From: Level42-request @ worldmachine.com (Level42 Digest) Subject: Level42 Digest V98 #164 _ ____ _ ____ _ _ ___ // //__ // / //__ // /__// __// //__ //__ \\_/ //__ //__ // /__ D I G E S T Level42 Digest Volume 98 : Issue 164 588 subscribers Today's topics: EMAIL ADDRESS CHANGE... Paul Hammond FAQ Ernst van der Hee Heaven in my Hands lives on Steven Hoebens Defending Guaranteed Charl Mocke Stuff Lolitaj Staring at the Sun? Chris Staunton D'OH! Pat Flanagan DON'T DISS THE FELLAS! Anthony Richards Early Tapes; riots; where? Green, Laurence F videos, and a wild thought eric_spiering Instrumental / LONDON HELP! Daniel James Horrifying Ronald Kuipers The enhanced bass lines, explained (I think) Richard J. Reddick Re: Level42 Digest V98 #163 DonZipf tough to be a metaphorical pig, Yes? alex.friesen T-shirts Lolitaj Oops... Lolitaj Favorite Instrumental EMIKATIE NYC Levelfest Dave Mock 'Pursuit' Words at the beginning Phil Murray ------------------------------ Subject: EMAIL ADDRESS CHANGE... From: Paul Hammond Date: Fri, 19 Jun 1998 11:32:33 -0000 Hi all, This is just a quick note to say that I am leaving my job at Channel 4 on 3rd July to start out life as a computer consultant... As a result, this email address will no longer be valid. Anyone who feels any sort of urge to send me anything, you'll have to use paul @ bassnet.demon.co.uk instead! :-) btw, Winston : any news on that CD yet??? Bass regards, PH. Paul Hammond * Channel 4 Television Corporation, 124 Horseferry Road, London SW1P 2TX * phammond @ channel4.co.uk * Direct Line: +44 (0) 171 306 8185 Mobile: +44 (0) 976 836848 ------------------------------ Subject: FAQ From: Ernst van der Hee Date: 19 Jun 1998 13:05:38 +0200 Mark Perrella wrote: >My favorite video (only up to Level Best, unfortunately) is Children >Say. Not only is it in my top 3 of favorite songs, I really like the >way Mark interacts with the crowd and the young girl in it gives it an >endearing quality. Question for Loz: Is the girl in the 'Children Say' video related to Mike Lindup? ;-) (this must be third place ;-)) Ernst-Jan van der Hee ------------------------------ Subject: Heaven in my Hands lives on From: Steven Hoebens Organization: TUE Date: Fri, 19 Jun 1998 13:22:38 +0200 Frans Hoebens(not Steven!) Hi again. First of all, Steven is being kicked around for no reason. When it says: Frans thinks this and that, that means Frans thinks this and that. Frans (me) has expressed his own personal opinion and I don't think I should not say what my opinion is. I just wanted this cleared. I do apologise if any comments I made concerning the early tapes upset or hurt anybody in any sense whatsoever. It has never been my goal to upset anyone. It's not that I don't think the early tapes weren't a great success. I actually really like the CD. I just wanted to point out that I like all other L42 CD's better. As for Guaranteed, which some people wanted to highlight as being the least good: I have a different opinion about this. I do think the people who disagreed with me that the early tapes were the least good CD released should say which CD IS the least good CD in their opinion, because it is easy to just comment on other people without stating anything yourself. I do want to repeat saying that it is not my goal to upset anyone, I'm just trying to build up meaningful discussion. To Nathania Apple: thank you very much for your metaphores...we of course have to agree with you in any sense. I was quite happy to see that some people actually agreed with me in thinking that the pursuit of accidents is the best instrumental. I'd like to know what everyone thinks of the instrumental version of "Coup d'état" because I happen to like that one very much especially since it goes to a great climax. As for the end of the two hearts collide remix, that IS great. And what do you think of the new avengers remix of guaranteed? Well I've been writing too long again. Sorry if I take up any space which can be usefully filled but you can always expel me for having a different opinion now can't you? With loving greetings(really!) Frans. ------------------------------ Subject: Defending Guaranteed From: "Charl Mocke" <9413693 @ narga.sun.ac.za> Organization: Stellenbosch University Date: Fri, 19 Jun 1998 14:37:22 +0200 Hi y'all... I just feel that I need to post a short note in order to defend my beloved Guaranteed CD. Why does so many people here don't like it very much? To me it is such a fine album, great lyrics and magnificent melodies. I am always very critical when it comes to the song structure and "integrity" - I like my songs to have a "good", solid music structure. That's just my personal "feel". For instance, can you name