Allan Holdsworth RIP

[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!

Thanks so much, Yedbox. Let's see how long I keep it

[agentsmith]

huh? So you're disputing his daughter's claim? This place is too much sometimes...

Sad indeed.

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.

[neatomic]

no bickering at graveside!

just... blessings on allan holdsworth

he was... incredible



cheers

[lammie200]

huh? So you're disputing his daughter's claim? This place is too much sometimes...

I just said that it didn't matter to me partly because it can't be verified, but also because it truly doesn't matter in enjoying his contributions.

Strange that you feel that this place is too much sometimes. I tend to believe there are fewer gullible people on this forum than on many others.

no bickering at graveside!

Right on.

[neatomic]

sweetwater put up a nice tribute to allan..some great info, esp regarding his "work" ethic

ie. he was a true artist!

Allan Holdsworth: One Step Beyond


cheers

[agentsmith]

His daughter said it but we should listen to you instead because you are not gullible. thank the stars for ignore lists...

I just said that it didn't matter to me partly because it can't be verified, but also because it truly doesn't matter in enjoying his contributions.

Strange that you feel that this place is too much sometimes. I tend to believe there are fewer gullible people on this forum than on many others.



Right on.

[fasstrack]

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.

Of course those things don't help---but you go when it's your time.

How the hell is Keith Richards alive?...

[Cunamara]

Keef had plenty of money, many people around him running interference, and access to phamaceutical grade substances due to his wealth and the connections he developed- and apparently the constitution of an ox. Of course he too is a pretty epic alcoholic.

[lammie200]

...
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.

His daughter said it but we should listen to you instead because you are not gullible. thank the stars for ignore lists...

Your making up stuff, dude. Totally missed the point and picking a fight.

[Cunamara]

If you look around, you can find discussion of multiple incidents in which AH was ripped off quite deliberately- records for which he was not paid, for example- including most recently a pledge-funded campaign for releasing music (along the lines of ArtistShare, except not as above-board). I suspect AH was not a great business mind, like many creative people, and was caught out by many of the predatory bastards that populate the music business. I am sure that did not help his finances, mood or stress levels.

[lammie200]

AH struck me as someone that was unique in the field and desperately wanted to be. I hesitate to generalize, but I found people like that to care little about things like money even when it greatly impacts them. Like a starving artist syndrome or something. I feel bad for his family and for what he went through. However, just like the fact that musicians like Charlie Parker and Chet Baker were heroin addicts, AH's financial plight is a completely separate issue than his music. His music is all that I have. I suspect that is true for many others as well.

[fasstrack]

Why don't you 2 check into a Ramada or something? You're hijacking a thread in dedication to a guy who just passed away.

Please be a LITTLE less selfish/tunnel-visioned. It's rather tiresome...

[fasstrack]

Of course he too is a pretty epic alcoholic.

...and EVERY drink shows on his face.

Reminds me of Sidney Zion's take on Roy Cohn (in his book of some years ago, the Autobiography of Roy Cohn, by Sidney Zion): Zion's main premise is that Cohn was one of those people who felt he was justified in doing, and could get away with ANYTHING. Sounds like pure evil to me. Not saying Richards is evil, nor do I care one way or the other. Ain't payin' my bills.

One time ages ago, I was a messenger. I was taking some package somewhere and passed the old Studio 54. Cohn was in front of some scaffolding there, and I accidently bumped him. I apologized, and he looked at me like he was inspecting an insect. Finally he coldly nodded some sort of acknowledgement. It gave the the chills, and I moved on in a hurry.

There ARE people in the world who, whether by celebrity and its fruits or whatever else feel they can get away with anything and are entitled to everything and are VERY important---more so than us peons. I cannot fathom what that even feels like...

[DS71]

Allan stuck to his vision for his music. I have a lot of respect for that, and heeps of respect for him and his playing. Amazing and humble to a fault. I'm focusing more on Jazz and bebop studies these days. not so much fusion. But Allan has been my favorite guitarist and arguably one of the most unique voices on the guitar -very subjective....all imho.

Could of easily took a cash gig as he continued to build his solo career. Various teaching opportunities and more instructional material. I was so hoping he'd be able to share more of his insight. I guess that wasn't his vision.

[destinytot]

There ARE people in the world who, whether by celebrity and its fruits or whatever else feel they can get away with anything and are entitled to everything and are VERY important---more so than us peons. I cannot fathom what that even feels like...

Fossilised bitterness and resentment - hardness of heart.

Thank heaven for music; it may not dissolve arrogance, but at least it tempers it.

[agentsmith]

Does this have to become a holdsworth-bashing thread now? How about we focus on what he brought to music and not what his flaws were? Often times, the most amazing and innovative artists in the history of the world were drug addicts and/or OCD about their music to the point of having extreme issues in the rest of their lives. But what Holdsworth brought to music will live on far beyond the petty criticisms of his addictions and weak points so how about we focus on his greatness, his innovation, his inimitable approach to the instrument and that fact that players as disparate as Eddie Van Halen and Jonathan Kreisberg worshipped his playing.

