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Allan Holdsworth fan Eddie Van Halen urged Warner Brothers to put out this project in 1983. Only 6 tracks were completed after which ROAD GAMES was briefly available as a vinyl EP.
Recorded in 1983. Originally released on Warner Brothers Records. Includes liner notes by Eddie Jobson.
British electric guitar fusion virtuoso Allan Holdsworth began playing with progressive rock bands Gong and Soft Machine in the '70s, later becoming a sideman with the Tony Williams Lifetime and Bill Bruford. Holdsworth's melodic and precise style draws
All tracks have been digitally remastered.
Personnel includes: Allan Holdsworth (guitar); Jack Bruce, Paul Williams (vocals); Jeff Berlin (bass); Chad Wackerman (drums); Joe Turano, Paul Korda (background vocals).
Engineers include: Jeremy Smith, Jeff Silver, Gary Skardina.
Personnel: Allan Holdsworth (guitar); Joe Turano, Paul Korda (vocals, background vocals); Paul Williams , Jack Bruce (vocals); Jeff Berlin (bass guitar); Chad Wackerman (drums).
Audio Mixer: Robert Feist.
Liner Note Author: Eddie Jobson.
Recording information: Music Grinder (1983).
Illustrator: Tom Nikosey.
Short but sweet: this 24-plus-minute re-release of an '80s-era solo effort originally appeared as a vinyl EP, and has never before been issued on CD. It is a unique mix of great vocals with a more rocking, bluesy, and jazzy quasi-mainstream song-themed balladic thrust. This release showcases Allan Holdsworth playing less "out there." Don't misunderstand -- the guitar is amazing: multi-voiced, fusion-fired, ethereally chorded, delightfully crystalline clear, note-flourished, and swooningly embellished. Add in the vocals of Jack Bruce for that Cream flashback or the I.O.U. band feel of Paul Williams' crooning, back to back with killer bass by Jeff Berlin and tastefully poised drums by Chad Wackerman, and you have fusion-rock bliss.Holdsworth addicts have waited a very long time for this to appear in the CD format. So go for it. It sounds great all over again. The original album cover graphics and notes are included. ~ John W. Patterson
Allan Holdsworth - Road Games Songs
| 1 | Three Sheets To The Wind | | | |
| 2 | Road Games | | | |
| 3 | Water on the Brain, Pt. 2 See All 2 | | | |
| 4 | Tokyo Dream See All 4 | | | |
| 5 | Was There? | | | |
| 6 | Material Real | | | |
Road Games Music Review
Average Rating: (4 out of 5 stars)    List All 8 Reviews A blink-and-its-over classic
This six song document from 1983 is practically a "sampler" for the unintiated. For the rest of us, "Road Games" truncated statement seems almost jejune in its brevity. The only thing that topped this was the experience of being two feet away from the stage when Allan, Jeff, Chad, and Paul roared through the entire album at a seedy dive on a sweaty night during the summer of '83.
Submitted by jjtcochran (Baltimore, MD, U.S.A.)
Was This Review Helpful? Yes No 1 of 1 found this helpful.
 Lives up to the hype
This CD is as great as I remember it, having owned the vinyl years ago. For Allan, this is a relatively commercial recording, the songs are more pointed and melodic, though that's not to say its not full of incredible guitar sequences; one listen to "Tokyo Dreams" will demonstrate that. His use of right-handed tapping is so cool! It's hard to beleive that its not a keyboard...Finally, this is a CD made all the better by Wackerman and Berlin on drums and bass, fantastic playing, not to mention the vocals of Bruce and Williams.
Submitted by braxtonadams (Austin, TX) 
Was This Review Helpful? Yes No
Allan's best
I know it was a doomed project that was never actually finished; but it is still the best, most cohesive set of music Allan has ever recorded (maybe because it is only six tracks). I.O.U. comes close, but this collection just has more of a playful, effortless feel to it.
Check out Jeff Berlin's amazing bass solo, and guest vocals by Jack Bruce.
Submitted by Rich (San Jose, CA, USA)
Was This Review Helpful? Yes No Real class
I discovered this album and Metal Fatigue from a fellow student whilst we were both learning to be something musical at a little school in Boston. First time I heard this (and MFatigue) blew my head off. I've listened to both albums 100s of times over the years and never tire of them. Both are about to be replaced w/ newer copies for all of the obvious reasons. A guitar player's guitar player and a fascinating musician to experience for those interested in an intelligent mastery of the instrument w/out glitz and b.s. ! You should own this album
Submitted by squidstur (Concord CA)
Was This Review Helpful? Yes No Skip The Hyperbole
Metal Fatigue is better, IMNotSoHO. Remember, this LP's recording sessions supposedly fell apart due to the usual artist vs. record company moneyman jerk interference, lol. So, it was issued without his tacit approval as a vinyl 'EP' - an incompleted album. But Games and Fatigue are still far better than Allan's later & ongoing freeform guitar 'noodling' on Atavachron, Wardenclyffe Tower, Secrets, Hardhat Area, etc. etc. Ya lost me there, Al. Besides Games & Fatigue, check out Allan on Tony Williams Lifetime - The Collection, Columbia/Legacy and you'll see the difference in form. Those three, plus his solo LP Velvet Darkness (CTI/Epic) remain his scorchingest AND accessible U.S. studio work.
Submitted by Nate (Boston, MA)
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