In the Prog Seat: Ranking the Allan Holdsworth Albums 

My guitar hero. Allan was a singular musical mind; a conduit of sonic expression; a peerless genius! Top 5 solo records: 5) Road Games 4) Sixteen Men of Tain 3) I.O.U. 2) Metal Fatigue 1) Atavachron Top 5 collaborations: 5) MVP: Truth In Shredding 4) New Tony Williams Lifetime: Believe It 3) Jean-Luc Ponty: Enigmatic Ocean 2) Bruford: One of A Kind 1) U.K.

I love the story about William Shatner mistaking Alan for a hotel Porter. Apparently he was such a Star Trek fan he just carried his luggage upstairs for him!

Holdsworth even played the guitar solo on "Long Way from Home" by Krokus on their «Change of Address» album from 1986!

Great that George mentioned his solo in Nostalgic Lady. My absolute favourite JLP album and his solo was out of this world.

What a great show. I met Allan Holdsworth in Mexicali. He was there with Softworks, I think? I always loved “Metal Fatigue”, and I approached him, told him that bootleg I got as a kid was transformative and asked if I could buy him a beer, which he graciously accepted. Great guy.

Holdsworth had such stylistic range. For example, his solo on Red Alert (Tony Williams Lifetime) is absolutely smokin. It’s frantic and full of energy. Whereas his solo on part 3 of the Enigmatic Ocean suite from Ponty is so bright and flowing and buttery. A true genius Holdsworth was.

Allan on the Bundles tour was a life changing experience, still revered as one of the best concerts held in Montreal.

Thank you for this. I saw Allan on the I.O.U., Road Games and Metal Fatigue tours. One night, in the 80's, Eddie Van Halen walked on stage and jammed with him. It was pretty much guitar heaven. Eddie and Jeff Berlin were sharing a beer as Holdsworth took off on one of his mind bending solos. Eddie just strummed with that classic grin. Eddie was a God in the early 80's, but you didn't get a sense of it that night. Standing next to Allan, he seemed absolutely mortal. And that was his attitude. We all need heroes, a muse, and during that time, Allan Holdsworth was his.

Night Illusion from Gong's Gazeuse album is something Steve Vai DEFINITELY listened to.

Did a search of your channel Pete and I found you had done this. I'm on Planet chuffed listening figuratively speaking 😀

Allan grew up only 5 miles from me, but having lived in the US for so many years I didn't see him live until 2008, touring with the Tibbs/Wackerman rhythm section.

Great how you guys did this so casually but with deep knowledge and appreciation. Nerdery and pretentiousness can creep in when discussing Allan's music but there wasn't even a hint of it here. Looking forward to checking out Sean's channel, looks fantastic at a glance.

One of the less expensive SoT sessions as I had all the studio albums and quite a few of the others. Thanks for the head up on K2. There is a really good Softworks live in Japan album which AH agreed to do because John Marshall was playing. You reminded me how much I miss the Old Grey Whistle Test. AH was just too good to become a household name and I suspect he would never compromise with the record company suits.

Thanks for this, you reminded me that I really need to add some more Holdsworth to my collection.

Thanks for the great subject matter, and opinions!

Good episode. Great to hear a panel who know their subject...

I don't comment often, but a big thank Pete to you and the team you have surrounded yourself with. You are getting me acquainted with artists that I didn't listen to before and I thought I knew a lot about Rock and Jazz.

What a great show, thank you! I hadn’t heard of the MVP album so that’s one for me to track down. Love to Holdsworth fans on all planets. 🍻

An amazing long overdue tribute to Mr. Holdsworth. I would love to see a prog seat program on the panel's top 5 Live prog concert videos/Bluerays/DVDs.

I discovered Holdsworth throught the first UK. Loved it ♥♥♥♥

Chuck’s laugh is great👍🏻..you guys are awesome!!

My favorites are Velvet Darkness and I.O.U. I saw Alan in a small venue on the I.O.U. tour. I hope a video or at least an audio recording from this tour surfaces because it was mind blowing.

What a great show all, Holdsworth has been one of my favorite artist for the longest time. It pains me that I never got to see him live or meet him. My half-sister was best friends with his daughter in high school. A meeting just never materialized.

