Allan Holdsworth -

Allan Holdsworth (Aug. 6, 1946 — April 16, 2017) was an English guitarist from Bradford, West Yorkshire, who emerged in the jazz-psych band ‘Igginbottom in the late 1960s. During the 1970s, his profile rose with stints in Nucleus, Tempest, Gong, Soft Machine, UK, and Bruford. As a solo artist, he released the album Velvet Darkness on CTI in 1976, followed by a steady run of titles on Enigma and other labels from 1982-onward.

Background

Allan Holdsworth was born Aug. 6, 1946, in Bradford, West Riding of Yorkshire, England; the son of Vera Holdsworth and Joshua Hollins, who returned to his native Canada while Holdsworth was an infant. Allan was raised in Bradford by his maternal grandparents, Sam and Elsie Holdsworth. Sam played jazz piano and taught Holdsworth harmony and scales. As a teenager, Holdsworth aspired to be a saxophonist, but Sam directed him toward a less expensive acoustic guitar, which Allan learned by ear.

Holdsworth attended Drummond Road School and left at age fifteen for a job at Grattan Warehouse on Ingleby Road. At sixteen, he entered the Bradford club circuit with Margie & The Sundowners. In 1963 he formed Black Diamonds, a local R&B beat group. Holdsworth did a subsequent stint with Mick Judge & The Jurymen and a 1965 German tour with Dave Arran & The Crusaders.

In 1968, Holdsworth teamed with guitarist Steven Robinson in a Bradford quartet with bassist Mick Skelly and drummer Dave Freeman. Love Affair bassist Mick Jackson named the quartet ‘Igginbottom and contacted Soho jazz impresario Ronnie Scott, who booked the group at Scott’s Jazz Club on Frith Street. Deram signed ’Igginbottom, which cut the 1969 psychedelic jazz-rock album ’Igginbottom’s Wrench.

1970–76: Nucleus, Tempest, Soft Machine, and Tony Williams

Post-’Igginbottom, Holdsworth returned to his warehouse job and moonlit local club dates. Bandleader Glen South hired Holdsworth for a residency at the Sunderland Mecca ballroom, then moved the group to the Ritz Ballroom in Manchester. Meanwhile, Holdsworth doubled his skill-set on violin.

In 1970, Holdsworth attended a Graham Collier jazz workshop in Manchester and met Australian saxophonist Ray Warleigh. The two went to London for jazz dates with with trumpeter Ian Carr and Colosseum drummer Jon Hiseman. Holdsworth also joined Sunship, an improvisational quartet with keyboardist Alan Gowen, bassist Laurie Baker, and drummer-percussionist Jamie Muir. Sunship played a handful of London dates before the members pursued separate groups.

In June 1972, Holdsworth joined the sessions for Belladonna, a Hiseman-produced solo album by now-Nucleus leader Ian Carr. Hiseman retained Holdsworth for Tempest, a hard-rock quartet with bassist Mark Clarke and singer-keyboardist Paul Williams.

Tempest recorded the self-titled debut in October and November 1972 at AIR Studios in London. Holdsworth played guitar and violin and co-wrote “Gorgon,” “Foyers of Fun,” “Dark House,” “Brothers,” and “Up and On.” The group toured Britain and continental Europe through the following year, including a June BBC concert at Golders Green Hippodrome. Holdsworth left soon after guitarist Ollie Halsall joined the group and returned to London jazz dates with Nucleus, drummer Alan Jackson’s Kincade, and a Ray Warleigh quintet with pianist Pat Smythe.

Holdsworth rehearsed with Soft Machine in November 1973 for a series of Musicians’ Union rock clinics. Soft Machine then asked him to join keyboardists Mike Ratledge and Karl Jenkins, bassist Roy Babbington, and drummer John Marshall. Holdsworth made his formal debut with the group on Dec. 23 at the Roundhouse in London. Soft Machine recorded Bundles in July 1974 at CBS Whitfield Street Studios in London, where Holdsworth played electric, acoustic, and twelve-string guitars. He also composed “Gone Sailing” and “Land of the Bag Snake.”

Drummer Tony Williams recruited Holdsworth while the guitarist remained with Soft Machine. Williams took him to Stockholm in October 1974 for an unreleased Lifetime session with bassist Jack Bruce, keyboardist Webster Lewis, and singer Laura “Tequila” Logan. Holdsworth left Soft Machine in spring 1975 and joined Williams in the United States. Williams formed the New Tony Williams Lifetime with keyboardist Alan Pasqua and bassist Tony Newton, and the quartet recorded Believe It for Columbia in July. Holdsworth contributed the compositions “Fred” and “Mr. Spock” and toured with the group through the following year. Williams retained the quartet for the second Columbia album Million Dollar Legs.

Holdsworth entered Van Gelder Studio in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, on May 25–26 and June 18, 1976 with keyboardist Alan Pasqua, bassist Alphonso Johnson, and drummer Narada Michael Walden. Rudy Van Gelder engineered the dates for producer Creed Taylor. Taylor issued the resulting CTI recordings as Velvet Darkness.

Velvet Darkness

CTI released Holdsworth’s debut studio album, Velvet Darkness, in September 1976 on the label.

Holdsworth plays guitar and violin across eight self-composed pieces, joined by pianist Alan Pasqua, bassist Alphonso Johnson, and drummer Narada Michael Walden.

“Good Clean Filth” lurches between a blunt riff and rapid unison figures, drops into a heavier funk-tinged passage, then clears space for a filtered bass solo and winding lead bends. “Floppy Hat” glides through paired acoustic parts as chordal figures support quick ornaments and a firmer strummed coda. “Wish” barrels from a heavy opening figure into a brisk theme, drives back through active ensemble accents, then opens for a keyboard solo and shorter decorative guitar phrases.

