R.I.P. Allan Holdsworth (1946-2017) [Allan Holdsworth - Guitar Solo]

ALLAN HOLDSWORTH (jeez. Allan Holdsworth is gone.) "The Man Who Changed Guitar Forever", as a Guitar Player cover story once said. And it is completely true. There is no denying the gigantic influence and stylistic change he brought to music in general and to the electric guitar specifically, No guitarist was unaware of him and at least superficially influenced by him, if only by his fearsome technique.
Bill Bruford on playing with Holdsworth:
"For several years in the 1970s, through my own band and 'UK', I listened to him nightly, launching sheets of sound on an unsuspecting audience, changing perceptions about what guitars and guitarists should or could be doing, thrilling me half to death. I would have paid to be at my own gig."
---
This is a solo from the Soft Machine album/DVD, 'Switzerland 1974' (Cuneiform Records)
You can currently purchase 'Switzerland 1974', here:
Amazon: amzn.to/2fk9J1A
Bandcamp: cuneiformrecor...
Wayside Music: www.waysidemusi...

[@JohnDoe-sz3lz]

he was so far ahead of his time it was unreal..

[@Draxtor]

rewatching this = Allan seems to have appeared on the scene FULLY FORMED = it is just absolutely amazing! I had a beer with him in '99 at his home. I was there interviewing for GItarre und Bass magazine. What a man !!!

[@haroldinitaly6753]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/jZnTfHSqf8mWoLM

[@bigwave1827]

40 years ago it was already ahead .. what I have always appreciated about him is not the monstrous technique nor the speed .. but the harmonic approach, his idea of ​​music. Why do people leave this world that do not create anything harmful instead of political thieves, corrupt and mafia? Thanks Allan for the great emotions that you gave me listening to you live and in the records.

[@snowfiresunwind]

Well said - agree with your sentiments entirely.

[@Fontsman]

Even then he was incredible. But years later after completely revising his approach to the guitar he unleashes his legato manifesto, culminating in 'Devil take the hindmost', one of the most remarkable of solos. A giant of the instrument who changed the guitar forever. RIP Maestro.

[@investorart58]

Very well said. This solo shows an AH who is still far from what he would yet become. He refused to settle - and thank God for that. From this solo in 1974 to his work with UK in 1978 - we see and hear the huge leap. Speaking of which - I wish he was still around to ask him why he never did more 2 track recordings of those otherworldly acoustic chordal ideas with his glistening, acoustic legato lead lines floating over them as on the intro to Nevermore. Great point on "Devil"; we see the amazing leap reach it's zenith on that solo. Mind absolutely blown. And - that tune was so "accessible" for a less sophisticated ear due to the great chord melody that was relatively simple for him. I'd toss in the previous album's "Three Sheets" which to me had an element of chamber music mixed into the fusion pot.

[@Fontsman]

Peter you'll find more blinding acoustic in his collaborative work with Gordon Beck on the album - The Things You See/Sunbird

[@jcjc5702]

​@@investorart58the genius ideas that surprises you are there, after this it's a style

[@RobertWeingher]

I can't believe he played like that in 1974, even the members of the band were hypnotized

[@jcjc5702]

When he gets into it, they know and some of us too

[@pablodebiddlybo3771]

Normal was not in Allan’s vocabulary. What a gift to the world he is terribly missed. Stayed true to his heart and easily could have (on many occasions ) just been a guitarist in a band with a steady recording deal and a few top ten albums. I for one am thankful he wrote his own chapter in the language of music

[@timothydillow3160]

"Allan Holdsworth single-handedly rewrote the language of jazz guitar."

[@richardmurphy9006]

thank God there is a lot of live concert footage of soft machine

[@manguera9]

Allan Holdsworth, the John coltrane of the jazz guitar fusion, he was a genius ,he created a new way to let the electric guitar express ,with complicated harmony ,and new way to solo guitar , so much so Allan became Eddie Van Halen's favorite guitar player, and Eddie took him over Warner Brothers the rest is history

[@davenelson8187]

He made a solid impression on Frank Zappa back in the day!

[@mauricioalexismartinezmart8085]

Simplemente, Alan holdsworth

[@volpeverde6441]

ALLAN and his crazy spider chords.... keyboard player sits motionless watching him solo....

[@changgames4637]

I know this is a memorial video, but Dear God, I hope that guitar was over 18 at the time!

[@pascal.r8840]

Long phrases, exceeding people's longest breath and by far exceeding most of guitarists' imagination.

[@FloridaManMatty]

Wonder what he would have done onstage with the Grateful Dead or one of the other big jam bands?

