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Fink Floyd
Joined: 14 Sep 2004 Posts: 25 Location: A small town in North Wales you've probably never heard of
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Posted: Tue Sep 14, 2004 3:13 pm Post subject: Allan Holdsworth |
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What would you recommend to a Holdsworth newbie? I've listened to his UK stuff and liked it, as well as Metal Fatigue, but he is an artist with a large back catalogue and I don't know where to go now. Any thoughts? Who else is a fan? _________________ Mmmm...Sacrelicious. |
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Donnie B.
Joined: 13 Sep 2004 Posts: 101 Location: Chula Vista, CA
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Posted: Tue Sep 14, 2004 3:50 pm Post subject: |
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Being more of a Rock dude my 3 favorite Allan recordings are:
1. Metal Fatigue
2. Bill Bruford - One of a Kind (Allan is all over this CD)
3. UK
Road Games has some good stuff but also has some terrible tracks with Jack Bruce singing. It's not the singing that stinks I just don't like the songs. Sounds like the vocals were forced in IMO. _________________ What would we all do without guitars............. take up knitting? |
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alexkhan
Joined: 10 Sep 2004 Posts: 2783 Location: Chino, CA
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Posted: Tue Sep 14, 2004 6:35 pm Post subject: |
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If it's still around, look for "Truth in Shredding" (from the old Legato Label) featuring Allan and Frank Gambale. Love Allan's playing on that one where he just blows like a sax player on fire. I'm not partial to Gambale's tone, so I don't really enjoy him as much, but Gambale's presence actually makes Allan's playing and tone sound that much better, IMO. Not trying to knock Gambale here as he's a great player, but Allan's tone, phrasing and pure blowing is much more my thing.
I also recommend "I.O.U.". "Metal Fatigue" is simply a classic of fusion guitar. There is also this old (frome the 70's) Tony Williams Lifetime album which I believe was his debut onto the scene that has some magnificent playing on it. That's the one that turned heads in the fusion circles.
Haven't really been keeping up with his more recent stuff. I'm hoping the Holdsworth show here on Sep 25 will rekindle my interest again. Can't wait! _________________ Ed Yoon
Certified Guthrie Fan-atic
BOING Music LLC - Managing Partner
.strandberg* Guitars USA
Ed Yoon Consulting & Management
Guitar Center Inc. |
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Donnie B.
Joined: 13 Sep 2004 Posts: 101 Location: Chula Vista, CA
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Posted: Tue Sep 14, 2004 7:23 pm Post subject: |
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This is the CD that Ed is talking about. I remember really diggin this in the late 70s but for the life of me I can't remember anything about it now.
_________________ What would we all do without guitars............. take up knitting? |
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markmcg
Joined: 14 Sep 2004 Posts: 191 Location: Edinburgh
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Posted: Wed Sep 15, 2004 9:17 am Post subject: |
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alexkhan wrote: | If it's still around, look for "Truth in Shredding" (from the old Legato Label) featuring Allan and Frank Gambale. Love Allan's playing on that one where he just blows like a sax player on fire. I'm not partial to Gambale's tone, so I don't really enjoy him as much, but Gambale's presence actually makes Allan's playing and tone sound that much better, IMO. Not trying to knock Gambale here as he's a great player, but Allan's tone, phrasing and pure blowing is much more my thing.
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Yeah, I'd second that. I have this and it just ...well it just....och just buy it _________________ Cheers
Mark.
Time is the best Teacher, unfortunately it kills all its students
http://www.mastertheguitar.co.uk : http://www.markmcguigan.com |
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bill®
Joined: 11 Sep 2004 Posts: 72
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Posted: Sun Oct 03, 2004 11:38 pm Post subject: |
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alexkhan wrote: | If it's still around, look for "Truth in Shredding" (from the old Legato Label) featuring Allan and Frank Gambale. Love Allan's playing on that one where he just blows like a sax player on fire. I'm not partial to Gambale's tone, so I don't really enjoy him as much, but Gambale's presence actually makes Allan's playing and tone sound that much better, IMO. Not trying to knock Gambale here as he's a great player, but Allan's tone, phrasing and pure blowing is much more my thing. |
Dude, Gambale is not only an imbecile but he also lacks much more in his playing than a good tone. He is a stronger player now but his earlier recordings I have always found almost laughably bad. Obviously blah, blah, blah his innovative sweep picking whatever was the main selling point, although he overlooked the fact that MANY others had played using this technique already and DESPITE what he has claimed, others HAD developed to a fairly high level. However, the difference is where as previous jazz greats who used sweeping did so to facilitate musical ends, Gambale simply worked to produce the most bombastic, hollow, overwrought shreddy passages that he possibly could. Also, he talked the trash about Shawn Lane after his passing, so I can't help but feel he's a tool. I rue the day where I overlook a second-rate hack like Gambale pissing on the grave of possibly one of the most important electric guitarists in the history of the instrument. |
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Donnie B.
Joined: 13 Sep 2004 Posts: 101 Location: Chula Vista, CA
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Posted: Mon Oct 04, 2004 12:52 am Post subject: |
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bill® wrote: | Also, he talked the trash about Shawn Lane after his passing, so I can't help but feel he's a tool. I rue the day where I overlook a second-rate hack like Gambale pissing on the grave of possibly one of the most important electric guitarists in the history of the instrument. |
RIGHT ON! _________________ What would we all do without guitars............. take up knitting? |
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shredguitar
Joined: 10 Sep 2004 Posts: 17 Location: Nashville, TN
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Posted: Mon Oct 04, 2004 2:13 am Post subject: |
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I like Franks *playing* but I think his *tone*, especially on the MVP album, is down right horrible. And I've never thought of him the same since I heard what he said about Shawn.
Getting back on topic, I'd suggest Road Games. Great album. |
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clovis
Joined: 15 Sep 2004 Posts: 14 Location: Texas
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Posted: Mon Oct 04, 2004 4:38 pm Post subject: |
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I think Gambale would be so much better if his sweep technique was just another part of his playing like Allan Holdsworth's legato technique. Instead Frank has made his own religion out of it and instead of being tasteful, he goes into excess with it every solo and repeats the same damn "sweep licks". If you're really into that sound, more power to ya. It's a great technique to learn, but I would say it works better when someone like Joe Diorio or Jim Hall does it to advance a line and not because the technique IS the line....
What did Gambale say about Shawn after his passing? Where was this printed/posted at too? I used to be a member of his forum and I don't remember a posting anywhere with a bad Shawn comment from him on there. _________________ Mp3's on my site at http://www.johnredden.com |
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ARUjeff
Joined: 01 Nov 2004 Posts: 12
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Posted: Mon Nov 01, 2004 6:11 pm Post subject: |
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Donnie B. wrote: | This is the CD that Ed is talking about. I remember really diggin this in the late 70s but for the life of me I can't remember anything about it now.
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this album and metal fatigue are possibly the two greatest recording from holdsworth in my opinion. i love how his playing ....he just makes up his own scales and blows away everything in his path. |
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ARUjeff
Joined: 01 Nov 2004 Posts: 12
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Posted: Mon Nov 01, 2004 6:13 pm Post subject: |
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just to add something..i also acquired a great idea from allan holdworth...he mentioned in an interview that before a show he puts his fretting hand in warm water and just moves his fingers around, rather than practice on the instrument for hours before the gig.....this method really seems to loosen tension, and soften you fingers, it helps tone if you ask me. |
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pawel
Joined: 13 Sep 2004 Posts: 12
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Posted: Mon Nov 08, 2004 6:28 am Post subject: |
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Sixteen Men of Tain is a brilliant album if you're into the jazzier side of things. And for full-on soloing in a trio format, "All night Wrong" is a pretty good choice (although I found it to be an acquired taste).
Re: Gambale, I do not like his attitude from what I've read on his own forum, although I do respect him as a player. I was never a fan of his tone though, or his solo records, and have very mixed feelings about his playing with Corea - sometimes I really like his solos, sometimes they just seem "constrained" in a way. His acoustic playing is great though, I wish he did more of that.
As for the technique, I've been toying around with it a little bit, and found that it works pretty well in jazzier lines, when you need to move vertically across the strings. I haven't really got to the point where I can use it efffectively while playing. Plus, I have been on guitar hiatus recently.... |
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alexkhan
Joined: 10 Sep 2004 Posts: 2783 Location: Chino, CA
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Posted: Thu Nov 25, 2004 7:06 am Post subject: |
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Here are some pics from Allan's shows here on Nov 19 and 20. Killer shows as usual. It's almost overwhelming to try to absorb all that he throws at you. Got some detailed pics of his rig which I just couldn't figure out and didn't really have a desire to. A very unconventional rig and sounds that he gets out of it... Not something I'd even want to try to duplicate... I just know Allan sounds amazing no matter what kind of rig he plays through: Thompson, Pearce, Boogie, Yamaha, whatever... He's always sounded pretty much the same.
http://community.webshots.com/album/192039841zUCjed/1 _________________ Ed Yoon
Certified Guthrie Fan-atic
BOING Music LLC - Managing Partner
.strandberg* Guitars USA
Ed Yoon Consulting & Management
Guitar Center Inc. |
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Carlo
Joined: 13 Sep 2004 Posts: 408
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Posted: Thu Nov 25, 2004 4:20 pm Post subject: |
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I will be catching Holdsworth in January....can't wait
that rig is insane |
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kabuki
Joined: 17 Sep 2004 Posts: 105 Location: Verona, NJ
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Posted: Fri Nov 26, 2004 3:13 am Post subject: |
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Carlo wrote: | I will be catching Holdsworth in January....can't wait
that rig is insane |
Carlo - there's a bunch of us who will be at the BB King's show. Let's figure out a way to identify each other. Maybe we can announce beforehand what t-shirts we will be wearing or something.
As for Allan's rig, it's the simplest he's had in years and very easy to figure out. Amazingly, no matter what he's playing through, he still sounds like Allan! _________________ ...the torch has been passed... |
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