“Kinder” lingers across recurring chord cycles while harmonics and a separate acoustic lead develop each return. “Velvet Darkness” gallops beneath a chromatically descending line, passes from fretless bass into electric-piano figures, then restores repeated thematic material beneath Holdsworth’s solo. “Karzie Key” careens through frenetic figures, settles into a breezy vamp for violin, and breaks toward an angular electric lead.

“Last May” drifts through arpeggiated harmonics and repeated chord turns before a compact coda. “Gattox” pivots across off-kilter fast figures, opens into a modulating vamp, and drives a biting lead through a shuffle-based passage before rolling electric-piano lines.

A1. “Good Clean Filth” (5:22)
A2. “Floppy Hat” (2:47)
A3. “Wish” (4:21)
A4. “Kinder” (3:08)

B1. “Velvet Darkness” (4:43)
B2. “Karzie Key” (3:12)
B3. “Last May” (1:39)
B4. “Gattox” (4:51)

Creed Taylor produced sessions on May 24–26 and June 18, 1976, at Van Gelder Studio in Englewood Cliffs, where Rudy Van Gelder engineered the quartet soon after their work on Benson & Farrell. Rene Schumacher built the CTI sleeve around a color photograph by New York photographer Mitchell Funk, who also supplied imagery for the contemporary CTI album Beck & Sanborn.

Holdsworth rejected the album because CTI assembled the release from rehearsal recordings without his approval. Epic reissued the program in 1990 with a new mix, remastering, and five alternate takes.

1977–81

Holdsworth entered 1977 with a series of recording assignments outside a fixed group. Jean-Luc Ponty recruited him for Enigmatic Ocean, recorded in June and July at Kendun Studios in Burbank with guitarist Daryl Stuermer, keyboardist Allan Zavod, bassist Ralphe Armstrong, and drummer Steve Smith. Holdsworth also recorded with drummer John Stevens for Retouch and played pedal steel guitar on “Boy, I Really Tied One On” from the Esther Phillips album Capricorn Princess.

Bill Bruford recruited Holdsworth for Feels Good to Me with keyboardist Dave Stewart and bassist Jeff Berlin. Singer Annette Peacock and flugelhornist Kenny Wheeler augmented the quartet on selected tracks. Bruford retained Holdsworth for a new group with bassist-singer John Wetton and keyboardist-violinist Eddie Jobson under the name U.K.

U.K. recorded the self-titled debut at Trident Studios in London across late 1977 and early 1978. Holdsworth co-wrote “Nevermore” with Jobson and Wetton and shared “Mental Medication” with Bruford and Jobson. The quartet toured North America across 1978, but differences over fixed arrangements separated Holdsworth from Wetton and Jobson. Holdsworth and Bruford left the group after the American dates.

Holdsworth maintained parallel jazz work across the same period. Pierre Moerlen used him on four tracks from the 1978 Gong album Expresso II, while John Stevens included him on Touching On. Holdsworth also led a quartet with pianist Pat Smythe, bassist Darryl Runswick, and drummer Harold Fisher for a Nov. 26 BBC Sounds of Jazz session in London. The quartet performed Keith Jarrett composition “Questar,” Kenny Wheeler composition “Smatter,” Smythe composition “What Am I Doing With You?,” and Holdsworth composition “White Line.”

Bruford reconvened Holdsworth with Stewart and Berlin for One of a Kind, recorded in early 1979. Holdsworth contributed the composition “The Abingdon Chasp,” while material developed with U.K. supplied “Forever Until Sunday” and “The Sahara of Snow.” A March 7 appearance for BBC Rock Goes to College marked one of Holdsworth’s final concerts with Bruford.

Pianist Gordon Beck brought Holdsworth to Paris in June and July 1979 for Sunbird with bassist Jean-François Jenny-Clark and drummer Aldo Romano. Holdsworth played electric and acoustic guitars plus violin, then toured with the quartet. Pierre Moerlen also recalled him for two tracks on Time Is the Key.

Holdsworth began pursuing a band under his own direction near the end of the decade. He recorded a set of demos with bassist Jack Bruce and drummer Jon Hiseman, but the proposed trio dissolved without a contract. A meeting with drummer Gary Husband at Ronnie Scott’s led Holdsworth toward a new trio with bassist Paul Carmichael. The group adopted the name False Alarm and played British dates while Holdsworth sought management and a recording agreement.

Holdsworth continued his association with Beck in 1980 on the duo album The Things You See. The program included a new version of ’Igginbottom composition “Golden Lakes” plus Holdsworth pieces “Diminished Responsibility,” “At the Edge,” and “The Things You See (When You Haven’t Got Your Gun).” He also recorded improvisational material with Beck, bassist Jeff Clyne, and drummer John Stevens for Conversation Piece.

False Alarm expanded when former Tempest singer Paul Williams joined Holdsworth, Husband, and Carmichael. The quartet adopted the name I.O.U. and developed Holdsworth material through club dates and demos, but British labels declined the group. Holdsworth financed album sessions at The Barge, a studio on a London canal, in 1981 with Andy Llewellyn engineering. The band recorded I.O.U. in roughly five days, and Holdsworth sold equipment to meet recording and mixing costs.

Holdsworth also returned to Soft Machine as a session guitarist for the 1981 album Land of Cockayne, where Karl Jenkins directed the project with Holdsworth on lead guitar and Alan Parker on rhythm guitar. By the close of the year, Holdsworth had shifted his principal activity from sideman assignments to I.O.U., although the self-financed album remained unreleased until the following year.

Re-Touch

View issued the collaborative album Re-Touch in 1983 from quartet sessions taped in May 1977 at Riverside Recordings.

Drummer John Stevens and pianist Jeff Young join Holdsworth, with Barry Guy on “No Fear” and Ron Mathewson on the title piece. Stevens wrote both parts of “No Fear”; the quartet shares authorship of “Re-Touch.”