Great show guys and thank you! IOU hard to beat but I now absolutely must pick up Metal Fatigue! What tragic loss for us to lose Allan so young - wow he made 70 years old I just learned, not so young but still too early!

Jean Luc Ponty 'Individual Choice' had two tracks featuring Allan Holdsworth, Nostalgia and In Spite Of All. In Spite Of All being particularly killer. You guys did a great job. Great to hear muso's who really know their stuff. You hit every point I would have liked to have heard or had often times considered myself. Holdsworth's playing on Enigmatic Ocean has long had a special feeling for me just because his solos are so deeply moving that they elevate the music every time you hear him play. In fact, that really is the thing about Holdsworth's playing that in spite of the obvious technical virtuosity and the high level of expertise it was how deeply moving his playing was and how beautifully it played on your emotions when he would do his thing.

Great video - thanks so much for honouring Allan. He was one of the greatest musicians/composers of the last 100 years (in any genre) as far as I am concerned.

A man that originally came from near where I live. Just got to see him play live once, at the, Irish Centre, Leeds.

Btw it is Ollie Halsall. He was a maverick genius who was also an awesome vibes player with a beat group called Timebox and then he went onto the influential rock group Patto, one of who’s albums had the majestic title of Monkey’s Bum! He was also auditioned for Soft Machine when Allan left. Indeed the incredible British guitarist Brian Godding also auditioned and the Softs asked if Ollie could borrow his guitar as they were both left handlers. Of course John Etheridge got the gig and it is wonderful to hear him play some Bundles material on the British Tour ‘75 CD. Ollie was pretty crazy and spent a lot of time playing with the ex Softs member Kevin Ayers. The 1973 BBC Tempest live gig featuring both Allan and Ollie is truly staggering and highly recommended!

Some years ago I corresponded with Gary Husband and we shared our love of Velvet Darkness, and especially Narada’s incredible drumming!

Excellent show. The thing about the synthaxe was it was so flexible and had so many ways of expression the player could execute

This just goes to show how little I know about Allan Holdsworth's history and career. As I recall the first major impression he made on me was the first UK album, and from there on I would be pleasantly surprised to hear him appearing on other people's albums. Thanks for this video, I'm amazed.

My favorites are the UK debut and the Tony Williams sessions just amazing guitar work. A true visionary of the instrument. Need to check out that Billy Cobham show being a huge Tommy Bolin fan I’m sure his groundbreaking work on the Spectrum album will come up.

Great show! I was surprised though, to see more or less the same albums appear, again and again. It shows you, we all got a simular taste then. "Metal Fatique" is my number one, with " Devil" as standout track (I can hum that solo by memory!). And then the guest appearances: Check out the solo on Enigmatic Ocean Part II around 2.38, as everybody races through their notes, Holdsworth just plays 10 soaring notes, enough to make you (well, at least me) cry. Last but no least check out " Rainy Taxi" from Jon St James album "Fast Impressions" what a solo! Keep it up Pete!! Love the shows.

Great episode. I was going to flip if no one mentioned K2. That album is amazing top to bottom. Such an underrated album in the prog sphere. My top pick is 16 Men of Tain. The sound is lush and the playing is beyond exquisite. Every note is pure class. There is a maturity on that album that is striking to me, it’s an album that could only be written and performed by musicians of the highest caliber...

Great show 🎸

Agreed with putting Road Games on the list for the solo albums, Jeff Berlin is absolutely insane on that one as well. The bass solo on Water on the Brain is one of those ones where you kinda just go "What the hell did I just listen to?" and you have to go back and listen again. Solo on Three Sheets to the Wind is one of my favourite Allan solos as well.

Thanks for this guys. I'm familiar with quite a lot of AH stuff and I have the boxset of all his solo albums. One I really l;ike is a later one called Flat Tire but one I would like to mention is a Bill Bruford album called Master Strokes 1978 - 1985. Features Dave Stewart, Jeff Berlin and Allan on a lot of the tracks. Well worth a listen. With regards to Bundles, although it is a great album I do prefer Softs, which features John Etheridge, who lists as one of my top five players who I have seen live many times. Once in a cricket pavilion near London and several times in our local venue in Southend, the Cliffs Pavilion. Even bumped into him at the Barbican as a patron. I think it was Jim Hall playing. Anyway, back to Allan. Check out the story on RU-vid on how he met William Shatner. Brilliant as always Pete and company...

