From: Level42-request @ worldmachine.com (Level42 Digest) Subject: Level42 Digest V2000 #166 _ ____ _ ____ _ _ ___ // //__ // / //__ // /__// __// //__ //__ \\_/ //__ //__ // /__ D I G E S T Level42 Digest Volume 2000 : Issue 166 1331 subscribers Today's topics: Those damn Dutchies... huijts The L42 MIDI Files writer is back! Mr C.A. Mocke Napster, Top 5 Jay Krause Re: Level42 Digest V2000 #165 ElSavannah Hmmmmm whats going on Lisa Harding Top Tracks & More M. Payne Re: 16 BIT 24 BIT John R. Ramberg Da Lata in NYC Winston Walker Mark King Concert HB ------------------------------ Subject: Those damn Dutchies... From: "huijts" Date: Sat, 5 Aug 2000 12:01:06 +0200 -----Original Message----- From: huijts [mailto:huijts @ westbrabant.net] Sent: vrijdag 4 augustus 2000 9:27 To: 'level42 @ worldmachine.com' Subject: Those damn Dutchies... Hey there, Lolita, please don't say all Dutchies are complaining when there's only one (or two) ? about Mark not gigging in our small, irrelativ, meaningles country. True, I too have the wish to see perform Mark live here, and I have said that plenty times, still up to know I just went over to see Mark in London. I think it's a matter of what you can afford and what you are willing to spend for one or two gigs by your favorite artist. Fact is, that since Mr. Blair made that wonderfully stupid decision to take the UK out of the European Monetary Union, the pound has risen and risen for us European mainlanders. UK prices are insanely high. This automaticaly means that it must be relatively cheap to hop over and stay here for one or two gigs for British people. So what's Marks problem ? When I asked him at the Superfuif gig, he explained that we had to turn to MOJO concerts to make him able to play here. I'm sure Mark is willing to play here in Holland (hey, I guess he can stay with his parents-in-law if he's on a tight budget ?);) Fact is that MOJO concerts is THE company doing all the gigs here. If I'm not mistaking they were bought by a simular US company last year. If they're not with you, it seems you don't have a big chance of performing here. I don't understand how this works, since Holland has a free trading market, but they seem to have a monopoly position. That was probably also the reason why Mark did a lot of other European countries on the One Man tour, but not Holland. To put things in perspective: Holland traditionaly picks up new music and artists pretty well, both from the US and UK. English is not a barrier and the market is small so quick reacting on new styles etc. Holland was the first country outside the UK to pick up Level 42. Love Games was a much bigger hit here than in the UK and their first live performances were all sold out from the start. The Paradiso gig in Amsterdam was remebered by Mark aa one of his best gigs ever. Level 42 was very popular in the late 80's, being one of the top selling acts both in records and live performances. We just all have a feeling that it _would_ be financialy possible to have some gigs here, since Level 42 is still quite well-known here. There's a reason for Mark to be invited to join the Night Of The Proms tour (only top-acts are invited for this like Sting, Supertramp, UB40, Chrissie Hynde to name just a few), to be invited to a TV program dedicated to him (Lalalalive). Remeber this all happened in 1998, not the late 80's. I am sure there are still lots and lots of Dutchies who would like to see a gig, but are not that big a fan to cross the channel to go over, if and that's even more important, they are already aware of Marks'gigs at all..... F.i. my brother loves L42 and went to gigs with me in '88 and '91 and the Superfuif gig last year, but he's just not big enough a fan to go with me to London. I'm sure there are many more like him. So that's probably our frustration. If Da Lata can tour the world, why can''t Mark ?? Still: I guess I'll come over to London in November again, I'm just to happy that Mark is performing AT ALL !!! (What spoilt people we are !) Tom wrote: >c'mon, Bush and Gore, traffic, 97,000 kinds of cereal to have to choose from, >insipid corporate teen-pop, incessant soft-porn videos sucking the substance >out >of what music used to mean, AND no Level 42 ever. EVER! >meanwhile you in the Netherlands get to bike around, smell tulips, smoke dope >legally, and relatively wallow in Mark King exposure. Trade ya?!? :) >(no