[@bdhay02]

Allan toured with Level 42 in 1990 and was on the Guaranteed album released in 1991 (Gary Husband was on drums with Level 42 and got Allan the gig). kzbin.info/www/bejne/bouZlI13mNyVjLc

[@Frip36]

I thought Eddie Van Halen was responsible for all the shredding hair metal idiots. Turns out it was THIS guy.

[@antzooma]

this is awful, he's no Shawn Lane

[@eneada2618]

terrible bait

[@aazz0099503]

Imagine if your fame was measured by your talent

[@kilikdudley]

GREAT COMMENT! that's a world I want to live in

[@WarhawkBeyond2040]

Even back in 1974, Allan Holdsworth's guitar solos was blowing everyone's minds back then and the scary thing about it, he was only just warming up. A true pioneer and originator the likes of which we'll never see again.

[@donniewilliams736]

Guy was a total stud on the guitar

[@elementallobsterx]

Yeah, he was just getting started. As he aged, he became so good it was almost frightening. His “ghost scales” video gives me chills, knowing that as old as he was, his brain was not just the same, but more advanced and eccentric than before.

[@TheMaxPower82]

What he played almost 50 years ago is still ahead of our times today. Unbelievable. One of the most amazing musical geniuses that ever walked the Earth.

[@juliocezarpereira7830]

Sure

[@RogueReplicant]

YAAAAWWWN 😪

[@TheMaxPower82]

@@RogueReplicant wow, you must be so smart

[@RogueReplicant]

@@TheMaxPower82 omg, he was so brave and stunning for putting people to sleep 😴

[@TheMaxPower82]

@@RogueReplicant you’re as dumb as shit. Bye.

[@MakeWeirdMusic]

Huge tragic loss. This is one of the most "normal" Allan solos I've ever heard! :)

[@thekylegreene]

i had the exact same thought.

[@davidwoods1321]

allan pre slonimsky

[@raulperez2308]

@@musopaul5407 i hear a lot of messiaen in his music, i think it's likely that he at least knew about slonimsky

[@raulperez2308]

@@musopaul5407 that's one interesting question that i don't think we'll ever really know the answer to. well, sorta; he did look up to coltrane extensively. maybe ollie halsall as well. definitely 20th century classical. gotta give you props for trying messiaen on piano when you're a drummer, by the way; hell i'm in the 1st year of a piano performance degree and haven't had the spirit to look into messiaen except for a prélude or two. not exactly the easiest music in the world. if you're still in the mood for bizarre piano things you might want to look into some rautavaara; his easier music (which is not a lot) is actually quite nice to play. definitely gotta have the ear for it though.

[@arleco12]

Well, he was 70 years old and he left a huge legacy, so it's not tragic from my point of view.

[@NicknLex]

These best guitarist list make me laugh so hard when I see the master at work. Even back then he dominated them all.

[@coltonlehrer2808]

It’s amazing he can shred like this and there’s still lyricism. Guy was just incredible.

[@elttabykcir]

Even Eddie Van Halen thought he was great!

[@tonicacciapaglia5622]

0:52 he perfectly matches a drum fill. Then karl jenkins is staring at him astonished for 30 seconds

[@jcjc5702]

It's the whole part from 0:40

[@ct4709]

Saw Holdsworth in a small bar in Lawrence Kansas in 1984. Best guitarist I have ever seen live....

[@cesarbarrios89]

This kid is good, he should try some jazz fusion

[@andym28]

this is fusion

[@alexp5005]

@@andym28 whoooosh

[@neebinmakwah349]

I believe part of his difference was the fact he was a trained violinist. Listen to some of his violin solos, you'll see what I mean🤔

[@nikoslamprinos]

Allan Holdsworth was shredding before the term shred was invented.

[@tomjensen618]

Frank Zappa's favorite guitarist.

[@alancumming6407]

A unique talent with a tremendous sense of melody. One of my favorite of his albums is Atavachron and I play it frequently. Beautiful and timeless. We were lucky to have him. He made a tremendous contribution to the fantastic world of music.

[@kevinprowse406]

Best part is how the band stops to watch him solo.

[@agus6115]

Holdsworth is a complete one off...never will be duplicated. Originality and innovation personified.

[@erictripton]

1975.... Jimmy Page, who???????

[@davids9192]

One of THE most perfect guitar solos of all time. Great technical skill, emotion and not a note wasted. Never tire of listening to this particular version.

