From: Level42-request @ worldmachine.com (Level42 Digest) Subject: Level42 Digest V97 #116 _ ____ _ ____ _ _ ___ // //__ // / //__ // /__// __// //__ //__ \\_/ //__ //__ // /__ D I G E S T Level42 Digest Volume 97 : Issue 116 494 subscribers Today's topics: New album with Wally Badarou on Keys Nathaniel O. Wells Actual Level stuff this time! Randall L Collins Roger=Vocoder? NOT! --> VOICEBOX! Pat Flanagan More records at my local store... Paul Hammond Tape/Dan/M.Miller, etc. Winman42 Vocoders and Talkboxes elson trinidad Warning - long post below L-O Larsson Everything's Archie DonZipf Cold Cold Heart of 42 J Shuford ------------------------------ Subject: New album with Wally Badarou on Keys From: "Nathaniel O. Wells" Date: Sat, 26 Apr 1997 07:47:53 -0400 Hey Everybody! For all the people out there who enjoy Wally's work on keys........I just received the new Power Station CD (yep, the band with the Taylor boys from Duran Duran, Robert Palmer on vocals, and the guy from Chic on drums) today.......and I was happily surprised to find that Wally plays keys for the album. Overall, it is a great album.....especially if you enjoyed Power Station's first album back in 1985. Anyway, just wanted to let everybody know...... Nathaniel Wells Comics NOW! http://www.comicsnow.com nwells @ intrex.net -Remember, Spunkmeyer, the muffin king of the Triangle, does it better. ------------------------------ Subject: Actual Level stuff this time! From: rcol @ ix.netcom.com (Randall L Collins) Date: Sat, 26 Apr 1997 07:28:58 -0500 (CDT) Winston writes: > Sorry for the length of this, but look at the bright side. No talk of > or ATRAC!! Ouch! OOoo! Well, let's see if we can set a world record in the most consecutive digest without mentioning Spice Girls. Steve writes: > I'm sure you'll get a bunch of responses on this one. DC and ISOMH > are on the UK version. Both were available in the US. The US > version, conveniently enough, has a stripe in the bottom corner on the > front which says "US version." Here are the tracks on the UK version not on the US version: -I Sleep On My Heart -Dream Crazy -Coup D'Etat (my favorite Level track) Here's the track on the US version not on the UK version: -Hot Water I have combined both CD's to create a complete WM on my Mini Di.....uh, you know! I've never seen "US version" on any US WM CD's. Maybe they've done that to a few of them but I sure didn't get one. Dirkies writes: > The $1900 Sony JA50ES MiniDisc recorder is really one of the most > advanced digital audio recording machines Sony made up to date. The > A/D/A convertor is reported to be one of the most breath-gasping ones > around. The sound is also reported to be better than DAT (German > pro-audio magazine). Has also about 8 digital fade functions, and > yes, digital recording level, smart recording modes, etc etc... But > too much for me!! What is the name of this magazine? I would like to read about this myself. There's a magazine shop here in Omaha that have all kinds of international magazines so maybe I can find it there. Now that I'm thinking about it, it probably wouldn't do me much good since it's probably in German. Oh well. >... Philips did invent the CD after all! ..in conjunction with Sony! In fact, the first CD player ever was the CDP-101. > And just to say that Level Best was released on MiniDisc too. Also > here, Polydor messed around with the MD format to fit the bonus tracks > on the MD) What bonus tracks are on the MD that's not on the CD? Right, then! Randall "I say you're the Messiah. I should know, I've followed a few!" ------------------------------ Subject: Roger=Vocoder? NOT! --> VOICEBOX! From: Pat Flanagan Date: Sat, 26 Apr 1997 09:56:46 -0400 > nowadays. In the eighties there was a guy named Roger, who had a little > hit completely sung through the vocoder. Strangely enough, while I love > vocoders, I hated this song! And I'm NOT into Rap and R&B at all, so you > know what I think about most of the recent vocoder-stuff. Actually, that's not a vocoder that Roger Troutman used/uses, it's called a voicebox. I don't know when this little gem was perfected, but Peter Frampton used it extensively, and Roger is probably the biggest other proponent (I saw Blackstreet use one on an award show, too). A voice box is basically a speaker in a fully enclosed