another L42 album with more beautiful and defined bridge structures and melodies than Guaranteed? Guaranteed - "You hide so many years..." Overtime - "My wanderlust betrayed your trust..." Her Big Day - instrumental bridge Seven Years - "Eeeeeaaaach time I see a love, a love that's dying..." Set Me up - airy instrumental, feels like you are up on a city skyscraper at sunset! My Father's Shoes - instrumental bridge Lasso the Moon - instrumental bridge & sax solo This was, along with SATS, a great rock-ish album for L42 with stunning guitar work by Allan Holdsworth. My favourite track is Guaranteed, second: Seven Years. The Early Tapes grooves!!!! Bye, Charl oooo oo Mnr Charl Mocke ============ University of Stellenbosch South Africa Home tel.: +27 21 854 8005 E-mail: 9413693 @ narga.sun.ac.za Mugshot: http://fudd.ard.sun.ac.za/surfer.jpg University Home Page: http://www.sun.ac.za/ ------------------------------ Subject: Stuff From: Lolitaj @ aol.com Date: Fri, 19 Jun 1998 09:16:29 EDT * I have asked that question about Heart on the Line ad nauseum, and no one had a satistfactory answer at the time. Anybody else want to take a crack at it? * Pursuit of Accidents was indeed performed live, I believe it was at the first Rockpalast concert. I have it on audio and videotape, and I think a bunch of other people do as well. * Steve Libenson, if you are still on this digest, congratulations on your new enterprise. I read about you in the Penn alumni magazine - good job. * Jeff Mahoney, I would love a tape of the Madhouse CD - when I was searching for it a number of years ago I never found it. It is funky as hell! Lolita ------------------------------ Subject: Staring at the Sun? From: Chris Staunton Date: Fri, 19 Jun 1998 09:49:09 -0400 Hey guys, I'm still desperate for a new copy of "Staring at the Sun" It seems to be either back ordered, $20, or just plain sold out everywhere I look. Can anybody get me a good price on this??? (with shipping to Delaware, USA) ------------------------------- Chris Staunton chriss @ pcsupplies.com ...gotta get back to BASSics... ------------------------------- ------------------------------ Subject: D'OH! From: Pat Flanagan Date: Fri, 19 Jun 1998 08:49:53 -0500 >> Here they are. All the ones posted yesterday were close, but each had >> some problems. And yes, this is just by my ear, but I'm 100% sure I'm >> right. :D >> >> Pulling strings and pony tales > >Pony "tails". Sorry, but a claim of 100% certainty demands a degree of >pedantry only I can supply. Yeah, you got me, of course it's pony tails. My arrogance overcame me, and (warning: obscure phrase coming) I am hoisted upon my own petard (which causes a nasty itch). Rather than re-typing the whole thing, I copied someone else's posting and was making corrections, but missed that one. ____________________ PFPD -- newmedia marketing consulting a limited liability company PO Box 281, Granger, IN 46530-0281 v:616.663.2250 -- competitive business advantages through creative technology ------------------------------ Subject: DON'T DISS THE FELLAS! From: "Anthony Richards" Date: Fri, 19 Jun 1998 11:07:46 -0400 What's up fellow Levelheads? I've been reading the comments on the digest regarding "The Early Tapes" the past couple of days, and had to throw my two cents in as well. Simply put, the vocal and instrumental musicality on "The Early Tapes" is GREAT!, AWESOME!!, ALL THAT!!!, DA BOMB!!!! Period. Done deal. End of story. Sure, from an audio engineering standpoint the album is somewhat raw and not up to current standards, but the playing is FIERCE!!!! Mike and Wally's keyboards are right on. The Gould brothers both make essential musical contributions. And MR. KING'S bass playing is OFF THE HOOK!!!! "The Early Tapes" is the musical equivalent of riding the Scream Machine rollercoaster, or trying to ride on the tail of a comet! Well, I'm sure you "smell what I'm cookin' " (to borrow a phrase from "The Rock"). Also, I'd like to respond to Joey Vela's comment about Tony Levin. Yeah, Mr. Levin is indeed a monster on The Stick, but I'd also have to include ALPHONSO JOHNSON (ex Weather Report and Santana bassist) as another Grandmaster Of The Chapman Stick (as well as a heck of the bassist)! Regarding everyone's responses about their favorite instrumentals. Although I dearly love them all, I'd have to pick "The Return Of The Handsome Rugged Man" as my all time favorite. Truly a jazz/funk fusion epic!! It would have been very interesting to see how the band would have progressed musically should they have chosen to continue in that musical vein. Other favorites include "Sandstorm", "42", "43", "Foundation And Empire" (thanks for the reminder Jonathan), and "The