe just a kick mic and stereo over heads, plus instrument mics -
maybe some room mics mixed way up to get a real room sound. (All mics are to
be either Neumanns or another high end ribbon mic)(also, board preamps are
right out, unless they involve discrete point to point wiring, no ic's,
and gold conductors).
Then, don't let them have time to talk and work things out, just get
one of them to pick a key and "go".
At this point, it's very important to remember to get the Adats
rolling and to have lots of tape around. Also, it is important to note that
there is to be an engineer present to handle recording chores exclusively;
Mr. Holdsworth is not to be thinking of anything less ambiguous at this
point than large energy producing towers or city nights, certainly not things
like mic placement and eq resonance.
Let them take a break after about an hour, then tell them they
can't stop again until everyone is literally sweating into their eyes (this
shouldn't take too long, as you've turned the a.c. off and it's a nice warm
greenhouse induced 110 degrees outside).
It's okay for them to take a break at that point to relieve themselves
and perhaps have a bit of nourishment. Then you tell them they are to play
continuously until the sun comes up, at which point they may stop playing.
You then tell Mr. Holdsworth a local bike shop is giving
away free Campagnolo parts for the first person in the shop that day; at
this point you rush the Adat tapes off to a secret, safe locale (perhaps
the Record Plant) while Mr. Holdsworth scurries off. Hopefully at this
point he will be addled enough to not have second thoughts about recording
the past 12 hours.
After mixing (sans digital reverb), you send the master to Bob Ludwig
who then transfers it to a nice shiny cd format for us Atavachronistas.
Yes, there may be some boo-boos. Yes, the guitar tone would not be
the end all-be all of eternal existence. It *WOULD* however be a most
severely enjoyable recording to listen to.
(note: Mr. Kirkland may be substituted with Keith Jarret, provided his
mouth is suitably duct taped beforehand and checked periodically.)
(in a pinch, Bob Hurst may suffice on bass, too.)
(if Branford wants to sit in on soprano, that might be acceptable as well.)
(please note that the Legendary Guitarist Buck Owens is out.)
(....and that David Grohl is *not* a suitable subsitute for Mr. Watts.)
(however, k.d. lang may be permitted to sit in for a while during said
session, if for nothing else but a quick tone check.)
(Michael Anthony is right out as a replacement for Mr. Carter.)
I had better stop here, I suppose.
It *would* be great, I tell you...
Sigh.....
--
_______________________________________________________________________
"Everything is important, and nothing is as important as everything"
/ \__/ _>
/ / "I too, have been ripped off by Atlanta Rhythm City"
| / | | ]]]] ] ] ] ] ]Chip McDonald / chip@lakes.trenton.sc.us [
_______________________________________________________________________
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Subject: Re: Tour Dates: Yes, We WILL Have Them; Patience, Please!
Date: Tue, 21 Mar 1995 11:24:00 +0900
From: "T.Higuchi-Marketing Training"
Hi, Jeff and all,
Though I have not got yet, I happend to knew that the AH tickets
in Japan are sold now.
The tour dates are 5/2 to 6 at Pit-Inn in Roppongi, Tokyo.
regards
T.Higuchi
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Mon, 20 Mar 1995 21:55:15 -0500 (EST)
From: "Donald M. Pfeiffer"
Subject: Re: Gary Husband
I spoke with a reliable source today who had just spoken with Gary, and
Gary said he is finished with Allan. It seems that Allan is going to be
working with Chad once again, and Gary's pretty pissed...
Jeff: This info courtesy of Pat - the drummer from Baltimore...
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Mon, 20 Mar 1995 22:15:47 -0500 (EST)
From: Jeff Preston
Subject: Re: Gary Husband
> From: Donald M. Pfeiffer
> Subject: Re: Gary Husband
> I spoke with a reliable source today who had just spoken with Gary, and
> Gary said he is finished with Allan. It seems that Allan is going to be
> working with Chad once again, and Gary's pretty pissed...
> Jeff: This info courtesy of Pat - the drummer from Baltimore...
Yep, that's what Pat (Schroeder) told me when he called Sunday night,
but who knows? These things have a way of fixing themselves. Even Pat
agreed that the music business is full of volatility such as this; he
even went so far as to say that Husband had vowed never to work with
Jack Bruce again, and yet he appeared -- all smiles -- at Jack's 50th
birthday concert, as a guest performer.
I would think there would be more behind this rift than Allan's
playing with Chad, if it runs this deep.
Jeff
--
Jeff Preston \\\ Moderator of the Allan Holdsworth discussion forum
to subscribe \\\ e-mail: atavachron-request@msuacad.morehead-st.edu
Web Page URL \\\ http://suppcoo.morehead-st.edu/atav/docs/home.html
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: Michael Young
Subject: Re: Gary Husband
Date: Mon, 20 Mar 95 19:23:00 PST
Donald M. Pfeiffer writes:
<<< I spoke with a reliable source today who had just spoken with Gary, and
Gary said he is finished with Allan. It seems that Allan is going to be
working with Chad once again, and Gary's pretty pissed... >>>
Could this have anything to do with GH's current touring duties with Billy
Cobham?
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Mon, 20 Mar 1995 22:43:18 -0500
From: RickerRA@aol.com
Subject: Holdsworth, the Hurdy Gurdy Man
I am almost embarrassed to make this post, so be kind. . .
I read elsewhere while surfing, that the name Allan Holdsworth appears as the
guitarist on the title track of Donovan's Hurdy Gurdy Man. (The post said it
was only listed this way on the box set.) This couldn't be true, could it?
Don't get me wrong, Jarret *is* a master, and if I'm not mistaken, AH
was (is) very influenced by Jarret's playing. It's just that I could do with
out his diatribe. . .
________________
Reed Ricker
Atlanta, GA
rickerra@aol.com
Hey, are there any other Atavacronians from Atlanta? Drop me a line.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
========= End of Atavachron Digest ========= I
\ :::: ]I[ :::: /
Administrative requests to: : ::::::: ]] [[ ::::::: :
listserv@msuacad.morehead-st.edu ::: ]] [[ :::
''::]]]]]] ]] [[ [[[[[[::''
Postings to: ::: ]]] ]] [[ [[[ :::
atavachron@msuacad.morehead-st.edu ::: =a=t=a=v=a=c=h=r=o=n= :::
::: ]]] ]] [[ [[[ :::
For more info, send HELP as the first ,,::]]]]]] ]] [[ [[[[[[::,,
line in e-mail to the listserv above. ::: ]] [[ :::
: :::::: ]] . [[ :::::: :
All opinions expressed herein are / :: ] ::: [ :: \
those of the individual contributors. I I
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Check out the Atavachron WWW Page!
http://suppcoo.morehead-st.edu/atav/docs/home.html
Atavachron Digest - The Allan Holdsworth Discussion Digest
Number 136
Tuesday, 21 March 1995
TODAY'S TOPICS:
==============
Re: Holdsworth, the Hurdy Gurdy Man
Re: Atavachron Digest Number 135
#135... UK Ad Infinitum
Artistic Plagarism and ADAT concerns
Re: Holdsworth, the Hurdy Gurdy Man
Soma Rules, Sorry!
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Mon, 20 Mar 1995 23:44:46 -0500 (EST)
From: Jeff Preston
Subject: Re: Holdsworth, the Hurdy Gurdy Man
> From: RickerRA@aol.com
> Subject: Holdsworth, the Hurdy Gurdy Man
> I read elsewhere while surfing, that the name Allan Holdsworth appears as the
> guitarist on the title track of Donovan's Hurdy Gurdy Man. (The post said it
> was only listed this way on the box set.) This couldn't be true, could it?
Nope, it couldn't be true, and now that I know it's in PRINT (in the
box set -- title, anyone?), I'll add this to the FAQ. I first encountered
this question a few years ago when trying to put together the ultimate
Holdsworth trivia quiz. Someone wrote to me asking about this, and I
thought that would top the list at "stumper" questions, if it were true.
