Scott Henderson Discussion

paskiainen · Joined: 20 Mar 2016 Posts: 41

Just wondering what does Scott think about this. Is Eddie suggesting here that he could have made Allan as popular as he if Allan would have just let him? Maybe it's better that he didn't.

this was on guitar world interview about 1984 album

Allan really inspired me. There weren’t any other guitarists out there who were blowing my mind at the time other than him. I don’t think anyone can copy what he does. He can do with one hand what I need two to do. How he does it is beyond me. But sometimes his playing is so out there that people don’t get it.

I got Allan a record deal with Warner Bros., and I was supposed to co-produce the album with him, but he wouldn’t wait two or three weeks for me to get back from tour in South America, so he did it himself. I really wish that he would have waited. I believe I could have helped him a lot.

He had this one riff on his demos that I heard completely different than how it ended up on his record. That lick could have been a monstrous Zeppelin-style riff, but instead it turned into a lounge song. I feel bad for Allan because the album could have really been something good for him. I did everything I could to help him. It wasn’t his only shot, but it was a hell of a shot. If he only would have waited a few weeks, things could have turned out very different.

Scott Henderson · The Man Joined: 20 May 2004 Posts: 2135

Alan is a great player, and his composing is harmonically sophisticated - too much so for some people to understand. I heard that Eddie was trying to get Allan to do a more rock oriented project with easy tunes, kind of like another Tony Williams "Believe It" record, which Allan had no intention of doing.

I respect Allan for having the balls to write the music he hears in his head and not dumb it down for anyone. There would be more people listening to me if I wrote simpler tunes and there wasn't so much harmony in my music. Ask me if I care.

Artists should stick to what they believe in and not be encouraged to change so they can sell more records.

Thelonious Beck · Joined: 01 Jun 2011 Posts: 33

criminel · Posted: Mon Mar 21, 2016 1:15 pm Post subject:

As much as I love Van Halen, he gets it wrong more times than not. Holdsworth would never agree to do such a record. It's like when Eddie cites Clapton as an influence and tells the story of having learned the Crossroads solo note for note. He sure did it. But never learned the more important aspects of Clapton's playing.

peter_heijnen · Joined: 11 Jan 2016 Posts: 184

criminel · Posted: Tue Mar 22, 2016 1:15 pm Post subject:

Maybe that's the reason why he never said he learned the more important aspects of Gods playing, whatever that may be?[/quote]

Well... playing the blues, maybe?

jbear · Joined: 18 May 2004 Posts: 41 Location: Marietta, GA

As an artist...I feel...that once I start doing things to please other people...it stops being true. If I'm being me and other people dig it...that's a nice bonus.
Earning a living from your art...that's an amazing gift. I don't have it, but I surely do respect it. I can see that you have to make some really tough decisions to do that.
Maybe someday...
Allan...is Allan. No rules...no boundaries...if you get it...you get it. If not...there's plenty of other stuff to listen to. I can't imagine my "musical personality" being what it is without him...or Beck...or Keith Emerson...or Scott...and many others to whom I am thankful.

Thelonious Beck · Joined: 01 Jun 2011 Posts: 33

It's a all too common story. Someone is blown away by something interesting and unique, and they try to make it popular by watering it down and removing the essence of what made it interesting and unique in the first place. Steve Morse told a story about the making of Industry Standard, the last Dregs album before they broke up for the first time in 1982. He talked about how a label rep told them how they would get airplay and be "huge" if they added vocals. So they did 2 tracks with Alex Ligertwood (who sang with Santana) and Patrick Simmons from the Doobie Brothers. Needless to say, they never got on the radio, and the vocal tunes were considerably less interesting than the Dregs' trademark instrumentals. The addition of vocals took the focus off of the band's strength, which was high level instrumental interplay. Like the previous poster said, there is some music that people either get or they don't. You can't make people "get it" by watering it down.

peter_heijnen · Joined: 11 Jan 2016 Posts: 184

Thelonious Beck · Joined: 01 Jun 2011 Posts: 33

Scott Henderson · The Man Joined: 20 May 2004 Posts: 2135

Eddie has the utmost respect for Allan, and of course had the best intentions by trying to make him more popular. That being said, people who play that kind of music don't care if they're popular - if they did, they'd be playing pop. As an expert on being asked to make changes in order to play bigger venues, sell more records, etc, I can say that every suggestion made me even more determined to just be me and live with the results.

When I did the Dog Party album, people thought I'd changed my career to straight ahead blues. I did the record because I love blues, and needed a refreshing break from the onslaught of synths and midi bullshit I was dealing with in Tribal Tech. However, my love of whacked out harmony didn't let me continue on that path for long, and I went back to doing what I do, whatever the hell that is.

I have a lot of respect for Allan and musicians like him because they put the music ahead of being more popular. BTW, his new album will be all Justin Bieber covers. Very Happy

Red Suede · Joined: 12 Jul 2005 Posts: 56

Lotta respect for you, Scott......

peter_heijnen · Joined: 11 Jan 2016 Posts: 184

criminel · Posted: Mon Mar 28, 2016 2:05 pm Post subject: