Allan Holdsworths’ entire body of work is a marvel to be sure, but the first track I ever heard by Allan was Metal Fatigue, and it wasn’t even a fair fight.
I was simultaneously stunned and confused by the outrageous sound of the opening riff, and before I could get a good handle on it, what sounded like something being played by a giant-angry computer, exploded into one of the deepest grooves and most beautiful recordings I’d ever heard.
Allan’s contribution to the advancement of guitar playing can not be exaggerated, and his ability to combine technical proficiency and virtuosic creativity into coherent, beautiful compositions and recordings can be matched by few.
I have enjoyed more than my share of Allan Holdsworth’s music since the day I first heard Metal Fatigue, but I will always be particularly grateful for the lifetime’s worth of inspiration gained during that first exhilarating four minutes and fifty-six seconds.
BD
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Bobby Duthu
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