box, with a funnel inside the box, wide side toward the speaker, small end pointing out the box. Jam a piece of tubing onto the small end of the funnel, run it up your mike stand, and tape it parallel to the side of your microphone, so a few inches of it sticks out in front of the mike. Then, run your guitar/keyboard/whatever (always wanted to try it with the bass -- boomin' vocals!) from the amp into this speaker, put your mouth close to the microphone, and put the tube inside your mouth (in your cheek, whatever's the most comfortable, though it will all be relative!). Now play your instrument and MOUTH the words, don't use any voice. The sound waves coming out of the enclosed speaker get forced up the tube into your mouth, substituting for your vocal cords. I understand that closing off the back of your throat will enhance the quality of the sound. You just need to form your words in accordance with the notes you're playing, and VOILA, you're a 70's funkster. Just get Bootsy to play bass for you (don't see him mentioned much on "favorite bass player" lists -- Bootsy can wah and shred with the best of them, plus, can't beat that wardrobe) and Maceo on horns, and you're set. In my opinion, Roger Troutman is an incredible musician, strictly by virtue of his voicebox mastery. You can hear it on his solo albums, as well as all the stuff he did with his brothers in Zapp, and you can hear some especially tasty voicebox work from him on Scritti Politti's "Provision" album. Voicebox work is incredibly cool, when done well, I like it better than the vocoder, and a voicebox is relatively easy to make. You can find more detailed info on how to build one somewhere on the net (I just searched but couldn't find it -- it's at a musician-oriented website, that's all I can remember), but I'm sure you see it's relatively simple. Just make sure you get a speaker that won't get blown out by your amp. Pat Flanagan Publishing & Design PO Box 281, Granger, IN 46530-0281 email: pfpd @ pfpd.com website: http://www.pfpd.com TOTALMEDIA PUBLISHING: Print * Disk * Interactive * CDROM * Internet ------------------------------ Subject: More records at my local store... From: Paul Hammond <"Paul Hammond"@mail.demon.net> Date: Sat, 26 Apr 1997 16:53:38 +0000 Hiya all, Went back to the local store today, found some more records - these are all 12" singles... 12": 1987 UK (Polydor; POSPX 855) - 5 UKPounds 5:19 To Be With You Again [album version; "extended version"] 6:24 MicroKid (live - full length version) 7:48 Lessons In Love (shep pettibone remix) 12": 1987 UK (Polydor; POSPA 855) [green title ps] - 5 UKPounds 5:45 To Be With You Again (a.d.s.c. mix) 5:51 To Be With You Again (dub) 4:07 MicroKid (live - edit) 12": 1987 UK (Polydor; POSPX 900 / 885965-1) [woman-with-letter ps] - 5 UKPounds 5:59 It's Over (extended remix) 5:45 Physical Presence (live dec 86, wembley) 4:45 It's Over (instrumental) 12": 1985 UK (Polydor; POSPX 776) [ps] - 4 UKPounds 5:00 Leaving Me Now 5:54 I Sleep On My Heart (remix) 3:53 Dream Crazy 12": 1987 UK (Polydor; POSPX 842) [ps] - 4 UKPounds 6:10 Running In The Family [album version; "extended version"] 3:50 Dream Crazy 3:57 Running In The Family [single version] 12": 1991 UK (RCA/BMG; PT-44998) (says it's promo copy) - 4 UKPounds 7:13 Overtime (the lorimer mix) 4:54 Overtime (the hen pecked horns mix) [time unconfirmed] 6:37 Overtime (the lorimer instrumental mix) If anyone wants these, drop me a line and I'll go back and get them for you. Bass regards, Paul. ================================================ Paul Hammond paul @ bassnet.demon.co.uk ================================================ ------------------------------ Subject: Tape/Dan/M.Miller, etc. From: Winman42 @ aol.com Date: Sat, 26 Apr 1997 13:05:17 -0400 (EDT) Bruce, excellent idea for a tape. I hope people get behind this because i know there are some great musicians here. Lolita let me hear a demo tape of Elson's band, and it was great. Lolita also has some accapella stuff on Dat that will blow you away. Steely Dan is obviously a great band, that may of us love. I have a great live concert of theirs from their re-union tour in St. Louis. Truly inspiring stuff. The cool thing about the show was the audience ranged from teens to grandparents! Also, I always take Fagen's 'NightFly' album with