Excellent show all you guys, Allan Holdsworth was one of the most significant Musicians the world has ever known. Want to mention an obscure album called 'Blue Tav' by Steve Tavaglione, he plays saxes and EWI, with Vinnie Colauita on drums, Allan guests on a tune called 'Tsunami', you got to check it out.

It’s cool to see you guys doing some jazz! Ever thought about doing your favorite blues artists?

Cheers guys! I met Allan Holdsworth in Seattle in 1986 after his show. One of the most humble, gracious and nicest gentleman guitar legends I have ever met. Great show that night. 1) Metal Fatigue 2) IOU 3) Road Games 4) Atavachron 5) Secrets Other projects: 1) UK 2) Bruford-One of a Kind 3) Bruford- Feels Good To Me 4) Soft machine- Bundles 5) Jean Luc Ponty- Enigmatic Ocean

Great show! Have you heard Allan on "Dali's Rainy Taxi".... from Jon St. James - Fast Impressions ? Fantastic and great sound too, from 1986.

It's hard to pick from 100+ albums! 1. Igginbottom Igginbottom's Wrench 2. Ian Carr Belladonna 3. Tempest Tempest 4. Soft Machine Bundles 5. The New Tony Williams Lifetime Believe It 6. The New Tony Williams Lifetime Million Dollar Legs 7. Allan Holdsworth Velvet Darkness 8. Gong Gazeuse! 9. Bruford Feels Good To Me 10. Esther Phillips Capricorn Princess 11. Jean-Luc Ponty Enigmatic Ocean 12. John Stevens Retouch 13. Gong Expresso II 14. U.K. U.K. 15. John Stevens Touching On 16. Bruford One Of A Kind 17. Gordon Beck Sunbird 18. Pierre Moerlen's Gong Time Is The Key 19. Allan Holdsworth, Gordon Beck, Jeff Clyne, John Stevens Conversation Piece 20. Soft Machine Land Of Cockayne 21. Allan Holdsworth & Gordon Beck The Things You See 22. Allan Holdsworth I.O.U. 23. Allan Holdsworth Road Games 24. Jean-Luc Ponty Individual Choice 25. Jon St. James Transatlantic 26. Allan Holdsworth Metal Fatigue 27. Rege Burrell Victim Of Emotion 28. Allan Holdsworth Atavachron 29. Soma Soma 30. Jon St. James Fast Impressions 31. Krokus Change Of Address 32. Allan Holdsworth Sand 33. Stanley Clarke If This Bass Could Only Talk 34. Stuart Hamm Radio Free Albemuth 35. Allan Holdsworth Secrets 36. Alex Masi Attack Of The Neon Shark 37. Strange Advance The Distance Between 38. Jack Bruce A Question Of Time 39. Allan Holdsworth & Gordon Beck With A Heart In My Song 40. Gordon Beck Dreams 41. Carl Verheyen No Borders 42. Various Artists Guitar's Practicing Musicians 43. MVP Truth In Shredding 44. Steve Tavaglione Blue Tav 45. Andrea Marcelli Silent Will 46. Level 42 Guaranteed 47. Chad Wackerman Forty Reasons 48. Paz Love In Peace (Amour Empaz) 49. Jeff Watson Lone Ranger 50. Andrea Marcelli Oneness 51. Allan Holdsworth Wardenclyffe Tower 52. Allan Holdsworth Wardenclyffe Tower +3 53. Various Artists Come Together 54. Chad Wackerman The View 55. Allan Holdsworth Hard Hat Area 56. Allan Holdsworth Just For The Curious 57. Gongzilla Suffer 58. Allan Holdsworth None Too Soon 59. Anders Johansson, Jens Johansson & Allan Holdsworth Heavy Machinery 60. Gorky Park Stare 61. Allan Holdsworth I.O.U. Live 62. Steve Hunt From Your Heart And From Your Soul 63. Allan Holdsworth The Sixteen Men Of Tain 64. Allan Holdsworth Flat Tire 65. Allan Holdsworth All Night Wrong 66. Soft Machine BBC Radio 1971-1974 67. Soft Works Abracadabra 68. Atlantis Pray For Rain 69. Allan Holdsworth Group Then! 70. Derek Sherinian Mythology 71. K2 Book Of The Dead 72. Riptyde Sonic Undertow 73. David Hines Nebula 74. Allan Holdsworth Against The Clock 75. Tempest Under The Blossom: The Anthology 76. Soft Machine Floating World Live 77. Bruford Rock Goes To College 78. Planet X Quantum 79. Jean-Luc Ponty The Acatama Experience 80. Dan Carlin & Friends Prowlin’ 81. Chris Buck Progosaurus 82. Holdsworth, Pasqua, Haslip, Wackerman Blues For Tony 83. Danny Thompson, Allan Holdsworth, John Stevens Propensity 84. Snew Highway Star 85. Paul Korda Early Years 86. Eric Keyes No One Knows My Thirst 87. Gary Husband Dirty And Beautiful Volume 1 88. Corrado Rustici Deconstruction Of A Postmodern Musician 89. Level 42 Living It Up 90. Gary Husband Dirty And Beautiful Volume 2 91. Chad Wackerman Dreams Nightmares And Improvisations 92. Soft Machine Switzerland 1974 93. U.K. Ultimate Collector's Edition 94. Allan Holdsworth Tales From The Vault 95. Allan Holdsworth Eidolon 96. Allan Holdsworth The Man Who Changed Guitar Forever 97. MSM Schmidt Life 98. Allan Holdsworth Live In Japan 1984 99. Peter Lemer Jet Yellow 100. Allan Holdsworth Warsaw Summer Jazz Days '98 101. Holdsworth/Warleigh/Mathewson/Spring Warleigh Manor 102. PAZ with The Singing Bowls of Tibet Live In London '81: The Ron Mathewson Tapes Vol. 2 103. Allan Holdsworth Frankfurt '86 104. Lockwood/Beck/Holdsworth/Jenny-Clark/Romano The Unique Concert 105. Soft Works Abracadabra In Osaka 106. Allan Holdsworth Leverkusen '97