“No Fear Part I” lurches from traded guitar figures into unmetered exchanges, settles over minor-key piano chords, and gathers around stuttering bass patterns. “No Fear Part II” coils through rising motifs and rapid exchanges, surges into cascading lead lines, then subsides beneath dense arpeggios before circling back to opening accents. “Re-Touch” sprints across an uptempo walking line and terse accents, clears space for a solo, then returns to fluid phrases above rolling lower figures.

A. “No Fear Part I” (21:06) – Stevens
B1. “No Fear Part II” (15:41) – Stevens
B2. “Re-Touch” (3:57) – Holdsworth, Young, Stevens, Mathewson

Adam Skeaping engineered the May 18–19 sessions at Riverside Recordings in Chiswick. Stevens and Manfred Schiek remixed the tapes at MGR in January 1983, drawing from the same visit that produced material later collected on Touching On.

Holdsworth later disowned the release as another collection assembled without his authorization.

Conversation Piece – Part 1 & 2

View released Conversation Piece – Part 1 & 2 in 1980 from a BBC performance by Gordon Beck, Allan Holdsworth, Jeff Clyne, and John Stevens.

The quartet divides one extended collective improvisation across two LP sides. Beck plays keyboards and Clyne supplies bass; Stevens handles drums against Holdsworth’s electric guitar.

“Conversation Piece – Part 1” hovers over a muted electric-piano motif, thickens through organ accents and heavier guitar replies, then accelerates above walking bass before returning to opening figures. “Conversation Piece – Part 2” coils from ominous accents into subdued swells and high-register ornaments, pivots through a two-chord vamp, then dissolves after rapid closing exchanges.

A. “Conversation Piece – Part 1” (23:11)
B. “Conversation Piece – Part 2” (17:38)

Gerd Peeckel produced the View edition from a November 15, 1977 recording at BBC Maida Vale. BBC engineers captured and mixed the broadcast performance.

The Things You See

JMS–Cream released the Holdsworth–Gordon Beck duo album The Things You See in 1980 on the label.

Holdsworth uses acoustic guitar, electric guitar, violin, and voice against Beck’s piano and Fender Rhodes. Four Holdsworth compositions alternate with three pieces by Beck.

“Golden Lakes” glides through a pastoral motif, quickens under lively piano accents, and settles on compact ornaments. “Stop Fiddlin’” prances from a blues-tinged prelude into accented figures and a rapid turnaround. “The Things You See” unfolds a gentle chord figure, shifts through paired solos, and returns in echoed electric lines. “Diminished Responsibility” darts through fast unison figures, splinters into thorny unaccompanied guitar lines, and recombines above tremolo.

“She’s Lookin’, I’m Cookin’” coils through pastoral arpeggios, opens onto a walking line, and returns after extended solo exchanges. “At the Edge” pivots between sung phrases and descending harmony before a compact lead break. “Up Country” saunters through blues-tinged figures, admits a playful theme near midcourse, and fades across a cheerful turnaround.

A1. “Golden Lakes” (4:48) – Holdsworth
A2. “Stop Fiddlin’” (2:56) – Beck
A3. “The Things You See (When You Haven’t Got Your Gun)” (4:32) – Holdsworth
A4. “Diminished Responsibility” (8:17) – Holdsworth

B1. “She’s Lookin’, I’m Cookin’” (11:58) – Beck
B2. “At the Edge” (3:18) – Holdsworth
B3. “Up Country” (3:43) – Beck

Jean-Marie Salhani produced sessions from December 1979 through January 1980 at CBS Studios in Paris, where Marcel Pettineo engineered the duo. François Anssens designed the sleeve with photography by Patrick Tandin, who worked with Beck around the preceding Sunbird tour.

JMS paired the album with Sunbird on a 1989 compact-disc edition that omitted “Flight.” The 1994 edition restored the missing piece.

I.O.U.

Allan Holdsworth self-released his second studio album, I.O.U., in 1982 through Luna Crack Records.

Singer Paul Williams fronts the first sustained Holdsworth solo group. Bassist Paul Carmichael and drummer Gary Husband complete the lineup, with Husband doubling on piano. Six pieces carry sole Holdsworth authorship. He adapted “Out from Under” with Steven Robinson and set Pete Brown’s words on “White Line.”

“The Things You See (When You Haven’t Got Your Gun)” surges from rising fanfare into chord-led sung passages, crosses a volume-pedal bridge, then accelerates through legato lines before returning to opening harmony. “Where Is One” coils around spacious chord figures, thickens after ninety seconds through a heavier chord mass and extended legato run, then settles back into chord play.

“Checking Out” jolts from sung passages into paired guitar lines that answer across opposing channels near two minutes. “Letters of Marque” gallops from a bright riff into an extended bass solo, threads arpeggios beneath Holdsworth’s lead, then clears for a drum solo before ensemble return. “Out from Under” grinds through a heavy opening figure, eases beneath sung phrases, then returns to heavier riffs and harmonized lead lines.

“Temporary Fault” hovers over reverberant chords, admits a piano solo in the second minute, then shifts to electric-violin lines before an abrupt fade. “Shallow Sea” spirals through sustained unaccompanied chords for roughly two and a half minutes, opens into bent-note runs and irregular phrasing, then returns to long-held chords near the close. “White Line” careens from a sung opening through a sudden lull, regains speed through syncopated swells, then yields to a lead after three minutes before a late sung reprise.

A1. “The Things You See (When You Haven’t Got Your Gun)” (5:52)
A2. “Where Is One” (5:38)
A3. “Checking Out” (3:39)
A4. “Letters of Marque” (7:02)

B1. “Out from Under” (3:34) – Robinson, Holdsworth
B2. “Temporary Fault” (3:17)
B3. “Shallow Sea” (6:04)
B4. “White Line” (4:43) – Holdsworth, Brown

Sessions took place at the Barge in London, where Holdsworth produced the group and Andy Llewellyn engineered the recording. Colin Green completed the mix. The leader financed the recording and sold equipment to finish the project. He distributed copies through concerts and mail order after relocating to California.

