Drummer Gary Husband talks about his time with guitarist Allan Holdsworth

[@bengtwahlstedt1021]

NICE MAN !!!! GREAT INSTRUMENTALIST !!!!

[@fusionfan6883]

Gary I still have fond memories of seeing you with Turning Point at the Arnolfini in Bristol when Allan was guesting, was that when you first really connected? Allan seemed unhappy at the time and I think it was his frustration with the UK scene. Soon after he went to America if I recall correctly. I was astonished by your ferocity, and clearly recall you breaking a stick and it flying into the audience. Little did I know, the guy who caught it, and still has it, later became my best bud and is equally as crazy about music as I am. You later corresponded a bit on Fusenet, and we had a bit a a spat as I dared to say I didn't "get" Tony Williams, but we made up over our mutual love of Narada. Peace man and thanks for the music 🙂

[@snowfiresunwind]

Always great to hear Gary talk. He is an incredible musician and composer in his own right.

[@SamoSalamonMusic]

Yesss He is amazing!

[@wildflowrecordsandmedia6355]

i will never forget the impact of the 1st IOU album on me personally. there's nothing in music like it..never will be..came out of the blue to change everything...i don't think anyone should ever forget that Gary is a co architect of the whole concept...

[@antonioni72]

Really enjoyed listening to Gary talk. Fantastic.

[@SamoSalamonMusic]

Txxx Tony...

[@WarhawkBeyond2040]

I've had the great pleasure of seeing Gary Husband a number of times over the years in different situations, once with UK in 2012 and did a fantastic playing in not only playing the material but covering both Bruford & Bozzio drum parts, 3 times with the John McLaughlin 4th Dimension band & a solo performance where he played the John McLaughlin piano tribute album. He is a highly versatile musician, drums, piano and keyboards, Gary Husband can do it all. I loved his work with Allan Holdsworth and he was a big part of the music, i got to meet him once after his solo show and got to talk to him about his experiences with UK, a true gentleman and a real first class act. For me, one of the all time greats.

[@SamoSalamonMusic]

Yessss - one of the greats... tx for sharing this!

[@WarhawkBeyond2040]

@@SamoSalamonMusic you're most welcome and a true musician's musician

[@beenhonked5172]

The monumental and eye opening experience Gary had in meeting Allan has expelled to the world to be the same for everyone blessed with being touched by his music.

[@mettamoose5074]

Samo, I'd like you to know that your interviews are some of my favorite content on YT (right along with Rick Beato) - thank you for all that you are doing to spread the love for top-tier music and the wonderful artists who create it! :) And I can't wait to hear the "stocking stuffer" recording that Gary mentions of his earliest playing alongside AH, that will be so epic!!

[@SamoSalamonMusic]

Thanksssss... so nice to hear this!

[@nogbadthebad2609]

Gary is an outstanding musician. When he was playing with Allan, I was lucky enough to hear him play a piano that was in the hall at the Aberdeen Art Centre in 1994 as they were setting up for the soundcheck. It was amazing. The recording of the Aberdeen 1994 gig is on youtube. Remarkable playing on it.

[@SamoSalamonMusic]

Yesssss -couldnt agree more - one of the best!

[@JRM---516]

Hey Gary -- your playing was great work with Allan. Don't ever forget that!

[@awrogers3013]

I see there is a Holdsworth doc scheduled for 25. Let’s hope it truly captures the whole of it. And if it does, I imagine Gary will be on camera a lot of the time. It was Holdsworth,s music…. but it was he and Gary that came up with this special sauced potions that all of us are still scouring for clues. Others came along and enhanced the ride but it was the connection between these two that created the strange liquid that fueled the beast…till the very end…

[@awrogers3013]

So obvious that Gary is by far Allan’s most impactful collaborator.

[@SamoSalamonMusic]

Woohoo cant wait for the doc :) great news

[@timwhite5647]

I've had the I.O.U. album for more years than I can remember, and I've always thought Gary's drumming was quite odd...I would think he's not really playing in synch with the music, he's kind of running in front of it, or just rumbling around it in some fashion...and creating a big noise with his toms. Then(with repeated listenings) I started to realize on some level what he was doing, and I guess what he was doing was just as odd as what Allan was doing on the guitar. So, besides Chad's remarkable work with Allan, Gary is up there right alongside Allan creating some very interesting and creative music. Rather bombastic and somewhat rambling...but very innovated.