The only time I saw Allan Holdsworth was with Level 42. I remember laughing when he went into his solo as a lot of the jazz funk fans around me were somewhat nonplussed by his virtuosity and went to the bar. Mark King was a huge fan of fusion growing up. When he was still a teenager he saved up money to go to America with the specific intention of going to his hero Lenny White's house to meet him (King started as a drummer and then switched to bass).

Saw Holdsworth open for, of all bands, the Ramones. Bizarre and wonderful. April 26, 1986, Rutgers U.

The “Unknown” John Clarke was recommended by Holdsworth as he was one of his students. Weirdly joined Cliff Richard’s band afterwards.

While not quite my absolute favourite player, Allan Holdsworth was/is the best electric guitarist I've ever heard. The footage from 'Bundles' era Soft Machine is jaw dropping. Great show and thanks for the Ollie Halsall shout outs! He very well may be my fave guitarist and certainly one of the most underrated and seldom mentioned guitar giants. The Tempest- London '73 recording featuring Allan and Ollie trading licks is insane. Always cool to hear Allan in a more rock context.

Cool show guys. Allan was a genius

So glad Level 42 got a mention Gary Husband was also their drummer at the time...my introduction to Allan Holdsworth, I'm a big Level 42 fan :)

Lee Ritenour played the synthaxe as well, he featured it on one of his covers.

When you talk about Holdsworth & Ponty together, two tracks of of Ponty's "Individual Choice" featured Holdsworth laying down some really good guitar playing.

