Stormy Monday Blues

So you tell me, are we getting a storm tonight?

I was sad to hear about Allan Holdsworth.  He passed away yesterday, but I still haven’t heard what happened.  As a guitar player, there are a few people I listen to when I am feeling cocky who are so good I know they will knock me down a peg or two or 10.  Allan Holdsworth is the guy the guys I listen to listen to to crush their own egos.  He was that good.

I especially loved his stints in Bruford and UK.  I loved that he distorted the holy hell out of his guitar, in a very un-jazz-like fashion, when he played leads.  In the 80’s he got into guitar synthesizers and it took a lot of the fun out of things for me.  Eventually he came back to his senses though, which was nice.  The first time I heard him play was on a Jack Bruce record.  It was just one song with Holdsworth on guitar, Bruce on bass and vocals, and Ginger Baker on drums.  The song in question felt quite a bit like Cream, but Holdsworth just took things to another universe.  The guy was special.  Once in a lifetime special.  Rest in peace, sir.

My work day today started out in Westwood.  I was there until about 1:00pm and then I drove back to my desk in Waltham.  As I was driving up route 128 North, I came to an overpass where route 16 crosses over the highway.  The Boston Marathon route runs along route 16 for a while and it was swarmed with runners.  So I didn’t get to go to the Marathon today, but in a small way the Marathon came to me.  Congratulations to all of the clinically insane, mentally deranged people who ran today.  What a gigantic accomplishment.

Right now the Bruins are playing game three of their first round playoff series against Ottawa.  They are down 2-0 after one period.  The looked pretty awful in the first period.  I’m hoping for some serious adjustments.

Go Bruins.