Alas, Claire quickly dispelled the myth -- she said Allan knew that
Donovan had said this in interviews before, and he was amused by it, since
he was nowhere near that session when it was recorded. Coincidently,
another famous guitar player who's "credited" with this track is Jimmy
Page, who also denies being the one to play on it.
Claire said Allan's best guess was that perhaps Ollie Halsell played on
the tune.
Jeff
--
Jeff Preston \\\ Moderator of the Allan Holdsworth discussion forum
to subscribe \\\ e-mail: atavachron-request@msuacad.morehead-st.edu
Web Page URL \\\ http://suppcoo.morehead-st.edu/atav/docs/home.html
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Tue, 21 Mar 1995 00:11:23 -0500
From: AFCPeterS@aol.com
Subject: Re: Atavachron Digest Number 135
> Date: Fri, 17 Mar 1995 19:03:10 -0800
> From: edumark@ix.netcom.com (chris hoard)
> Subject: What's Doin'
>
> Re: Soma - sober up:
>
> If any of you can write better songs than Markham Gleed, I'd
> like to hear them and possibly produce it. Any suggestions
> (highly speculative) about West-Coast based vocalists (or
> other) that might be good in a Holdsworth rock project?
Markham Gleed? Is that the name of the cat in Soma? I thought he had a less
unusual name. (Jus' plain Mark something - maybe a pseudonym...?) In any
case, many of the songwriters I know can (IMO) write better stuff than what I
heard on the Soma album (and I wouldn't consider it bragging to say I'm one
of them, as I don't thinks it's an especially amazing achievement). Of
course, he might have improved a lot since then; it's been a while.
I'd love to sing w/Allan, but I don't think I'm right for the job. (OTOH, I'm
working on a project of my own, and would naturally be interested in hearing
how he would fit in w/that, as long as I'm dreaming. ) I don't know any
brilliant/interesting singers out here that might fit in w/Allan. If I find
one, I'll let ya know.
In contrast to Soma, I think Allan's own songwriting is exceptional (if
highly unorthodox), and while I love his current stuff, I really miss the
good ol' days of IOU and Paul Williams. I'd give plenty for a quality
recording of the song Paul sang on tour with Gary accompanying on piano - was
that called "Song for My Father"? I think the opening line was, "You can tell
your friends/I will be [alone? at home?] tonight..." (Hey, I haven't heard it
in years!) I'd consider covering that one. I really love "All Our
Yesterdays," too - my favorite of the post-Williams songs.
Gee, if Allan's looking for a lyricist...
Peter Stoller
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Tue, 21 Mar 1995 00:10:19 -0800
From: edumark@ix.netcom.com (chris hoard)
Subject: #135... UK Ad Infinitum
Dr. Presto N. Vivace wrote:
> I thought I remembered Chris Hoard saying there was some possibility
> of this happening, but I can't find it in the archives. If Chris *didn't*
> say anything of the sort (a possibility, since I seem to "remember" things
> that never happened, at times), I'd be highly surprised to hear of Allan's
> involvement with the project.
Memory serves you well, sir. Upon pretty good authority, all parties, save
Bill Bruford have expressed an interest in the UK reunion project. I have to
think Wetton's career is a bit washed up at the moment, and he'd try anything.
Holdsworth did indeed say he was interested in participating on some level,
probably just contributing solos, if such a thing were ever launched. What
I've read via numerous posts ad infinitum on the UK list "In The Dead of Night,"
is that Wetton and Jobson, who first quarelled with AH/BB, then after kicking
them out of the band, quarelled with eachother, had decided to work up some new
UK material together, after Wetton finished touring to support his current
solo project. BB hasn't said "no" to UK--just to clarify--I didn't ask him
about it directly, as he's just ramping up for the next big Crimson tour...
AH is indeed coming to Australia--after Japan, so Claire tells me (or maybe
it's before?). Anyway, after that it's at least a tour of both coasts--sounds
like he'll play Vancouver BC too. No midwest dates confirmed yet... but stay
tuned. Personnel is not finalized either, but it will be almost the same
group AH has toured with over the past few years... Not to exaggerate
heresay statements by GH, but there's talk of surprises behind the traps...
(sorry, no names yet).
>Subject: Andrea Marcelli
>
>Hi all,
..>
>FYI, Went to Tower records today and picked up the new Andrea Marcelli cd. If
>any fellow AH buffs don't know about Mr Marcelli....Well here goes: He's an
>Italian drummer/composer/arranger. Released a cd about 4-5 years ago which
>featured AH and Mike Stern on the guitars..Was a highly regarded recording
>generally warmed the critics over. The new one has another all-star lineup
>featuring heavyweights like AH, Ralph Towner, Gary Willis, Mitch Forman, Mike
>Mainieri and a cast of others.....The title is "Oneness" on lipstick records..
>
Glenn neglected among a cast of others, Jimmy Johnson appears as well.
Andrea is a very good friend of the Hoardmeister, actually. His career has
taken off more than the space shuttle lately, at least, here in Southern
California, amidst fire, floods, and earthquakes... I was just at a friend
St. Patty's party, and Andrea performed a number of standards with a guitar
trio. He's playing every Monday night at Cafe Roma in Beverly Hills, and
monthly at Le Cafe and Club Brasserie. What's--de muy interesante a mis
hermanos Atavachronistas--is the regular company he keeps at these gigs,
i.e. many ex-AH collaborators--or other musicians of the highest caliber.
Specifically--Andrea's bands in the last month have included sax player
Bob Sheppard (Steely Dan, Billy Childs), bassist Alphonso Johnson, sax
player Steve Tavaglione, keyboardist Mitchell Forman... or keyboardist
Alan Pasqua.
Now if I knew in advance Pasqua was sitting in--I think AH might just
pack up his light rig and head up to LA and sit in with Alphonso and
Andrea (hence a near Velvet Darkness reunion?)... AH actually co-produced
the basic tracks for a new Andrea recording, but no solos have yet been
recorded. Still it's a possibility we may hear AH/AM/AJ/AP on a track
sometime in the future. Here's hoping.
>Subject: Chapman Stick
>
>I believe Emitt Chapman told me that he sold a Chapman Stick to Allan. Can
Very true--er ah Emmett, that is. I think AH still has it, although he started
to experiment with it, and eventually it became something that was difficult
to put back together. This was actually about the time AH first became
interested in the synthaxe, and AH abandonned his interest in the stick
given his enthusiasm for guitar synthesis. The original was a custom 8-string
stick. AH still very much admires Emmett's work---I wouldn't rule out his
ever exploring that instrument again... but I wouldn't bet on it either.
Chip M. sighs/pants:
>>I know wants to play with AH is Jeff Tain Watts... Other great drummers
I want
>
> Yes yes yes yes yes! And while we're at it, how about bringing Kenny
>Kirkland along (tell him to leave the synths at home, bring the Bosendorfer)
>and give Ron Carter a call?
>
Well--when you hear Gordon Beck on AH's new project (and I have heard the
basic), you won't need Kenny. Unfortunately, no Bosendorfer... just a
Yamaha PF88 belonging to... a member of this list. I pleaded with AH to record
with a real acoustic... but one doesn't fit well into the Brewery--nor is AH
afforded the right budget for such things (neither are most jazz clubs
in LA, sadly). At least my PF88 never goes out of tune... Btw, this is
the same midi-piano Gordon used on "Michelle." And there will be a very
remarkable rendition of a not so often played Coltrane classic on this
project, so jazzers, try to keep it in your pants!
As for Kenny Kirkland--another acquaintance--Kenny was so blown away when
he heard "Looking Glass" from Atavachron, he rushed immediately over to
Tony Williams (who he was gigging with in Branford's band way back when...)
and said--you played on THAT?! What Tony did not tell Kenny was that
he recorded four or five other basic tracks on that record, only to be
replaced by tracks with GH! Another amazing trivia question: who's the only
known musician with enough scrotum to throw away Tony Williams drum tracks???