me to demo stereo equipment. (with World Machine) Lolita, sorry to nit pick but Marcus has more than 3 CD's, including his new live CD. I purchased the first 2, but boy do they suck. Arjan, Roger Troutman does not use a 'vocoder'. He uses a similar device, whose name escapes me at the monent. But it has a plastic tube that he puts in his mouth, and it connects to the keyboard. [Boy, I bet John V & Dirkies know about that] :-) Roger also did some work for Scritti Politti on their last album. Speaking of which, are they EVER gonna' do another album? And last, but not least: Loz!! Come out, come out, whereever you are!! Tcoy, Winston ------------------------------ Subject: Vocoders and Talkboxes From: elson trinidad Date: Sat, 26 Apr 1997 11:50:44 -0700 From: Arjan Meijer > the best! The use of vocoder stuff in recent songs: the beginning of the > Salt and Peppa song Get Down With The Party (it starts with "Baby, baby, > baby baby"), the song of Foxy Brown with Blackstreet, and some time ago > there was "California" by (if I'm correct...) Two-Pac and Dr. Dre (No, > NOT Andre :-) ). You will notice that mainly the R&B and Rap acts use it > nowadays. In the eighties there was a guy named Roger, who had a little > hit completely sung through the vocoder. Strangely enough, while I love > vocoders, I hated this song! And I'm NOT into Rap and R&B at all, so you > know what I think about most of the recent vocoder-stuff. A little explanation here: 1. Roger Troutman & Zapp didn't have "one little hit" but actually quite a few, all of which were sampled by rappers: "More Bounce To The Ounce," "Doo Wah Diddy," to name a few. I think the tune you were talking about was "I Wanna Be Your Man," which actually came out after his prime. 2. Roger does *not* use a vocoder! He uses a Talkbox. This is essentially a mini-enclosed amplifier that has a tube coming out of it. The tube contains the keyboard (or guitar or other instrument) sound and is placed within the musician's mouth. As the musician plays the pitches, they "lip-sync" the words into a microphone, and the mouth movements shape the sound from the tube and out comes the "processed voice." Other groups have used this, mainly using guitars, namely Peter Frampton, Aerosmith and Bon Jovi. Teddy Riley (of Guy and now Blackstreet (I always thought Guy was much more superior, but I digress)) uses a talkbox on the current Blackstreet singles. The talkbox was originally invented so that Fender Rhodes/Wurlitzer players can play horn sounds! 3. You levelheads in Los Angeles can see me use a vocoder in my band Jibe, which is due for a whole slew of gigs in May-June. I might also bring my vocoder for the Vegas LevelFest now that you kids are hungry for it :) 4. Damnit, I want a talkbox!!! More bounce to the ounce, Elson -30- =========================================== Elson Trinidad Los Angeles, CA, USA elson @ westworld.com * http://www.westworld.com/~elson ========================================== ------------------------------ Subject: Warning - long post below From: L-O Larsson Date: Sat, 26 Apr 1997 21:45:21 +0200 I'm back from my trip to London. That was really rewarding in terms of records found. I found some tidbits of L42 stuff I'd been looking for for a long time - the thunderthumbs 12", the SAY 10", the Royal2, the Guaranteed 12" promo, the CDV of It's over, the Forever Now 12" with porkymix, the TCOY 12" dj-promo, Overtime and 12" promos, and some cassettes. Also some things not in Lazlo's discog at the moment - a white label 7" promo with Leaving Me Now albumversion on both sides (PODJ776), Guaranteed 7" promo (LEVEL42), Guaranteed cassette single (PK-44745) and a singletrack promocd with Love in a peaceful world (LEVEL9). In addendum (non-L42-related purchases): Mike Keneally "Boil that dust speck" Paulinho DaCosta "Happy People" Michael Hedges "Oracle" Cindy Blackman "The Oracle" Jaco Pastorious "Golden Roads" Buckshot LeFonque (Branford Marsalis) "Music Evolution" US3 "Broadway and 52nd", of which I can recommend all but the PastoriousCD unless you're a real Jaco-freak. Boy, do I feel broke now! So a big thank you to all who sent me pointers on where to go! In return I can recommend a good store I found in a tiny backstreet parallel to Berwick street in Soho - Soho Jazz&Soul, very easy to miss. They have