From: Level42-request @ worldmachine.com (Level42 Digest) Subject: Level42 Digest V97 #259 _ ____ _ ____ _ _ ___ // //__ // / //__ // /__// __// //__ //__ \\_/ //__ //__ // /__ D I G E S T Level42 Digest Volume 97 : Issue 259 527 subscribers Today's topics: Alternative Spices MByrd42 Proms in the Park Marcus Bone CD prices dirk.vael 42 "Bacon" game, French Pat Flanagan Radio admits control Jeff Lundgren Gotta' have that BASS! Ethan Bender Marketing & exposure sell ! Jeff Lundgren Sidney Youngblood etc. N Collier Re: Level42 Digest V97 #258 SKBERRY821 Lighter strings, not for me : ) Roberto E. Vargas Pop-Up Videos CarleneJ full-time vs. full stomach Doug Ross ------------------------------ Subject: Alternative Spices From: MByrd42 @ aol.com Date: Mon, 15 Sep 1997 06:53:17 -0400 (EDT) Lisa fairly stated: << Oh, here we go again. We don't like a male artist, and he simply "sucks," >or plays "crap." We don't say, "I guess you need tight pants, a big dick, >and a pierced scrotum to make music big nowadays." >We don't like a female artist and we have to bring her body into it. >Fine to dislike any singer/group/instrumentalist etc. if you want, >even if I love them. I have no problem with your having a different >opinion. Just leave their body parts out of it. >> Okay. I sure wish "The Artist" sure would put some clothes on. How about "Red Hot Chili Peppers"? Do I have to see them in underwear on every Rolling Stone cover they appear on. My point is that The Spice Girls are specificly created to produce certain responses in the buying public. If you are male (primarily young/teen), the response is sexual. If you are female, the response is also sexual, but more that of admiration. I've seen videos of the spice Girls, when in the casting call to produce the now famous group, all the girls dressed conservatively. The producers of the album conscious ------------------------------ Subject: Proms in the Park From: Marcus Bone Date: Mon, 15 Sep 1997 12:00:24 +0100 Anybody at Proms in the Park on Saturday - excellent atmosphere! Not you, not me, Only memory ------------------------------ Subject: CD prices From: "dirk.vael" Date: 15 Sep 97 12:56:00 Saw prices (in BEF) when I went shopping in Brussels 289,- Forever Now RCA version 345,- Turn It On 385,- Master Series 485,- World Machine UK version (with extra tracks) loads of these 495,- for all the other CD albums, incl Early Tapes etc... Saw also two copies of All Over You CD5 (cyan cover and red text) for a whopping 299 and Forever Now (blue cover, white text 'Includes extra track' =play me) for 269... US$ 1 = 36 BEF Dirk ps: Urban Blues Project - Heaven >>> what a cool cool cool bassline!!! ------------------------------ Subject: 42 "Bacon" game, French From: Pat Flanagan Date: Mon, 15 Sep 1997 09:14:47 -0400 These may be neither the shortest distances between two points (except maybe Roger Waters) nor the most accurate, I tried to have fun with these. >James Taylor JT > Beatles (JT was first artist signed to Beatles' Apple Records) > Paul McCartney > L42 (Prince's Trust Concert) >Roger Waters RW > David Gilmour (Pink Floyd) > Kate Bush > Alan Murphy > L42 >Stanley Clark SC > Stewart Copeland (Animal Logic) > Sting (Police) > Rod Stewart ("All For One" w/Sting & Bryan Adams) > L42 (Prince's Trust Concert) >David Byrne DB > Brian Eno > David Bowie > Elton John (both performed in Freddie Mercury tribute) > L42 (Prince's Trust Concert) My artist suggestion? Well, Culture Club is fairly easy at 2 steps. Terence Trent D'Arby takes three steps, so far as I can see. But try METALLICA. (I can do it in 2 steps.) >Has anyone ever gotten ambitious enough to translate from French to >English Mike's part in...I think it was "Play Me"...??? While I'm >Canadian and took French classes for a good part of my education, I'm a >little rusty. Anyone up to the challenge? :) I think this was already done awhile back. Search the digest archives for "Play Me" or "French" and you oughta find it. 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: Radio admits control From: Jeff Lundgren Organization: HM Graphics Date: Mon, 15 Sep 1997 09:16:36 -0500 In response to your comment that radio has no control to what they play. I can say that, your comment reinforces my point that record companies ($ talks) can make or break bands/artists. I in no way meant that DJ's control what is played on the airwaves, but that radio stations are "formatted" by whomever (can you say record company payolla?) And that L42, for whatever reason, didn't get on US airwaves after s.a.you. August Birthdays rule ! (30th) In response to Mikey, I tried being a 24hr musician for 2 years After I graduated college, "it ain't that pretty at all". Because I have a job in no way decreases my zeal, commitment and enthusiasm for my music. I didn't mean to disrespect those who choose to be a 24hr musician, but only to say that it wasn't for me. Have you tried the Diadarrio Slow wound Bass Strings ! Keep jamin ! "Any man left on the Rio Grande, He's the King of the world as far as I know ! " Jeff L. in Brew City ------------------------------ Subject: Gotta' have that BASS! From: Ethan Bender Date: Mon, 15 Sep 1997 09:30:52 -0500 Mike Brooks, you've got to have that low-end! Speaking as a fellow Basshead, I've never experienced true low-end ecstasy with a g-string(!?) less than .040. I know some guys who go as low as .032! Personally I could 'nt do it. My initial exposure to the bass was primarily through Marcus Miller, Louis Johnson, and Mr. Stanley Clarke, so I guess you can see why I have developed my low-end fetish. As a fellow working musician, I know time (and money) can be a limited commodity, but try experimenting with the acoustic/upright bass. After working out on that sucker for a couple