Allan Holdsworth: "The Un-Merry-Go-Round" 1992, Chicago

Allan Holdsworth with Steve Hunt (keys), Gary Husband (drums), Skúli Sverrisson (bass) September 13, 1992, Chicago (China Club) This is a super-rare live version of the extended suite from the album "Metal Fatigue". Allan delivers a beautifully lyric solo in the first part, followed by Steve Hunt navigating the Holdsworthian spaceways in his own way. Allan dedicated this song to his father (technically his grandfather) Sam Holdsworth, because Sam used to make caricature drawings of notorious political figures riding around on a merry-go-round. However, the music itself describes a kind of imaginary sci-fi movie. Allan says: "In the story, an honored, high-ranking astronaut type must decide whether he should embark on a mission which will take him a great distance and bring him back to Earth in a distant future. The astronaut, Colonel Som, decides to accept the mission and leaves his friends and family behind, knowing they will be gone when he returns."

"The Un-Merry-Go-Round" Live, Allan Holdsworth, September 13, 1992, Chicago (China Club)