Thank you for this! Here is my list: Solo 1 The sixteen man of tain 2 Atavachron 3 I.O.U. 4 Wardenclyffe tower 5 Metal fatigue Others 1 U.K. 2 One of a kind 3 Gazeuse 4 Bundles 5 Believe it Greetings from Sardinia

Allan and Gordon Beck made beautiful duet albums Allan sings on the tune called At the edge Love his voice

I and my drummer was invited back stage to eat and talk to Stanley Clark Alan Holdsworth and Bernard Wright on there tour at a show in Elizabeth NJ and he would say the same thing very humble guy complain about his playing on his first set it was an amazing a fun experience with them one Stanly Clark solo tour in the eighties drinking wine eating cheese talking music and musician ship and family, will never forget this experience and I still play at 65 the chops of infinity with Stanly Clark of my town Philadelphia germantown. Thank Benard wright and Ricky Joyce My drummer that knew Mr.Wright.

Love this show! Glad Road Games was mentioned. Had the vinyl for years...finding the cd was a long hunt (even bought a digital download before finding the cd). Gotta mention Forty Reasons, a Chad Wackerman release. Pretty much a Holdsworth album, IMO. Jimmy Johnson kills on it as well. IOU LIVE is a killer, too!

Chuck wearing a Star Trek t shirt in Allans honour as he was a fellow Trekkie.

Long live Allan holdsworth

The 1st Expresso is only available on LP. On cd it has another name: Gazeuse!

Check out his first album in psych band Igginbotton. He sings lead vocals and sounds a lot like Chet Baker. A really great mellow dreamy late nite listen

Freakin great show Pete, definitely in my top 10 all-time SOTs ! If you or any of the panel or any viewers are interested, the 2 Gongzilla albums, Suffer and Thrive are available from Bandcamp. 👍👍👍

Yo dudes! Love this channel. Great stuff! Hey! Narada Michael Walden's name is pronounced like norida. Rhymes with florida.....

All the interviews I have seen of Alan Holdsworth he seems very down to earth and very humble I would’ve love to sit and have a beer with him he was such a genius, I don’t think he realized how good he was he didn’t like his work he was his worst critic my heart is broken when I learned he died so sad we lost a great one o put him up there with Albert Einstein.

I like the story about Holdsworth in Level 42 getting pissed off when he lost the gig, apparently because he would not strum chords (as you pointed out early in your conversation), which is something that Mark King wanted. Alan Murphy (who Holdsworth stepped in to replace after Murphy's sad, premature death), was such a great talent and brilliant side-man/session player.

Didn't know Proto Prog was a term until a week ago. I've known what songs were classified as proto punk or proto speed metal before the internet was ever a thing. Never heard anyone talk about proto Prog till I went looking for it.

I am a total AH nut who is old enough to have bought Igginbottom when it came out and would definitely be a contender in the AH nerd olympics! Would love to have contributed to this show and always open to offers🤘🏻AH will never be equalled. Another cool show would be Allan inspired guitarists🎸

Awesome! :)

I saw Holdsworth twice. Both times in the mid to late 80s once in a small club in Brussels where he spent a fair amount of time struggling with his synthaxe. The other time was on a university campus and he was support act for Stanley Clarke. Amazing concert. Lifelong fan. RIP Allan.

George is the coolest dude of all the sot guests 👍

I remember hearing *i.o.u.* for the first time. It seemed like an extrapolation from the last third of the first U.K. album.

could you do a show on the late great shawn lane. and or jonas hellborg

Gary Moore can be seen with a Synth Axe in one of his videos - possibly Out in the Fields. I get the feeling it was just for show, don't know if he ever played it on record.

Every album is very special in their own right but Sixteen Men Of Tain for me is the best Allan Holdsworth album ever and my all time favourite. I was so happy and lucky that I got to see him live three times, once in 2007 with Jimmy Haslip, Alan Pasqua and Chad Wackerman, twice in 2008 with the trio of himself, Chad Wackerman and Jimmy Johnson, the other with Chad Wackerman & Ernest Tibbs. Unbelievable shows and what an amazing guitar player he really was, truly a once in a lifetime musician. Thank you so much guys for reviewing and covering the catalogue of this true guitar legend. Five favourite Allan Holdsworth solo albums 1. Sixteen Men Of Tain 2. Wardenclyffe Tower 3. Sand 4. None Too Soon 5. Secrets Favourite sideman /guest appearances 1. K2: Book Of The Dead 2. U.K 3. Chad Wackerman: Dreams, Nightmares And Improvisations 4. Soft Works: Abracadabra 5. Planet X: Quantum

George said that the album Believe It is the album that made Ponty want to hire Holdsworth, but Ponty has said that it was the album Million Dollar Legs.