Kenny is a major AH fan--I've sat with him and Tain having drinks at a club,
and they spoke of AH with... a healthy degree of awe. In their very
funky, righteous brother way, Kenny said, "Man, Allan Holdsworth... He's
.. UNIVERSAL, man, you know what I mean?" That's a term some of the
greatest black jazz musicians reserve for a select few--like 'Trane, Bird,
and Miles. Anyway, were AH ever to pursue it, all he would have to do is
ask, and he could have Watts/Kirkland/B. Marsalis on a project with him.
I'm keeping my fingers crossed with you, Chip, but again, not holding my
breath.
> Yes, there may be some boo-boos. Yes, the guitar tone would not be
>the end all-be all of eternal existence. It *WOULD* however be a most
>severely enjoyable recording to listen to.
>(note: Mr. Kirkland may be substituted with Keith Jarret, provided his
>mouth is suitably duct taped beforehand and checked periodically.)
>
Jesus, your imagination is frightening... Speaking of the holy trinity,
(De Jonette, Jarrett, Peacock...)
Jarrett is GOD to both Kenny K. and AH... No I'm afraid that's one marriage
that's as close to being impossible as any among two jazz musicians. At
one time KJ did work with electric guitarists (seems hard to believe).
If somehow he'd met up with AH in the early 70s insead of Sam Rivers...
who knows, maybe Jarrett wouldn't have given up so soon on that instrument.
Anyway, being a major Jarrett fan, most would not think your comment
sacriligeous (because most of them wish they'd brought their own roll
of duct tape through a good portion of KJ's live performances)...
re: Pissed Husband
> Yep, that's what Pat (Schroeder) told me when he called Sunday night,
> but who knows? These things have a way of fixing themselves. Even Pat
> agreed that the music business is full of volatility such as this; he
> even went so far as to say that Husband had vowed never to work with
> Jack Bruce again, and yet he appeared -- all smiles -- at Jack's 50th
> birthday concert, as a guest performer.
>
> I would think there would be more behind this rift than Allan's
> playing with Chad, if it runs this deep.
>
> Jeff
I think you're right--but judging from nothing I've heard from
AH directly, my guess is Gary's hot head and forceful personality
probably created tension with other band members, which AH was left
to resolve. As with a past example, the one who creates
the tension in AH's band is probably the most able/most in need
of pursuing a solo career of their own. My own take is purely
speculative:
One of the musicians AH steadfastly thinks deserves greater
noteriety as one of the most talented musicians on the planet is GH.
AH has gone to great lengths to have GH play in his band on and off
in America over the years--and there have been several gaps of years
between their past pairings. They've played together in other
bands as well (i.e. with Gordon Beck). Like any two people who are
close, share the music, and respect eachother immensely--there's a
stormy side to the relationship. AH from time to time finds himself
in the position of band leader/mediator, and some problems that
arise... sometimes AH finds taking a toll on the music.
I remember the Road Games tour, and AH going through the awful
realization he had to replace Jeff Berlin--certainly someone AH
considers one of the great masters of his instrument, but also
the more responsible party for some discord in the band, especially
with Chad W. AH still hopes to record again with Jeff Berlin at
some point. As some of you remember from the interview Preston and
I worked on for this digest--AH has had his disputes with Chad,
all apparently healed by time--as I believe is the case at present.
I can't picture AH *not* working again with GH--they've shared
too much. I haven't heard anything about a "rift" between GH and
AH--I do know on the last tour with GH, AH told me at times he felt
something was amiss in the band chemistry, so when I hear of heresay
with GH making an angy statement about AH--sounds to me like
Gary's (appropriately) big ego was a little bruised--or he came
out on the short end of an argument with another band member.
Anyway--as a result, if we get to hear more of Gary in a context as
a leader, then we'll be better for it, and it may be exactly what GH
needs.
Last minute recommendations:
Anybody heard the new Billy Childs "I've Known Rivers" (GRP).
A truly great fusion album (featuring Jimmy Johnson, Bob Sheppar,
and Scott Henderson). This was the project apparently GRP wouldn't
allow AH to appear on, but it's still worth the price of admission.
Henderson is great too in this context--yet I get a little tearful
imagining what AH might have carved up with this material--an
absolute must for any closet RTF fans as well...
Guess I've rattled on long enough--apologies/Hoardman.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Tue, 21 Mar 1995 03:53:01 -438192844 (PST)
From: Andre LaFosse
Subject: Artistic Plagarism and ADAT concerns
A couple of thoughts regarding recent Atavachron threads --
As far as the whole Paradox issue is concerned... It's an age old debate,
this question of where one draws the line between being influenced and
being a copycat. (I am reminded of a quote which I once heard: "Immature
artists immitate; mature artists steal.") I remember I was once talking to
someone about Lenny Kravitz; the gist of my complaint was that he was
blatantly rehashing what had already been done by someone else, and was
wearing his influence on his sleeve as though they were his own work (much
in the manner that the Paradox guitarist seems to be doing), rather than
coming up with something that was his own. The other person basically
said that they didn't care how original it was; they just cared if they
liked it or not.
I suppose the problem then becomes, what if you've got someone who really
digs Lenny Kravitz (or Paradox, or Bill Connors, or whoever) who's never
actually heard Jimi Hendrix or John Lennon (or, as the case may be, Allan
Holdsworth)?
I have to disagree with whoever said that to sound like Holdsworth is the
highest guitaristic compliment that can be paid. In my mind, the highest
artistic compliment that any musician can be paid is that they have their
own voice. And when a person gets caught up in the emulation of someone
else's style to the point that no trace of their own personality gets to
show through, it's doubly unfortunate, because they're sacrificing the
opportunity to sound like themselves -- which no one else can do as well
as they can -- for the chance to sound like someone else -- which by
definition someone will inherently be able to do better.
There are some musicians who cast a mighty shadow, to be sure, and for
guitarists, Allan's is a lot longer than most, but for my part at least,
I've deliberately gone out of my way to avoid learning any Holdsworth
tunes or licks, because I already think I sound too much like him. And I
guess I'd rather spend my time finding out what's inside me rather than
guessing at what's inside Allan. Or as Miroslav Tadic once told me, "I
could sit here and explain to you how I approach this particular aspect of
playing, but that's just what works for me, and if you tried to apply it
directly to your own playing, it would be as if I cut off my foot and
tried to graft it on to your body. It wouldn't work, and then you
wouldn't have a foot, and I wouldn't have a foot, and we'd both die."
On to less philosophical matters... I remember Allan doing an interview
with Guitar (then known as Guitar For The Practicing Musician) in which he
said that he'd never record with digital gear again afer the problems he
had on _HHA_. It seems he changed his mind for the straightahead album,
and from the sounds of things, he's probably regretting doing so. It's
strange, because I'm in the middle of recording an album right now using
two ADAT's synched together, and I'm thoroughly blown away by the system,
and I've had no trouble with synchronization. But then again, Allan once
said that he always seems to run into electronic problems, so I suppose
his luck remains the same. Too bad some things in life never change...
Self-referentially yours,
--Andre LaFosse
altruist@shoko.calarts.edu
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Tue, 21 Mar 95 13:20:36 EST
From: "Bob Lynch"
Subject: Re: Holdsworth, the Hurdy Gurdy Man
> Claire said Allan's best guess was that perhaps Ollie Halsell played on
> the tune.
There's that name again. Who is Ollie Halsell? BTW, I just saw a homemade
video of Allan at the Bottom Line in NYC a few years ago. (Yeah, I know, but
what was I supposed to do, look the other way?) The band included Skulli,
Steve, and Gary. In "Devil Take the Hindmost" Steve takes the first solo in
a very AH like manner, then Allan and Gary burst forth with one of the most
aggressive guitar/drum duets I have ever heard. This goes on for a few
minutes, then they resume the song as Allan makes everyone in the audience
contemplate suicide for the rest of his solo.
