Allan Holdsworth (Guitar Player 1982): Difference between revisions

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=== Tom Mulhern ===
=== Tom Mulhern ===


Bouncing from one band to another, album by album, was once the rule rather than the exception for Allan Holdsworth. Moments of brilliance left in his wake on LPs by jazz and progressive rock artists including [[Tony Williams]]] Lifetime, [[Gong]]], [[U.K.]]], [[Jean-Luc Ponty]]], [[Soft Machine]]], and [[Bruford]]] created for Holdsworth a reputation almost exclusively as a soloist. His presence on some of the recordings was by and large similar to that of a saxophonist: sitting out and waiting until it was time to fill a certain number of bars with a flurry of creativity. Holdsworth's chordal abilities were rarely showcased, and because strict limits often governed his approach, he grew tired of his role as a mercenary soloist.
Bouncing from one band to another, album by album, was once the rule rather than the exception for Allan Holdsworth. Moments of brilliance left in his wake on LPs by jazz and progressive rock artists including [[Tony Williams]] Lifetime, [[Gong]], [[U.K.]]], [[Jean-Luc Ponty]], [[Soft Machine]], and [[Bruford]] created for Holdsworth a reputation almost exclusively as a soloist. His presence on some of the recordings was by and large similar to that of a saxophonist: sitting out and waiting until it was time to fill a certain number of bars with a flurry of creativity. Holdsworth's chordal abilities were rarely showcased, and because strict limits often governed his approach, he grew tired of his role as a mercenary soloist.


Allan's renown was fairly limited as well: With the exception of Ponty and U.K., few of the musical amalgams in which he participated ever received much attention in the U.S. Despite virtual invisibility in the pop music world at large, Allan, through his unique sound and strongly independent approach, became a touchstone for many guitarists. Among lead players, "Allan Holdsworth" had elevated to a buzz word -- if you wanted to perk your ears up, he was the one to listen to.
Allan's renown was fairly limited as well: With the exception of Ponty and U.K., few of the musical amalgams in which he participated ever received much attention in the U.S. Despite virtual invisibility in the pop music world at large, Allan, through his unique sound and strongly independent approach, became a touchstone for many guitarists. Among lead players, "Allan Holdsworth" had elevated to a buzz word -- if you wanted to perk your ears up, he was the one to listen to.
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Neither a rock guitar wildman nor a limelight-seeking stage strutter, 34-year-old Holdsworth is instead an intense devotee of the guitar. His lead style is immediately striking as fast, fluid, vibrant, and deadly accurate. Upon closer examination, enigmatic melodies with large intervallic leaps and rhythmic syncopations and ambiguity emerge. Hand tremolo plays a strong part in his style as well, lending a shimmer to passages to add depth and immediacy to even seemingly inconsequential passing tones, rather than acting as a tool for creating half-octave bends and squealing feedback.
Neither a rock guitar wildman nor a limelight-seeking stage strutter, 34-year-old Holdsworth is instead an intense devotee of the guitar. His lead style is immediately striking as fast, fluid, vibrant, and deadly accurate. Upon closer examination, enigmatic melodies with large intervallic leaps and rhythmic syncopations and ambiguity emerge. Hand tremolo plays a strong part in his style as well, lending a shimmer to passages to add depth and immediacy to even seemingly inconsequential passing tones, rather than acting as a tool for creating half-octave bends and squealing feedback.


As a soloist, this English guitarist is certainly unique. However, as his abilities to play lead became better and better known and exploited, he found himself trapped into a one-dimensional mode; his chordal and melodic talents were lying fallow. This musician, who has drawn praise from Eddie Van Halen, Steve Morse, and many other well-known exponents of the electric guitar, felt that he had more to offer that just flashy embellishment to other people's songs. And in order to vent his ideas, he decided to form his own band.
As a soloist, this English guitarist is certainly unique. However, as his abilities to play lead became better and better known and exploited, he found himself trapped into a one-dimensional mode; his chordal and melodic talents were lying fallow. This musician, who has drawn praise from [[Eddie Van Halen]], [[Steve Morse]], and many other well-known exponents of the electric guitar, felt that he had more to offer that just flashy embellishment to other people's songs. And in order to vent his ideas, he decided to form his own band.