Bret H. Linford directed the stark black package for New Image. Enigma reissued the album in 1985, while Belle Antique later prepared a remastered edition for the Japanese market.

Road Games

Allan Holdsworth released the EP Road Games in September 1983 on Warner Bros. Records.

Paul Williams sings the title song, while Jack Bruce appears on “Was There?” and “Material Real.” Bassist Jeff Berlin and drummer Chad Wackerman establish the rhythm partnership. All music is by Holdsworth, with lyrics by Williams.

“Three Sheets to the Wind” unfurls chordal swells across a contemplative opening, descends through syncopated figures, and thickens into a fluid solo packed with rapid turns. “Road Games” bounds from fanfare into compact chord shapes and an unusual riff, threads Paul Williams’s sung lines through tapped figures, and opens into a sharp guitar lead. “Water on the Brain—Pt. II” careens across an angular theme, breaks for a lengthy bass solo, and restores opening accents.

“Tokyo Dream” glides from tapped arpeggios into falling chords and sliding double-stops, then cuts through a lower-tempo section with a terse solo. “Was There?” jolts through an insistent riff and heavy bridge, carries Jack Bruce’s sung lines over galloping accompaniment, and breaks into a lead-percussion duet before final figures. “Material Real” coils from delayed chord swells into a syncopated riff, crosses layered bridges and a short solo, then ends with a Wackerman drum solo and sustained chord.

A1. “Three Sheets to the Wind” (4:14)
A2. “Road Games” (4:14)
A3. “Water on the Brain—Pt. II” (2:49)

B1. “Tokyo Dream” (4:04)
B2. “Was There?” (4:09)
B3. “Material Real” (4:41)

Ted Templeman co-produced the Music Grinder sessions in Los Angeles with Holdsworth. Jeremy Smith and Robert Feist led the engineering team, while Feist and Mark Linett mixed the recordings within Templeman’s Warner Bros. production system.

Art director Laura LiPuma converted the title into a roadway-and-game-board cover, one year before her package work on Prince’s Purple Rain. The release received a Grammy nomination for Best Rock Instrumental Performance. Gnarly Geezer later returned the program to compact disc.

Metal Fatigue

Allan Holdsworth released his third album, Metal Fatigue, in 1985 on Enigma Records.

Paul Williams sings “Metal Fatigue” and “Panic Station,” while Paul Korda supplies the voice and words on “In the Mystery.” Alan Pasqua returns on keyboards, with Jimmy Johnson and Gary Willis dividing the bass work. Chad Wackerman handles most drum parts; Gary Husband returns for “The Un-Merry-Go-Round.”

“Metal Fatigue” lunges through a recurring riff, bends individual notes across modulating sung passages, and releases a fluid solo over broader chord changes. “Home” drifts along a descending chord path, passes from delicate acoustic guitar to electric lead phrases, and closes through sustained swells. “Devil Take the Hindmost” charges across fanfare figures and two-beat accents, slows in its second minute, then opens into an extended lead passage before restoring earlier material.

“Panic Station” surges from a synthetic arpeggio into chord-backed sung lines, inserts short lead replies, and later passes from a full solo to an agile bass feature. “The Un-Merry-Go-Round” fractures staccato ostinatos across repeated tempo shifts, halts near 4:30 for a sectional reset, changes direction twice more around minutes five and six, then passes through a spacious interlude, keyboard figures, and a drum solo. “In the Mystery” glides from arpeggios into computer percussion and funk-inflected chord figures, pivots through a compact solo, and settles on sustained harmony.

A1. “Metal Fatigue” (4:56)
A2. “Home” (5:33)
A3. “Devil Take the Hindmost” (5:36)

B1. “Panic Station” (3:36)
B2. “The Un-Merry-Go-Round” (14:10)
B3. “In the Mystery” (3:49)

Holdsworth produced sessions at the Music Grinder and Mad Hatter in Los Angeles, with additional work at Front Page Recorders in Costa Mesa. Robert Feist and Dan Humann served as principal engineers, extending the Feist partnership established on Road Games.

François Bardol painted the cover image; Henry Marquez designed the package around photography by Robin D’Arcy. Bardol continued the visual sequence on the next two studio albums.

Atavachron

Allan Holdsworth released his fourth album, Atavachron, in 1986 on Enigma Records.

The album introduces the SynthAxe as a principal instrument beside electric guitar. Jimmy Johnson remains on bass, while Gary Husband and Chad Wackerman divide most drum parts. Tony Williams returns for “Looking Glass,” and Billy Childs shares keyboard work with Alan Pasqua. Rowanne Mark supplies the only lyric and voice on “All Our Yesterdays.”

“Non-Brewed Condiment” springs from a percussive entrance into doubled guitar and SynthAxe figures, loops through an accented vamp, and opens repeated solos before a brief closing flourish. “Funnels” floats across syncopated chord figures and sliding intervals, sustains long lines over recurring changes, then returns through doubled lead material.

“The Dominant Plague” jolts across staccato brass-like chords and asymmetrical passages, passes through keyboard improvisation, and releases a guitar solo in its fourth minute before a late bass feature. “Atavachron” rocks across a recurring chord sequence, adds tuned-percussion-like figures during a second cycle, and opens into a solo in its fourth minute. “Looking Glass” bounds beneath Tony Williams’s foreground percussion for roughly ninety seconds, then shifts toward an extended Holdsworth solo over continuing rhythmic detail.

“Mr. Berwell” emerges from storm sounds and reverse-echoed chords, admits full ensemble near 1:28, and alternates faster and slower sections before a broader reprise. “All Our Yesterdays” hovers over ticking clocks and sustained sung lines, erupts near 2:25 into short exchanges between tuned-percussion figures and SynthAxe phrases, then returns to suspended opening harmony.

