From: Level42-request @ worldmachine.com (Level42 Digest) Subject: Level42 Digest V99 #10 _ ____ _ ____ _ _ ___ // //__ // / //__ // /__// __// //__ //__ \\_/ //__ //__ // /__ D I G E S T Level42 Digest Volume 99 : Issue 10 971 subscribers Today's topics: One man among many. ElSavannah Friends around the world morgan42 Gary Husband CD, AZ Digesters WHATSUPDOC Boon Laurence Green Favorite Drum Tracks OgdenWSFC The Big Boon Theory OgdenWSFC Mark and Mark Daniel James Changing The Guard & Boon & well okay other stu>> Michael T Payne Boon Conspiracy Dave Mock ass kissing Nigel Collier Re: Level42 Digest V99 #9 Bert Monteiro Tickets? Vicki Marchant Word machine Laurence F. GREEN Drumming (again), oh and Stanley Clarke too... HAMMOND Paul ------------------------------ Subject: One man among many. From: ElSavannah @ aol.com Date: Sun, 10 Jan 1999 06:33:57 EST hi all I have to disagree with the comments by the two fans who have just recently got hold of a copy of One Man out in the states. I think referring to the album as sissy stuff is a tad unfair. At the end of the day in order to survive all musicians have to grow and try new things, mark is a very creative person and as you can imagine has a billion ideas going round in his head. One Man is a result of these ideas as have all of the Level 42 albums been (In no way am I discounting the other members contributions - without Phil and Boons lyrics the songs would only have been half has good) As a creative force you are constantly looking for new exciting ways to express yourself and this is what Mark is trying to do. OK some things work and some things don't but you have to try or you'll never know. Don't forget that there is a lot more to it than just putting songs out on a CD and hoping the world likes it - there are many factors involved some of which are out of the artists control. You have to take into account commercial viability of prospective singles and running times etc. There is also the possibility that this album may not be exactly what Mark himself wanted to release, after all it is comon lknowledge that he had over three albums worth of material to choose form. so who knows. I personaly think that there are some excellent moments on the album (One Man, Bitter moon, Changing of the guard, Love wars) and some not so good moments (If I had something to tell you) At the endo f the day its all down to personal tastes and if you don't like it then hey at least you've got 15 or so Level 42 albums to keep you happy. (I bet the second album has a lot more direction though so stay with it) Thats only my opinion - I'd be interested in others. let me know Lisa 'Mrs Pink' ------------------------------ Subject: Friends around the world From: morgan42 @ club-internet.fr Date: Sun, 10 Jan 1999 14:02:35 +0100 Hi there ! As there are thousands of Level 42 fans dotted all around the world, and quite a few you visit my site [http://www.level42.com] (thanks), why not try and make contact with one another ? The old fan list has been deleted so please submit your info again ! Thanxx ! http://www.level42.com/friends.html Morgan. ------------------------------ Subject: Gary Husband CD, AZ Digesters From: "WHATSUPDOC" Date: Sun, 10 Jan 1999 07:06:24 -0600 Gary Husband has a new CD just out called "Diary of a Plastic Box"! It was recorded while he was on tour from the years '89 through '95 on his Korg M1 Workstation in his spare time. He states in the liner notes that life on the road is filled with many layovers, delays and endless days off which is an almost criminal waste of time. To make some of this time productive he has worked on the keyboard side of his career and has set up his Korg in whatever situation he was in-hotel rooms, dressing rooms or even on the tour bus. The album is mainly him improvising on the keyboard with a rhythm track and sounds like something off a Allan Holdsworth album. Interesting stuff! I am now really looking forward to his trio CD that has been mentioned in recent digests. I talked to Gary once following an Allan Holdsworth concert a few years ago and he stated that he wanted to do a solo album sometime and that he had great fun playing with Level 42! I got this CD through Audiophile Imports which also has the Gary Husband video that someone was asking about recently. Also, I know that there are a few digesters in Arizona and I would like to know if any of you would like to meet sometime. We could get together and listen to music or watch videos and just make new friends. E-mail me if any of you have any interest in doing this and we can plan something! Steve ------------------------------ Subject: Boon From: "Laurence Green" Date: Sun, 10 Jan 1999 14:57:00 -0000 Favorite track off TinMan, Hmmm, so difficult, so many. Growing Wild in The Desert is a song about when Boon was staying with a friend in an American desert (Nevada?) and not about Jesus Christ as I thought. Well, thats what Boon