In 1980, Allan teamed with bassist [[Paul Carmichael]] and drummer/pianist [[Gary Husband]] to form a trio in London known as False alarm. Expanded later to include vocalist [[Paul Williams]] (formerly of [[Juicy Lucy]] and [[Tempest]], a band in which he and Holdsworth had worked together in 1973), the group became known as I.O.U. In a Guitar Player interview in the December 1980 issue, Holdsworth originally described the music as having "some elements of jazz and rock, but we try not to be overly tricky."
In 1980, Allan teamed with bassist [[Paul Carmichael]] and drummer/pianist [[Gary Husband]] to form a trio in London known as False alarm. Expanded later to include vocalist [[Paul Williams]] (formerly of [[Juicy Lucy]] and [[Tempest]], a band in which he and Holdsworth had worked together in 1973), the group became known as I.O.U. In a Guitar Player interview in the December 1980 issue, Holdsworth originally described the music as having "some elements of jazz and rock, but we try not to be overly tricky."
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Even though each of the albums you have played on showcases a difference in tone and a stylistic evolution, there's a common thread that holds the sound together -- one that is a sort of audible personality. Did you originally envision that sound and try to create it with your gear, or was it something inherent in the equipment that you were able to put to a good use?
Even though each of the albums you have played on showcases a difference in tone and a stylistic evolution, there's a common thread that holds the sound together -- one that is a sort of audible personality. Did you originally envision that sound and try to create it with your gear, or was it something inherent in the equipment that you were able to put to a good use?


I kind of visualized a sound like that, but it changes, and it continues to change. And that's why I look so forward to doing this next album, because the ''I.O.U.'' album is almost two years old, and the last thing I did before that was the Bruford album [[''One Of A Kind'']], about two years before that again. A lot of time has gone by, and for that reason I wish that we could have been able to use a better studio so that I could have made more use of the room and get the sound I was really after. It was kind of a compromise; the drums got the benefit of the room. After all, they were set up right in the middle of the room. Hopefully, when we do this next album, we can do it properly. And because we've moved on quite a bit since the last one was recorded. It will be interesting to see what people think of the sound now.
I kind of visualized a sound like that, but it changes, and it continues to change. And that's why I look so forward to doing this next album, because the ''I.O.U.'' album is almost two years old, and the last thing I did before that was the Bruford album [''One Of A Kind''], about two years before that again. A lot of time has gone by, and for that reason I wish that we could have been able to use a better studio so that I could have made more use of the room and get the sound I was really after. It was kind of a compromise; the drums got the benefit of the room. After all, they were set up right in the middle of the room. Hopefully, when we do this next album, we can do it properly. And because we've moved on quite a bit since the last one was recorded. It will be interesting to see what people think of the sound now.


How much guitar overdubbing did you do?
How much guitar overdubbing did you do?
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Why did you switch from Stratocasters to Charvel guitars?
Why did you switch from Stratocasters to Charvel guitars?


I was really lucky, because just before I sold my Stratocaster, I met [[Charvel Luthier/designer]] Grover Jackson in London. We went out for a few beers and he was willing to listen to ideas I had about certain woods, whereas a lot of other people wouldn't. They'd say "you can't make a guitar from this wood or that wood." But Grover listened to everything, and made three Strat-style guitars from various woods. Also I had the necks made wider at the fingerboard end. I hate the Fender string spacing.
I was really lucky, because just before I sold my Stratocaster, I met [Charvel Luthier/designer] [[Grover Jackson]] in London. We went out for a few beers and he was willing to listen to ideas I had about certain woods, whereas a lot of other people wouldn't. They'd say "you can't make a guitar from this wood or that wood." But Grover listened to everything, and made three Strat-style guitars from various woods. Also I had the necks made wider at the fingerboard end. I hate the Fender string spacing.


Why's that?
Why's that?