A1. “Non-Brewed Condiment” (3:41)
A2. “Funnels” (6:15)
A3. “The Dominant Plague” (5:45)
A4. “Atavachron” (4:45)

B1. “Looking Glass” (4:36)
B2. “Mr. Berwell” (6:24)
B3. “All Our Yesterdays” (5:26) – Holdsworth, Mark

Holdsworth produced and engineered the sessions at Front Page Recorders in Costa Mesa. Robert Feist and Dan Humann assisted with engineering and mixing after their work on Metal Fatigue, while Bernie Grundman mastered the album.

Bardol returned for a second consecutive cover and placed Holdsworth in a Star Trek uniform beside a childhood image. The package connects the title and “All Our Yesterdays” with the television series.

Sand

Allan Holdsworth released his fifth album, Sand, in August 1987 on Relativity Records.

SynthAxe appears across most of the six instrumental pieces, with conventional guitar solos confined to two selections. Alan Pasqua supplies keyboards, while Jimmy Johnson handles bass on five tracks. Biff Vincent substitutes an Octapad bass part on “Mac Man,” and Gary Husband shares drums with Chad Wackerman.

“Sand” coils from a solo SynthAxe introduction into chord figures, admits bass and percussion, then opens a lead passage near three minutes over brighter changes. “Distance vs. Desire” drifts through sustained washes and sweeping chord lines, then carries a flute-like lead across broad harmonic cycles. “Pud Wud” bounces through SynthAxe figures for roughly three minutes, shifts to electric guitar, and later passes into an Alan Pasqua keyboard solo before restoring its main motif.

“Clown” careens from processed percussion into a two-chord vamp and twisting staccato figures, then recasts its solo through filtered tones and pedal-backed harmony. “The 4.15 Bradford Executive” rolls across repeated chord figures for nearly three minutes, admits electric lead lines over increasingly reactive accompaniment, and sustains a long solo through nonrepeating changes before restoring opening ornaments. “Mac Man” skips from programmed loops and electronic percussion into evenly accented SynthAxe figures, introduces a sharper lead over sustained chords, and returns to opening flourishes.

A1. “Sand” (5:25)
A2. “Distance vs. Desire” (5:16)
A3. “Pud Wud” (6:45)

B1. “Clown” (5:14)
B2. “The 4.15 Bradford Executive” (8:28) – Holdsworth, Wackerman
B3. “Mac Man” (4:01)

Holdsworth produced and engineered the album at Front Page Recorders in Costa Mesa, with Robert Feist and Dan Humann returning for engineering and mixing. Home overdubs used rented tape equipment and custom monitors before Bernie Grundman mastered the final program.

Bardol completed a three-album cover sequence with the painted sleeve for Sand.

With a Heart in My Song

Allan Holdsworth and Gordon Beck released their second duo album, With a Heart in My Song, in 1988 on JMS–Cream Records.

Beck uses digital piano, while Holdsworth divides guitar and SynthAxe. Five pieces come from Beck; Holdsworth supplied “54, Duncan Terrace” and “Sundays.”

“Equus” bounds across rising-falling accents and bubbling bass figures, opens into modulating lead lines, then passes to a piano solo before a brassy reprise. “54 Duncan Terrace” glides from gentle guitar chords into a reedy SynthAxe lead, threads two solo passages through soft harmony, then closes on harpsichord figures and a drone. “Ain’t No Grief (On the Southwest Chief)” saunters through wry blues-inflected harmony, moves from a reed-like lead to syncopated midtempo accents, then fades under a final solo.

“With a Heart in My Song” lurches through triplet accents beneath choir-like harmony, straightens into duple motion, and settles through held chords and slow closing ornaments. “999” twitches across electronic percussion and glassy accents, layers loosely improvised figures over a modal vamp, and stops on an alarm-clock signal.

“Sundays” creeps from bicycle gears into patient bassoon and oboe phrases, then darkens under sustained organ chords before returning to mechanical sounds. “So, So, Calypso” skips through a buoyant blues-inflected theme, pivots from flute lead to a second solo passage, and returns through accented bridge figures.

1. “Equus” (7:14) – Beck
2. “54, Duncan Terrace” (5:13) – Holdsworth
3. “Ain’t No Grief (On the Southwest Chief)” (8:12) – Beck
4. “With a Heart in My Song” (6:17) – Beck
5. “999” (4:22) – Beck
6. “Sundays” (3:56) – Holdsworth
7. “So, So, Calypso” (5:30) – Beck

Holdsworth produced and engineered the May–June 1988 sessions at the Brewery in North County, San Diego. He also mixed the album. The home facility became the base for much of his subsequent studio work.

Secrets

Allan Holdsworth released his sixth album, Secrets, on November 6, 1989, through Intima Records.

Keyboardist Steve Hunt joins the core group and contributes “Joshua” and “Maid Marion.” Vinnie Colaiuta handles most drum parts, with Chad Wackerman returning for “Peril Premonition.” Rowanne Mark sings the title song; Craig Copeland appears on “Endomorph.”

“City Nights” vaults from a terse opening figure into a long guitar solo over static harmony, with an active bass line tightening each return. “Secrets” drifts through Rowanne Mark’s sung phrases over falling harmony, opens three SynthAxe passes across accented turns and a pedal break, then restores opening material. “54 Duncan Terrace” glides from effect-laden chords into an extended piano passage, clears for a solo across its middle section, then closes with a harp-like lead and a broad final chord.

“Joshua” unfurls a glassy theme above sustained chords, opens a long lead through shifting changes, then yields to electric-keyboard figures and an octave-lower reprise. “Spokes” bounces from blunt chord accents into a rubbery pedal figure, drives through odd-meter turns, then broadens across a second solo cycle. “Maid Marion” floats through spacious chord swells and a reedy lead, gathers momentum beneath delicate rhythmic detail, then passes from an extended solo to a second high-register statement before returning to opening theme.

“Peril Premonition” jolts from synthetic ornaments and real-world knocks into a syncopated modulating pedal, then carries an electric lead toward softer closing phrases. “Endomorph” hovers over sustained layers and Craig Copeland’s sung lines, restates his melody through a second-verse lead, then returns to sung material for a final reprise.

