View source for Don’t you know? The Lost Words (Oneiric Moor 2003)

'''''Summary''': In June 2003, Allan Holdsworth discussed his SynthAxe album "Flat Tire" in an interview with Olivier Feuillerat. Holdsworth explained why he decided to create a full album with the SynthAxe, discussed the therapeutic aspect of music, his writing process, the use of computer technology, and his interest in film music. He expressed his appreciation for Gary Husband's interpretations of his music and the possibility of remastering his albums. Holdsworth also shared his desire to create music for a sci-fi movie and expressed gratitude for the interview.'' ''[This summary was written by ChatGPT in 2023 based on the article text below.]''

==The Lost Words==
Olivier Feuillerat June 2003

http://ofeuillerat.free.fr/

Let me first tell you the story about this interview. 

The questions were originally written in 2001 just after the release of "Flat Tire", Allan Holdsworth's Synthaxe album. The interview was arranged with Megazoidal, the label on which Flat Tire was released. For some reason the questions were lost and did not make their way to Allan. Two years later, I had the opportunity to ask Allan if we could go through the interview anyway, and he kindly offered some of his time to answer my old set of questions. Hence the sub-title "The Lost Words". And this is why this interview is very much focused on the haunting and beautiful "Flat Tire" record. Good Reading.

  
OF: Allan, since the eighties you have been the greatest Ambassador of the
SynthAxe, but it is only now you decide to make a complete album with it... Why ?

AH: In the past I had thought about it, but I was focusing on Group projects,
so although I wanted to do it, I just never had the opportunity.  When I
found myself with the time to do it between projects, I went for it.
  
OF: In the leaflet you mention some serious personal problems you have gone
through before the creation of "Flat Tire".
Of course, music catalyses feelings and emotions (good or bad), and it is
especially true with your playing which is so intense.
Does music act as a kind of therapy on you ? 

AH: Creating music can be therapeutic, but if I am in a bad space, the last
thing I want to do is listen to or create music.

OF: Is there a special reason for using guitar only in the tormented overture
of "The Duplicate Man" ? 

AH: No there is not.

OF: Did the SynthAxe change something in your writing ?
(or did you compose some pieces first on guitar) 

AH: Some pieces are composed on guitar, but usually if I am writing a SynthAxe
record, I will write it all on the SynthAxe.  It did change something in my
writing.  I could play sustained chords and with the breath controller I
could play long notes and make them loud or soft, make them go away then
bring them back, just like you can on a real wind instrument.   I could
turn it into a non percussive instrument where the guitar is a percussive
instrument.  So overall, I would say it  gave me more flexibility.

OF: Usually how do you tackle composing a piece ? Melody comes first or a
chord sequence, or ? 

AH: Sometimes it a melody, sometimes it's a chord sequence a lot of times it's
a combination something like a choral melody where the top line is the
melody that is  the most common thing that I do.
    
OF: The rhythm has always played an important part in your music and you've
always had the finest drummers in your bands.
I notice you did some drum programming on Flat Tire.  Is it
something you enjoy working on ? 

AH: No, not at all.
     
OF: In general, do you work a lot with computers ? What comp/softs did you use
for the arrangements on Flat Tire? 

AH: In general I do not work allot with computers.  I do have a collection of
old Atari Computers because at the time the Synthaxe came out, it was the
only soft where that would record the thing, because it puts out so much
information, that if  I used a regular sequencer I would play half way
through a tune, and it  would be full, and half  of what I played wouldn't
play back.  I then got turned on to the Steinberg softare, the Pro 24
which is really old, then I switched to Steinberg Qbase, which is what I
still use, so I basically have an ancient set up.

OF: A few months ago Gary Husband released a terrific piano solo project
called "The things I see - Interpretation of the Music of Allan Holdsworth"...
It casts a different light on your music, maybe closer to classical music...
What was your reaction upon Gary's interpretations ? 

AH: I absolutely loved it!  I was so incredibly flattered.  I was very moved by
it.  It meant al lot to me.  The fact that it was interpretations of my music
was  something I  really liked.  There are people out there who make these
clone records, and try to do everything verbatim just like it was, and what
he did was  much more deep.  He came at it from a totally different
perspective and I really liked that.  He knew I would have wanted it that
way and I like that he chose  to do that.

OF: A few jazz composers have used symphonic orchestras, for instance John Mac
laughlin, Bill Evans, Chick Corea, etc,
And obviously the music of "Flat Tire" is very much "orchestrated"... So,
have you ever considered writing a symphonic piece for an orchestra ? 

AH:  Well I would like to, but I don't have the necessary skill of to be able to
write out the parts.  I would have to have  someone like Allan Pasqua
helping me.  I remember when we worked with Tony Williams, I would play him
something and he would play it right back to me,   as if he had recorded it.
He is amazing for that.  So I would certainly love to do it, but it would
have to be a collaboration with someone like Allan.  There is  also substantial cost involved, and it is hard enough to get a record company to pay for trio records.
     
OF: And... what about an acoustic guitar album ?

AH: No, I can't play acoustic guitar. 
     
OF: Some people claim there are differences between the Japanese and US
mastering of your records.
Can you shed some light on this please ? 

AH:  The masters that the Japanese receive are identical.  They are all made at
the same time, they are not digital copies they are identical.  You send one
to  Europe, one to America, one to Japan and they all come out sounding
different.  The difference is not in the mastering it is in the manufacture
of the CD.  Just like in the old days of Vinyl, Japanese pressings were
always superior to anywhere in the world.  So, I don't know how or why they
turn out better, but    they do.  It is a   mystery to me, I wish I knew.

OF: I read once you were not too happy with the mix of Wardenclyffe tower and
a lot of bands are remastering or remixing their first generation CDs,
so have you got any plans of remastering some albums ?

AH: Definetely.  I will be getting my entire catalog back at the end of the
year, and I will be remastering some of them.  The problem with Wardenclyffe
Tower was   I thought I had mixed the guitar too loud on a few tracks and
that bugged me.  But it is done, so I live with it now.

OF: Finally let's go back to Flat tire. On the overall, there's quite a few
external sounds like industrial or natural noises.
It all contributes to make the music even more visual, hence I guess, the
subtitle "Music for a non-existent movie" ?
Would you like to be involved in making some (existent) film music next ?

AH: I would love to do film music.  Unfortunately, it is a very hard field to
break into.  There are people who have been trying to break into film music
for as  long  as I have been trying to establish my career.  The technical
aspects are quite different as well.  I would need a totally different
studio.  I would love to make   music   to pictures, because that is
essentially what I do anyway.  If I have an idea for a song or a title of a
song, I have some sort of  picture in my mind.  So  yeah, I would love to
do film music.  I would really like to do a Sci-Fi movie, I would be really
good at that.
    
OF: Thanks so much for the words !
   
AH: Thank you very much to you Olivier.  I really love your site and what you
have done it's great!
     
    Thanks to Katherine Kurner for the help