Originally published in an earlier, shortened form as a blog (A Thread of Lunacy: Appreciation and Analysis of the Otherworldly Music of Allan Holdsworth), this book is a biographical musical companion to the career of Allan Holdsworth, a guitarist revered by the greatest names in jazz and rock (such as Steve Vai, John McLaughlin, Eddie Van Halen, Alex Lifeson, Frank Zappa, Joe Satriani, and countless others). Starting off his career with The Tony Williams New Lifetime, Bruford, U.K., and Soft Machine, in the early 1980s Holdsworth began releasing music under his own name, with bands comprised of some of the most accomplished and respected players in rock and jazz. Although this book is a perfect reference for Allan Holdsworth fans (containing detailed notes and interviews related to every single album he ever recorded on), another aim of this book is to help new listeners enter the frequently misunderstood universe of this “ahead-of-his-time” guitar genius.