1. “City Nights” (2:33) – Husband
2. “Secrets” (4:22) – Holdsworth, Mark
3. “54 Duncan Terrace” (4:34) – Holdsworth
4. “Joshua” (5:59) – Hunt
5. “Spokes” (3:32) – Holdsworth
6. “Maid Marion” (7:16) – Hunt
7. “Peril Premonition” (4:45) – Wackerman
8. “Endomorph” (4:19) – Holdsworth, Mark

Holdsworth produced and engineered sessions split among Front Page Recorders, the Music Grinder, and the Brewery. He also mixed the album. Robert Feist and Biff Vincent supplied principal engineering support, with Feist extending a fourth consecutive studio-album association.

Lisa Sutton designed the Intima package with typography by Jeannine Pinkerton and photography by Southern California photographer Ed Colver. The photographer entered the project after work on the 1988 Nuclear Assault sleeve Survive.

Eidolon Efformation issued a 2008 remaster on compact disc.

Wardenclyffe Tower

Allan Holdsworth released his seventh album, Wardenclyffe Tower, in October 1992 on Restless Records.

The title refers to Nikola Tesla’s Long Island transmission tower. Steve Hunt contributes keyboards and “Dodgy Boat,” while Jimmy Johnson retains the bass role. Gary Husband and Chad Wackerman share most drum parts; Vinnie Colaiuta appears on “Against the Clock,” which features singer Naomi Star.

“5 to 10” pulses through rising-falling SynthAxe accents over pedal bass, cycles through modulating answers beneath a guitar solo, then passes to a keyboard feature and spoken interruption. “Sphere of Innocence” wanders through clean baritone chords and a pastoral lead, recasts opening theme through successive modulations, then opens long solo lines before a final return.

“Wardenclyffe Tower” broods over a two-note figure and layered swells, introduces midtempo motion amid arpeggios and blunt chord figures, then alternates two solos before restoring opening material. “Dodgy Boat” bounds through accented chords and a rising lead, passes successive solos across one harmonic sequence, then restores opening theme with broader bends. “Zarabeth” lurches from a modulating chord motif into a more syncopated solo passage, returns to opening material, and fades beneath choir-like swells.

“Against the Clock” races from Naomi Star’s sung passages into rising chords and a seesaw vamp, opens a slithering lead, then clears for a brief drum solo beneath sustained washes and ticking clocks. “Questions” coils around a dark pedal and falling accents, inserts a plucked synthetic figure, then releases a compact lead before a dissonant close. “Oneiric Moor” settles into delayed chord swells and overlapping lines, rises and falls through suspended harmony, then closes as wind sounds return.

1. “5 to 10” (5:36) – Holdsworth
2. “Sphere of Innocence” (5:58) – Holdsworth
3. “Wardenclyffe Tower” (8:44) – Holdsworth
4. “Dodgy Boat” (5:37) – Hunt
5. “Zarabeth” (6:31) – Holdsworth
6. “Against the Clock” (4:58) – Holdsworth, Star
7. “Questions” (4:07) – Wackerman
8. “Oneiric Moor” (1:41) – Holdsworth

Holdsworth produced and mixed recordings made at Front Page Recorders, the Music Grinder, Track Record, Mad Hatter, and the Brewery. Robert Feist engineered the sessions, while Gordon Davis completed additional mixing after work on earlier Holdsworth projects.

The sleeve uses an archival image of Tesla’s Wardenclyffe structure beneath the album title. Eidolon Efformation added alternate versions of “Tokyo Dream” and “The Un-Merry-Go-Round” to the 2007 remaster.

Hard Hat Area

Allan Holdsworth released his eighth album, Hard Hat Area, in 1993 on Polydor Records.

Steve Hunt remains on keyboards, while Gary Husband returns as sole drummer and Skúli Sverrisson assumes the bass role. Five pieces carry sole Holdsworth authorship. Hunt shares “Prelude,” while the quartet receives the collective credit on “Postlude.”

“Prelude” rises through Steve Hunt’s keyboard wash as looping guitar lines trace a descending turn and gather around suspenseful closing chords. “Ruhkukah” bursts from a rapidly ascending motif into bubbling pedal figures, passes from a Hunt solo to Holdsworth’s lead, then restores opening accents. “Low Levels, High Stakes” smolders beneath quiet chord work and a restrained piano passage, clears for a sinuous bass solo, then lets a long lead intensify against increasingly active rhythmic accents.

“Hard Hat Area” fractures an industrial SynthAxe figure across field noises and percussive effects, shifts into a more sustained second section, then opens a fluid solo before mechanical sounds return. “Tullio” spirals through a long nonrepeating sequence, passes from Holdsworth’s opening lines to a Steve Hunt solo, then returns through swelling phrases and abrupt accents.

“House of Mirrors” glides from mixed chord swells into a restrained theme, pivots through successive solos, and closes without leaving its measured setting. “Postlude” dissolves from a reedy melody over sustained chords into free group interplay, then passes through intricate rhythmic figures and successive solos before a final chord.

1. “Prelude” (1:35) – Holdsworth, Hunt
2. “Ruhkukah” (5:34) – Holdsworth
3. “Low Levels, High Stakes” (9:05) – Holdsworth
4. “Hard Hat Area” (6:06) – Holdsworth
5. “Tullio” (6:02) – Holdsworth
6. “House of Mirrors” (7:47) – Holdsworth
7. “Postlude” (5:28) – Holdsworth, Hunt, Husband, Sverrisson

Sessions took place at Front Page Recorders and the Brewery with Holdsworth as producer and engineer. He also mixed the album. Rejean de Grand’Maison supplied additional engineering, while Gordon Davis returned for mixing and Bernie Grundman completed the master.