Fender's overall string spacing is wider than Gibson's, but at the same time Gibson's necks are wider than Fender's. It's absolute madness. I had Grover make the necks wide at the top [[near the headstock]] like Gibsons, and about 2 1/4" wide at the body end of the neck. So that means there's a good 1/8" on either side of the outer strings, which is really nice. The strings used to really fly off the edges of the Stratocasters. I'm really happy with the guitars Grover made. They're the best guitars I've ever owned.
Fender's overall string spacing is wider than Gibson's, but at the same time Gibson's necks are wider than Fender's. It's absolute madness. I had Grover make the necks wide at the top [near the headstock] like Gibsons, and about 2 1/4" wide at the body end of the neck. So that means there's a good 1/8" on either side of the outer strings, which is really nice. The strings used to really fly off the edges of the Stratocasters. I'm really happy with the guitars Grover made. They're the best guitars I've ever owned.


''What kinds of woods were employed in their construction''?
''What kinds of woods were employed in their construction''?


All three are different. The red one has a maple neck with an ebony fingerboard and a basswood body. The white one has a maple neck, ebony fingerboard, and a body made of jelutong [[a Malaysian and Indonesian softwood]]. Then there's the one that I was most interested in: a maple neck and fingerboard -- one piece -- and a spruce body with a clear finish. They all sound different from each other, which is really great, because I've learned so much about what to do about two more guitars that Grover's going to make. He's going to use a combination of all the best ideas in these three.
All three are different. The red one has a maple neck with an ebony fingerboard and a basswood body. The white one has a maple neck, ebony fingerboard, and a body made of jelutong [a Malaysian and Indonesian softwood]. Then there's the one that I was most interested in: a maple neck and fingerboard -- one piece -- and a spruce body with a clear finish. They all sound different from each other, which is really great, because I've learned so much about what to do about two more guitars that Grover's going to make. He's going to use a combination of all the best ideas in these three.


Is the spruce a lot lighter than the others?
Is the spruce a lot lighter than the others?
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Have you ever considered installing a contact pickup in the guitar in order to infuse more of the body's resonance into the sound?
Have you ever considered installing a contact pickup in the guitar in order to infuse more of the body's resonance into the sound?


No, I'm still trying to get the sound I want just through the combinations of the wood. It's getting pretty close now. And Seymour Duncan made me a pickup a few months ago that I'm currently using, and I've fallen in love with it. I just hope I have a chance to get together with him to take it to the nth degree; that is, the right combination of the right pickup and the right woods.
No, I'm still trying to get the sound I want just through the combinations of the wood. It's getting pretty close now. And [[Seymour Duncan]] made me a pickup a few months ago that I'm currently using, and I've fallen in love with it. I just hope I have a chance to get together with him to take it to the nth degree; that is, the right combination of the right pickup and the right woods.


Why do you only have one pickup in the bridge position and no pick up at all near the neck?
Why do you only have one pickup in the bridge position and no pick up at all near the neck?


I found that I hardly ever used the other pickup, anyway. I've always favored the treble pickup. So when Grover made the first prototype for me, we just tried it with one. And it seems that I've never missed it at all. So I decided to have them all made with single pickups. It's really basic. Each of the guitars has a different pickup on it The red basswood one has the specially made Seymour Duncan pickup, the white one has a Seymour Duncan 59N, and the spruce one has a specially wound DiMarzio on it.
I found that I hardly ever used the other pickup, anyway. I've always favored the treble pickup. So when Grover made the first prototype for me, we just tried it with one. And it seems that I've never missed it at all. So I decided to have them all made with single pickups. It's really basic. Each of the guitars has a different pickup on it The red basswood one has the specially made Seymour Duncan pickup, the white one has a Seymour Duncan 59N, and the spruce one has a specially wound [[DiMarzio]] on it.


Are there any fancy switches such as coil taps?
Are there any fancy switches such as coil taps?
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Do you perform many modifications yourself?
Do you perform many modifications yourself?


I used to until Grover came along, because if I was going to take a chisel to it, He'd say, "On, no. Let me do it." And [[luthier/repairman]] [[Dick Knight]] was the same way in England. He and his son-in-law, Gordon, were always helpful. They did so much work for me there. As far as wiring goes, I always liked to do my own, though.
I used to until Grover came along, because if I was going to take a chisel to it, He'd say, "On, no. Let me do it." And [luthier/repairman] [[Dick Knight]] was the same way in England. He and his son-in-law, Gordon, were always helpful. They did so much work for me there. As far as wiring goes, I always liked to do my own, though.


Was this because you trusted your own work more than other people's?
Was this because you trusted your own work more than other people's?
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