of hours you'll be ready for any string gauge! Ethan Bender "Funkin' is a thing that all of us release." Bros. Johnson 1976 ------------------------------ Subject: Marketing & exposure sell ! From: Jeff Lundgren Organization: HM Graphics Date: Mon, 15 Sep 1997 11:58:20 -0500 Sorry for 2 raves in one day but, Did anyone notice that after the MTV awards, Jamiroquai's CD moved up from 75 to 29 on the Billboard Top 100? If only L42 had gotten that kind of exposure !!!!! Yes, it's the record co's who are Devils or Angels, take your pick. (Have you ever heard or seen an artist or video badmouthed on MTV ?) ------------------------------ Subject: Sidney Youngblood etc. From: N Collier Date: Mon, 15 Sep 1997 21:11:13 +0100 Play Me ******* >Has anyone ever gotten ambitious enough to translate from French to >English Mike's part in...I think it was "Play Me"...??? The same question's been asked at least 6 times on the Digest (and I was one of them), and finally translated by our Canadian friend, kidsdoc @ terraport.net. I found this by using Eric's excellent search engine: >The loose translation to the "French bits" is" > >I was alone >Far too long >Empty heart >Devoid of feeling >You came along >To dry my tears >My strength/hope renewed >I look at you A contender for FAQ? Sidney Youngblood ***************** For some reason the other day the name Sidney Youngblood popped into my head - I seem to remember him being a bit of a soul singer (didn't he do, "I'd rather go blind"?) but did I also remember him playing some OK sounding slap bass? Anyone know if he's a bassist too? (Wow, a bassist who can also sing???!!!). I checked the search engine and it seems he's never been mentioned before on the Digest. BTW, I picked up Headhunters by Herbie Hancock and also a Mezzoforte album the other day - both were OK but nothing to poo your pants about (though Headhunters is generally acknowledged as one of the best and most groundbreaking jazz albums ever). Regards, Nigel "...friends all over the world, none in this country but all over the world" - Tony Hancock, The Radio Ham http://www.ncl.ac.uk/~nnac/ ------------------------------ Subject: Re: Level42 Digest V97 #258 From: SKBERRY821 @ aol.com Date: Mon, 15 Sep 1997 18:32:15 -0400 (EDT) Hey JazPhreak, what album is Return of the Handsome Man from. I am always looking for stuff I do not have, and if its Level 42 I gotta have it. Do u know where to get any boots from??? >The Micro Kid < is my favorite F.Y.I. to all. ------------------------------ Subject: Lighter strings, not for me : ) From: "Roberto E. Vargas" Date: Mon, 15 Sep 1997 20:29:32 -0500 Hey Mickey about the string issue. Here's my take on it from personal experience. I've been playing bass for a little over 10 years now. And I'm a low action man. After finding out what gauge of strings Mark played, I switched to Daddario Super Soft Strings (95-35), I played these for a long time and everything seemed OK, chording became clearer, tapping easier, and pops kinda just snaped a little more. Then I discovered Dadario's Extra Super Soft Strings (90-30). Well after a while things just weren't sounding as good. And my bass neck reacted very badly to the change of gauge (more buzzes than a bee hive), I had my bass set up by a proffesional who cleared evrything right up, still my sound just wasn't happening. Finally I tried a set of Fender medium gauge and "HOLY GRAIL HOLY COW" the bass came alive. The sound I was trying to achieve wasn't to be found with lighter strings but heavier ones. I find that everything depends on the instrument and the player. My bass just seems to run at 100% with a good decent fresh set of medium gauge strings. And my style of playing and necessitates a good solid fundamental, low action and taut strings. Different strokes for different folks : ) ------------------------------ Subject: Pop-Up Videos From: CarleneJ @ aol.com Date: Mon, 15 Sep 1997 23:55:35 -0400 (EDT) Has anyone seen Level 42 on the pop-up videos on VH1? I somtimes watch only to see if they will "pop up". Have'nt seen them yet. ------------------------------ Subject: full-time vs. full stomach From: Doug Ross Organization: Shikoku Gakuin University Date: Mon, 15 Sep 1997 21:53:16 +0900 I've just got to respond to Mike Brooks' comments about the difficulty of making ends meet as a full-time musician. I can understand your anxiety, Mike. I played full-time for the past six years, and I often worried about money and my future, etc. So this year, I tried taking a "real job" for a year, and guess what? I STILL worry about money and my future (doesn't everybody?), only now I don't get to play my bass as much as before! I can't speak for anyone else, but for me, money is DEFINITELY NOT as important as making music. I had doubts before, but now I'm sure. Maybe this is one of those "grass is always greener on the other side" dilemmas, but when my current contract ends, I'm going back to being a musician NO MATTER WHAT. Anyway, most of the musicians on this digest are bass players :) and the employment outlook for us is much better than it is for other instrumentalists (heaven have mercy on any full-time trombonists out there!) Regarding strings, I also use a light set: 40-60-70-95-125(B string). I believe Mark uses something ridiculous like 30-50-70-90! It's frustrating not to be able to bend notes on the G string up a whole step like Mark so often does, but here's a tip: try bending those same notes in a higher position (on the A or E string). Much easier to bend a whole step there, though you'll get a darker tone. The only other bass player I'm aware of who uses lighter strings than Mark is Michael Manring, whose G string is a 20! Has anyone tried the Mark King signature set of Trace Elliot strings? Doug R.