[@NoName-fo7mz]

It’s cringe trash

[@jcjc5702]

You havent heard his stuff post this and ponty and bruford, this was the beginning

[@jcjc5702]

​@@NoName-fo7mz if everyone got it then it wouldnt be so high

[@PaulMcCaffreyfmac]

I like to think he's playing the SG because he saw Ollie Halsall 😊

[@seanmc1967]

Just heard of Allen Hordsworth..& I'm 57..& i Have Listened to lots of music....but not a lot of Jazz ......Just goes to show........ why ..i never liked the top 10 best Guitarist list...becuz.. it's impossible to determine..the Best ..Jeff Beck some say ...but Allen Hordesworth..should be mentioned..more.... thanks

[@quentinnussbaumer8922]

R.I.P. dear Sir. Your journey on earth blessed mere mortals with a huge, cosmic musician

[@Andrew-q8k]

If someone told me Allan Holdsworth Paco de Lucia Joe Pass were the holy trinity of guitarists, I wouldn't disagree... and yet none of them in Rolling Stones top 250?! 🙄🙄😡

[@donaldbermudez7771]

Learn your scales kids, that is how you do this, knowing the shit out of every scale imaginable and practicing them over and over and over.

[@gb5uq]

The other band members just watch him in awe... RIP.

[@alwayscurious413]

Let’s also give some props to Soft Machine for being so good at what they did that they could provide an underscore for Holdsworth with total finesse and ease - they truly got and get it. This was one heck of a match in terms of raw talent. I’d love to know what Mike Ratledge thought about all of this - he always looks so deep in thought.

[@chrisquinn9104]

I love the compositions he got to play over with SM, much more than just a jam session feel. Even though AH isn’t on it their Third album is stunning

[@mrtyreus0]

Atavachron. Peak Holdsworth.

[@EmperorofMu]

Sounds like it's that bee song but it's not the bee song.

[@jeffwackenthal7725]

Surely one of the most greatest guitarist ever!

[@maccrazyg5]

chops were absolutely off the chards back in 74, did people even realize what they were witnessing?

[@nige3801]

I did, I saw him on the Bundles tour and my life was never the same, he is held in awe by the likes of McLaughlin and Benson, no one could touch his playing

[@jayskywalker5049]

YO HE RIPPED THAT SHIT RIGHT OPEN 🙉

[@jasongirodat6060]

Did I see him bend a note?!?!?!?

[@dreamofpipes]

I feel like my part of life has died... R.I.P

[@luke125]

The Maestro himself. RIP Allan.

[@ashtoffen]

I love that Holdsworth era. One of his most beautiful solos.

[@vladimirflorek1356]

R.I.P. Allan :-(

[@Rhaaboudin]

I attended a venue at the Marquee Club, I guess it was in 67 or 68, and the "opening" group had a brilliant guitarist with a white three humbuckers SG. Could have been him. Anybody?

[@Meddled]

Rhaaboudin could have been Ollie Hallsal?

[@Passion535]

I love being "Freaked out" by this guy!! It's So BITCHEN!! You know what else Freaks me out, it seems like the Bass guitarist is playing bass on a Jazz master Fender guitar? Or Strat. ??

[@gatofuji7410]

It reminds me of the scene in Back to the future where Michael Fox starts shredding at a prom night in the 50's and everyone is looking completely stunned without knowing what they were listening to...

[@creightoncoffey]

What a guitar player. Nothing like him. rip

[@wtkemawingtsuncenterlanger3848]

Never heart that. It's incredible. We all miss Allan and his fantastic guitar play. RIP and play the guitar in heaven.

[@ThiagoMaggio]

Inigualável!

[@spookedhorse]

How the hell does one play like that? Jeez. rest in peace.

[@noescapefromnow694]

the greatest electric guitar player ever!

[@NeilRaouf]

the geeatest. he reached the heights of Ravel, Stravinsky menwhile. rip allan

[@giuseppedistefano67]

Già 40 anni fa era avanti rispetto agli altri! È questo che lo rende unico. Grandissimo allan

[@quinnrollen]

Smoking that SG to the core!

[@johncruz9357]

I must say I really like the rawer tone!!!

[@scottlebrun6782]

Frank brought me here.

[@jaimesorli2436]

he say couple times allan is the best

[@razeshbudhathoki]

Everflowing

[@mauricioalexismartinezmart8085]

Pat Metheny and allan ,virtuoso

[@yobit7607]

I didn’t know that anyone knew how to play that fast in 1974. First time I’ve ever heard anyone shredding in the 70s

[@dylanstevens2410]

Alvin lee was shredding back in the late 60s

[@twanto]

I do not understand this. help

[@robyheavyguitar]

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

[@robizoobi6016]

Rip 👃

[@enzovita1529]

ONE

[@chrischoir3594]

pioneer

[@modularmuse]

Just great playing.

[@santiagodobles9843]

THE BEST

[@brooksharris3231]

What are the stickers on his guitar??

[@paulstarr6316]

Blackpool & Morecambe,think he liked the sea breezes 😊

[@rodlayus]

SOM!