For those of you have have not yet had a chance to see and hear Allan live,
it is my personal opinion that there is nothing on disc that comes even
close to Allan's live soloing. I've heard lots of live bootlegs (geez, I'm
really in trouble now) and as different as Allan seems from most other
guitarists is as different as his recorded solos are from his live ones.
Again, this is IMHO, but after listening to DTtH on Metal Fatigue after
hearing the live stuff, I can only say God bless him for never resting on
his laurels, and for constantly pushing his own playing forward. What an
!@#$ing inspiration!
--Bob
_____________________________________________________________________________
Bob Lynch
GES (JvNCnet)
3 Independence Way, Princeton, NJ 08540
Voice: 609-897-7335 Fax: 609-897-7310
Pager: 800-SKY-PAGE PIN# 2779243
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: "ToddM"
Date: 21 Mar 1995 13:01:01CST6CDT
Subject: Soma Rules, Sorry!
[Moderator's note: Text re-formatted to less than 80 characters/line. --JP]
Alright kids. Soma isn't UK, nor is it IOU. But it's one of the most
interesting examples of Tubes meets Steely Dan meets Bruford-era Fusion that
I can think of. Yes, the vocals needed some help but the drumming and guitar
playing were great. And Mark Lauren (aka Markham Gleed - what a name, he
sounds like a gothic horror novelist) wrote some really interesting chord
progressions tailor made for Mr Holdsworth. His keyboard playing struck me
as kind of a digital Keith Emerson with a jazz jones.
I really dug the instrumental pieces, they were all too short. The fans
want to know: was Harmattan really an anagram for Manhattan and a reflection
of a "poor boy from Fresno" realizing the city isn't for him? Or was there a
flesh and blood woman who made Mr. Lauren "grab the chambermaid and strut"
when the grand panjandrum arrived? Sorry.
It's one of those CDs that, while not being "Hard Hat Area", I certainly
couldn't see "A little hair action" on that CD.
Trivia question: was the Maureen McCormick (aka Marcia Brady) really on that
album doing backups and adlibs during the aforementioned "Hair Action" piece?
Could it be the pre-eminent jazz guitarist of our time actually hung in the
studio with Ms. Brady?
Inquiring minds want to know. Is the Soma address listed in the CD still
active (the P.O. Box?)
Hoardman, can you assist? Now, where's that chambermaid?
Back to Allan:
I felt almost guilty for liking Connors three solo discs in a Holdsworth vein.
But face it, I LOVE IOU. Of all of Holdsworth's albums, all the "rhythm"
guitar orchestrations was warm and very nice sounding. This was pre-synth
players, pre-synthaxe and he really expanded the boundaries of chordal guitar
playing. And that tone. I won't comment about his soloing except to say that
it simply slays me every time I hear it. "White Line" (the tune about record
company weasels) really rocks, but in an eclectic ethereal way.
I really dig that "Spokes" tune from Secrets. I've been going on a Holdsworth
jag and playing the discs until they have no emulsion left.
A dream:
I dreamt that Allan re-created the Road Games album as a digital live
recording. The cover had the "AH" logo in black and white with the spikes on
it and in the background a sort of industrial scene (ala hardhat, but bleaker).
Strangely enough, this dream showed that the disc also had a bunch of tunes
that do not really exist. It was wierd enough to report in here since I
actually dreamt that I heard some of these songs that don't exist. I guess
they sounded like of alike a combination of Road Games and Metal Fatigue.
Weird.
Enough rambling.
ToddM - Associate Technician
LaserMaster Technical Support
Services
ToddM@laserm.lmt.com
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I ========= End of Atavachron Digest =========
\ :::: ]I[ :::: /
: ::::::: ]] [[ ::::::: : Administrative requests to:
::: ]] [[ ::: listserv@msuacad.morehead-st.edu
''::]]]]]] ]] [[ [[[[[[::''
::: ]]] ]] [[ [[[ ::: Postings to:
::: =a=t=a=v=a=c=h=r=o=n= ::: atavachron@msuacad.morehead-st.edu
::: ]]] ]] [[ [[[ :::
,,::]]]]]] ]] [[ [[[[[[::,, For more info, send HELP as first
::: ]] [[ ::: line in e-mail to the listserv above.
: :::::: ]] . [[ :::::: :
/ :: ] ::: [ :: \ All opinions expressed herein are
I I those of the individual contributors.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Check out the Atavachron WWW Page!
http://suppcoo.morehead-st.edu/atav/docs/home.html
Atavachron Digest - The Allan Holdsworth Discussion Digest
Number 137
Thursday, 23 March 1995
TODAY'S TOPICS:
==============
Re: Atavachron Digest Number 136
Interesting Post to Atavachron
Re: Interesting Post to Atavachron
Re: Artistic Plagarism and ADAT concerns
Holdsworth and who?
Re: Holdsworth and who?
Its.... Vinnie DiMeola! Al DiColaiuta?
Bill Pohl: Another Holdsworth Clone (sort of)
the unknown john clark
Re: Holdsworth and who?
Re: Gary Husband
Re: Gary Husband
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Wed, 22 Mar 1995 08:06:53 -0600 (CST)
From: ST40V@Jetson.UH.EDU
Subject: Re: Atavachron Digest Number 136
What is the address of the UK list "IN the Dead of Night" ?
ST5FH@JETSON.UH.EDU
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Wed, 22 Mar 95 11:40:48 PST
From: "Chris Manuel"
Subject: Interesting Post to Atavachron
Folks,
I just re-read Andre's recent post to Atavachron about artistic identity. I'm
intrigued by the whole topic of influences, emulation, and theft. It was
particularly interesting to see that there's someone else who admires
Holdsworth but avoids learning his material. I've done the same - avoiding
learning solos from Holdsworth, Metheny, Scofield, etc while still trying to
understand their approach to the instrument. I don't know if I'm lazy or
astute. I find the "best" way for me to find my thing is to play and practice
improvising over standards. Although my intent is to end up doing something
that isn't from the standards genre, the harmonic possibilities within
standards inspires the experimenting that seems to lead to a personal style. I
remember reading about Scofield's practice regimen: he sits down and plays
over standards, trying to link chords in new and different ways. Seems like a
good idea.
I think the most fascinating emulation/theft of style has to be Jaco
Pastorius's "thing". Until he arrived, I don't remember anyone sounding like
him; now every aspiring fuzzzzzion bassist has a few of his sounds in their
repertoire. It's so universal now that it is a performance style rather than
an individual style. I suspect that if AH ever lands in a financially solid
recording company that gets his stuff out to more than guitarheads, we will
see the Holdsworth "thing" become a new jazz guitar standard sound. I've
played with a few people over the years trying to use that fat, overdriven
sound that is so typically AH - usually the reaction, when I'm playing
standards, is derision. I like to think it's a reaction to the "rockier"
overtones that overdrive brings, rather than my note choices. Probably a bit
of both ...
Anyway, if Chip's dream recording session (all the best _cats_ in a perfect
room) ever happens and AH enters the jazz guitar mainstream every cheezy
guitar trio will be featuring an AH clone soloist. Weird prospect to walk into
the Holiday Inn lounge and hear a lame AH clone, isn't it?
Later.
Chris Manuel
BC Systems Corporation
V: 604.389.3503 F:360.7285
CPMANUEL@BCSC02.GOV.BC.CA
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Wed, 22 Mar 1995 17:14:15 -0400 (EDT)
From: X90LESAGE@wmich.edu
Subject: Re: Interesting Post to Atavachron
I found Chris Manuel's point interesting. I too believe in avoiding learning
the solos of favorite guitar players note-for-note. Not that doing so is
a bad thing. I just think one can do it too much, to an extent that it
actually becomes counter productive. I think a lot can be learned by just
listening to the "ideas" behind the notes, or to the general approach to
phrasing notes (not the specific notes themselves. Emulation rather than
replication is important. I believe that individual style can emerge
from emulation. Does this make any sense {8) !
