Randy Holden
Encyclopedia
Randy Holden is a guitarist best known for his involvement with the West Coast proto-metal group Blue Cheer
on their third album, New! Improved! Blue Cheer
(1969).
and grew up on the move. He played in a number of bands including The Iridescents (blues rock), The Fender IV (surf rock) and The Sons of Adam (surf rock/psychedelic rock
). While playing in The Sons of Adam
Holden opened for the Rolling Stones at their first show at the Long Beach Sports Arena. Holden was heavily influenced by Keith Richards
' guitar and amp set up which helped change his own attitude towards equipment and tone. The Sons of Adam (specifically Holden) began experimenting with distortion and feedback which pushed into psychedelic rock. Holden left the band frustrated with the lack of original material.
Holden joined up with The Other Half
, a psychedelic garage band from Los Angeles
. They recorded one album together before Holden parted ways. He then replaced Leigh Stephens
in Blue Cheer and appeared on one side of the album New! Improved! Blue Cheer
(1969). Holden toured with Blue Cheer for an entire year before once again parting ways.
Frustrated with lack of control over the bands, Randy formed his next new band with drummer Chris Lockheed. Lockheed, also a keyboard player, uniquely played both drums and keyboard simultaneously in live performances. During this time Holden obtained a sponsorship deal with Sunn
amplifiers. Through this he received his legendary sixteen 200 Watt amplifiers. His new band was dubbed "Randy Holden - Population II" which was a reference to the fact there were only two members in the band as well as being an astronomical term "Population II" that defines a special kind of Star Group cluster type, having Heavy Metal in its composition. An appropriate description for the original style of the music attributed to Holden's new band. The band recorded its only album, Population II (1969). Trouble with the release of the album led to Holden going bankrupt, losing all his equipment and his departure from music for over two decades. Population II was eventually released multiple times in bootleg forms over the years, with no official release until a limited issue in LP in 2005 and finally a remastered CD in 2008. The album has been a much sought after collectors item over the years. After more than two decades he returned to his guitar, and began creating music again, reportedly by the continual urgings of a loyal fan. He recorded Guitar God
in 1994 and released Guitar God 2001
in 2001, followed in 2008 with the release of "Raptor".
In 2008 Richie Unterberger
said "He's a good candidate for selection as the great unknown 1960s rock guitar hero. No other American guitarist was as skilled at creating the kind of sustain-heavy, snaky guitar lines pioneered by Jeff Beck
in the Yardbirds. His recordings with the Fender IV
, Sons of Adam
, Ugly Things
the Other Half, Blue Cheer and as a solo artist don't only contain some feverishly innovative playing. They also chart the overall rainbow of changes undergone by California 1960s rock guitar as a whole, from surf to pseudo-Merseybeat to psychedelia, hard rock
and heavy metal
."
Blue Cheer
Blue Cheer was an American psychedelic blues-rock band that initially performed and recorded in the late 1960s and early 1970s and was sporadically active until 2009...
on their third album, New! Improved! Blue Cheer
New! Improved! Blue Cheer
New! Improved! is the third album by Blue Cheer, first released in March 1969 on Philips Records. It was re-released in 1999 by Italian indie label Akarma Records. The album features Randy Holden on guitar on side B...
(1969).
Biography
Randy Holden was born in PennsylvaniaPennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
and grew up on the move. He played in a number of bands including The Iridescents (blues rock), The Fender IV (surf rock) and The Sons of Adam (surf rock/psychedelic rock
Psychedelic rock
Psychedelic rock is a style of rock music that is inspired or influenced by psychedelic culture and attempts to replicate and enhance the mind-altering experiences of psychedelic drugs. It emerged during the mid 1960s among folk rock and blues rock bands in United States and the United Kingdom...
). While playing in The Sons of Adam
Sons of Adam
The Sons of Adam were a rock band active, primarily in California, in the 1960s. The band is notable for its membership including Randy Holden, later of The Other Half and Blue Cheer, and Michael Stuart, later of Love.-History:...
Holden opened for the Rolling Stones at their first show at the Long Beach Sports Arena. Holden was heavily influenced by Keith Richards
Keith Richards
Keith Richards is an English musician, songwriter, and founding member of the Rolling Stones. Rolling Stone magazine said Richards had created "rock's greatest single body of riffs", and placed him as the "10th greatest guitarist of all time." Fourteen songs written by Richards and songwriting...
' guitar and amp set up which helped change his own attitude towards equipment and tone. The Sons of Adam (specifically Holden) began experimenting with distortion and feedback which pushed into psychedelic rock. Holden left the band frustrated with the lack of original material.
Holden joined up with The Other Half
The Other Half (band)
For the Canadian 2000s tour band, see: Leslie Carter.The Other Half were a psychedelic hard rock band, based in San Francisco, active in the mid to late 1960s.-History:...
, a psychedelic garage band from Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
. They recorded one album together before Holden parted ways. He then replaced Leigh Stephens
Leigh Stephens
Leigh Stephens is an American guitarist and songwriter.Stephens became famous as the former lead guitarist of the San Francisco psychedelic rock group Blue Cheer. He was ranked number 98 on Rolling Stone Magazine's list of the 100 greatest guitarists of all time. He has claimed to have been the...
in Blue Cheer and appeared on one side of the album New! Improved! Blue Cheer
New! Improved! Blue Cheer
New! Improved! is the third album by Blue Cheer, first released in March 1969 on Philips Records. It was re-released in 1999 by Italian indie label Akarma Records. The album features Randy Holden on guitar on side B...