Chris Hoard and Russ Rohrer created the photographic cover, with Rohrer responsible for digital imaging and Art Shoji for the logo. Hoard previously wrote the science-fiction text for Holdsworth’s 1985 transcription book Reaching for the Uncommon Chord.

Restless issued a 1994 compact-disc edition in the United States. MoonJune returned the title to circulation in May 2012 as a remastered compact disc.

Heavy Machinery

Heptagon released the collaborative album Heavy Machinery by Anders Johansson, Jens Johansson, and Allan Holdsworth in 1996 for the Swedish market.

Jens Johansson wrote the program and supplies keyboards plus bass synthesizer. Anders Johansson plays drums, while Holdsworth contributes guitar and SynthAxe across the standard program.

“Joint Ventures” strides over a syncopated pedal vamp, shifts through a solo and a modulating bass break, then opens a guitar lead before organ accents restore opening motion. “Beef Cherokee” lurches through urgent synth riffing beneath slow minor-key chords, repeats a lead fragment as ensemble parts recede into clean arpeggios, then resumes live exchange. “On the Frozen Lake” careens from fast interlocking figures into accented pedal passages, clears for a drum solo, then restores main motion before a late lead.

“Mission: Possible” saunters through an asymmetrical bent-note figure, accelerates beneath a harmonized solo, and lets final phrases continue as rhythm section fades. “Good Morning, Mr. Coffee” drives a syncopated vamp through successive harmonic shifts, slows for a rolling four-beat section, then trades lead sequences over modulated harmony. “Siouxp of the Day” flickers between soft chords and a frenetic synthetic line, disperses into a free fantasia, then snaps back to a driving figure.

“On the Fritz” pivots across an accented seven-beat vamp and repeating ostinatos, loosens beneath a processed solo, then restores opening layers. “Tea for One and a Half” glides from a rising figure and sustained drone into more active motion, passes through a bent-note lead, then returns with a final solo. “Never Mind Our Weather” surges through a blunt riff vamp, alternates held upper layers with accented figures, then passes through two contrasting solos before a brief coda. “Macrowaves” unfurls modulating electric-piano arpeggios, suspends activity for an extended interval, then resumes with held layers and frenetic closing interplay.

1. “Joint Ventures” (5:48)
2. “Beef Cherokee” (4:02)
3. “On the Frozen Lake” (4:52)
4. “Mission: Possible” (5:15)
5. “Good Morning, Mr. Coffee” (7:25)
6. “Siouxp of the Day” (4:02)
7. “On the Fritz” (5:24)
8. “Tea for One and a Half” (6:22)
9. “Never Mind Our Weather” (5:54)
10. “Macrowaves” (24:55)

The Johansson brothers produced the recordings across Starec Studios and Moon Path in Sweden, the Brewery in California, and 71st Street Recording in New York. Jens Johansson handled engineering and mixing, with Nolan Moffitte and Yoram Vazan completing digital transfers before Krister Olsson mastered the album.

Shrapnel and Pony Canyon issued the album on August 12, 1997 in their respective markets. The Japanese edition shortens “Macrowaves” and transfers the extended silence plus closing improvisation to bonus track “The Moose Are Marching.”

None Too Soon

Allan Holdsworth released his ninth album, None Too Soon, on September 24, 1996, through Polydor Records.

The quartet pairs Holdsworth and Gordon Beck with bassist Gary Willis and drummer Kirk Covington. Seven jazz standards surround two Beck originals, “None Too Soon” and “San Marcos.”

“Countdown” bolts from electronic haze into an uptempo chord figure, alternates a guitar-percussion duet with two compact solos, and fades during a looser trio exchange. “Nuages” drifts through reedy SynthAxe lines and muted-brass accents, opens a long solo over measured swing, then passes through piano before glassy chords carry main theme. “How Deep Is the Ocean” springs directly into a lead solo, yields to a second improvisation after midcourse, then reveals main theme near close.

“Isotope” saunters over blues-inflected figures, passes from opening solo to a bass feature, then restores lead lines before a developed reprise. “None Too Soon Pt. One/Interlude/None Too Soon Pt. Two” broods over rising-falling chords and pedal harmony, quickens through subdivided accents, then suspends itself in tolling textures before an opening-section reprise under accented fills. “Norwegian Wood” swings beneath rising-falling accents, passes from an opening solo to a longer lead improvisation, then restates opening contour in a firmer register.

“Very Early” glides from glassy textures into a patient opening solo, swells through a walking line and a second improvisation, then states its theme in reedy tones near close. “San Marcos” charges through fanfare figures, opens successive solos, then clears for a drum solo over slower accents and a brass-like reprise. “Inner Urge” careens from a compact theme into successive solo cycles, drops to clean comping beneath paired solos, then gathers force through a final extended lead.

1. “Countdown” (3:11) – John Coltrane
2. “Nuages” (5:41) – Django Reinhardt
3. “How Deep Is the Ocean” (5:29) – Irving Berlin
4. “Isotope” (5:41) – Joe Henderson
5. “None Too Soon Pt I/Interlude/Pt II” (7:44) – Beck
6. “Norwegian Wood” (5:55) – John Lennon, Paul McCartney
7. “Very Early” (7:42) – Bill Evans
8. “San Marcos” (3:24) – Beck
9. “Inner Urge” (6:14) – Henderson

Holdsworth produced and engineered the October 1994 sessions at the Brewery, where the quartet completed the album two years before release. He also mixed the program. Bernie Grundman mastered the original program.

Darrin Neu designed the package with photography by Chris Hoard, extending the visual partnership from Hard Hat Area. MoonJune issued an April 2012 remaster on compact disc.

The Sixteen Men of Tain

Allan Holdsworth released his tenth album, The Sixteen Men of Tain, in March 2000 on Gnarly Geezer Records.

Bassist Dave Carpenter and drummer Gary Novak form the principal trio. Chad Wackerman returns on “Downside Up,” while trumpeter Walt Fowler appears across selected pieces. Six titles carry sole Holdsworth authorship. Novak shares “The Drums Were Yellow,” while Wackerman wrote “Downside Up.”