Mark LeSage
Department of Psychology
Western Michigan University
Kalamazoo, MI 49008
Tel: 616-387-4503
email: x90lesage@wmich.edu
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: pvallado@waynesworld.UCSD.EDU (Paolo Valladolid)
Subject: Re: Artistic Plagarism and ADAT concerns
Date: Wed, 22 Mar 1995 15:31:49 -0800 (PST)
> I have to disagree with whoever said that to sound like Holdsworth is the
> highest guitaristic compliment that can be paid. In my mind, the highest
> artistic compliment that any musician can be paid is that they have their
> own voice. And when a person gets caught up in the emulation of someone
> else's style to the point that no trace of their own personality gets to
> show through, it's doubly unfortunate, because they're sacrificing the
> opportunity to sound like themselves -- which no one else can do as well
> as they can -- for the chance to sound like someone else -- which by
> definition someone will inherently be able to do better.
My personal choice is in agreement with yours; I too hope to develop
a distinctly personal voice as well. On the other hand, I have no
problem with picking up melodic, harmonic, and rhythmic ideas from
players I admire; ideas I may not have conceived on my own. Like
many players, if left to my own devices I tend to go for phrases
that are easy for my fingers. Sometimes, other players will utilize
ideas in their improvs that I would not have thought of because they
do not fit comfortably with the fingering I am used to. For example,
Allan often uses perfect fourths a lot in his solos; not a common
interval in the typical rock guitarist's vocabulary. His soloing
style employs concepts like these (the wide intervallic skips,
Indian-style bends with the whammy bar, etc.) which I've found
useful for breaking out of rock guitar cliches.
> guessing at what's inside Allan. Or as Miroslav Tadic once told me, "I
[interesting quote deleted]
Speaking of Miroslav Tadic, I picked up _Let's Be Generous_ and
The Snake Music. I think fans of Holdsworth and Torn would like
Tadic's playing. Tadic himself is by no means a clone of either
Allan or David; he too has an original voice that just happens
to incorporate burning legato runs and sensitive whammy bar work.
There an interesting cover of "Snake Oil" (originally recorded
by Tony Williams Lifetime with Allan) on the Let's Be Generous
CD. Their bass player is none other than Tony Newton who was
Lifetime's bassist.
--
Paolo Valladolid
-----------------------------------------------------------------
|Moderator of Digital Guitar Digest, an Internet mailing list |\
|for Music Technology and Stringed Instruments | \
----------------------------------------------------------------- |
\ finger pvallado@waynesworld.ucsd.edu for more info \ |
\ http://waynesworld.ucsd.edu/DigitalGuitar/home.html \|
-----------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Wed, 22 Mar 1995 21:58:22 -0500
From: RickerRA@aol.com
Subject: Holdsworth and who?
While it would indeed be great to hear Holdsworth play with such
*established* jazz greats as Jarret, I would love to hear what he would do in
the context of some *new* cats. Two bands that come to mind, (and which are
very different from one another) are:
Medeski, Martin and Wood
and
The Aquarium Rescue Unit (the current line-up)
What do you think AH's genius would do in these situations?
By the by, did anyone catch _Lunar Crush_ from Medeski and guitarist
Fiuczynski?
________
On another note, I always thought that Bill Conners was not really influenced
by AH. It was the Coltrane influence that lead him to have a sound which we
all know is remarkably similar to AH. True?
Reed Ricker
rickerra@aol.com
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Wed, 22 Mar 95 23:15:32 EST
From: "Bob Lynch"
Subject: Re: Holdsworth and who?
>On another note, I always thought that Bill Conners was not really influenced
>by AH. It was the Coltrane influence that lead him to have a sound which we
>all know is remarkably similar to AH. True?
Hold on a minute there, pardner. Connors *said* just this, but he went from
a Les Paul to classical back to Les Paul, and after IOU and Road Games came
out, suddenly he was using a single bridge pickup strat style guitar and
playing in stereo. He even used the same delays (ADA STD-1's) that Allan was
using back then. I read an article back in the early 80's where Connors said
that if anyone who accused him of ripping off Allan would just check out his
recordings, they would realize that he was playing that way, with that sound
and equipment, *before* Allan! I have a Jan Garbarek album with Connors that
was recorded in the late seventies, and his sound was as far removed from
his "Step It/Double Up/Assembler" recordings as day is from night.
Don't get me wrong, I think Bill is a burner in his own right. Did anyone
catch his tribute to Clapton years back in Guitar Player? It was one of
those floppy Soundpages they used to include, and it absolutely smoked. But
let's not take Bill too literally.
Just my .02 worth.
--Bob
_____________________________________________________________________________
Bob Lynch
GES (JvNCnet)
3 Independence Way, Princeton, NJ 08540
Voice: 609-897-7335 Fax: 609-897-7310
Pager: 800-SKY-PAGE PIN# 2779243
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: lakes!chip@galois.nscf.org (Chip McDonald)
Subject: Its.... Vinnie DiMeola! Al DiColaiuta?
Date: Thu, 23 Mar 1995 03:22:28
edumark@ix.netcom.com (chris hoard) said:
>and Miles. Anyway, were AH ever to pursue it, all he would have to do is
>ask, and he could have Watts/Kirkland/B. Marsalis on a project with him.
>I'm keeping my fingers crossed with you, Chip, but again, not holding my
>breath.
!!!! Geez, I had no idea, I mean... It would really be that
possible? I've always considered AH's projects to be as much a jazz
concept as any of the "old guard/revivalists" guys, in as much that there
is an extrapolation of the theme and all the players are doing their share of
improvising - there just isn't any "spang-a-lang" ride cymbal bs going on.
It would seem to me that somehow there could be a sort of a summit of those
that represent the.. (uhm... I'm trying to put this delicately), uhm.. the
"traditionalist" ethic and the, uhhmmm.. "progressive" ethic, that would
perhaps allow those fans of the aforementioned style a different perspective
on what AH is doing.
I mean, to me I see no artistic reasons why a string bass can't
work in the context of a AH piece, or why AH with his smooth electric tone
wouldn't work in the context of a straight-ahead acoustic jazz ensemble.
What I'm getting at is that the, uhmmm .."legitimacy" that certain people
would bring to the table could perhaps be the start of getting AH the more
"popular/mainstream" recognition he deserves.
For instance... I would love to hear AH on B. Marsalis' version of
"the Peacocks" - I think it would be a wonderful vehicle for him - just as
Marsalis would be great playing over "Distance Vs. Desire". To me, both
pieces are of the same ilk regardless of the type of instrument playing
the music. A chance to smash the shackles of the antique thinking - maybe a
"jazz-purist" might accidentally buy it and be pleasantly surprised.
Then again.... I'm somebody who thinks a Gary Husband/Vinnie Colaiuta
drum duet sans "pitched instruments" except for Les Claypool - who would play
"fretless bass percussion" - and Patrick Stewart, who would very eloquently
recite some William Gibson techno jargon over the top of it, would be "great
music".
Or at least, fairly interesting. Certainly I'm not alone in this?
--
_______________________________________________________________________
"Everything is important, and nothing is as important as everything"
/ \__/ _>
/ / "I too, have been ripped off by Atlanta Rhythm City"
| / | | ]]]] ] ] ] ] ]Chip McDonald / chip@lakes.trenton.sc.us [
_______________________________________________________________________
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: Robert Coppola
Date: Thu, 23 Mar 95 11:34:09 EST
Subject: Bill Pohl: Another Holdsworth Clone (sort of)
Hello all!