Pursuit Of Accidents". My least favorite instrumental is probably "The Ape", but it's still pretty cool. As far as my least favorite Level 42 album, I'd probably have to say "Staring At The Sun" (but as you may recall from an earlier digest, I did promote the heck out of it at retail)! Yes, the band has certainly traveled a diverse musical road. From their raw, high powered musical debut on "The Early Tapes", to the very EWF influenced "Standing In The Light" (another classic), to the PHENOMINAL live recordings chronicled on "Physical Presence", to the commercially successful "World Machine" and "Running In The Family" releases, and to their final recorded documentation "Forever Now", Level 42 has taken us to many lavish, musical "ports of call." And I for one will never tire of taking those musical cruises! I hope y'all have a "funky good time" this weekend (thanks for the quote Godfather). Peace!!! Funky T ***URGENT P.S. MESSAGE*** Can ANYONE out there possibly tell me how I can get my hands on the cd remixes of "Forever Now"? This is one of my favorite songs on that cd (along with "The Sunbed Song"). In return, I have a 4 track advance cd of Mike Lindup's "Changes" that I'm willing to offer in trade. Can anyone out there help me out? Thanks in advance for any assistance you may be able to offer. P.S.S to Tony Sharpe regarding the "Power Rangers" reference: "Sentai Rules!" Nuff said. ------------------------------ Subject: Early Tapes; riots; where? From: "Green, Laurence F" Date: Fri, 19 Jun 1998 16:21:00 +0100 OOOoooooh, You mustn't get too perturbed about people disagreeing with you. You can say what you want about Early Tapes but I don't really think you needed to pretend we were being personal, after all, its clear, that someone who had only ever heard World Mahcine, Running In The Family and Staring At The Sun, and had based their fandom on those three albums would probably hate Early Tapes so what I'm saying is everyone is different. Having said all that, if anyone else says they don't like Early Tapes, take them outside and shoot them! I am reckoning that Word Mahcine will be ready in 10 to 14 days. I DESPERATLY need someone to write me a history and current status of Level 42 on the internet? Will anyone help me? Am I in the right place for exponents of this information or wot? Don't mail me with requests for Word Mahcine yet! Wait till the official release date as the logistics of distribution have yet to be sorted out. Yours........................LOZ ------------------------------ Subject: videos, and a wild thought From: eric_spiering @ siltronic.com Date: Fri, 19 Jun 98 08:42:31 -0800 Hi, I just got the Level Best video tape. i had never seen any of their vids before. nor have i seen them in concert. I did see them on saturday night live playing SAY. one th9ing i noticed is that in the concert style vids, mark is quite animated, moving around a lot and dancing while he plays. my memory from the SNL performance is that he just kind of stood there, like he was tired, or thinking "what's the point of being here...". so now i'm wondering how is he when playing in a tour concert? animated like in the vids, or is he more prone to stand more still? i figure mike is the same way all the time, and i didn't get an impression of him from SNL - of course i was more interesting in mark's bass playing than anything else, being the young budding player that i was then. just an idea... i have a four track tape and PC digital multitracker. would it be possible to get tapes from everybody and make cover songs? i'm sure there are people that would sing, do keys, guitar, and plenty of bass players. i would take tapes and disks, mix songs and put out a tape of digesters (haha!) doing cover tunes. this would let everyone know how the others are as musicians. i've heard a lot spoken about how good people are at their instrument and voice, but may never get a chance to here them play. and this could even move over into original songs by digest members working together from all over the globe. what do you think? is it a pipe dream or should we go for it? eric "are you hearing what i hear?" ------------------------------ Subject: Instrumental / LONDON HELP! From: Daniel James Date: Fri, 19 Jun 1998 09:35:09 -0700 (PDT) My all time favorite instrumental -- um, that would most likely change depending on the day, but I'd say that it would probably be a tie between "43" and "Woman" Any other ILF'ers going through withdrawals??? Seeing the new pictures yesterday brought me back to what was most definitely the week of my life. I can't wait to go back in October and meet up with a few of you all again, and next year's ILF should be a blast