says anyway, but what with all the religious connotations on that track I do wonder. There's Kick or the Kiss, Baby I Know. But probably the best track for me is Knight, stunning. We should be hearing more from Boon this year. He and Mark may be writing together again later this year. Cross your fingers!!!!!!!! LOZ ------------------------------ Subject: Favorite Drum Tracks From: OgdenWSFC @ aol.com Date: Sun, 10 Jan 1999 10:04:58 EST I am personally partial to Phil Gould's left handed hi-hat technique. There are many drummers that play riding with the left hand, but none, IMHO, that do it quite as fluently and effortlessly as Phil. My favorite drum tracks are great examples of that technique: #1 Hot Water (accented with a combination of open and closed strokes all through the tune) #2 It's Over (not many drummers can carry a spacious groove and not feel like the have to fill up every hole; he is especially sensitive to the vocal with the volume of his HH)) #3 Lessons in Love (again, a great representation of his open to closed hi- hat wizardry on the choruses; few drummers have the balls to put the accents where he does, and you won't hear that anywhere else -- totally Phil!) #4 Fashion Fever (yet another great sampling of Phil's quick left hand and strange accent placement -- he knows how to drive a song very well) Wow, Bilal....great excuse to critically listen to some of my favorite tracks!!! Thank you!!!! On a final note about the drummers of L42, I've always maintained that though Gary Husband is obviously a world class musician, Phil Gould fit with the group way better; however, I assume it's because of Phil being in the original incarnation of the group and Gary having such a limited time to be involved. When you are a "pinch hitter" like that, it's more difficult to meld with the sound due to lack of original vision and history. Husband, however, put out some incredibly wonderful music with L42, and as we all know, was and still is probably one of the best drummers to see in a live setting. See ya, Levelheads! Ogden ------------------------------ Subject: The Big Boon Theory From: OgdenWSFC @ aol.com Date: Sun, 10 Jan 1999 10:17:35 EST Yesterday, Dan Nesselroth wrote: I have always had a funny idea that I could not shake, regarding Boon's appearances in the "Running in the Family" videos........ I believe it is NOT Boon at all. I think Boon was already resting at home or in some hospital, and the band did not want it public on the heels of "Running in the Family"....By the "Children Say" shoot they had gotten everything out of the release that they could. Pushing "Children Say" was the final aspect of the "Running in the Family" work. Boon and Phil are gone. I think the "Boon" in those videos is an impostor!!!!! I have myself wondered about this for a very long time. Could it be??? First the demise of the band, then Mark giving up his funky bass lines, now this...........Oh my God, it's all a conspiracy!!!! Have fun, kids! Ogden (again) ------------------------------ Subject: Mark and Mark From: Daniel James Date: Sun, 10 Jan 1999 11:50:32 -0800 (PST) > My question is this, can anyone tell me if Mark is touring with his > band now, and if there is a schedule for touring in the united > states.... if not in the U.S. , then this time I will fly to wherever > HE IS....addicted in chicago....Dr. B. Well then, I hope you've got your passport and that cheap flights are still available. There is a rather large group of us flying to England to catch three of the shows. Most of us are flying out sometime on the 28th of this month to catch the Leicester show on the 29th, then there is a show in London and Wolverhampton within a few days of that show. Most folk are then flying home the 3rd or 4th, except for a few of us that are carrying on to Ireland and France. Information on these shows is available in the archives, and on http://www.mark-king.com/ > You mentioned a Live Wembley Video with Gary on drums. I have Wembley > Live with Phil and "Fait Accompli" with Gary. Are there other live > videos that I am missing? Yes, Guaranteed Live, if you can find it. I think Audiophile Imports will be happy to charge you a premium to make a dub of one of their copies on mono for you :) > A friend from England brought over Mark's new solo album. Another > friend and myself who are huge Level fans think it's horrible. I don't > know what you'all are talking about. Just because it's Mark King > doesn't mean it's good. The guy's gone looney. That album is like > Running in the Family but even more pleasant or something. He's > forgotten about making up cool sounding basslines and using cool bass' > and he's trying to make good music and it's not working. Well I have to respect everyone else's opinion, but I think your impressions of the album are based on comparing it to other works. I know we all have a tendency to do this; I did it myself with the album and was hugely