He may be the most innovative musician in history. He literally changed the way people approach the instrument.

...and EVERY drink shows on his face.

Reminds me of Sidney Zion's take on Roy Cohn (in his book of some years ago, the Autobiography of Roy Cohn, by Sidney Zion): Zion's main premise is that Cohn was one of those people who felt he was justified in doing, and could get away with ANYTHING. Sounds like pure evil to me. Not saying Richards is evil, nor do I care one way or the other. Ain't payin' my bills.

One time ages ago, I was a messenger. I was taking some package somewhere and passed the old Studio 54. Cohn was in front of some scaffolding there, and I accidently bumped him. I apologized, and he looked at me like he was inspecting an insect. Finally he coldly nodded some sort of acknowledgement. It gave the the chills, and I moved on in a hurry.

There ARE people in the world who, whether by celebrity and its fruits or whatever else feel they can get away with anything and are entitled to everything and are VERY important---more so than us peons. I cannot fathom what that even feels like...

[Robertkoa]

O, man. Hate hearing this. RIP, Allan.

My favorite:

Now that is some cool Funky Fusion - on the Intro Section.

I forgot about Holdsworth's and also Jean Luc Ponty
both together and separately and some of the excellent Fusion ( with Chords and most of all Grooves) Jean Luc Ponty did some great Fusion and
lots of great Guitarists


It is very sad that a Talent and Pioneer like Holdsworth was struggling financially , but he went out clean without prolonged Physical Suffering and left so much great Music behind.

Condolences to his Family and Friends.

IF anyone who knows him who reads this - I STRONGLY suggest that they( his Family ) get someone they Trust - ( who does NOT need to Profit from the Holdsworth Archives)
and possibly start releasing/ selling some of his best
Unreleased Material on Lockdown direct Sales where the Family gets payments directly TO them.

There are thousands of Guitarists and others who will buy Posthumous CDs as Tributes and to hear them etc.

He probably has hundreds or thousands of hours of Recordings- they should be treated like* Hendrix stuff was/is ...but paid directly to the Family.
I know the Demand will not be like Hendrix or Prince
BUT there are many many Guitarists who would like to hear it.

No Looney Tunes - .009 cents per Download junk.

CDs .No money intermediaries.

I thought someone of Holdsworth's stature would be fairly well off.

But hopefully his Legacy can benefit his Family and produce Income without Ripoffs .

What is the Paypal Account Email to his Family ?

[lammie200]

...There are thousands of Guitarists and others who will buy Posthumous CDs as Tributes and to hear them etc.
..No Looney Tunes - .009 cents per Download junk.

CDs.
...

Allan Holdsworth guitar heroics assembled on best-of box set - AXS

You can start there if you like. I believe that he had something else in the works as well.

[Cunamara]

It is very sad that a Talent and Pioneer like Holdsworth was struggling financially , but he went out clean without prolonged Physical Suffering and left so much great Music behind.

Unfortunately Allan had been physically and functionally in poor shape for quite some time, from what is available about that. He had a severe drinking problem that took its toll on his health.

IF anyone who knows him who reads this - I STRONGLY suggest that they( his Family ) get someone they Trust - ( who does NOT need to Profit from the Holdsworth Archives)
and possibly start releasing/ selling some of his best

Allan had already done much of that, having been involved with the creation of a boxed set of all his albums as a leader, remastered and etc. It is (somewhat over his objection) called "The Man Who Changed Guitar Forever!" Or something like that. There is also a 2 CD compilation called "Eidolon" that came out at the same time.

There was also a plan to produce recordings from backlogged material through a pledge process, but apparently the people running that ripped Allan off (there is a long post from Allan explaining this on YouTube in the comments section under one of the videos about the pledge process). It was conceptually very similar to ArtistShare who released a number of Jim Hall recordings, except that ArtistShare is above board.

I thought someone of Holdsworth's stature would be fairly well off.

But hopefully his Legacy can benefit his Family and produce Income without Ripoffs .

What is the Paypal Account Email to his Family ?

Unfortunately artists like Allan are rarely well off. Many of our jazz heroes have died in poverty (and blues heroes, bluegrass heroes, etc.). The music business is brutal in its Darwinism.

Check the links upthread to the (now closed) GoFundMe campaign. It was set up to help his children pay for funeral and burial costs, aiming to raise $20,000. Allan's fans came through hugely and donated that much in a few hours, ultimately reaching over $114,000. The family decided to close the campaign at that point. Hopefully they will have a good tax accountant to help them in the short term.

As for the long term release of material, Allan was so dissatisfied with his work that he had a very difficult time releasing anything. A fair amount of his back catalog recordings are apparently on formats he couldn't access any more, according to his posts on YouTube- he had had to sell the equipment to pay his bills. But maybe there will be something there that can benefit his family.

