Subject: Level 42 Digest, #205 ===================== * LEVEL 42 DIGEST * ===================== Digest 205 Monday, 10/03/94 85 subscribers Today's messages: Favorite album Re: Ultimate Band It's Over... Favorite album Re: Best Album Re : The split ------------------------------ From: "Deanna L. Ham" Date: Sun, 2 Oct 1994 10:46:56 -0400 (EDT) Subject: Favorite album I've been lurking forever, but I thought I would put my vote in for "Running in the Family". I love every single on the album, and it remains one of the few albums that I can listen to without skipping over any songs. I would've introduced myself earlier, but all of those L42 fans who were hooked when they heard "Something About You" seemed to sum up my thoughts. Still recovering over the fact that I will NEVER see them in concert! Deanna deannah @ wam.umd.edu ------------------------------ ------------------------------------------------------------ From: "Robert S. Kadel" Date: Sun, 2 Oct 1994 14:46:34 -0400 (EDT) Subject: Re: Ultimate Band hmmm...The ultimate band question takes more thought than I have time to give right now. So I'll just rattle something off. Of course, Mark would have to remain on the bass. I'd like to see Mike on keys, particularly if he stays on the hammond -- that classic sound fits real well on _Forever Now_. Then, I'd get a little weird. I'd like to hear Russeel Malone (of Harry Connick Jr. fame) on guitar. He's got some of the most incredible jazzy licks I've ever heard. On drums, a clinician I've seen a few times named Dom Famularo. Dom has got an amazingly artistic style -- he can't paint a picture from a six-piece set. Not an easy thing to do. I don't know if anyone else has heard of Dom, but if you should ever get a chance to see him, take it; he's incredible. Rob ------------------------------ From: Elson "?" Trinidad Date: Sun, 2 Oct 1994 12:07:57 -0700 (PDT) Subject: It's Over... > to you outsiders;-), because it's their home town, they totally shocked the > audience by announcing that they'd never play there again, or anywhere after > this tour.Yup, Level 42 will be now more after the 14th October 1994. NNNNN NNNNN OOOOOOOOOOOOOO !!!!! NNNNNN NNNNN OOOOO OOOOO !!!!! NNNNNNN NNNNN OOOOO OOOOO !!!!! NNNNNNNN NNNNN OOOOO OOOOO !!!!! NNNNN NNNN NNNNN OOOOO OOOOO !!!!! NNNNN NNNN NNNNN OOOOO OOOOO !!!!! NNNNN NNNNNNNN OOOOO OOOOO !!!!! NNNNN NNNNNNN OOOOO OOOOO !!! NNNNN NNNNNN OOOOO OOOOO NNNNN NNNNN OOOOOOOOOOOOOO !!! This can't be?!?!?! But alas...we should have known it was coming. All good things must come to an end, I guess. A few months ago, I was wondering what the world would be like without a Level 42. But then "Forever Now" came out and I forgot all about that, listening to "Love In a Peaceful World" for the 5,365,236th time. As to clarify what kind of "end" they would have, I guess, and I hate to admit it, that it's for good...If Level 42 aren't going to play live, anymore, they might as well not exist. They make wonderful albums but they really shine live, as I have known secondhand (:(). I, too, will share the pain of other L42 fans, ESPECIALLY the ones here in the U.S., who have never had the pleasure of seeing them live. I ALMOST did, as they played a gig at L.A.'s The Roxy in 1986, but I thought, "Well, I'll see them around next time." Then, I heard they were to open for the Thompson Twins the next year, and I bought tickets for that, but they cancelled. I just don't get it. The next question is, "Why?" Was it because (and this is the most likely belief IMHO) they couldn't garner any more success from "Forever Now?" Because their past three singles only existed for one week each on the UK charts? Maybe their experiences as of the past few years weren't so great. We all know that Boon and Phil left in '87, but one of their replacements died, and the other simply got tired of playing with the band. I do know that Mark King got into a nasty divorce battle, but the music still kept coming along. And we all thought things were looking up; Phil re-joined, at least in the studio, and they came out with their best album in several years... Still, we were, are, and should always be Level 42 fans. This list shouldn't die because they did. I mean, rec.music.beatles is one of the largest newsgroups around, and the Beatles have been out of existence for almost a quarter of a century! But don't lose hope. Am I mistaken that there was a post on this very list that mentioned (just before FN came out) that Mark, Mike and Phil were recording even after FN was done, so that they could come out with another album? I wonder if or when that will come out. And groups break up and come back all the time. Level 42's farewell tour. Yeah, and how many times have the Rolling Stones put on a "Farwell tour?" Lat's all join