For me, my favorite album with Holdsworth on it is Tempest’s first album. Who doesn’t love that riff to Gorgan?

Here's one for you Pete. Doogie White and La Paz - Shut up and Rawk. It's absolutely effing epic!!!!!!!!!

Gentlemen Listen to Level 42 Guaranteed album that Allan played on particularly the song “A Kinder Eye”. His solo plus Gary Husband’s drumming is so phenomenal. This is where Level 42 plays “non-commercial” thanks to Allan

I must admit I preferred Allan as a sideman or in the classic bands he was in rather than a solo artist.

I know you guys didn’t get to mention everything Holdsworth played on, and I haven’t read the comments here, but want to point out his performance in the track ‘Cold Sun’ on Alex Masi’s “Attack of the Neon Shark.”

The collective musical knowledge of this channel is amazing but Steve Smith never played with Tribal Tech..I think you were thinking of Vital Information that had Frank Gambale , Tom Coster and the late Jeff Andrews...having said that the track "Wasteland" from Tom Coster's solo album sounds more like classic Tribal Tech than a lot of their later material. Allan inspired so many greats: Shawn Lane is the one that springs to mind. Shawn said seeing UK as a 14 year old completely changed his views on music and what was possible on guitar.

The chord progression in the middle of "Hell's Bells" was based on a progression by Alan Gowen of National Health and Gilgamesh. The more I think of it, the greater the loss it seems that Allan and Alan (!) never worked together directly.

Lee Ritenour used The Synthax on Earth Run.

Pete, maybe for historical value but I think the first AH on record was late 60s 'Igginbottom / 'Igginbottoms Wrench where as most bands were playng blues this band tried jazz as in a rock setting! The rest of the band were not great but AH plays some great stuff on this. Might be hard to get a copy of but worth a listen if you can track it down!

Think about all the metal guitariists/bands Holdsworth influenced though, speaking of Headbangers’ Ball. Meshuggah, Death, Fallujah, EVH...

Were you talking about Ollie Halsall? Now you owe him a show!

My personal favorite is Hard Hat Area.

When does the EJ drinking game start.

Does anyone remember Allan on the krokus album change of address? What a strange pairing!

With Jean-Luc

Hazard Profile Part One, Bundles, Land Of The Bag Snake, Fred, Proto-Cosmos, Mr. Spock, Letsby, Gattox, Expresso, Enigmatic Ocean, Pt. 3, In The Dead Of Night, Where is One, Road Games, Metal Fatigue, Devil Take The Hindmost, Hard Hat Area, The Sixteen Men Of Tain, Day Of The Dead and Let's Throw Shrimp. 🎸 (songs)

An underrated guitarist, not only in Prog Rock, but in the entire rock genre.

Great show guys ! plz someone tell me Seans channel. I couldn't understand the name tnx!

Eddie DID get him that record deal for Road Games…Allan did not want to write a commercial product. I believe it was nominated for a Grammy

👍

Lee Ritenour has one record with Synthaxe.

Has t check you all out and check out my cousin Chuck and al you guys great show

When Frank Zappa was asked which guitar player is the most interesting and accomplished his answer was "That would be Alan Holdsworth".

Steve Smith never played with Tribal Tech. Vital Techtones is a band with him on drums. Here is third album from The New Tony Williams Lifetime - The Stockholm "Wildlife" Sessions with Allan on. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-OnV6o_KDMHY.html By the way, wher is the Flat Tire?

Suprised you didnt mention his work with Derek Sherinian....

All Night Wrong (2002) is so right. Best AH album.

Astonishing player. His records can be a bit poorly produced and conceived IMO. But what a phenomenal musician.

Edward Van Halen once said: Allan Holdsworth can do more with one hand than I can do with two.