as well. By that time I should be settled in London if all goes well. Oh, and speaking of pictures, while I haven't added any to my web page yet, I have now linked everyone else's web pages at the bottom of mine. I'm also going to pick up another roll of developed film tonight, and I will look into finding a scanner at some point. I've also got 28 digital picts on a smart-card that I haven't been able to access because of a corrupted index; I hope to find a dedicated smart-card reader in a few weeks and I'm hoping that I can extract the images by hand. Anyway, my page is http://www.serv.net/~djames/london.html Speaking of moving to London, I picked up a copy of last week's Time Out and Sunday Times to look at housing costs... As I don't know London very well, I looked at the costs in the Bayswater area. 300 pounds/week is a bit steep. It'd sure be nice to be able to afford to buy food... So I'm hoping that some locals can help point out reasonable parts of London to live in. I was really hoping to find something decent for about half that price. Is that doable in a decent neighborhood? Also, where is the best place to find available housing? There didn't seem to be a whole lot in the Sunday Times. Are there publications that have more listings? I figure there must be some good web sites out there too (which would be nice since I just paid $8 for the Times). HELP! :) ------------------------------ Subject: Horrifying From: Ronald Kuipers Date: Fri, 19 Jun 1998 12:29:51 -0400 Hi you all Today a bad, sad and horrifying thing happend. I was driving my commercial vehicle (out of the dictionary) and I was listening to the radio as I suddenly got a need for some LEVEL 42. I got my case with casettes and .............. NOT one tape of them. I saw U2, Janet Jackson, Simple minds, George Michael, Ace of base, Pet shop boys but NO LEVEL 42 @#@$%$&^*&%$!@# Fortunatly I kept listening to the radio and about 1 hour later they played Hotwater. Just remember "LEVEL 42 never leave home without them." I put 5 tapes in my car tonight for monday. How about Gresham blues as a favourite instrumental. It seems to be a forgotten track And I got Heaven in my hands (Demo version) as MP3 from http://listen.to/level42 sound totaly different is a little longer. Hope there is more where that came from. (Great Great GREAT) Now I'm gonna enjoy my weekend, I think I'm gonna watch Fait acommply after a footbalmatch. Don't worry about tomorrow, just live forever now Ronald ------------------------------ Subject: The enhanced bass lines, explained (I think) From: "Richard J. Reddick" Date: Fri, 19 Jun 1998 12:40:45 -0400 (EDT) Hi all, Tony asked about the enhanced bass on CS and THC. I believe that I once read that Mark sometimes re-records the basslines... I think this is definitely the case with THC--at the end of the mix Mark solos the bassline replete with some really cool fills, and you'll notice that he... (thinking hard, trying to express a musical thought without causing embarrassment from the digest musos...) I guess every now and then hops up an octave... that clearly doesn't happen in the original version on SATS. So I think that those bass lines are new, funkier versions that MK put together for the remixes. Only a maniac would have buried them in the mix if they were originally recorded that way! pax Rich ------------------------------ Subject: Re: Level42 Digest V98 #163 From: DonZipf @ aol.com Date: Fri, 19 Jun 1998 13:17:08 EDT > The least good L42 CD (if one could even call it good)? The wretched > Guaranteed. You Philistine! Some of us think Guaranteed is one of their best - I for one! It's the Level 42 album with balls! Z. ------------------------------ Subject: tough to be a metaphorical pig, Yes? From: alex.friesen @ sickkids.on.ca Date: Fri, 19 Jun 1998 13:44:12 -0400 Charles Caraker dared ask: > Also, while on the subject of myterious lines, what are they chanting > in the background of Heart on the line? Pat, that's your cue! Nathania Apple wrote a list of > my favorite metaphors. Excellent list! Non-level note: Saw the opening gig of Yes' tour here in Toronto last night (Thursday). Pretty much non-stop classic hits. If there was much off the latest album I couldn't tell you, as I haven't kept up with them over the decades. Anderson, Squire, Howe and White were there with a couple of young guys (keys and guitar) who's names I can't recall. Good playing, excellent vocals all around, but the huge PA was bordering on too loud, and was a bit muddy (improved slightly as the night wore on). Anderson, the original Mr. New Age, seemed to be a bit off his form, but it was the first night of the tour after all. Opener Alan Parson's Project was