The New Tony Williams Lifetime: Difference between revisions
From Allan Holdsworth Information Center
No edit summary |
No edit summary |
||
| (4 intermediate revisions by the same user not shown) | |||
| Line 6: | Line 6: | ||
*[[Alan Pasqua]]: Keyboards | *[[Alan Pasqua]]: Keyboards | ||
= | =Summary of quotes on Tony Williams= | ||
In 1976, Allan Holdsworth was in The New Tony Williams Lifetime, a band known for their album "Believe It." Holdsworth's guitar work in the band was particularly outstanding | In 1976, Allan Holdsworth was in The New Tony Williams Lifetime, a band known for their album "Believe It." Holdsworth's guitar work in the band was particularly outstanding. Despite his exceptional talent, Holdsworth was often considered a musician's musician, appreciated more by fellow musicians and connoisseurs than by the general public. However, for those who were connoisseurs or aspiring connoisseurs of music, he was a guitarist worth checking out. | ||
Holdsworth joined the New Tony Williams Lifetime after Tony Williams himself called him upon a recommendation. Holdsworth readily accepted the opportunity, which he regarded as a pivotal point in his musical journey. He found the band to be a creative and collective environment where he felt a sense of freedom. The band recorded two albums, "Believe It" and "Million Dollar Legs," during 1975 and 1976. Despite enjoying the music, the band faced financial problems, which eventually led to its dissolution. | Holdsworth joined the New Tony Williams Lifetime after Tony Williams himself called him upon a recommendation. Holdsworth readily accepted the opportunity, which he regarded as a pivotal point in his musical journey. He found the band to be a creative and collective environment where he felt a sense of freedom. The band recorded two albums, "Believe It" and "Million Dollar Legs," during 1975 and 1976. Despite enjoying the music, the band faced financial problems, which eventually led to its dissolution. | ||
During his time with Tony Williams, Holdsworth recorded some of his best work. However, the financial difficulties within the band caused him to return to England. He went on to join Gong after this experience, marking the next chapter in his musical career. | During his time with Tony Williams, Holdsworth recorded some of his best early work. However, the financial difficulties within the band caused him to return to England. He went on to join Gong after this experience, marking the next chapter in his musical career. ''[This summary was written by ChatGPT in 2023 based on the quotes below.]'' | ||
=Quotes on Tony Williams= | |||
==[[Terry Theise’s electric guitar top ten (Guitar magazine 1976)]]== | ==[[Terry Theise’s electric guitar top ten (Guitar magazine 1976)]]== | ||
He is currently working in The New Tony Williams Lifetime, and is in spectacular form on their "Believe it". The solo on Wildlife is his most cautiously deliberate, and it is interesting to study his phrasing in a less busy context. But his amazing lead on Red Alert is one of those performances where you laugh out loud at the furious virtuosity of it all. So few people seem to be aware of his talent will concede that a Holdsworth solo has less to say to the lay listener than a Santana solo. He may just be one of those musician’s musicians, a consensus which at least is more indicative of quality than either the critic’s or the public’s. And if you were neither a connoisseur nor an aspiring connoisseur you wouldn’t be reading this series. So check him out. | He is currently working in The New Tony Williams Lifetime, and is in spectacular form on their "Believe it". The solo on Wildlife is his most cautiously deliberate, and it is interesting to study his phrasing in a less busy context. But his amazing lead on Red Alert is one of those performances where you laugh out loud at the furious virtuosity of it all. So few people seem to be aware of his talent will concede that a Holdsworth solo has less to say to the lay listener than a Santana solo. He may just be one of those musician’s musicians, a consensus which at least is more indicative of quality than either the critic’s or the public’s. And if you were neither a connoisseur nor an aspiring connoisseur you wouldn’t be reading this series. So check him out. | ||
==[[Player Of The Month (Beat Instrumental 1978)]]== | ==[[Player Of The Month (Beat Instrumental 1978)]]== | ||
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. | ||
