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Bummer. I only started appreciating him in the last 5 years or so...my ear just wasn't ready. So far ahead of...well...all of us.
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04-17-2017 09:41 AM
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Allan Holdsworth Family Memorial by Greg Beaton - GoFundMe
Originally Posted by NSJ
Show your love. Pity we couldn't be helping all along. Hope this helps the family
David
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one of the nights with allan that bill b was writing about- Originally Posted by NSJ
cheersLast edited by neatomic; 04-17-2017 at 05:16 PM. Reason: ad
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It occurred to me several times over the years, as I heard tales of hard times. I wish someone close to him had started something like this while he was still here, maybe there would have been a different ending to his story. I was happy to contribute to his re-mastering project last year, even though it only yielded one tune. So sad about this whole thing. We need to be more aware of our musical heroes' plight. Allan should never have wanted for rent, food, hotel expenses. I'm feeling angry along with others, that his personal situation should ever have become so demanding. The depression that may have caused might have cost him his life. Originally Posted by TruthHertz
Who else is out there who could maybe use some help? I can think of a few older NYC guitarists who are probably just getting by. I won't name names, but I would be happy to hear someone local nominate a worthy guitar hero for some financial relief.
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Yedbox, I had made the same post about the GoFundMe page and was also shocked. Something similar happened with Kenny Wheller before he died, too. It's shocking to see such an influential musician as Alan so low... makes me wonder if keeping the music avenue is a smart choice!
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Post 223
https://www.thegearpage.net/board/in...817571/page-12
RIP Allan
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He was the one guitar player I never got tired of listening to.
Bought Road Games back in 86 when I was 15.
Was hoping he'd be able to share some more of his insight while he was still with us.
RIP Allan.
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Originally Posted by jorgemg1984
Jorge, being a professional musician today requires more courage than I have, or had, at the point in my life where I had to choose, many years ago. I think I knew then, that I could never approach the level of contribution of a Wes, or a Holdsworth, and making a living playing someone else's music (especially pop) just seemed like a bad choice for me, personally. But, I've always admired those with more talent than I was born with, who had the courage to carry on and try to bring some of that special beauty into the world. Its a gift to the rest of us that deserves honor, as well as a roof over one's head and food in one's belly. By that measure, Allan should have been treated like a king.
Best to you in all you do, Jorge, you have my admiration!
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Well- given his obesity, history of smoking and well-known fondness for a pint- I would not be surprised to learn that he simply died in his sleep of a heart attack. And frankly that can happen even if you're not obese, don't smoke and don't drink (although the odds are much lower). Damned shame, though, on so many fronts. He left behind a beautiful family and was such a unique musician. I feel very, very sad for his kids and granddaughter. So sorry to hear he was flat broke at the end of his life. The music business is a terrible thing, man, for 95% of musicians- go watch some of the GE Smith interviews in YouTube about that. Originally Posted by cosmic gumbo
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I first heard Holdsworth in '77 when I bought Jean Luc Ponty's Enigmatic Ocean album. It reached #1 on the Billboard Jazz chart.
I remember reading a couple years later, 1982 ?..Holdsworth saying his band I.O.U. was named as a sarcastic reflection on the reality of presenting his music. After expenses of travel and paying his band members, he would be in debt after getting paid for gigs.
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very sad news!
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Dear Allan RIP,
Unfortunately you were just too far ahead for almost everyone, a TRUE genius.
I know you knew, you of all, deserved a pinch more success, that saddens me.
Some of the most insanely beautiful music ever, as for your technique,only one word, "mind blowing".
I hope you are with peace.
SincerelyDurban
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Allan's music is years ahead of us. Now we have time to grow up to it.
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I was listening to some of his CD's yesterday, and was struck by how the music still revealed new things, and had the capacity to astonish, despite my having heard the tracks many times before. A truly wonderful artist - people say they find his music too dense and complicated to understand, which I find strange - it's different and individual, but very beautiful, and one doesn't need to have an understanding of advanced music theory to appreciate that.
Anyhow, a real hero of mine (I still have the green Ibanez AH10 I bought in 1986) and so sad to hear of his passing.
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Rest in peace..
Last edited by destinytot; 04-18-2017 at 10:07 AM.
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Like many before, I'm saddened and angry that Allan's music didn't get the recognition and fame that he deserved.
I remember listening to the first track of "Sand" back in 1992. It was literally a jaw-dropping experience.
After that I went into a Fnac shop in Paris and bought all his CD's. His music has been with me ever since.
Words like Colossus, genius, master don't even come close to what I thought of him.
Still today I have no idea on how he could write and play such wonderful music.
Thank you Allan
Rest in peace
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just an addenda...allan holdsworth never wanted to play the same solo twice...he was always out to create something fresh...the idea of having to repeat something over and over was what caused him to flee from popular bands like soft machine, gong and (especially) uk...
he had a long and cutting edge career..near 50 years...and played to his own muse...of course it would have been sweeter if he was taken care of better $$$...(what guitarist wouldnt be? ...tal quit to paint signs!!) but his legacy stands clear and profound...