hands and sing together... And I suppose they're leaving us now We were so sure, now wer'e so full of doubt And I suppose they're leaving this place Gone with the smile they wiped from our face...this time... "Why Are You Leaving?" Elson ------------------------------ From: Elson "?" Trinidad Date: Sun, 2 Oct 1994 12:31:14 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Favorite album As for Favorite Level 42 album, yes, it's like naming your favorite child (then again I'm not yet a parent so I don't know what it's like, but I understand it's not an easy decision...) But I do believe, and many will agree, that the quintessential Level 42 album is "World Machine." The music on this album is music that no one elase could make, ever. The music on this album is uniquely Level 42, not Stanley Clarke (Level 42) or Earth Wind and Fire (Standing In The Light) or whoever. Here's how I rate their albums: 1. World Machine THE Level 42 album. Uniquely their own. 2. Running In The Family Their best "songwriting" and "produced" album, a very close second. Not a bad song in the bunch. 3. Forever Now A return to their funk and jazz roots. More wonderful songs, but points off for the last two songs. 4. Guaranteed Another well-produced album, with deep meaning, but how many times have we heard that familliar keyboard clav sequence? 5. Standing In The Light One of their funkiest. Earth Wind & Fire's Verdine White and Larry Dunn make sure it's that way. 6. Level 42 Wonderful demonstration of their early skills, both in songs and instrumentals. 7. A Physical Presence This clearly demonstrates that they are one of the best live bands ever in existence. Points off for NOT including some of the songs on the CD version. 8. The Early Tapes Funky and jazzy (BTW, my band's newest L42 cover is "Love Meeting Love.") But is it that much different than Stanley Clarke? 9. The Pursuit of Accidents Great follow-up album, but it shows some weakness as to where the band wants to go from there, at the time. 10. Staring At The Sun This took a while to grow on me. "Tracie" and "Silence" were the best gems on that album, but the long "Man" sounded like it was written and recorded during Mark King's bout with alcoholism (it probably was). 11. True Colours NOT really bad; "Kouyate" is one of my favorites, but it contains some kind of awkwardness in the whole feel of the album. Fortunately their next studio album after this one put all fears to rest... 12. Level Best Level worst? j/k. I don't object to the song selection as much as I objected to the inclusion of the radio edits. I mean, how am I supposed to sing along to, "You can't buy happiness, love is not for sale... [cut] HERE INSIDE MY SOUL, I AM SO LONELY..." without the words that were ommitted? But I guess song selection has something to do with it, as I lent this to my band's guitarist to get him familliar with L42, and he wasn't that impressed. How could he tell through any of these songs that Mark King is the best bassist alive? Even I couldn't tell this way. And someone please explain, "Take Care of Yourself." A catchy tune, but what the hell is it trying to say? It reminded us that yes, the Gould brothers were clearly the band's lyrical source. Elson ------------------------------ From: dcrowson @ amoco.com (David Crowson) Date: Mon, 3 Oct 94 11:46:56 BST Subject: Re: Best Album Robert S. Kadel writes: > I'm curious as to what anyone thinks is L42's best album. Has to be 'A Physical Prescence'. It totally conjures up the amtomsphere of what L42 is all about...a live performing band that projects a carnival type atmosphere. I've _never_ been disappointed at one of their gigs (apart from the time they had just released 'Running in the Family'..it was too commercial, and not as good as the earlier style.IMO) ------------------------------ From: dcrowson @ amoco.com (David Crowson) Date: Mon, 3 Oct 94 11:55:17 BST Subject: Re : The split BobC971 @ aol.com writes; >Say it ain't so. 'Fraid it is...... If any of you people are going to the last 2 dates (Brighton/London) let me know , as I'll be there. Now I've calmed down a bit , I can recall the Portsmouth gig more clearly. The final number they did was not Staring at the Sun it was Heaven in my Hand, the atmosphere was terrific, and Mark seemed to get the crowd going from the very start, when the lights went down and all you could see was a line of red LED's move onto stage. The 1st number is still vague but I'm sure it was something new which then changed to Hot Water then too Forever Now. Excellent medley. As most of the gig is still a vague 'feeling' of a terrific party rather than of a list of numbers they did, I'll pay more attention at Brighton and post a much better/fuller revue for all you people who can't see them . Later.