From: Level42-request @ worldmachine.com (Level42 Digest) Subject: Level42 Digest V97 #182 _ ____ _ ____ _ _ ___ // //__ // / //__ // /__// __// //__ //__ \\_/ //__ //__ // /__ D I G E S T Level42 Digest Volume 97 : Issue 182 499 subscribers Today's topics: dolby; "right, stop this digest, it's too silly" Vince Mora Bad news... Terry Primus Re: Mark Quits Bass Doug Ross Changes,Dolby, etc. Winman42 Bass No More? Never!! Winman42 Mark's Rut J Shuford re Dave K's comments Steve Allert The 7th Sign Has Arrived!!!!!!!!!!!!! Paul Fucito Mark King's 'Retirement.' elson trinidad Mark, Chick, Doug, Dave, Jeff, Rolf... Randall Collins Re: Mark King -- J. McLaughlin and "Influences" Sean D. Green Mark is NOT giving up the bass Eric J. Hansen A nice loong weekend and some good music to boot WEIGHTING FOR GODOT You are not alone in LA angelina rogero Re: Level42 Digest V97 #181 mark ------------------------------ Subject: dolby; "right, stop this digest, it's too silly" From: "Vince Mora" Date: Tue, 1 Jul 1997 04:32:30 -0600 (MDT) > Subject: Dolby Dolby Dolby > From: elson trinidad > > Me, I always record tapes with Dolby ON and play them back with Dolby OFF. > For some reason, they seem to sound better that way... If you find yourself craving the treble boost that the above sequence provides, it usually means your tape deck heads are out of alignment. Or perhaps your speakers have poor frequency response. In either case, your ear is far outperforming your equipment, so have the latter upgraded. :) > Subject: We're taking over, Eric. > From: Pat Flanagan > > Hmmm, sounds like a good idea... Let's all band together and form a > company called Worldmachine Technologies Corporation, then we can put > Eric out of business through endless litigation. > > [Good one. Actually, I just saw an ad for the official "Pat Flanagan > Cabbage Patch Doll" (R), so one of you has a good trademark infringement > claim... better call your lawyer! -Eric] I'd also like to add that I just opened a "Pat Flanagan Sushi Bar & Deli" downtown -- come 'n see us! Before you complain, Pat, you know I've seen you putting "designed by Synthmedia" on all your adult website projects ... > Subject: mmmm Bop! > From: Bruce_Conrad @ hphc.org > > I want to be the first to congratulate Eric Hansen and his brothers > on the success of their record :). Nice singing Eric! ROTFL!! Good one, Bruce! Poor Eric, he puts up with so much from us digesters ... :) Ok Jenn-chan, it's your turn now ... ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Vince Mora synth @ swcp.com USA: 505 332 0139 www.swcp.com/synth ---------------------------------------------------------------------- "Bother," said Pooh, as Tigger chewed his leg off. ------------------------------ Subject: Bad news... From: Terry Primus Date: Tue, 01 Jul 97 13:15:00 PDT Always on the lookout for a second hand Jaydee bass,I gave the Bass Centre a call this afternoon(1st July 1997) and was informed that Marks white model might be up for sale and that several of his basses were at the Bass Centre.Whoever I spoke to did not have the full story but hinted that Mark was calling it quits. That is what I call bad news.... ------------------------------ Subject: Re: Mark Quits Bass From: Doug Ross Organization: Shikoku Gakuin University Date: Tue, 01 Jul 1997 21:02:28 +0900 Wh...Wh...WHAAAAAAT?!?!? NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!! ------------------------------ Subject: Changes,Dolby, etc. From: Winman42 @ aol.com Date: Tue, 1 Jul 1997 09:05:51 -0400 (EDT) This post is a day late because i sent it from my work address, which I just noticed is not working at the moment, so pls forgive if they are a bit out of date. - Winston =========================================================== Sorry for the non-Level 42 topics, but I just wanted to congratulate Chuck Roehm (tampachuck) on his wedding this past Saturday, to Pamela. C O N G R A T U L A T I O N S !!!!! =========================================================== Well guys & gals, I'll have to pull out my Stanley Clarke vinyl to check up on that song. i do know that'heathrow' was 'borrowed' from Stanley Clarke's tune 'Lopsy Lu'. I also also have a book that discribes the same thing. Paul, you can get 'Changes' on CD from Audiophile Imports in Maryland. i know some folks have had problems with them in the past. I know that Kara recetn;y purchased her copy within the last few months with no problems. [www.cyboard.com/audiophile.html] Also, i can't believe you didn't hear of the Vegasfest. We've been discussing it for close to 8 months. Sorry you didn't know of ituntil after it took place. Thomas Dolby did have a court case with the Dobly labs folks. They made a deal that he could not attach his 'name' to any electronic components, but could perform under the name. I ALWAYS use the Dolby NR button on my analog tape decks. Hey, it works. I alwasy record with Dolby, but don't play back using it. (it does make a difference). Randall, try used music stores for old DBX equipment, or perhaps a pawn shop. I have a friend who swears by DBX. I found that DOLBY