Player Of The Month (Beat Instrumental 1978): Difference between revisions
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Player of the month | '''NB! We have been informed by a reliable source that the publishing date for this article is in fact November, 1977. Thanks, Willy!''' | ||
'''''Summary''': Allan Holdsworth, a groundbreaking guitarist from Bradford, didn't start playing until he was 17. He explored music deeply, joined various bands, and developed a unique tremolo arm technique. His style ranges from heavy metal to ethereal solos, characterized by expressive use of the tremolo arm. He recorded a solo album he despises due to its rushed production but acknowledges its pure playing quality. His gear includes customized Fender Stratocasters, modified amps, and Gibson P.A.F. pickups. He prefers D'Addario strings and Heriba nylon picks. Holdsworth's innovative approach to the guitar sets him apart, making him a noteworthy figure in music history.'' ''[This summary was written by ChatGPT in 2023 based on the article text below.]'' | |||
== Player of the month== | |||
Beat Instrumental 1978 | Beat Instrumental 1978 | ||
Uncredited | Uncredited | ||
[[File:AH BI1978.jpg|400 px|right]] | |||
Hands up all those who have heard any guitar player this year who's caused them to drop everything and just sit open-mouthed in front of the stereo. Yes Jenkins? Speak up, boy. Joe Strummer? Thank you, Jenkins, but I didn't mean open-mouthed with horror. I was referring to the sort of guitarist who grabs you by the short and curlies, a player who suddenly makes you realize that it's still possible, even after more than twenty years of rock guitar history, to expand the frontiers of this abused instrument. Well, since you're all sitting there without a clue, I'll tell you. His name is Holdsworth and he comes from Bradford. | Hands up all those who have heard any guitar player this year who's caused them to drop everything and just sit open-mouthed in front of the stereo. Yes Jenkins? Speak up, boy. Joe Strummer? Thank you, Jenkins, but I didn't mean open-mouthed with horror. I was referring to the sort of guitarist who grabs you by the short and curlies, a player who suddenly makes you realize that it's still possible, even after more than twenty years of rock guitar history, to expand the frontiers of this abused instrument. Well, since you're all sitting there without a clue, I'll tell you. His name is Holdsworth and he comes from Bradford. | ||
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"They get the musicians to play somewhere in the afternoon, and the audience are allowed to ask questions about all the different instruments. At the end of that they have a tea-break, and then the band plays a short set. They called me and asked me if I wanted to do this clinic with the Soft Machine. So I said yeah, and I went to do it, and enjoyed myself, and they asked me if I wanted to do some gigs as a guest. And then they asked me if I wanted to join the band." Not unnaturally, he did. It proved to be a freer environment than Tempest, although only two members were writing material at that time. The result: an album for Harvest. | "They get the musicians to play somewhere in the afternoon, and the audience are allowed to ask questions about all the different instruments. At the end of that they have a tea-break, and then the band plays a short set. They called me and asked me if I wanted to do this clinic with the Soft Machine. So I said yeah, and I went to do it, and enjoyed myself, and they asked me if I wanted to do some gigs as a guest. And then they asked me if I wanted to join the band." Not unnaturally, he did. It proved to be a freer environment than Tempest, although only two members were writing material at that time. The result: an album for Harvest. | ||
Once more fate intervened. A chance sit-in gig at Ronnie Scott's for a sick Chuck Mangione resulted in Alphonso Johnson, his bass-player, reporting back to [[Tony Williams]] in the States that he had discovered an amazing new English guitarist. | Once more fate intervened. A chance sit-in gig at Ronnie Scott's for a sick Chuck Mangione resulted in [[Alphonso Johnson]], his bass-player, reporting back to [[Tony Williams]] in the States that he had discovered an amazing new English guitarist. | ||
Tony, apparently on the strength of this recommendation alone, telephoned Allan and asked him to join Lifetime. No persuasion was required. Allan packed his guitar and his suitcase and headed west. | Tony, apparently on the strength of this recommendation alone, telephoned Allan and asked him to join Lifetime. No persuasion was required. Allan packed his guitar and his suitcase and headed west. | ||
It was in Lifetime that he finally discovered what he wanted out of music. They recorded two albums for CBS, the first of which ("Believe It") he regards as some of his best work to date. "I felt freer in there than I'd felt before - not just free to play, I mean free to suggest things. It was a collective thing. But there were all sorts of problems with that band financially, so that in the end, through one thing and another, it petered out. Then I came back, and just got the gig with Gong. I'm not quite sure how it happened." | It was in Lifetime that he finally discovered what he wanted out of music. They recorded two albums for CBS, the first of which ("[[Believe It]]") he regards as some of his best work to date. "I felt freer in there than I'd felt before - not just free to play, I mean free to suggest things. It was a collective thing. But there were all sorts of problems with that band financially, so that in the end, through one thing and another, it petered out. Then I came back, and just got the gig with [[Gong]]. I'm not quite sure how it happened." | ||