offense meant, but apparently I can whine louder!) Haha, I'm glad we don't have to choose between Bush and Gore (what a choice to make ! I wish you wisdom, people of America). No, we have a wonderful primeminister called Wim Kok (what's in a name (it's Dutch for Cook by the way)) who is about as charismatic and exiting as a lamppost. Boring, always trying to compromise and no vision. Typicaly for Dutch people I would guess, that's why he's so popular over here ! Traffic , traffic HAAA you never have seen the traffic jams here !!! May I remind you that we are the most overpopulated country in Europe ? Teen-pop ? What do you guess is in the charts over here ? Ahhhhh, here we go again: typical tourist vision of our small country: Bikes, Tulips, Drugs and you forgot about all this SEX ! (How do you think we got overpopulated, aside from all the foreigners living here ?) Well I guess my mail is WAY to long already, so I'll just put on my wooden shoes, hop on my bike to ride through the tulip fields to work in my windmill while I smoke some dope all the way ! Bye bye ! Groetjes, Andre P.S. Some Dutch people do not agree with the tolerant policy about drugs in their country. When I went to the NSJ festival I got high from all the weed being smoked there. I hate it ! ------------------------------ Subject: The L42 MIDI Files writer is back! From: "Mr C.A. Mocke" Organization: Telkom SA Date: Sat, 05 Aug 2000 12:18:51 +0200 Hello friends! Well, after a month-long holiday to Europe, I am back in the country of Milk and Honey - where the milk is stolen out of your tea (i.e. South Africa!) :-) The highlight of my tour being, of course, meeting Mike at the Da Lata show at the Barbican in London on the 16th of July 2000. Many, many thanks go out to Bilal who was there with me and hooked me up with Mike. To see Mike perform on his legendary Prophet 5 and actually meeting him was a true honour indeed! Mike signed my Level Best album cover, posed for a few photo's, and we talked about my Level 42 MIDI files. The one that's in the works at the moment is called The Level 42 Millennium Mix, and plans are to release it before the end of September. Ralph v.d. Heijden, a friend in The Netherlands, is also helping with various parts of the MIDI File. Ons sal moet wikkel Ralph - nie meer baie tyd oor nie - ons moet kyk of ons dit kan klaarkry voor die einde van September!! :-) I want to thank everyone who helped me with my trip by providing information, etc. An enormous thank you goes out to my friend Fiona Klimczak, a member of the Digest, who provided me with invaluable information on the gigs and getting around in London, etc. THANK YOU FIONA!!!!! :-) Also, thanks to Rob van Aperen whom I visited in The Netherlands. Had a great Level 42 jamming session - I was a great sing-along at Starchild, hey? ;-) Re: Tears for Fears GREAT 80's and 90's band. Listen to them almost as much as Level 42. I have read about the mailing list Mike Payne has created; I will join promptly and take part in discussions about this stunning band and its music! Re: Nokia Ringtones Andre Huijts asked about converting MIDI files to Nokia mobile phone ringtones. Yes it is possible and very easy! All I do is to record the tune on my keyboard into a MIDI file on channel 1 and track 1 on my s/w sequencer, and Viola! You have a ringtone for your Nokia! Now, as a special favour, I will record any requested Level 42 song into a ringtone for anyone of you and you can put it on your Nokia phone! (if your phone supports it - mine doesn't!) I will also put them on my MIDI Files page soon for download. SO, let me know which songs you want as ringtones (ANY Level 42 tunes!), and I'll do that for you and e-mail you the file. No problem! :-) Re: Slapping A friend of mine slaps on an acoustic guitar. I thought this was dorkish, but it actually sounds very cool, with a very good sound. Anyone got any comments about this? Any comments on slapping on instruments other then an electric bass? I have tried slapping on an acoustic guitar but the sound is a bit dull; I suppose I need some practise. Well, that's my two cents for now. I'll put up the photo's of my meet with Mike on the forevernow.com MIDI files page soon, along with the release of The Level 42 Millennium Mix. Till later then friends, Keep well Charl OOOO OO -- Mr C.A. Mocke, Software Designer & Developer, Telkom SA UNIBase