disappointed because I was expecting another Influences, or stuff similar to what we all heard on The Pier. However, when I stepped back and listened to the album as a whole--as an individual collection of works, I found I really liked some of the songs a lot. I think Bitter Moon is beautiful, as is Love Games, and many of the other songs are great. It's not Influences, and it's not early Level 42, but it *is* One Man. ------------------------------ Subject: Changing The Guard & Boon & well okay other stuff From: "Michael T Payne" Date: Sun, 10 Jan 1999 15:17:56 -0600 Hello, My name is Mikey42 and I am a L42 addict....... I always wanted to say that...... Hello FREINDS, Well not much longer until the gigs, I feel as though time has just stopped and not moving at all. 2 1/2 weeks for me.....Where is Q, and I don't mean Quetzaquawatl, or however you spell that, to move me throught ime to the 27th Jan. Nigel Collier, GREAT DISECTION OF THE CHANGING THE GUARD SONG.......I will never listen to it the same now. I would really like to know the story of Pamela, I bet some old Polydor execs named Pamela, Todd, and Mary Lou. But funny, I actually felt, when I first heard it, that it was sort of a statement song for him saying basically what you wrote, just not so in depth. Lets see if Mark, upon reading that, comments on that or not. BOON- Imposter? Nah! Although, I think that he just stood there did what he had to do so he could go home and get out of the 'uncomfortable' enviornment. I think he would have rather not been famous at all, like Phil, and just play the smaller halls and wine clubs that L42 did prior to 1983. If you look at the earlier shows, like the Rockpalast gigs and the IOW Play at Home and then compare it to the interview with them in LA 1986, I think you'll see quite a different person, after all they ALL had gone through quite alot of things in a short amount of time, being in a superficial business that could fall down around you at any moment and being so very far away from their familes- I guess would tend to make some feel the way that they indeed felt and it would lend itself to bad health practices and depression. I rest my case! Well, after speaking to many of you, I really can't wait for the London gig in particular, as what 60 of us in the same room at a MK gig.........too good to be true? Beside meeting Mark again, I cant wait to meet all of you.....should be a hell of a show!!!!!!!! BTW: The GODS were wrong on the next single, I remember the visions of Love Wars being the next single...HHHMMMMM.... Well, maybe the GODS will be right about the L42 reunion in 2001, oooppps did I say that! Well I guess this is all coming from the GODS that said that Mike and Mark in 1996 were getting back together as THE NEW AVENGERS.....did I miss that album and tour? I wonder what the GODS say about Mikle Lindup's presence at the Shepard Bush show..........chanting as we speak!!!!!!!! Since I had to come into work today, being Sunday YUCK, I thought I would write and say HI and look forward to the end of this month, IT"S GOING TO BE GREAT!!!!!!!! All the level best as always..... Mikey42 PS: Can I just ask one tiny thing...when this tour starts can we refrain from putting his set list on the digest, as some of us want to be surpised when we hear it for ourselves......that always bugs me......or if you want to post it could you WARN us prior in your posting. for those of us who don't want to know? PSS: Boon and Phil are getting together and calling themselves THE OLD AVENGERS! (2 cents) Mikey42 ------------------------------ Subject: Boon Conspiracy From: Dave Mock Date: Sun, 10 Jan 1999 13:19:08 -0800 (PST) Hey, Micro-Kids: Re the Boon Gould conspiracy: Good observations re his clothing in the "Running In the Family" clips. Still, the promo for "To Be With You Again" shows a thin Boon as usual (take a look near the end, when the four Level 42 members walk out and lipsync the refrain one last time). And when they do the head shots near the end, I can recognize Boon's eyes. If anyone would want not to show up for the shoots at this point in L42's life, you'd think it was Phil. Apparently, he was too professional for that. BTW: I asked this question over a year ago and am still wondering: Who's the model in "To Be With You Again?" TCOY, The Duke "...brotherhood is not so wild a dream as those who profit by postponing it pretend." (Norman Corwin) ------------------------------ Subject: ass kissing From: Nigel Collier Date: Mon, 11 Jan 1999 00:31:20 +0000 > A friend from England brought over Mark's new solo album...it's > horrible...Just because it's Mark King doesn't mean it's good...He's > forgotten about making up cool sounding basslines...I'm listing to the > Physical Presence right now, and THAT is Mark King Heresy, heresy, and again I must repeat, heresy! No, actually Inzo you have a point, that WAS Mark on PP - the Mark most of us prefer as a bassist but I