The candour is refreshing, as you'd expect from a Yorkshireman: “…this was the total anthesis of a great gig. Just rife with continual problems… This was a battlefield.”

Gary Husband's sleeve notes of a German gig fronted by t'other great Yorkshire lad Allan Holdsworth might not be the best sell: but it does reflect a quality band soldiering on in true ‘the show must go on’ style. There is of course plenty to enjoy, not least because this is the era of Metal Fatigue and Atavachron, with this gig being an early outing for Holdsworth's SynthAxe. According to Husband, the axe malfunctions frequently, which seems to lead to a more cutting edge than later concerts would demonstrate, as Holdsworth strove toward a legato, more violin toned expression.

By contrast, Warleigh Manor features three private jams never intended for public consumption. Although the notes big up Holdsworth, this is Warleigh's show, recorded at his gaff. Warleigh, an early mentor for Holdsworth, allows himself extended flute and sax soloing as the band work through differing ideas. It's intriguing to hear a young Holdsworth comping away with no effects, and indeed he's on violin for a chunk of the second track. Thanks are due to Mathewson, such an unsung hero of the era, for making the tapes available. A curious peek through the kitchen of master chefs experimenting with ingredients that may not always cook down together.