With all the discussion lately about Holdsworth clones, like the guy
from Paradox and Bill Connors, I thought I'd add one to the list that
some of you may not have heard of: Bill Pohl. His first album, SOLID
EARTH (on a small independent label), would apeal to many of you, I
think. While not a Holdsworth "clone", he is definitely influenced by
him. The CD is mostly instrumental fusion - leaning more towards rock
than jazz - and his vocals (when present) are pretty far back in the mix
for the most part, anyway (He sounds sort of like a cross between John
Williams (IOU) and Geddy Lee (Rush) - if you can imagine that!). He's
definitely a new talent to look out for! I can't wait for his second
release!
If interested, you can get SOLID EARTH from Ranjit Padmanabhan. He runs
a catalog business through the Internet. E-mail him at:
ranjit@netcom.com
Bob Coppola
rcoppola@eden.rutgers.edu
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: Michael Young
Subject: the unknown john clark
Date: Thu, 23 Mar 95 12:38:00 PST
I just finished listening to Bill Bruford's "Gradually Going Tornado" and
was reminded of how much the guitarist on that album sounds like AH. Does
anyone know what has become of this guy? Is there a discography kicking
around?
Michael Young
Vancouver
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Thu, 23 Mar 1995 15:58:50 -0500 (EST)
From: Jeff Preston
Subject: Re: Holdsworth and who?
> From: RickerRA@aol.com
> Subject: Holdsworth and who?
> While it would indeed be great to hear Holdsworth play with such
> *established* jazz greats as Jarret, I would love to hear what he would do in
> the context of some *new* cats. Two bands that come to mind, (and which are
> very different from one another) are:
> Medeski, Martin and Wood
> and
> The Aquarium Rescue Unit (the current line-up)
Hoo-boy, Allan with the A.R.U.? I have to admit I would have never
come up with THAT pairing! :) At the same time, I have to bring up
Jimmy Herring as being another guitarist who, while not sounding like
Allan, seems to have drawn on him as an influence (listen to "Planet
Earth," from _Col. Bruce Hampton and the Aquarium Rescue Unit_ and
tell me what you think of the guitar solo before he kicks in the
bluesy bends). But I honestly don't hear Allan is a setting such as
this, even if it *would* work. I think he would tend to think of it
as another example of "jigsaw music."
Jeff
--
Jeff Preston \\\ Moderator of the Allan Holdsworth discussion forum
to subscribe \\\ e-mail: atavachron-request@msuacad.morehead-st.edu
Web Page URL \\\ http://suppcoo.morehead-st.edu/atav/docs/home.html
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Thu, 23 Mar 1995 20:55:40 -0500 (EST)
From: "Donald M. Pfeiffer"
Subject: Re: Gary Husband
On Mon, 20 Mar 1995, Michael Young wrote:
>
> Donald M. Pfeiffer writes:
>
> <<< I spoke with a reliable source today who had just spoken with Gary, and
> Gary said he is finished with Allan. It seems that Allan is going to be
> working with Chad once again, and Gary's pretty pissed... >>>
>
> Could this have anything to do with GH's current touring duties with Billy
> Cobham?
>
I don't think so... I think it has to do with Allan not being reliable
for Gary. He's been on the road and he hasn't been playing with Gary. I
think that kind of struck a nerve with Gary, especially considering that
Gary's playing is far superior to what Allan has been recruiting.
-Don
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Thu, 23 Mar 1995 20:51:34 -0500 (EST)
From: "Donald M. Pfeiffer"
Subject: Re: Gary Husband
We'll just have to wait and see what happens between Allan and Gary
before we can be too sure that they are finished...
Is Allan planning on hitting the east coast this fall?
By the way, Jeff, I am on compuserve now and will be dropping my panix
address soon. my new e-mail address is:
76305.2744@compuserve.com
Take care,
Don
Don Pfeiffer
135 W 50 Street 8th Floor
NYC 10020-1201
(212)903-8242
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
========= End of Atavachron Digest ========= I
\ :::: ]I[ :::: /
Administrative requests to: : ::::::: ]] [[ ::::::: :
listserv@msuacad.morehead-st.edu ::: ]] [[ :::
''::]]]]]] ]] [[ [[[[[[::''
Postings to: ::: ]]] ]] [[ [[[ :::
atavachron@msuacad.morehead-st.edu ::: =a=t=a=v=a=c=h=r=o=n= :::
::: ]]] ]] [[ [[[ :::
For more info, send HELP as the first ,,::]]]]]] ]] [[ [[[[[[::,,
line in e-mail to the listserv above. ::: ]] [[ :::
: :::::: ]] . [[ :::::: :
All opinions expressed herein are / :: ] ::: [ :: \
those of the individual contributors. I I
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Check out the Atavachron WWW Page!
http://suppcoo.morehead-st.edu/atav/docs/home.html
Atavachron Digest - The Allan Holdsworth Discussion Digest
Number 138
Tuesday, 28 March 1995
TODAY'S TOPICS:
==============
The Unknown John Clark -- now with Cliff Richard
Connors..etc
Copying solos/Musical thinking
Re: Copying solos/Musical thinking
Ubiquitous Holdsworth
Re: Ubiquitous Holdsworth
Re: Ubiquitous Holdsworth
Re: Holdsworth and who?
Ubiquitous Holdsworth
Re: Ubiquitous Holdsworth
Re: Ubiquitous Holdsworth
Soma Dis, Soma DAT...
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: efreedm@hzscg01.att.com
Date: Fri, 24 Mar 95 09:51:33 +0100
Subject: The Unknown John Clark -- now with Cliff Richard
I believe it was Mike Yung who asked about the activities of
John Clark... A Dutch guitar magazine of about 18 months ago
did a feature on him.
He is playing with English singer Cliff Richard
I'll look up the issue in the library, attempt a translation,
and will post any interesting details.
Ernunzio Fuente
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Fri, 24 Mar 1995 11:40:43 -0600
From: Glenn Astarita
Subject: Connors..etc
Hi,
Bill Connor's name keeps popping up on this digest..When Chick Corea's RTF
"Hymn of the 7th Galaxy first appeared around 1970/71..Connors guitar chops
displayed a totally unique and signature type sound/style. I recall being
overwhelmed at the time..His sound was definitely a personal one...He also
went on to make a landmark solo recording which featured Tony Williams and
Stanley Clarke..still early 70's. Subsequently he recorded some very
significant stuff for ECM records along with the great Jan
Gabarek..Personally, If I was to take the proverbial Downbeat blindfold test,
I could easily distinguish between BC and AH. Lets give this guy some
credit..He, too was a pioneer of sorts. Unfortunately, he has ceased to record
anything new within the last 7 or 8 years..
Re: Lunar Crush, I think it was a breath of fresh air...can't wait till his
next release.
Re: Medeski, Martin&Wood...Great hardworking unit..But I don't visualize AH in
this context..MM&W incorporate a lot of shuffle beats in their music..Maybe
Scofield or perhaps someone like Cornell Dupree IMHO...
Glenn
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Fri, 24 Mar 1995 10:39:25 +0000 (GMT)
From: Jurgen Schwietering
Subject: Copying solos/Musical thinking
Summary: Hero-emulation and the approach to create valid music.
Keywords: Musical thinking, Tech <-> Music, Soloing, Plagism.
>[article of Andre]
I've read many opinions about emulating the favourite hero. I
would like to drop some remarks.
In the process of learning an instrument we need to develope
different skills. These (s)kills can be overtrained as
demonstrated by many super-emulators.
Just listening to a solo/record is different than playing it
with the own hands. You'll discover new ways of expression and
the way you listen the music changes while learning every note
including accents, microbending, micro grooves and so on.
So I think a good approach would be to learn to listen and to
transform what you hear, not a perfect _copying_ of a style, but
a perfect _understanding_ of what (why?, how?) is happening.