still _like_ One Man...a lot. I'm not kissing Mark's arse (unless he asks me nicely, and providing he hasn't just finished a particularly sweaty gig whilst wearing those leather trousers he insists on), I just like it and I appreciate what he's doing. Also, I suspect he hasn't forgotten how to do great basslines - he's just busy with other things. There are still some nice whiffs of bass playing on One Man - you just need a more delicate palate: like the bottom end note he plays on Resupply after the line, "Just 'cos I cursed you". The more I listen to Changing the Guard the more I think it would make a great live track and a fantastic finale to the gig - there's so much scope for stringing it out and for all the band to go beserk on their respective instruments - not least Mark... Regards (Manchester, T-minus-13...) 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 V99 #9 From: SmokinBert @ webtv.net (Bert Monteiro) Date: Sun, 10 Jan 1999 23:15:49 -0500 (EST) Its great to know that there are still people out there living L42.I first saw L42 on their first U.S.tour World Machine at a small club called the Living Room;we nicknamed it the Bubble,here in Rhode Island.It was a warmup gig for the tour.The band proceeded to burn up the stage-LITERRALY-with their brand of fusion funk.The so called musicians here would say oh they used sequencing,computers,drum machines and did not really play their instruments.HA HA HA yeah right.People forgot there were still people out there that could still play like a Stanley Clarke,Ray Gomez,Jan Hammer etc..I have been devoted since that night.To me thebiggest thing for me is Mark King"s great independance between vocals and playing.They are one of greatest bands that ever existed and will live on.One Man is fantastic ,i want to get my hands on Gary Husbands instructional video,that would be something,Mike Lindup-Changes,Boon Gould-Tinman,AAALLL OOOFFF IIITTT. Has anybody picked septembers issue of Bassist magazine featuring M.K..How does his new Ashdown setup sound,let me know.Long live L42 L42 L42. Ber Monteiro SmokinBert..... Smokin the Music Worldwide ------------------------------ Subject: Tickets? From: Vicki Marchant Organization: University College Dublin Date: Mon, 11 Jan 1999 10:01:17 +0000 (GMT) To my great relief the good forces of the world have conspired together to mean I might, just might be able to make it to the Empire gig. Just one main problem... would someone be able to get me 2 tickets and give them to me on the night? If anyone would be as kind as to offer their services could they e-mail me personally. Thanks Vicki ------------------------------ Subject: Word machine From: Laurence.F..GREEN @ amazon.shu.ac.uk (Laurence F. GREEN) Organization: Sheffield Hallam University Date: Mon, 11 Jan 1999 10:01:33 -0000 Hi all, To any new subscribers, I produce a Level 42 fanzine called, 'Word Machine' in full colour with interviews with band members etc etc etc. Mail me for details if you would like to buy one (there is an American distributor too). I have actually had a back log whilst moving house unfortunately, but now all owed copies have been posted some of you will be glad to know. I am now back operating on the mail same day as recieved cheque policy. I write this today because I am about to start work on issue 3. So anyone who wants to contribute please get a move as I hope for it to be ready in a month or 2. I have quite a good issue planned, with more band interviews, discography, etc, etc. Yours..............LOZ ------------------------------ Subject: Drumming (again), oh and Stanley Clarke too... From: HAMMOND Paul Date: Mon, 11 Jan 1999 09:07:00 -0000 Hey all, > Zak "I got Roland V-drums for Christmas!" Nilsson Lucky man... > P.S., this of course means I can put live drumming into my MIDI files! Uh-oh .. now we're in for a treat... :-) > BTW, have I ever mentioned that the best drum instructor I ever had was > my World Machine CD? ;) Me too. Small world! Physical Presence was my back up tutor when World Machine was sick... > The hi-hat is my bitch Except that your bitch is now made of dual-trigger-zone disc of hard rubber.... ;-) For me the best drumming tracks are (in no particular order): ... ... ... Oh heck, I love 'em all .. just way too hard to choose a shortlist.... For me the drumming on pretty much every 42 track is spot on. On a slightly off-topic note .. was listening to Stanley Clarke's "If This Bass Could Only Talk" the other day. I knew track 4 ("Stories To Tell") features Stewart Copeland on drums (damn fine) but as I listened to the guitar solo, it dawned on me that I knew that guitar sound too. Checked the liner notes and confirmed that it was in fact Allan Holdsworth. You could almost take one part of that solo and bolt it straight into "A Kinder Eye"! Anyway .. great track, top bass player, smashing drummer and cooool guitarist! Check it out... (drum and) Bass (and guitar) Regards, PH.