[@jimkass9331]

Rest in Peace maestro.

[@haroldinitaly6753]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/jZnTfHSqf8mWoLM

[@jimkass9331]

@@haroldinitaly6753 yeah

[@roughdraught153]

Can anyone recommend Allan HOldsworth's best recordings for someone who is just getting acquainted with his playing?

[@felipeguzman7834]

Still looking for?

[@leonguisburg413]

A lot of folks would recommend "Metal Fatigue" from 1985---but I would say his work with the "Tony Williams Lifetime", Bill Bruford & "U K"

[@diegoarana5862]

@@leonguisburg413 I.O.U is pretty good to start off with as well. As well the 4.15 Bradford Executive, although that one is just a single song. Edit: reason I mention these is because these are a little more rockier than they are jazzy since most people are exposed to a lot more rock than jazz.

[@EgoShredder]

Road Games EP, Metal Fatigue, UK (the band and album from 1978), Secrets. Plenty more but these are very accessible albums compared with the rest. Tempest group album from around 1973, which is a prog blues rock project and where Allan even plays violin on one track (equally jaw dropping). kzbin.info/www/bejne/qXPHZ3aqlLCLlbs The track he played on by Stanley Clarke called Stories To Tell kzbin.info/www/bejne/e167hWeIhaqNaas

[@davids9192]

The full concert version of this particular solo in Switzerland is one of THE great guitar solos. Not a note is wasted and there are a hell of a lot of them! First came across Allan with his work with Tempest and would recommend their first album for some great fusion on the heavy side guitar. Also loved his later stuff and was lucky to see him a couple of times at Ronnie!s.

[@ZenZill]

Listening to Holdsworth throughout his years develop his style, tone, and speed is wild. It's like watching DBZ for the first time as a kid, he keeps getting stronger.

[@jackhammer111]

I don't wish to speak ill of the Dead but whoever said he changed guitar forever never heard Jimi Hendrix and never heard John McLaughlin. Fact is he played in the Bands of some great Fusion players but by the time he got out on his own, there was no longer any commercial market for Fusion bands. Baby Boomers like me couldn't keep Fusion alive commercially forever and it was too complicated for the younger drug-addled concert going crowd that came right behind me. Fusion commercially died on the vine by the mid-70s.

[@earledsonuy2735]

Hendrix - Overrated Holdsworth - Underrated

[@elttabykcir]

Wrong! Hendrix was a great guitarist!

[@knightfall9394]

lol jimi actually wrote songs and could play rhythm guitar, love allan but he couldnt touch jimi

[@musicsuladze4772]

Hendrix was a great blues/psychedelic/funk/rock guitarist. Holdsworth was a great jazz-rock/fusion/prog-rock guitarist. Hendrix could play rhythm and Holdsworth could play own jazz chords. Also both could play acoustic guitar but i prefer Holdsworth's way. Gong, Soft Machine, Bill Buford, Ian Carr's Nucleus, Jean-luc Ponty, Tony Williams Lifetime, Tempest and Solo career!!! Holdsworth was a instrumental monster!!!! John McLaughlin, Allan Holdsworth, Pat Metheny!!!

[@RogueReplicant]

YAAAAWWWN. Keep noodling till the cows come home, or maybe they won't come coz they'll be bored out of their skull, tf 😑

[@hughjarrse]

Don't worry I'm the same with string theory, I can't make head nor tail of it, once David Deutsch starts talking I YAAAWWWN too, ignorance is bliss I guess.

[@RogueReplicant]

@@hughjarrse String theory is exciting and interesting compared to this utter snoozefest. Maybe your puny brain considers any type of complexity to be "admirable" and "impressive". Complexity for complexity's sake to impress other vapid fools.

[@hughjarrse]

@@RogueReplicant Art is what separates us from the other primates, the best art is "challenging"by definition.

[@RogueReplicant]

@@hughjarrse Yes, the most complex artsy fartsy crap is the bestest crap of all 🤡

[@hughjarrse]

@@RogueReplicant Well there is certainly a level of technical ability needed to play most things Allan plays, but it's the composition that is the "art" I wouldn't suggest you listen to any Coltrane, you many have an aneurysm

[@wagnergitirana]

Genius! A brilliant man ! Forever !

[@ET-TheExtraTesticle]

In this video he sounds more funky. But later he sounds more futuristic/ metal

[@tcar3654]

All Jazz musicians are great, Jazz takes technical skill to play period....with that said it all sounds the same man lol but Its musical maturbation for muscians for sure. The one technique they do not have down is being able to write a song with a catchy hook lol.

[@BullToTheShit]

He CRINGED later in life looking back at how he played then.