Anyway you need to copy sometimes to make it better. You
dissasmble and than you start to reassemble all the things heard
and let play your heart.
Learning a complete solo is hard work, but if you learn a
masterpiece you will get envolved in real _musical_ thinking not
just demonstration of technical skills.
So learning AH's solos could be a good start to develope quality
music, also if it is quite impossible to emulate his _unique_
style. All the emulators around didn't reach his way of playing
(33% is technique, 33% is senseful musical thinking, 33% is ???).
And than never forget that music doesn't depend only on you, good
music is created by good musicians. AH without Colaiuta/Wackermann/Johnson
and whatever BIG wouldn't be as good as it is actually. Learning
a solo is thus not learning only the notes of the instrument in
question but also it's 'inlaying', envolving, the asynchronus,
synchronus, diastolic and systolic breathing of all together. To
become a great you need to listen to the other. This means altruistic
thinking, not playing for just the satisfaction so that people say,
"Uhh, what a guy!", but "Uhh, what a great music!".
That's why I make my compliments to AH and his CREW.
'My' approach is an organic one, everything depends on
everything and without this in mind someone should only f***
himself and not the other.
Keep on thinking (yourself)
Ciao Tweety
P.S. Any comments welcome
P.P.S. (x-cuse the english grammar I write)
********************************************
******************************* WizardMusic ******
** soft-hardware for musicians * Via G.F.Re 71 *****
******************************** I-10146 Torino ****
** tweety@pmn.it ************** xx39-11-7790523 *
********************************************
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Fri, 24 Mar 1995 13:56:19 -0400 (EDT)
From: X90LESAGE@wmich.edu
Subject: Re: Copying solos/Musical thinking
I found Ciao's (or was it Jurgen's? It was unclear who the poster was)
analyses very interesting. There definitely ARE advantages to replicating
solos. It forces you to hear things that you would otherwise miss (e.g,
via merely emulating a solo). Moreover, a certain musical knowledge can
be acquired. I really like terms like "microgrooves." They are aspects
of playing/music that can be missed when just listening, especially when
listening to fast and complex phrases such as those of AH. When you attempt
to learn to actually play such things, you discover a "new world" of sorts.
You reach another level of analysis and you respond to the music on whole
in a different (I would say more appreciative) way.
The word of caution that Ciao (Jurgen?) gives us is common, but should always
be given when appropriate. Problems arise depending on one's motivation for
learning solos. If one is working to impress people with technical prowess
rather that to expand one's musical capability to express themselves, they
are missing out on the opportunity to reap the rewards of self-expression.
I've really enjoyed listening to (reading) the analyses of music that
other people have made.
Best Regards,
Mark LeSage
Department of Psychology
Western Michigan University
Kalamazoo, MI 49008
Tel: 616-387-4503
email: x90lesage@wmich.edu
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: Richard Huddleston
Date: Sat, 25 Mar 1995 10:44:10 -0500
Subject: Ubiquitous Holdsworth
Chris Manual wrote:
[...many interesting comments, unfortunately deleted...]
* Anyway, if Chip's dream recording session (all the best _cats_ in a perfect
* room) ever happens and AH enters the jazz guitar mainstream every cheezy
* guitar trio will be featuring an AH clone soloist. Weird prospect to walk
* into the Holiday Inn lounge and hear a lame AH clone, isn't it?
I agree with your earlier points about taking standards and using them to
explore their harmonic possibilities--done, of course, in a more modern
context. So, apparently, does the famous jazz traditionalist Joe Pass:
About 17 years ago, I was one of about 20 people taking a three-day "Joe
Pass Seminar" conducted by, of course, Joe Pass. I attended with a friend
of mine, and we had the only two solid-body guitars in the room.
At some point on the third day, Joe apparently got a little tired of the
attitude that standards, played in the "Joe Pass" style, were in and of
themselves were the only thing to play. Here's a paraphrase:
"Look. When I was your age, all my friends and I did was play the music
that was around at the time. We all played about the same way. The only
reason I'm here today is because they eventually stopped playing, and I
didn't.
"You guys are going about it all wrong. You guys should be playing the
music that's happening now. There are lots of good players out today.
Allan Holdsworth is a great player."
Getting blank stares from the guys with the Gibson ES-175s, he asked,
"Anybody here know who Allan Holdsworth is?"
I'd been pretty intimidated for three days; all these Joe Pass and Barney
Kessel clones were pretty daunting. I had them now, though. I raised my
hand and said, "Holdsworth plays with the Tony Williams Lifetime."
Pass looked at me, and my guitar, and said, "Right. If you other guys
want to have any future as guitarists, then go get a guitar like that
one and buy some Holdsworth albums. Forget about playing like me."
Richard
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Sat, 25 Mar 95 11:46:10 EST
From: "Bob Lynch"
Subject: Re: Ubiquitous Holdsworth
>Pass looked at me, and my guitar, and said, "Right. If you other guys
>want to have any future as guitarists, then go get a guitar like that
>one and buy some Holdsworth albums. Forget about playing like me."
>
>Richard
>
I wonder who Allan will be saying that about someday...
--Bob
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Sat, 25 Mar 1995 11:52:41 -0500 (EST)
From: Jeff Preston
Subject: Re: Ubiquitous Holdsworth
> From: Richard Huddleston
> Subject: Ubiquitous Holdsworth
> Pass looked at me, and my guitar, and said, "Right. If you other guys
> want to have any future as guitarists, then go get a guitar like that
> one and buy some Holdsworth albums. Forget about playing like me."
... And about two seconds later, two guys jump up and head for the
exit at a fast clip. Pass glances at his clipboard, looks back up and
shouts, "Mr. Van Halen! Mr. Satriani! You forgot your guitars!"
:)
But seriously, thanks for the priceless anecdote, Richard. If I ever
get time, I think I will scan the archives and make a special section
in the Web pages for a collection of personal anecdotes. Great story;
thanks for the contribution!
Jeff
--
Jeff Preston \\\ Moderator of the Allan Holdsworth discussion forum
to subscribe \\\ e-mail: atavachron-request@msuacad.morehead-st.edu
Web Page URL \\\ http://suppcoo.morehead-st.edu/atav/docs/home.html
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Sun, 26 Mar 1995 18:13:12 -0500
From: jerfo@student.umass.edu
Subject: Re: Holdsworth and who?
>On another note, I always thought that Bill Conners was not really influenced
>by AH. It was the Coltrane influence that lead him to have a sound which we
>all know is remarkably similar to AH. True?
No, because Mr. Connors sounded just like John McLaughlin until after
the _IOU_ album came out. Coincidence?
*Jerfo*
jerfo@student.umass.edu
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Mon, 27 Mar 95 11:09:16 PST
From: "Chris Manuel"
Subject: Ubiquitous Holdsworth
*** Reply to note of 03/25/95 08:32
Richard Huddleston wrote about Joe Pass recognizing Holdsworth 17 years ago.
I'm amazed that Joe Pass was aware and an admirer of AH then, or now, for that
matter. I'd mentally put the two in very different camps. The fact that Pass
found value in AH's playing increases my desire to hear AH in the standards
context.
I mentioned in a previous note that I thought it would be weird to hear AH
clones in every second rate lounge. Upon reflection, if this meant that AH
received wider recognition, and the concomitant increase in financial
resourcesthat accompanies wider recognition, then I would accept it. I just
wouldn't frequent second rate lounges, saving my listening time for first rate
longes where the better clones played.
Here's a question for the players on the list: when you're recording solos, do
you ever know a take is "the one" immediately? I spent hours yesterday,
working on one 32 bar solo and filled a gigabyte drive with alternate takes.
By the end of the session I _hated_ them all and wiped the drive. Every once
in awhile I feel my playing click together and I get track after track that I
like. But, when it comes time to choose one solo, I can't do it. I always
wondered why the industry needed producers - maybe I've finally found their
raison d'etre?