(1969). Holden toured with Blue Cheer for an entire year before once again parting ways.
Frustrated with lack of control over the bands, Randy formed his next new band with drummer Chris Lockheed. Lockheed, also a keyboard player, uniquely played both drums and keyboard simultaneously in live performances. During this time Holden obtained a sponsorship deal with Sunn
Sunn
Sunn Amplifiers, are a brand of musical instrument amplifiers.- History :In early 1963, the Kingsmen, a band based in the U.S. state of Oregon, became known for the song "Louie, Louie". After its hit single, the band soon embarked on a fifty-state national tour...
amplifiers. Through this he received his legendary sixteen 200 Watt amplifiers. His new band was dubbed "Randy Holden - Population II" which was a reference to the fact there were only two members in the band as well as being an astronomical term "Population II" that defines a special kind of Star Group cluster type, having Heavy Metal in its composition. An appropriate description for the original style of the music attributed to Holden's new band. The band recorded its only album, Population II (1969). Trouble with the release of the album led to Holden going bankrupt, losing all his equipment and his departure from music for over two decades. Population II was eventually released multiple times in bootleg forms over the years, with no official release until a limited issue in LP in 2005 and finally a remastered CD in 2008. The album has been a much sought after collectors item over the years. After more than two decades he returned to his guitar, and began creating music again, reportedly by the continual urgings of a loyal fan. He recorded Guitar God
Guitar God
Guitar God is the first album recorded by Randy Holden, after a hiatus from music for two decades. The last album he recorded, prior to his departure from the music world, was Population II, in 1970. The Population II album became a much sought after, difficult to find collector's album, with...
in 1994 and released Guitar God 2001
Guitar God 2001
Guitar God 2001 an album by Randy Holden guitarist, as the follow-up to a previous album Guitar God released 1997. The newer Guitar God 2001 featured a 22 minute instrumental titled "Prayer to Paradise" in celebration of the new millennium, whose musical content was a rock guitar styled journey...
in 2001, followed in 2008 with the release of "Raptor".
In 2008 Richie Unterberger
Richie Unterberger
Richie Unterberger is a US author and journalist whose focus is popular music and travel writing.-Life and writing:Having worked as a DJ at WXPN in Philadelphia, he started reviewing records for Op magazine in 1983...
said "He's a good candidate for selection as the great unknown 1960s rock guitar hero. No other American guitarist was as skilled at creating the kind of sustain-heavy, snaky guitar lines pioneered by Jeff Beck
Jeff Beck
Geoffrey Arnold "Jeff" Beck is an English rock guitarist. He is one of three noted guitarists to have played with The Yardbirds...
in the Yardbirds. His recordings with the Fender IV
Fender IV
The Fender IV were an American surf rock band of the 1960s.The Fender IV were started up in Baltimore, by guitarist Randy Holden. He moved the band to Southern California in 1963, in order to play for a more receptive audience. Their music was strongly influenced by Dick Dale, and The Ventures...
, Sons of Adam
Sons of Adam
The Sons of Adam were a rock band active, primarily in California, in the 1960s. The band is notable for its membership including Randy Holden, later of The Other Half and Blue Cheer, and Michael Stuart, later of Love.-History:...
, Ugly Things
Ugly Things
Ugly Things is a music magazine established in 1983, based in La Mesa, CA. Editor is Mike Stax, born 1962, England. It covers mainly 1960s Beat, Garage rock, and Psychedelic music...
the Other Half, Blue Cheer and as a solo artist don't only contain some feverishly innovative playing. They also chart the overall rainbow of changes undergone by California 1960s rock guitar as a whole, from surf to pseudo-Merseybeat to psychedelia, hard rock
Hard rock
Hard rock is a loosely defined genre of rock music which has its earliest roots in mid-1960s garage rock, blues rock and psychedelic rock...
and heavy metal
Heavy metal music
Heavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the Midlands of the United Kingdom and the United States...
."
The Fender IV
- "Mar Gaya"/"You Better Tell Me Now" (1964 Imperial Records)
- "Malibu Run"/"Everybody Up" (1965 Imperial Records)
Solo
- Guitar GodGuitar GodGuitar God is the first album recorded by Randy Holden, after a hiatus from music for two decades. The last album he recorded, prior to his departure from the music world, was Population II, in 1970. The Population II album became a much sought after, difficult to find collector's album, with...
(1996 Captain Trip Records) - Guitar God 2001Guitar God 2001Guitar God 2001 an album by Randy Holden guitarist, as the follow-up to a previous album Guitar God released 1997. The newer Guitar God 2001 featured a 22 minute instrumental titled "Prayer to Paradise" in celebration of the new millennium, whose musical content was a rock guitar styled journey...
(2001) - Surf Guitar God 1963/2001 (2007)
- Raptor (2008)
External links
- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ugly_Things
- http://www.pooterland.com/index2/looking_glass/randy_holden/randy_holden.html
- http://hem.passagen.se/lillie/holden.html