good even if they did play to drum loops every second song. ...Alex... ------------------------------ Subject: T-shirts From: Lolitaj @ aol.com Date: Fri, 19 Jun 1998 18:24:33 EDT Alright, here is a final listing of people I haven't received checks from yet: Joseph Smith Doug White Germano Filho Michael Byrd Maurice Shannon Christien DeRoo Tim Norton Ian Condron John Marrero Laurie Dyer 1) Some of you on this list haven't received a shirt yet. If not, please e- mail your address to Winston (winman42 @ aol.com) and it will be sent next week. Chris Saften and Chuck Roehm need to e-mail Winston their addresses as well, as I have misplaced them but you have already paid. 2) If you are having problems getting U.S. currency, please send an international money order, or send me 12 pounds and I'll convert it. I'd like to put this to bed, as I am now strapped for cash due to my recent instrument purchase. Anyone listed above have any questions, please e-mail me. Thanxalot. Lolita ------------------------------ Subject: Oops... From: Lolitaj @ aol.com Date: Fri, 19 Jun 1998 19:02:37 EDT Okay, so I'm an idiot. I just rechecked my files, and I made a few errors in my last t-shirt message. The only addresses I am missing are for Ian Condron and John Marrero. Everyone else's shirts have been sent. Laurie (?) Dyer and Jennie Irvine from the Isle of Wight are getting shirts, so they can pay me in pounds. Please send me 25 pounds for both together, as I will lose $ in the conversion and it will be a bit of an inconvenience for me. Everyone listed in the last message still owes me money. That's all - later. Lolita ------------------------------ Subject: Favorite Instrumental From: EMIKATIE @ aol.com Date: Fri, 19 Jun 1998 20:22:34 EDT I would have to say the most rockingest, turn-up-loudest, don't care if I blow a speakerest, toe-tappingest, chill inspiringest, feel goodest, ass kickingest instrumental I have heard is Freedom A Go Go (is this considered a Level 42 tune?) Who cares? I just can't tire of this song. (was it good for you?) The machine stops John ------------------------------ Subject: NYC Levelfest From: Dave Mock Date: Fri, 19 Jun 1998 18:46:10 -0700 (PDT) Hey, Micro-Kids: We're looking at a late July-early August date for the NYC Levelfest. Got a great suggestion about a barbecue, but unless someone's got a penthouse apartment about which we don't know (I sold mine last year so I could buy my Chapman stick) it would have to be held in the outer boroughs or the suburbs. I live on Long Island, but my house is under renovation. My suggestion for a date: Saturday, 8 August. Proposed itinerary: NOON -- Chow-down at Official All-Star Cafe. (If anyone wants the '21' Club, show me the money.) 2 p.m. or thereabouts: Record run. We head down to HMV in Herald Square this time. 5-6 p.m. Barbecue or other chowdown at a residence. If anyone would be gracious to host the last half of the Levelfest, I will supply the lion's share of the munchies. Please E-mail me with feedback, suggestions, etc. The address: dfmock @ rocketmail.com Thanks. The Duke _________________________________________________________ DO YOU YAHOO!? Get your free @yahoo.com address at http://mail.yahoo.com ------------------------------ Subject: 'Pursuit' Words at the beginning From: "Phil Murray" Date: Sat, 20 Jun 1998 19:49:35 +1000 Regarding Charle's query on what the guys say at the beginning of the track "The Pursuit of Accidents"; I must have sat down and tried to work this one out for years, but can't get it. Does anyone know? It's really been buggin' me for a long time. Secondly, I'd like to comment on fellow Sydney member of the Digest, Rebecca Johnson. I've watched her in different bands over the years, firstly seeing her in a group in the eighties called Hip Hop, covering some Levels tracks. She is a fantastic bass player and is a real pleasure to watch. Anyone interested in seeing a quality bassist should go and check her out; this chick goes off! By the way, Rebecca, what's your latest group? Finally, I'd like to quickly comment on some Level 42 albums. I too think that "The Early Tapes" is brilliant; particularly such songs as "Sandstorm" and "Paradise is Free" are killers. I cannot identify any album that stands head and shoulders above the rest in terms of those with the original line-up with the Gould brothers. But I must say I thought that Guaranteed was their least best. Forever Now was a good album. It may have been very polished, but their is a real cool and stlyish sound on it. The U.S version contains some of the best tracks on it, that unfortunately did not make it on the Aussie realese. How smooth is "The Bends"? Anyway, see ya real soon, Phil Murray