S was pretty amazing at a trade show demo. (with my own CD & Tape) I also think that bands, should and change their musical direction at will. Hey, it's their band, right? I like Level 42 better when they were doing instrumentals, but i enjoy the vocal stuff as well. It's kinda of hard not to change after 10 years, and keep doing the same stuff, over and over. Later, Winston ------------------------------ Subject: Bass No More? Never!! From: Winman42 @ aol.com Date: Tue, 1 Jul 1997 09:31:00 -0400 (EDT) Hello again. I sure found David Kidd's post interesting. Regarding Mark giving up the bass guitar. I think Mark may have been pulling the shop keepers leg a bit. i noticed in Crockford's tape to the vegas levelfest, he mentioned that Mark was selling his home, and his gear. In hopes that this would spur him on to getting in the studio and finishing an album, for release. Having a home studio can be both a blessing, AND a curse. Sure you can record whenever you like, without having the studio clock running. But you can also procrastinate, because you know the studio is always available. Jeff, congrats on getting some cool stuff. The tape and the promo CD's sound very interesting. I for one, dont think I'veheard that entire show, or the interview. (hint,hint) Easy, Winston ------------------------------ Subject: Mark's Rut From: J Shuford Date: Tue, 1 Jul 1997 07:01:57 -0700 (PDT) Thanks for the news about Mark King. Actually, all this sounds entirely consistent with Mark. When he gets stuck in a rut, he changes everything around him, if previous experiences are any indication. It's not surprising that he is selling off his house and his equipment. It could be because he's strapped, or it could be because he's frustrated with his inability to land an album deal (and hurt by the rejection), but I think it's most likely that Mark feels he is in a rut and needs a fresh perspective. It sounds like Mark's way is to scrap everything familiar and build up something new. At least I hope this is what it's about. And hey, if he gives up the bass, well, he's contributed so much to it already! I just hope that whatever he does he finds some happiness. Now, as for the jabs about non-42 content that keep coming up... Well, this is the only major news that we've had on the Digest about 42 in ages. Pretty hard to keep a community going without anything to talk about. So please, all you hardline 42ers--cut us some slack for trying to keep things lively around here. This is a mature digest--we've been at this for years now, and there's only so many questions and comments you can make about a band that is three years dead. Believe me, I would love to have more 42 content to talk about, but what's out there has been assimilated by me and others to a large degree. Alexander wept at the breadth of his domain for he saw that there were no more worlds to conquer (paraphrase). We've basically conquered the world of 42. Sometimes we need to shift our eyes and to remember that we die when we stop growing. John Shuford Department of Philosophy University of Oregon Eugene, OR 97403-1295 (541) 346-1054 shuf @ darkwing.uoregon.edu ------------------------------ Subject: re Dave K's comments From: "Steve Allert" Organization: MCI Date: Tue, 01 Jul 1997 10:14:08 -0500 Regarding Dave K's recent post, two comments: First, I find the MK rumor more than abit suspicious, but then, I'm a skeptic and have no "basses" for my doubting his source. And, I want thank everyone on the digest for continuing to offer their non-Level music opinions. More than once your exterraneous comments have clued me in to other great groups. OoS,OoM StA ------------------------------ Subject: The 7th Sign Has Arrived!!!!!!!!!!!!! From: Paul Fucito Date: Tue, 01 Jul 1997 10:50:14 -0700 Mark King giving up the bass? That's the 7th sign of armageddon... Run for your lives...... I sure hope that is not true... By the way, when did he get divorced? I don't remember hearing about that..... Yes, Thomas Dolby is his real name (part of anyway, see last digest) and that is why he won so easily.... Speaking of Thomas Dolby, he must be blinded by science himself these days since he hasn't done any music and focussed entirely on his software business.... Paul ------------------------------ Subject: Mark King's 'Retirement.' From: elson trinidad Date: Tue, 01 Jul 1997 10:24:21 -0700 At 06.00 AM 7/1/1997 -0400, you wrote: >******************************************* >* MARK KING IS GIVING UP PLAYING THE BASS * >******************************************* >in and the guy said that Mark had just sold loads and loads of his gear >(his Alembic, Status and JD Basses and loads of his amps and other bits) >to the Bass Centre and that Mark said his reason for selling up was that >he's had enough and he's GIVING UP THE BASS !!!!! Hey, I believe it. I heard the same thing. Actually, he's giving up bass to become a DJ. He already bought a couple 1200s...Who knows? Maybe his slapping technique will come out in his scratching. But seriously folks, he probably just needs a breather. Remember when Michael Jordan "gave up" basketball? Elson -30- =========================================== Elson Trinidad Los Angeles, CA, USA elson @ westworld.com * http://www.westworld.com/~elson ========================================== ------------------------------ Subject: Mark, Chick, Doug, Dave, Jeff, Rolf... From: "Randall Collins" Date: Tue, 1 Jul 1997 13:30:43 -0500 Doug writes: > Incidentally, as for other non-bassists, I've heard Mark mention Chick Corea >and Miles Davis as having influenced him (though it's difficult for me to hear >Miles in Mark's playing. Miles is so renowned for his brilliant minimalism, >wheras I've always considered Mark to be the Master of OVERPLAYING!) That's an interesting analogy. I never thought of Mark being influenced by Chick Corea. Being an extremely hard core fan of Chick, I was actually trying to think in what way Mark could have been influenced by CC. I'm wondering if Mark might have picked up some cues from Chick's 'Return To Forever' CD's like "Romantic Warrior", probably my favorite all-time CD, or "Where Have I Known You Before". If that's the case, I think it's more of Stanley's playing on these sets but overall it's boils down to Chick's rather technical and challenging musical scores. There's a track on "Where have I Known you Before" called 'Vulcan's World' which Stanley does an awesome bass solo in the middle that I could see Mark playing, or at least imitating. Doug is right about the Miles comparison. Unless Mark was listening to the band playing behind Miles with its infectious, fusion grooves, there's not much similarity between Mark and Miles. Just my guess. Jeff, who speaks great analog, made a lot of very good points about the way Dolby NR works and how critical it is to have a proper deck to utilize its full benefits. Since tape decks are varied in their performance, you can virtually guarantee that a tape I may make for someone using NR, bias adjustment and other do-dads, will sound different on someone else's deck. Point well taken... but... as you were saying, it would be ideal to keep the highs and remove the hiss (noise). Without any real technical knowledge about Dolby, I believe that Dolby C and S is suppose to get closer to that idea than A or B. I do believe Dolby B does remove some of the high frequencies of the music. I remember some time ago when I brought up the issue of ATRAC in recording minidisc and how its virtually impossible for anyone to detect the loss of certain ultra high frequencies when ATRAC compresses the signal and in its playback. I realize I'm comparing apples and oranges but, like you said Jeff, our brains process information (frequencies) differently than the actual process of NR. You've actually helped me learn a bit more about the NR process. Dave? Mark King giving up the bass? No way! Say it isn't true! Please keep us posted! Now, to answer my own question about a group changing it's styles and still being a fan, I suppose it depends on who the performer is. Rolf puts it quaintly: Fan or "Fan"atic? Anything Chick puts out I will buy it, no matter what he plays. Level 42 is the same way. That doesn't mean that everything these artist put out is a gem. Unfortunately, there are a few bricks in everyone's repertoire but it's a matter of appreciating those bricks for what they are or throwing them through a window. What's more important, artistic expression or artistic popularity? True musical appreciation or money? Tough questions. Maybe they're easy. I think you got to play what YOU like first. Then I think, "What if some producer came up to me and offered me an obscene amount of money to put out a CD that catered to an audience who enjoyed some off track alternative, psycho music? Do I stick to my real love (jazz) or do I take the money? What would you do? Right, then! Randall "Let's rock!" - Al Bundy ------------------------------ Subject: Re: Mark King -- J. McLaughlin and "Influences" From: "Sean D. Green" Organization: The Midi Extreme - http://www.flash.net/~questps/midi.htm Date: Tue, 01 Jul 1997 16:27:04 -0500 > Mark has mentioned John Mclaughlin > as being more or less his all-time hero. > Without a doubt, one can certainly hear a great deal of Mclaughlin's influence in Mark's solo album "Influences." I'm certain that this is one of the reasons for the name of the album as it were. Even some Al DiMeola can be heard intertwined with all the complexity in the guitar parts, and remind me an awful lot of Al's playing off "Electric Rendezvous." I had forgotton about Mark's mentioning of Maclaughlin as his hero, and it appears that the sentiment has certainly been translated through his album. > Peart, Gould ... two great drummers ... but there's no point of > comparison between the two. > Here, here!! While I enjoy the statistical density of both these drummers, it would be futile to compare one to the other. Billy Cobham -- while in a drum clinic -- was asked from a person in the audience "Who is your favorite bassist?" His reply was: "I don't have favorites because everyone has a individual element that makes them unique in what they do." -- Well