quite a few L42 7" and 12" singles in stock. They do mail order and can be reached at +44 171 437 5362. Non-L42related: Check out Prefab Sproutīs new CD Andromeda Heights when it's released in a couple of weeks - I bet it will be another classic from them. The bassplayer for Koinonia is Abe Laboriel - well-renowned sessionman (even played on "New Frontier" off of Donald Fagens "Nightfly") which just goes to show how small the musicworld can be as Lolita so correctly pointed out yesterday. (For some excellent Marcus Miller check out Miles Davis "Tutu" and "Amandla" and also Miles Davis/Marcus Miller "Music from Siesta". On Loz: I've sent a couple of e-mails to Loz in the last month and haven't heard anything either. In december he promised to send me a tape in return for the Xero track with Boon on bass I sent him but he still hasn't sent anything. He has said a couple of times that he's sorry that it's been delayed due to his workload, so I guess that's still his problem. Loz - could you just send a quick note so we know you're still there? > PS. The track order on the UK/European release of WM is MUCH better than > the US-edition. What the hell are Hot Water and The Chant doing on that > album?!? Just buy True Colours, another extremely good, and much > underrated L42-album (I've listened to it all week) Right on the button, Arjan. I can get heaps of enjoyment from just reading the lyrics on the innersleve of True Colours. The weird thing is that I don't even think Hot Water and The Chant belongs on True Colours musicwise. The rest of the songs on that album are in my opinion "epic" in lack of a better word - the closest 42 has ever come to a theme record. I think WM-UK version and True Colours are tied for first place when it comes to track consistency. Sorry for the long post - I'll go back to rearranging my record collection in chronological order now (any of you read High Fidelity by Nick Hornby?). Lars-Ove Larsson ------------------------------ Subject: Everything's Archie From: DonZipf @ aol.com Date: Sat, 26 Apr 1997 18:32:23 -0400 (EDT) In Digest #115, Winston writes... > I remember loving the Archies as a kid. Anyone remember the hit they > had with 'Sugar, Sugar'? I got my copy on the back of a box of apple > jacks cereal, and man I must have drove my parents nuts playing that > piece of crap. Winston, I'm laffing my ass off! I, too, remember cutting records off the backs of cereal boxes (and having to pour from the wax bag for a week), but I had the album Everything's Archie. It was, I believe, the first album I ever bought and I still have it. It's still in fairly good shape, I think, except that, well...for awhile I got into this habit of desecrating my album covers with a pocket knife. Everything's Archie had a photo of some kids dancing (wearing Archies sweatshirts) on the cover, and I scratched-out their eyes and redrew the pupils cross-eyed with an ink-pen. Did the same to Karen and Richard Carpenter on Close to You, and countless other victims. I can send a scan, if anyone really wants to see this horror! Lolita writes... > Marcus Miller has only had three CDs of his own, but I have dozens of > songs that he's played on, and can usually recognize him immediately Case in point "Rio Funk" - a Lee Ritenour tune Marcus plays on (also available on a GRP anthology). I recommend it as a must-learn for developing slap-bass students. Marcus' The Sun Don't Lie is a monster must-have CD for bass enthusiasts, and is included on the "30 Essential Bass Albums" feature in this month's Bass Player magazine. Sadly, no Level 42 album made the list, but Aja, Heavy Weather, and Sgt. Pepper's did! "My fingers gettin' stiff, from playin' scales and runs and riffs" - Archie Don Z. ------------------------------ Subject: Cold Cold Heart of 42 From: J Shuford Date: Sat, 26 Apr 1997 16:45:35 -0700 (PDT) A Nice Find: I found a used copy of Midge Ure's PURE album on CD for $1.99 yesterday. All I'd had previously was a somewhat cruddy tape copy, so it's nice to "learn" these songs again. Question: Does anybody know why Mark King hasn't done anything on Midge's last two albums? Here's wishing all CDs were available for $2 or less... Shuf John Shuford Department of Philosophy University of Oregon Eugene, OR 97403-1295 (541) 346-1054 shuf @ darkwing.uoregon.edu