He had failed, however, to mention something that happened in New York just before he came home. As I mentioned this omission in his life's history, Allan's normally placid and amiable expression darkened in-to a scowl. The event? An invitation from Creed Taylor, boss of CTI Records, for Allan to record a solo album. He hates that album with a passion. It was recorded in nine hours; there were no rehearsals. "It's just a jam. The sound is disgusting. I mean, I'm really particular about my guitar sound, especially over the last two or three years, cuz I reckon I've now got that part of it together. We got into the studio, and we never had what you might call a balance check. None of that happened, man. They set the mikes up, and they had two mikes for a double drum kit. Really crazy. We'd play the tunes once, and that was it. Finished. Next tune. We'd just let one tune run down even if it didn't have an ending. And that's literally how that album was made." | He had failed, however, to mention something that happened in New York just before he came home. As I mentioned this omission in his life's history, Allan's normally placid and amiable expression darkened in-to a scowl. The event? An invitation from [[Creed Taylor]], boss of [[CTI Records]], for Allan to record a solo album. He hates that album with a passion. It was recorded in nine hours; there were no rehearsals. "It's just a jam. The sound is disgusting. I mean, I'm really particular about my guitar sound, especially over the last two or three years, cuz I reckon I've now got that part of it together. We got into the studio, and we never had what you might call a balance check. None of that happened, man. They set the mikes up, and they had two mikes for a double drum kit. Really crazy. We'd play the tunes once, and that was it. Finished. Next tune. We'd just let one tune run down even if it didn't have an ending. And that's literally how that album was made." | ||
Personally, I don't care how the album was made. Although it hurts Allan even to talk about it, even though the sound is admittedly thin, and the balance is a bit lopsided on several tracks, it stands out in terms of pure playing. Forget everything else and listen to the notes. The material was written in two weeks. The acoustic tracks were played on a cracked guitar that he borrowed from Tony Williams' girlfriend. But if you like to hear guitar playing, it doesn't matter two hoots. Sorry, Allan! | Personally, I don't care how the album was made. Although it hurts Allan even to talk about it, even though the sound is admittedly thin, and the balance is a bit lopsided on several tracks, it stands out in terms of pure playing. Forget everything else and listen to the notes. The material was written in two weeks. The acoustic tracks were played on a cracked guitar that he borrowed from Tony Williams' girlfriend. But if you like to hear guitar playing, it doesn't matter two hoots. Sorry, Allan! | ||
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"I've grown up with that sort of style, and I still love that sort of sound. But although I play in that way, I want the music itself to be different. I want to take it somewhere else, and I know it's possible because we just did it on Bill's album." | "I've grown up with that sort of style, and I still love that sort of sound. But although I play in that way, I want the music itself to be different. I want to take it somewhere else, and I know it's possible because we just did it on Bill's album." | ||
Bill Bruford's solo album (out this month) is the latest of Holdsworth's projects; the featured musicians also include [[Dave Stewart]] on keyboards and an American called [[Jeff Berlin]] on bass, whom Allan spent several minutes enthusing over ("He's a killer. He's gonna scare a lot of people. Really lethal." ) At the time of writing secret rehearsals are going on with a new band believed to include Bruford, Holdsworth, [[Eddie Jobson]] and [[John Wetton]]. Whether this will result in a touring band, or in an album, or in both, is not known yet. Allan had been sworn to silence even regarding band personnel, and this information came from "another source". Let's just hope it's accurate. | [[Bill Bruford]]'s solo album (out this month) is the latest of Holdsworth's projects; the featured musicians also include [[Dave Stewart]] on keyboards and an American called [[Jeff Berlin]] on bass, whom Allan spent several minutes enthusing over ("He's a killer. He's gonna scare a lot of people. Really lethal." ) At the time of writing secret rehearsals are going on with a new band believed to include Bruford, Holdsworth, [[Eddie Jobson]] and [[John Wetton]]. Whether this will result in a touring band, or in an album, or in both, is not known yet. Allan had been sworn to silence even regarding band personnel, and this information came from "another source". Let's just hope it's accurate. | ||
Meanwhile, he is very content with the guitar sound on the Bruford album. Having experimented for years with amp arrangements and different guitars, he has now settled down with a 50 watt Marshall top, a pair of 4 x l2ins and also a 50 watt Hiwatt top. The amps have been "bodged" to increase the stages of amplification to the level of, say, a Boogie, and the signal-to-noise ratio has been improved to the point where there is virtually no hiss at all. "But also I think a lot of it is to do with that guitar. | Meanwhile, he is very content with the guitar sound on the Bruford album. Having experimented for years with amp arrangements and different guitars, he has now settled down with a 50 watt Marshall top, a pair of 4 x l2ins and also a 50 watt Hiwatt top. The amps have been "bodged" to increase the stages of amplification to the level of, say, a Boogie, and the signal-to-noise ratio has been improved to the point where there is virtually no hiss at all. "But also I think a lot of it is to do with that guitar. | ||
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The same, of course, applies to the exponents of any instrument, guitar included. The difference is that the synthesizer is a very new instrument, and few people have even started to explore its potential; but the electric guitar has been around for quite a while. For this reason alone, it's worth checking out anyone who has discovered a new way of playing. The Bruford album should surprise a lot of punters, and scare the hell out of any professional guitarist who has so far not heard Allan Holdsworth. As the man himself says, "You can capture ideas from everybody and anybody, especially if they've got a very personal approach. It's unintentional, but you can't help it. I'm learning the whole time. I never stop." | The same, of course, applies to the exponents of any instrument, guitar included. The difference is that the synthesizer is a very new instrument, and few people have even started to explore its potential; but the electric guitar has been around for quite a while. For this reason alone, it's worth checking out anyone who has discovered a new way of playing. The Bruford album should surprise a lot of punters, and scare the hell out of any professional guitarist who has so far not heard Allan Holdsworth. As the man himself says, "You can capture ideas from everybody and anybody, especially if they've got a very personal approach. It's unintentional, but you can't help it. I'm learning the whole time. I never stop." | ||
[[Category:Press]] | |||