& im sure if he had the chance for a do over, he'd do it exactly the same...
cheers
a holdsworth penned original with the bruford band
Last edited by neatomic; 04-18-2017 at 05:38 PM.
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What a sad surprise this is. I remember going to hear Allan Holdsworth play at The Ram's Head Tavern in Annapolis, MD about 10 years ago with a friend of mine who was a Master Chief Petty Officer in the U.S. Navy and the guitarist for the U.S. Naval Academy stage band orchestra.
The venue held about 250 people and was sold out. Fortunately, we got to sit at the table right in front of Holdsworth who proceeded to play a 90 minute set. We just sat there aghast. How in God's name could anyone play that fast but still play so melodically!? That was the question we kept asking each other the entire show.
I was talking to another friend of mine today, Robert Conti, who was good friends with Allan Holdsworth for 20 some years. Holdsworth used to stop by once a week to hear Conti play when he had that steady gig in southern California at a hotel that was owned by Dino De Laurentiis. Conti told me that Holdsworth's daughter told him that Allan died penniless. Unreal isn't it.
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Sad indeed. Originally Posted by Steven Herron
I have mixed feelings on the penniless part though. Sure he probably had very little saved. Sure he was likely compensated poorly. However, he did raise a family. I assume that they are all well, but I can't assume much past any of this given our propensity for sensationalism. Maybe the money part bothered him - maybe it didn't. Maybe the family asked for help with the funeral expenses because they want to accommodate a decent showing of his (probably many) friends and that would be an expense that would cripple most Americans. I just like listening to his stuff and remembering when I saw him play.
P.S. I am not trying to pick a fight over his plight. I am just trying to keep it in perspective. At least for me that is.
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There's no point in quibbling over the meaning of "penniless." It's enough that Allan was very poor, in poor health and apparently drinking very heavily for a long time. Poverty is a grinding, destructive force that in itself shortens life expectancy and greatly increases the risk of and worsens physical and mental illnesses. And poverty is endemic.
I am so pleased to see the outpouring of generosity towards Allan's family. When my Mom died a few years ago, the funeral expenses ended up being over $16,000 for a basic, non-elaborate service. Maybe they'll have enough to be able to pay for part of his granddaughter's college or something.
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we all are vulnerable..to the elements..to fear..to time..many of us feel we are doing fine..but as Paul Simon said..we are just "slipsliding away.."
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our want to be secure in all aspects of life..health..wealth..love..work - and it is a constant struggle..it is an inner balancing act that we try to hide from the world..but no one is immune..we never know-tomorrow is promised to no one..
we are gifts to each other..we may not recognize that truth..until the other is gone..for us on this special forum-and it is-we share our knowledge and parts of our lives and deep feeling for musicians and music..when a famous artists reaches success in great measure many feel "good for you" .. and we mean that .. and when someone with very special talent passes..we feel loss..
it is our nature to feel these things..playing music brings us closer to our own nature..and every now and then the power and magic of the universe shines through..and though it may be only for minutes..the world is a better place
Alan Holdsworth made the world a better place..
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There are artists you like, and there are also artists you love. And besides all those, into a private small box, there are some artist that radically changed your life. Their work dug so deeply in your heart and shook so hard your perspective of everything, that they finally became a kind of spiritual family or friends without knowing them face to face. That is Holdsworth for me.
That is the beauty of art, the comunication through space and time with no need of standard languages.
Holdsworth changed the game so extremely that he influenced whether you or your influences. Even guitarrists who don't even know him are indirectly influenced by him. Music wouldn't have been as we know it now without his music.
R.I.P.
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I listened to Jean-Luc Ponty's Enigmatic Ocean today--possibly the best-known album Holdsworth played on.
What an absolute pleasure to listen to. Jaw-dropping speed and technique but every note with feeling. I think he had a huge influence on the composition of the pieces as well--the arpeggios are pure Holdsworth--not something a violinist would have come up with necessarily. Anyway, the album is a wonderful piece of electric jazz--very reminiscent of Bach in the arrangements and interacting swirls of melody.
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Ponty tended to write with a piano back then for a lot of stuff. I actually have his sheet music for this as he handed it to the musicians. There is a lot written out and areas that would be labeled Guitar adlib keys adlib for solos etc... It is written like a score with all the instruments represented down to the bass and drum parts. It would be interesting to ask him if Allan contributed ideas. Allan has solos on quite a few of Jean Luc Ponty's albums. Originally Posted by Doctor Jeff
I found my first Ponty album when starting high school and it inspired me to plug in so I could jam with the electric musicians. Allan made my stack of really hard LPs to jam to with his stuff from UK which was how I practiced for jams.
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