[DS71]

I'll be picking up the box set eventually.
I hope at some point we get something as far as new unheard tracks.

Was really, really hoping for new material and a chance that he might produce more instructional stuff something in the form of books or videos. anything.

[lammie200]

Allan Holdsworth - Dweezil Zappa

A bit interesting to read. It was linked on the TDPRI website. BTW, I'll give the dead horse one more kick. The TDPRI thread has nearly the same number of posts as this thread and no mention of his finances that I know of. The GoFundMe site was linked as well.

[tinfoilsuit]

Saw 2 amazing sets in 80's at a small Las Vegas club. In between sets he sat at a tabletop Ms. PacMan machine sipping a beverage and playing the game. Said I loved him and the show. He smiled and thanked me, a twenty two yo kid. Was a real treat I'll never forget.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk

[Robertkoa]

Thanks Cunamara- too bad we could not have helped him when he was still here.

I know that most have trouble making money but surprised that someone as famous as Holdsworth was...

I know fame alone nor Talent alone does not guarantee...but Holdsworth was held in such high regard and played so well that many would have liked to see him play...even on Skype etc.

I hope the Family does very well with his Music sales and as I said possibly selling DIRECT to Consumers etc.

Thanks ....

[Jazzism]

Having some time to take this in now, really makes me ponder wether it is possible to create some sort of free health service for recognized artists so that some of the effects of aging and the rigors of touring could perhaps be reduced. Very topically, I remember 2008 when we lost two fantastic bass players, Dennis Irwin, who was with scofield for a number of years and Dave Carpenter, who in fact played and recorded with Allan, ironically on what turns out to be his last studio band record. Carpenter had a heart attack at 47. Irwin died of liver failure at 56. Just wondering how long people will avoid the warning signs they're bodies are giving them just because it's too expensive to go for a checkup, and they don't have health insurance. Maybe some sort of pension scheme is in order. Especially sad to hear the story of what turns out to be Allan's last gig. At 70 you shouldn't have to be forced to play just because you need the money. Also these days for smaller acts management also handles bookings so the artists physical and mental well being is secondary to the need to be on the road generating income.
just speculating, I know he wasn't so good at meeting deadlines, due to his perfectionist streak, but how great would it have been if he could have composed for film. We know he had that interest, when listening to flat tire, music for a non existent movie. But he would have been well compensated for his efforts, could work from home and importantly, start to generate passive income from residuals and publishing.
As for instructional material, it's pretty well documented that Allan didn't regard himself as any kind of educator. If you have been to any of his so called workshops, he could talk all day about gear, but either wouldn't or couldn't give much insight into his musical processes, and was often vague and obtuse. The few times I met him he only wanted to talk about girls and/ or beer. It will have to be left to some musicologist on some sort of holdsworth scholarship grant to go and do field work, travel and meet with sidemen/ other players as well as through transcription / analysis to codify his practices. A member here told me he knew of a few people in the UK who had distilled some of the holdsworth vocabulary, but regrettably he coudnt remember their names. I'm going to the US again this summer. I hope to meetup with someone who was a good friend of Allan's and who Allan reportedly describes his playing as 'ferocious'. Hopefully it will work out.
cheers.

[Robertkoa]

Jazzism- agreed and I would LOVE to see a few Law Firms who are sympathetic and appreciate great Musicians who can look out for LEGAL ISSUES ,
BAD DEALS etc. because it seems so often we hear of Great Musicians signing a Bad Deal because
$5000 or $1000 or X amount RIGHT NOW is better than $0 RIGHT NOW- I get that.

So you can do a Gig for $50 or $100 or even $ 20 BUT Don't let the Manager hand you a RELEASE that gives them the Right to Record Everything and re-sell it if they want.

And these JOKE O RAMA Download Internet Services for almost ZERO per Download and NO WAY ( for the Writer / Creator/ Player) to Audit them-
are silly and stupid.

IF you have strong product that Sells - use common sense.

Assuming you have *Strong Product or can get some People into a Club or Bar or Coffeshop that would NOT otherwise be there if you weren't Playing There- use common sense-

IF you want to be a really really GOOD Guitarist - you will need the dexterity of a neuro surgeon combined with the reflexes and motor skills of a world class Boxer- No Marijuana ....no recreational Drugs...
THEY DO NOT FULLY WEAR OFF.

Alcohol- in MODERATION does wear off .

Coffee , Tea, Coffee with Vanilla, Chocolate are safe for most and will not BURN IN ' Stoned Programs' into your Brain.

There are Mental Exercises and Meditation, that can get you into TRUE HIGHER STATES that change Serotonin and Alpha States BUT since YOU are doing it it IS truly MIND EXPANDING and you can benefit from it.

One of the BIGGEST LIES of ALL TIME was the 1960's idea that DRUGS are MIND EXPANDING.




So don't use Drugs if you want to get really really good at ANYTHING especially Guitar.

Drugs give you a foggy lower harmonic of the True Higher States.