[@garygomes9851]

I think what has happened through the years if we have focused so much on groove and funk and less on communication between musicians. We've become obsessed with foundation. Musical dialog is, for me, so much more important than groove. I have noticed that drummers just seem afraid of responding to other musicians, which to me has made music much less rhythmically interesting. It's never just about groove; it's always about communication!

[@walterevans2118]

GARY was so good for Allan as a collaborating musician actually...He was the PERFECT catalyst to unlock Allan's full potential.....I'm going to be playing my old rare vinyl of the 1982 IOU album tonight......Allan was such an improviser and bands like UK were asking to play the same solo note for note every night because they thought what he had recorded on the original album was so good. But for Allan this was like putting Jonathan Livingstone Seagull in a cage..At one point in his frustration Allan even referred to the fragmented production process on some of those earlier records as 'jigsaw music' ......But when Allan switched to working with GARY all that changed. Because Gary HIMSELF was an IMPROVISER he was willing to go with Allan which gave him all the latitude Allan needed to create his OWN expression rather than what other bands & musicians were instructing him to do....Poor Gary must really miss him because they recorded & wrote & improvised live so much together.

[@SamoSalamonMusic]

Yesssss

[@BneiAnusim]

I was very impressed listening to him playing with John McLaughlin! Gary is an awesome piano player!

[@SamoSalamonMusic]

Yeah - he is incredible!

[@anthonydrago8652]

Husband we love you

[@davidscott1052]

Not to forget that Gary also played with another great British jazz guitarist Jim Mullen....who thankfully is still with us ....saw them play many times with Gareth Williams on Piano and Mick Hutton on bass ....they were doing tunes from there up coming album "Burns" a celebration of the life and words of Robert Burns

[@SamoSalamonMusic]

Yeah, jim is fantastic... also saw him live in 90s... beautiful player...

[@ontherock]

Thank you! If possible, please post the link Gary mentioned as well.

[@ontherock]

I see it! Thanks Samo.

[@frederf69]

the sort of sabotage that GH contributed to the music of AH is very welcome to me ✌😎👍"that's the guy I wanna play with" said the man 🙏🙏

[@SamoSalamonMusic]

Yeah I love this!

[@bangersnmash4856]

I've heard that Gary has made an album of Allan's songs played on piano? Anyone know about it

[@SamoSalamonMusic]

Yeah - you can find it on his Bandcamp site - incredible stuff!!!

[@raymondkarlsson9794]

Listening to this interview and suddenly realise that it was Gary’s experience with Allan Holdsworth. Thought itwas with with John McLaughlin but anyway... Giants

[@SamoSalamonMusic]

Yeah - the best!!!! Gary is amazing... such a creative force behind these guitarists...

[@rigelloar7474]

All of the drummers that played with Holdsworth were great, but Gary was my favorite. Perhaps his piano background brings a special harmonic dimension to his drumming. Gary is ridiculously talented, accomplished, and creative, and SO inspirational. Thanks for posting this.

[@SamoSalamonMusic]

Yesssss - I agree... wonderful drummer and composer as well... and of course a monster pianist :)

[@Steve-mp7by]

Un Merry Go Round solo

[@jimbojazza5539]

The word Gary's looking for is sabotage. 😁

[@mikehirsh1896]

Wow I'm shocked to hear this ... The band's history had like a dozen drummers doing different things.... All of em .... A few I didn't care for but Gary was awesome ... Wackerman brought a whole different element that sometimes bore me .... The ultimate drummer that I ever saw on DVD or here was Gary Novak holy shit he was perfect for Allan's music... That drummer that came around after 2015 I thought he over played Travis or something ... Then I saw some guy who's on a video from 2005 I forget his name he played like Gary a bit he was ok .... And the short lived Vinnie Colauita stay always because of the money thing he kicked ass with Allan or with anybody really .... Then there was this other drummer wow I don't know who he was he was ok but didn't last for long... Drummers with Allan didn't last either because he knew who he liked and the last time I saw Allan in 2014 Gary Husband was so awesome and so different then when I saw hin in 1987 and 1992 .... I saw Chad all over the place from 86 to 2012 or 2013 I saw that last drummer once 2 sets worth but never Vinnie never Novak just that guy with the enormous kit who played on Earth he was good though just intense technically kind of like Novak .might of been 2012 I forget... The other guys didn't stay long ...

[@SamoSalamonMusic]

Maaaan... beautiful what you wrote - yeah i also loved Gary Novak's playing with Allan...

[@samkennard2455]

2005 may have been Joel Taylor (i thought did a good job and suited his music)

[@manmewxlsgb]

Gary what on earth are you saying? You are incoherent.