“0274” unfurls pastoral chord figures, expands through three guitar solo cycles, then yields to trumpet before returning to opening contour. “The Sixteen Men of Tain” bounds through harmonized triple accents, breaks for an acoustic-bass feature, then alternates rising changes with walking swing under a long lead. “Above and Below” glides through pastoral chord melody, develops rising turns, and settles on thematic swells and a held pedal.

“The Drums Were Yellow” surges from broad chord figures into a long lead-percussion duet, intensifies through rapid runs, then dissolves under swirling SynthAxe layers. “Texas” jolts from a heavy figure into modulating fragments, threads several solo choruses through accented breaks, then closes with a final solo and opening-motif reprise. “Downside Up” lingers on a plaintive line, shifts bridges through successive keys, then extends four solo choruses across recurring chromatic falls.

“Eidolon” skips through accented chord figures and a subdivided turn, opens a brassy solo, then clears for a drum solo before a heavy-vamp reprise. “Above and Below (Reprise)” floats across layered harmonies, carries a calliope-like lead through broad modulations, then rises into final sustained chords.

1. “0274” (7:46)
2. “The Sixteen Men of Tain” (6:26)
3. “Above and Below” (3:08)
4. “The Drums Were Yellow” (5:57) – Holdsworth, Novak
5. “Texas” (5:44)
6. “Downside Up” (7:07) – Wackerman
7. “Eidolon” (4:36)
8. “Above and Below (Reprise)” (4:06)

Holdsworth produced and engineered the late-1999 sessions at the Brewery, completing his final album at the North County studio. He also mixed the program. Duncan Aldrich supplied additional engineering, while Chris Bellman mastered the program.

Shawn Smith produced the package around photography by Eddie Coralnick and caricatures of the players. The title refers to the sixteen workers associated with the Glenmorangie distillery in Tain.

Gnarly Geezer’s 2003 edition added “San Onofre” and “Material Unreal.”

FLATTire: Music for a Non-Existent Movie

Allan Holdsworth released his eleventh album, FLATTire: Music for a Non-Existent Movie, on December 1, 2001, through Megazoidal Records.

Holdsworth recorded the program chiefly as a one-person SynthAxe production, with conventional guitar confined to the opening introduction. Dave Carpenter adds acoustic bass to “Eeny Meeny” and “Bo Peep.” The subtitle presents the sequence as an unrealized film score.

“The Duplicate Man (Intro)” broods as electric guitar threads a plaintive solo through distant industrial thuds and a programmed drum solo. “The Duplicate Man” fractures glassy chords into brassy heterophony, opens a reedy SynthAxe lead over slow modulation, then drives syncopated figures toward rising-falling harmonies. “Eeny Meeny” skips across a two-accent motif and walking bass, rotates three contrasting leads through broader bridges, then resolves in a brassy coda.

“Please Hold On” drifts through sparse digital-piano chords, broadens under held string layers, and carries a muted lead across recurring two-beat figures. “Snow Moon” swirls from crackling effects into bending harmonies and a pedal drone, accelerates beneath layered percussion, then recedes into descending choral chords. “Curves” glides over steady syncopation, builds a baritone-register solo across rising changes, then climbs through glassy arpeggios before a choral descent.

“So Long” lingers over rain effects and gently modulating chords, introduces a bowed-register solo after midcourse, then returns to ambient sounds. “Bo Peep” bounces through a seesaw theme and accented vamp, switches to walking motion beneath a tenor-register lead, then restores opening figure for a coda. “Don’t You Know” unfolds slow pad chords and rising harmonies, pauses before a clarinet-like solo, then filters into choral layers and a final sustained chord.

1. “The Duplicate Man (Intro)” (1:52)
2. “The Duplicate Man” (4:41)
3. “Eeny Meeny” (4:48)
4. “Please Hold On” (4:01)
5. “Snow Moon” (8:04)
6. “Curves” (5:35)
7. “So Long” (5:31)
8. “Bo Peep” (3:46)
9. “Don’t You Know” (9:12)

Holdsworth produced and engineered the 2000–01 sessions at the House in San Juan Capistrano after the loss of the Brewery. He programmed the rhythm parts and completed the instrumental layers before Chris Bellman mastered the album.

MoonJune reissued the title in 2013 on remastered compact disc.

Later Activity

Holdsworth followed the final studio album with concert releases All Night Wrong and Then!, then gathered solo and group material on the 2005 anthology Against the Clock. Subsequent archival projects included Blues for Tony, Propensity, and Tales from the Vault.

Manifesto assembled twelve solo and live titles for the 2017 box The Man Who Changed Guitar Forever!, with remastering by Dave Schultz and Bill Inglot plus notes by Chris Hoard. Holdsworth approved the set before his death on April 15, 2017, in Vista, California.

Posthumous concert issues extended the catalog with performances from Japan, Warsaw, Frankfurt, and Leverkusen.

Discography:

Velvet Darkness (1976)
Re-Touch (1977 • John Stevens, Allan Holdsworth, Jeff Young, Barry Guy & Ron Mathewson)
Conversation Piece – Part 1 & 2 (1980 • Gordon Beck, Allan Holdsworth, Jeff Clyne & John Stevens)
The Things You See (1980 • Allan Holdsworth & Gordon Beck)
i.o.u. (1982)
Road Games (1983)
Metal Fatigue (1985)
Atavachron (1986)
Sand (1987)
With a Heart in My Song (1988 • Allan Holdsworth & Gordon Beck)
Secrets (1989)
Wardenclyffe Tower (1992)
Hard Hat Area (1993)
Heavy Machinery (1996 • Anders Johansson, Jens Johansson and Allan Holdsworth)
None Too Soon (1996)
The Sixteen Men of Tain (2000)
FLATTire: Music for a Non-Existent Movie (2001)