ISIS Information Systems Pty. (Ltd.) Reg. No. 83/14052/07 Tel: + 27 (0)83 2857506 E-mail: charl42 @ telkomsa.net Fax: + 27 (0)21 4181288 Web : http://unibase.telkom.co.za/ ------------------------------ Subject: Napster, Top 5 From: "Jay Krause" Date: Sat, 5 Aug 2000 13:08:38 +0100 Napster is handy - but doesn't it go soon? I don't know. I've got some pretty good stuff I've never hear like Beezer One, and this recording of mark at NAMM. Nice top five - although I've never really gotten into lying still, maybe I'll have to give it another listen. Glad to see 43 and 88 up there though, if just one of them is played then I'll be happy, it'll be really interesting to hear how there played now. bye dale ------------------------------ Subject: Re: Level42 Digest V2000 #165 From: ElSavannah @ aol.com Date: Sat, 5 Aug 2000 09:07:30 EDT Hi All Long time no post. I just wanted you let you know that there a couple of things new on www.mrspink.co.uk to keep you all happy for a littel while until the re issues come out (i cant wait!) firstly i have put the covers to the re issues up there in the fullness and loveliness. so have a look if you want tosee in advance what you are buying! secondly, i have a competition running with esprit for the chance to win a ltd edtn tracie 7" tour gtefold sleeve. All you have to do is answer the really easy question from esprits web site (link on my page) and email me at webmaster @ mrspink.co.uk with the answer. you all have two weeks and the first answer picked at random wins the prixe delivered P+P free from esprit. if this is successful, i will be running this competition on bi monthly basis so enjoy. thats all for now as i have no understanding of 24 bit technology and therefore have nothing else relevant to say!!!! regards one and all Lisa 'Mrs Pink' ------------------------------ Subject: Hmmmmm whats going on From: "Lisa Harding" Date: Sat, 5 Aug 2000 14:27:30 +0100 Hi all I have to say that I have just seen the list of tracks that everyone has suggested and while some are very cool, others disappoint me like the inclusion of Love Games. I thought the whole idea was to vote for something that we had not heard live before! I also think it is quite sad that no one else voted for anything off of Influences. Am I the only one who would love to hear anything of that album played live? I know that to play the essential would be slightly difficult but segments of the album would be very cool, like Barcelona which as most of you know was the bside to clocks go forward. I don't think it would be too hard to play that live or any of the other tracks on the album. It has been a long time since I have been massively excited by a set list and while this gets me half excited, it has a long way to go before it becomes a classic. I'm not getting at anyone but I think we could be a bit more imaginative. we are being given the chance of a lifetime here to get Mark to possibly play what WE want so I think we could put some more real obscure gems in there. IMHO. that said though - the choice of true believers was also one of my votes so I am very glad that that has made it up there and 43 would be mind blowing if Mark picked it. As any of you who know me will tell you, I am happy with as many instrumentals as I can get my ears around. (not that there is anything wrong with marks voice, but I do prefer to lose myself in some quality bass playing etc!) rant over, let the back lash begin Lisa 'Mrs Pink' Ps - with regards to the Dutchies coming over for the gigs. I think that anyone who comes over for a gig from another country deserves the utmost respect but if you cant make it I sympathise. I spent many years going nuts knowing that the boys were playing abroad and I could not go due to money. At the end of the day one thing prevents bands from going places nowadays and that is hard cash. it is damn expensive and most bands don't make a profit anymore. Mark obviously cant do a few of the places we would like due to money and if you aint got record company backing then that makes it worse. Bear in mind he also has his family to think of and during level 42's lifetime he must have missed a lot of his kids growing up. he has been quoted as saying that he wants to spend more time with his kids and family, and I think that that over all else would be the deciding factor. how many of you are parents and would want to