| Line 27: | Line 24: | ||
==[[Allan Holdsworth (Guitar Player 1980)]]== | ==[[Allan Holdsworth (Guitar Player 1980)]]== | ||
Along with Williams, bassist Tony Newton and keyboardist Alan Pasqua, he recorded two albums - Believe It and Million Dollar Legs - and toured in 1975 and ‘76. After bad management drove him away from that ensemble (at one point during a tour he ended up stranded in San Francisco with neither money nor a place to stay and had to pawn his guitar to get back to England), Allan recorded his first solo album, Velvet Darkness. | Along with Williams, bassist Tony Newton and keyboardist Alan Pasqua, he recorded two albums - Believe It and Million Dollar Legs - and toured in 1975 and ‘76. After bad management drove him away from that ensemble (at one point during a tour he ended up stranded in San Francisco with neither money nor a place to stay and had to pawn his guitar to get back to England), Allan recorded his first solo album, Velvet Darkness. | ||
==[[Allan Holdsworth (International Musician 1981)]]== | ==[[Allan Holdsworth (International Musician 1981)]]== | ||
Can you give me a career résumé so far? | Can you give me a career résumé so far? | ||
| Line 37: | Line 32: | ||
==[[No Record Contract, No Big Hoopla, But The Fans Have Kept The Faith For Allan Holdsworth (Guitar World 1982)]]== | ==[[No Record Contract, No Big Hoopla, But The Fans Have Kept The Faith For Allan Holdsworth (Guitar World 1982)]]== | ||
Allan Holdsworth wasn’t Stateside for long. But he had a new band this tour, his own. The vocalist, Paul Williams, first appeared with Allan ten years ago in a heavy metal band, Tempest, on the same bill as the old Fleetwood Mac at the Fillmore East. Tempest didn’t make it big, and the next time Holdsworth appeared in the U.S. he was filling the chair formerly occupied by another British guitarist, John McLaughlin, in drummer Tony Williams’ Lifetime. Holdsworth was already a guitar legend, having recorded in Europe with Soft Machine, the prototypical jazz-rock fusion outfit. Guitar fans strained to hear Allan’s outrageous lines, which were buried in a muddy stage mix. After all, it was the drummer’s gig! | Allan Holdsworth wasn’t Stateside for long. But he had a new band this tour, his own. The vocalist, Paul Williams, first appeared with Allan ten years ago in a heavy metal band, Tempest, on the same bill as the old Fleetwood Mac at the Fillmore East. Tempest didn’t make it big, and the next time Holdsworth appeared in the U.S. he was filling the chair formerly occupied by another British guitarist, John McLaughlin, in drummer Tony Williams’ Lifetime. Holdsworth was already a guitar legend, having recorded in Europe with Soft Machine, the prototypical jazz-rock fusion outfit. Guitar fans strained to hear Allan’s outrageous lines, which were buried in a muddy stage mix. After all, it was the drummer’s gig! | ||
==[[The Unreachable Star (Guitar World 1989)]]== | ==[[The Unreachable Star (Guitar World 1989)]]== | ||
GW: When Jimmy Johnson remarked that he was listening to Believe It on the way down to yesterday’s session, you winced. That album is really something of a landmark, and your playing is a great part of what distinguishes it. | GW: When Jimmy Johnson remarked that he was listening to Believe It on the way down to yesterday’s session, you winced. That album is really something of a landmark, and your playing is a great part of what distinguishes it. | ||
| Line 47: | Line 40: | ||
==[[Mike Pachelli Show (video transcript 1991)]]== | ==[[Mike Pachelli Show (video transcript 1991)]]== | ||
MP: You went on to work with Tony Williams in his New Lifetime, you did an album Million Dollar Legs, any recollections of that? | MP: You went on to work with Tony Williams in his New Lifetime, you did an album Million Dollar Legs, any recollections of that? | ||
| Line 53: | Line 45: | ||
==[[No Secret (Guitar Extra 1992)]]== | ==[[No Secret (Guitar Extra 1992)]]== | ||
Q: Let’s go back a little bit. After hearing Clapton and being a fan, did you then pursue getting equipment like that, and buy a Les Paul? | Q: Let’s go back a little bit. After hearing Clapton and being a fan, did you then pursue getting equipment like that, and buy a Les Paul? | ||
| Line 59: | Line 50: | ||
==[[No Secrets (Facelift 1994)]]== | ==[[No Secrets (Facelift 1994)]]== | ||
So, how did the Gong projects come about? | So, how did the Gong projects come about? | ||