Comments?
Chris Manuel
BC Systems Corporation
V: 604.389.3503 F:360.7285
CPMANUEL@BCSC02.GOV.BC.CA
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Mon, 27 Mar 1995 15:10:18 -0500
From: jerfo@student.umass.edu
Subject: Re: Ubiquitous Holdsworth
>Here's a question for the players on the list: when you're recording solos, do
>you ever know a take is "the one" immediately? I spent hours yesterday,
>working on one 32 bar solo and filled a gigabyte drive with alternate takes.
>By the end of the session I _hated_ them all and wiped the drive. Every once
>in awhile I feel my playing click together and I get track after track that I
>like. But, when it comes time to choose one solo, I can't do it. I always
>wondered why the industry needed producers - maybe I've finally found their
>raison d'etre?
Usually, I like to drop it for a day or two. Upon coming back to it, do
one of the following:
- Use the solo that you dislike the least
- Use the solo that you dislike the most
For some reason, the solos that I like the least (of myself) are the ones
that other people tend to gobble up!
I must admit, though, that every now and then SOMETHING clicks during a
solo take, and I know it right away: keep that take, no matter what your mind
tells you upon repeated listens.
Allan probably spends eons on each solo until he comes up with a take that
is even remotely to his liking...yet, most of us would probably be brought to
orgasm over any of his outtakes.
*Jerfo*
jerfo@student.umass.edu
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Mon, 27 Mar 95 15:12:50 EST
From: Daniel Ginsberg
Subject: Re: Ubiquitous Holdsworth
Chris: I can't believe you wiped your drive!!! Ugh!! Look at it
this way: How many stories have you heard of Holdsworth apologizing
for playing that everyone else thought smoked? Fresh ears are the
hardest thing to come by.
Dan
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Tue, 28 Mar 1995 00:43:37 -0800
From: edumark@ix.netcom.com (chris hoard)
Subject: Soma Dis, Soma DAT...
Go ahead, dredge up the memories:
>
>Markham Gleed? Is that the name of the cat in Soma? I thought he had a less
>unusual name. (Jus' plain Mark something - maybe a pseudonym...?) In any
>case, many of the songwriters I know can (IMO) write better stuff than what I
>heard on the Soma album (and I wouldn't consider it bragging to say I'm one
>of them, as I don't thinks it's an especially amazing achievement). Of
>course, he might have improved a lot since then; it's been a while.
I guess the secret's out, the sacred Gleedist did don the stage name
Mark Lauren for the Soma project. Actually, I think of Gleed as one of
the master's of the grandiose--if any label ever gave him the chance, I
think he could prove to be a composer/songwriter of great talent, and
one of the few out there with the technique and sense of humour of a
Frank Zappa... I judge this more on hearing a bunch of tracks he's written
since the Soma project--a couple of them I produced demos, with which I've
been remiss in getting mixed--one's called "Earth is Just Right," and
features the lyric:
"Venus is too hot, Mars is too cold, Earth's just right!"
>I'd love to sing w/Allan
Send him (or me) a tape, Pete, you may be the next Naomi Starr...
>In contrast to Soma, I think Allan's own songwriting is exceptional (if
>highly unorthodox), and while I love his current stuff, I really miss the
>good ol' days of IOU and Paul Williams.
No question AH is an exceptional composer/writer, although, as a songwriter,
he's penned very few lyrics. I really don't miss Paul Williams, although
in his Tempest days, he was a promising talent. I do think it's time AH
considered working on another project that involved songs and vocals--apart
from his band work. I enjoyed HHA and WT tremendously. However, I think
a rock project involving AH might get more attention now, than Metal Fatigue
ever did ten years ago. A lot of the IOU audience at the time was hostile
to Paul, for whatever reason. From my observations, he just simply couldn't
keep up with the rest of the band on a musical level (what vocalist could).
The level of vocalist AH would work best with, would be someone who stands
out in the crowd as much as he does--and those guys already fill up
stadiums (i.e., Sting, Peter Gabriel, ... Seal would be an ideal team-up,
BTW, he did do something with Jeff Beck on that Hendrix tribute album...).
Todd intones:
>
>Alright kids. Soma isn't UK, nor is it IOU. But it's one of the most
>interesting examples of Tubes meets Steely Dan meets Bruford-era Fusion that
>I can think of. Yes, the vocals needed some help but the drumming and guitar
>playing were great. And Mark Lauren (aka Markham Gleed - what a name, he
>sounds like a gothic horror novelist) wrote some really interesting chord
>progressions tailor made for Mr Holdsworth. His keyboard playing struck me
>as kind of a digital Keith Emerson with a jazz jones.
>
I couldn't agree more... I was never crazy about the vocals, but Mark's
singing is much improved since then--and on a couple of the demo tracks
I produced for him, I found myself really taken by lyric lines... Jeff
has heard some of the new material. Nevertheless, he had a vision all his
own as a keyboardist--very much influenced by Mahavishnu as much as ELP
and Gentle Giant--an yet very American--jazz based in flavor. He's really
a unique talent, and though with Soma he tended too much toward the
grandiose, it's a shame circumstances have prevented his composing talents
from being utilized so far below their potential thus far.
>I really dug the instrumental pieces, they were all too short. The fans
>want to know: was Harmattan really an anagram for Manhattan and a reflection
>of a "poor boy from Fresno" realizing the city isn't for him? Or was there a
>flesh and blood woman who made Mr. Lauren "grab the chambermaid and strut"
>when the grand panjandrum arrived? Sorry.
Well for those who detract against Soma, I can only quote the lyrics from
"Foray" (a piece I remember in which Gleed used a small chamber orchestra
of Hoover vacuums sampled into a Synclavier...)
"It's no euthanasia without you..."
>Trivia question: was the Maureen McCormick (aka Marcia Brady) really on that
>album doing backups and adlibs during the aforementioned "Hair Action" piece?
>Could it be the pre-eminent jazz guitarist of our time actually hung in the
>studio with Ms. Brady?
>
>Inquiring minds want to know. Is the Soma address listed in the CD still
>active (the P.O. Box?)
Yes, very much.
>Hoardman, can you assist? Now, where's that chambermaid?
>
Most excellent and most obscure trivia question, Toddmeister
(to quote Bill & Ted, who would do well to learn their air guitar
from Atavachronian source inspirations...).
Indeed, this Hoardman did dine with Mr. Gleed and Miss McCormick on several
occasions, and indeed THE Marcia Brady (every American pre-teen male's 70s
whitebread fantasy...) does appear on "Hair Action" along side the blistering
licks of AH, and scatt chants of bassist Victor Bailey! (Don't forget yours
truly on scissors). Stylist Bobby Pluto, actually was/is Ross Stein, one time
producer of the well known alternative rock band, The Afghan Whigs, and the
engineer on the new Neverwasneverwillbe project.
Enough of what's past... speaking of Branford, I wonder what he's been
up to in his sabatical from the Tonight Show, anybody know?
Cheers/H-man.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I ========= End of Atavachron Digest =========
\ :::: ]I[ :::: /
: ::::::: ]] [[ ::::::: : Administrative requests to:
::: ]] [[ ::: listserv@msuacad.morehead-st.edu
''::]]]]]] ]] [[ [[[[[[::''
::: ]]] ]] [[ [[[ ::: Postings to:
::: =a=t=a=v=a=c=h=r=o=n= ::: atavachron@msuacad.morehead-st.edu
::: ]]] ]] [[ [[[ :::
,,::]]]]]] ]] [[ [[[[[[::,, For more info, send HELP as first
::: ]] [[ ::: line in e-mail to the listserv above.
: :::::: ]] . [[ :::::: :
/ :: ] ::: [ :: \ All opinions expressed herein are
I I those of the individual contributors.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Check out the Atavachron WWW Page!
http://suppcoo.morehead-st.edu/atav/docs/home.html