go on a three to six month tour knowing that you could no take your kids because they had to go to school or whatever? Not many I think. We just have to respect Mark's decision and do what we can to get to some gigs. Peace guys and gals, one day he'll cross the channel again. ------------------------------ Subject: Top Tracks & More From: "M. Payne" Date: Sat, 05 Aug 2000 10:57:27 CDT I hope that everybody is having a GREAT weekend so far, I am at work so mine hasn't started yet! Oh-well.... I TRULY hope that MK plays Lying Still in his set, I would love to hear an extended guitar solo in that song. Also, I forgot about the track True Believers, WOW, that would rock! But I must say that a GREAT closing song of the encore would be The Machine Stops, can you imagine all of the solo opprotunites that song has in the end (MARK KING IF YOU SEE THIS) HINT HINT HINT!!! I have never been a great fan of their Instrumentals, but as of late, I have enjoyed 43 and ROTHRM. I predict that when these re-issues come out, that everyone will go back and listen to some tracks that they have forgotten about (in my case You Can't Blame Louis) and realise how great L42 is or was take your pick! I just know that whatever songs Mark chooses in Nov will be great and the "singing and jumpin' crew" will be there. Although, I am wearing steel-toed boots this time round! :) Mikey ________________________________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at http://www.hotmail.com ------------------------------ Subject: Re: 16 BIT 24 BIT From: "John R. Ramberg" Date: Sat, 05 Aug 2000 13:26:05 -0600 Hi John, This is my first post to the digest. I am a bass player in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada and I also run a project recording studio. All of my recording is done in the digital realm and I hope I can shed some light on the 16 - 24 bit issue. > > I believe my CD player mentions it is a 20 bit device. Your CD player more than likely has a 20 bit internal processing path but all Red Book, re. Commercial, audio CD's are 16 bit, 44.1 kHz. This doesn't mean it can play 20 bit material but means that your CD player will not degrade the 16 bit audio present on the CD. > Now my question is, if my player is capable of 24 bit and the remasters are > 24 bit, will I derive any benefits from my player? Might they sound better > than my "normal" 20 bit CD player? OK, the masters were "Re-Mastered" at 24 bit resolution and more than likely 96 kHz sample rate from the original 2 track mix tapes and then dithered back down to 16 bit and sample rate converted to 44.1 kHz for the Red Book pressing. There has been some skepticism in regards to this process as to whether it will improve the sound quality of the re-mastered releases. In my experience, YES, even though they are at 16 bit consumer Red Book when released. When dealing with higher resolutions in the mastering process, the mastering engineer has a sonically superior recording to work with before it has to be converted to 16 bit 44.1 kHz for commercial release. This allows the engineer much more resolution to be able to hear more things that the normal listener will never hear thus allowing the engineer to make a master that is by far superior to the earlier masters. Hope this helps, FWIW, John ------------------------------ Subject: Da Lata in NYC From: "Winston Walker" Date: Sat, 5 Aug 2000 23:33:46 -0400 Well, just a short note regarding the Da Lata show in Central Park. In a word, they were great, and Mike was superb on electric piano, and Prophet 5. The band got a great response from the crowd, and were the last band to play, which suprised us all. After the show, Lolita, Laure, Dan James, Alandis, Rich and I were all able to meet Lindup for a few minutes. Cant wait to see the band again tomorrow evening. Again, the music was awesome, and the band VERY impressive. tcoy, Winston ------------------------------ Subject: Mark King Concert From: NewSonicMan @ t-online.de (HB) Date: Sun, 6 Aug 2000 11:28:43 +0200 Hi, i have a problem. I want to go with my girlfriend to the concert from MK at 12 Nov 2000 London Jazz Cafe. I need admission ticket. But i live in Germany and no one here can sell me tickets. Who can buy for me the tickets???? I will send the money to you. OK??? Who want`s to melp me??? Please send me a Email (NewSonicMan @ T-Online.de) many thanks to all cu Holger