said, I think. He did, however, say that one of the people he really enjoyed playing with was "Mark King of Level 42." I instantly ran out to pick some up. Within a week, I had purchased every CD I could get my hands on. I was hooked, and the rest is musical history. It is needless to say, that musicians are influenced a great deal by just about anyone they listen to. I know I am, regardless of style, and I know that it is reflected either greatly or subtlely in my playing. Some are better at some styles than others, of course, but there are always people out there that make tons of money for playing worse than I. It just beats the hell out of me. Hope everyone is doing cool out there in Level Land!! Always nice to hear the new 'edge' on peoples' thoughts. Peace, Sean -- *********** "The MIDI Extreme" *********** * http://www.flash.net/~questps/midi.htm * *** For the best MIDI files on the net!*** ****************************************** ------------------------------ Subject: Mark is NOT giving up the bass From: "Eric J. Hansen" Organization: Worldmachine Technologies Corporation Date: Tue, 1 Jul 1997 18:17:29 -0400 (EDT) Folks, here's a note from Paul Crockford, forwarded to me by Ian Buck. "Yes, Mark has sold his home, studio and a lot of his gear, and indeed has found a much smaller house, still on the Isle of Wight. He has not got rid of everything, and still sees music as his career. The move is intended to 'spur him on' and he still intends to eventually release a solo album, hopefully later this year and, in the U.K., do some live shows to coincide with it, with Boon on guitar. " - Paul Crockford, 1st July 1997 so there you have it. [phew!!!] -Eric -- Eric J. Hansen Worldmachine Technologies Corporation http://www.worldmachine.com tel: 617.492.1929, fax: 617.492.1953 ------------------------------ Subject: A nice loong weekend and some good music to boot From: "WEIGHTING FOR GODOT" Date: Tue, 1 Jul 97 18:22:11 PDT Hey Heads, Heading out on vacation and just wanted to wish you 'Murkens a great 4th of July, the rest of you have a nice weekend. I wanted to say that I've listened to some good music, some of it having some resemblance to Level 42, some of it not. I listened to "The Best of Larry Graham and Graham Central Station" and was more than pleasantly surprised to learn that I knew most of the songs on the CD. That doesn't usually happen for me. Pretty cool. I gotta recommend Johnny Rivers At the Whisky A Go Go, if you like Johnny Rivers or like his style of music, this is a really good collection of songs and ya gotta like the enthuiasm of his back ground singers. Guess I gotta say the only song not on it that I would have liked to have been there was "Secret Agent Man". But I am not complaining. Those of you looking to buy music online, try CD Now!, they have made me pretty happy, so far. I just got an early Spyro Gyra CD that I'd never heard of before and I think it is great. Lately, it seems like everything I've bought has been to my liking. I love that, no CDs to try and exchange for something else or trade with somebody else or whatever. Anybody got any recommendations or words of advise for the group No Doubt, I've seen some of their stuff on (shudder) MTV and if the songs I have seen are representative, then maybe I'll actually have to buy one of their CDs. Well that all from me.....have a great week, and an even better 4th. Doug ------------------------------ Subject: You are not alone in LA From: angelina rogero Date: Tue, 1 Jul 1997 18:25:51 -0700 (PDT) Regarding Roxanne Moore's plea for any Digesters in the LA area, yes, there are a few! I've met Elson, Zak, JohnV, Colin, Wendy Giddens (where are you?), Carl & Laurel to name a few in the LA area from the Digest. .... And guess what Roxanne, I am from Burbank! I wonder what part of town you live in. Who knew, a true Level fan and Digester right in my own backyard! BTW, I do use Dolby NR to reduce tape hiss when I listen and I just crank the treble a bit to compensate. Just thought I'd add to that thread to the dismay of I'm sure more than one person. Talk at you later, Angel ------------------------------ Subject: Re: Level42 Digest V97 #181 From: mark Date: Tue, 01 Jul 1997 21:45:03 -0400 Paul writes: > There were some choice cuts on that tape: Gresham Blues, Silence, Man, > and Tracie were in my opinion the best songs. This was my 3rd L42 CD after World Machine (SAY got it started for me.. song and video) and RITF (Children Say is still one of my all-time favorite tracks!). I agree with his choice of songs, but would also include 'Over There' due to Gary Husband's drumming on that cut. His overall performance on this CD and on Guarenteed made it a smooth transition in overall feel from Phil to Gary. Still, it was a nice surprise to hear Phil back behind the kit on Forever Now. L42 has been fortunate to have two very talented drummers layin down the groove and funk over the years, which turned me into the Levelhead I am today! Mark Perrella "......too many people, suffer in Silence, because they're afraid, love will never come their way......."