From: Level42-request @ worldmachine.com (Level42 Digest) Subject: Level42 Digest V2000 #22 _ ____ _ ____ _ _ ___ // //__ // / //__ // /__// __// //__ //__ \\_/ //__ //__ // /__ D I G E S T Level42 Digest Volume 2000 : Issue 22 1179 subscribers Today's topics: Fn Garanteed SED\ Mikes gigs and Nokia ringtones Clare Reeves Slave Lolitaj various stuff Winston Walker Ive been doing to much Overtime ZTAVENDL Re: Level42 Digest V2000 #21 nickbennett SWAP REQUEST: Steely Dan's "Two Against Nature >> John Shuford Published songs DonZipf Re: Level42 Digest V2000 #21 Andrew Goodwin Who is that drummer? Mike Payne Literary references KNAPPT Huh?? KNAPPT british? Huge Rademaker ------------------------------ Subject: Fn Garanteed From: L.F.Green @ shu.ac.uk (Laurence F. GREEN\(SED\)) Date: Tue, 14 Mar 2000 12:51:05 +0000 Guaranteed - I regard this as Mikes album. I think Mike's contribution to this album on the writing and producing side of things made up his largest contribution to any single album. And interestingly if you look at all the Level 42 albums and pick one out that is really quite different musically from any of the others (allowing for the natural progression of things) you would probably say it was Guaranteed. The Irony here is that Mikes solo album Changes, although it has no input from Goulds or King is pure Level 42? That makes me feel that Level 42 is not just the sum of the parts, but an essential motivating emotion behind the music which was perhaps absent for whatever reason on Guaranteed. For Forever Now Phil injected a new impetus, a new depth and the progression of Level 42 continued. I think genrerally most people will say that Forever Now had a pure clean Level 42 sound which Guaranteed definitly lacked - Guaranteed was a great album, but poor Level 42. I think the same of One Man, it was an album that although Level 42 was always just under the surface it was never explicitely realised in the music. I hope (pointlessly perhaps) that the original 4 members can regroup and attempt to produce the final, defintive Level 42 album - I have to be frank and I don;t think personnally that an album by Mark and Mike would be as good as an album that included at least one Gould and I don;t think any album comprising of three of the original memebers would be as good as one having a contribution from all of them - anyway, I lose myself. I think Mark uses commercial succes as his measure for which tracks to play. I think Mark feels that becasue Guaanteed and Forever Now contained no realy big singles that none of those track are worthy of playing - the truth of course is different. Some forever now track were just made to be played live -I personnnaly thought One In A Milion was a magnificent track when played live. I'm not sure whether RCA problems prevent Mark and Mike playing those tracks live - There was album deal with RCA which was supposed to finish with a live album - that will never see the light of day, not by RCA anyway. If we're honest - Polydor were a good record company to Level 42. They were right about Guaranteed - I sometimes wish they could have gone along with Polydors wishes and wrote some more stuff, if that had been the case Level 42 would probably just be coming to the end of their Polydor deal and we would have 4 more albums than we do. L()Z ------------------------------ Subject: Mikes gigs and Nokia ringtones From: Clare Reeves Date: Tue, 14 Mar 2000 13:23:21 -0000 Hello ! Looks like Lisa Hack and I could be going to Mikes gig tomorrow.. who else will be there? Also, on the ringtones thing.. I think the opening to Heaven in My Hands would be an excellent ringtone on the mobile!! xxx Clare Reeves Studio Manager, Africa and Middle East Region World Service, BBC Resources ------------------------------ Subject: Slave From: Lolitaj @ aol.com Date: Tue, 14 Mar 2000 08:30:08 EST Slave is fantastic - any funk fans should get The Best of Slave CD. Just a Touch of Love, Weak at the Knees, Nobody Can Be You... the list goes on and on. I don't know what happened to them, but I do know that Steve Arrington [the more famous lead singer] is now a minister and swore off secular music. The rest of the band, I have no idea. Lolita ------------------------------ Subject: various stuff From: Winston Walker Date: Tue, 14 Mar 2000 09:07:20 -0500 Mikey, I dont think a record company can stop the guys from playing songs they have written. It just might be as simple as this: Mark prefers playing the older stuff. But, who knows? The only song I'd like to hear live is LIAPW from Forever Now. Funky T, I know you are probably correct about Jill Jones at the Ritz 87 show, but for the life of me I dont recall there being an opening artist. I thought maybe I arrived late, but if that were the case I never would have been able to be right up front. I do recall the band 'Longhouse' opening in 1986. Oh well, I'm getting old. :-) Oh yeah, kudos on your remarks on Slave. They had one of the funkiest bass sounds around. If you want hear classic r&b/funk, and nice bass riffs, pick up the great SLAVE compilation on Rhino records. AG, thanks for the heads up on some musicians I've never heard of. I might have to pick up that boxed set from Tony Martin. However, the best jazz guitarist around lives right here in NYC, and his name is Mike Stern. Tjeerd, i think there is some confusion about the 'second' version of the Forever Now album. This was the version released on the RESURGENCE label. This was basically licensed to resurgence, and they took some tunes off, and added some others. The tunes added were not newley recorded, but were in fact b-sides already recorded, or slightly diff versions of the RCA versions. Perhaps Loz or someone else can shed some light on the real particulars of this album. (I actually prefer the RCA version) You do make a good point regarding the RCA material. While there are some great tunes on both of these albums, none of these tunes have reached the classic status in my opinion. A lot of this has to due with the fact that, unlike tracks like KC Milkman, The Chinese Way, etc, they have not been performed much live. tcoy, Winston ------------------------------ Subject: Ive been doing to much Overtime From: "ZTAVENDL" Date: Tue, 14 Mar 2000 14:26:08 -0000 I am writing this message half asleep, but I must agree about the fact that I was a little bit disappointed that "Staring at the sun" and "Guaranteed" sounded a bit rocky. I must admit that Alan Murphy could make some fabulous solo's, but unfortunately some of them did not really resemble with "that" Level 42 sound. I think you'll know what I mean. However, that does not mean I dont like these recordings, in fact, "Guaranteed" the song is quite good, and "Overtime" is superb.It's one of my favourite songs that they have done, its just like their old stuff. However the only time I have heard it is the video on the Forever now website! Hands up who's got Live at wembley on cd. My best mate has and I have recently put it on to Minidisc. However, people might agree with me on the subject of the way Mark sings on it. I really dont enjoy listening to "To be with you again", because of the way he sings it. Yes, the introduction straight after Heaven in my hands sounds wicked, but when the first verse comes in I usually skip to Children say. Then, Marks voice gets better, he seems to want to sing it properly. Perhaps its because "To be with you again" is a lot more difficult to sing. Please give me your views on this. Anyway, I think that there is at least three tracks that you can listen to on every album that they have released. In fact, I could listen to all of "Early Tapes", "Level 42", "Standing in the light", "World Machine", and "Running in the family", without skipping any tracks. Sorry if I have bored you with my views, but some people might find them interesting. Anyway see ya! ------------------------------ Subject: Re: Level42 Digest V2000 #21 From: nickbennett @ freesurf.ch Date: Tue, 14 Mar 2000 16:38:13 +0100 Subject: Re: Please remove from mailing listFrom: Onlyson @ aol.com Date: Mon, 13 Mar 2000 11:01:33 EST I have enjoyed being on your list for the past couple of years. But the group is gone, not coming back and Ive got all their cd's. I just don't have time to read the newsletter anymore. Thank you for removing me from yourlist. Charles Hill Hey Charles Guess what we got all the cds as well mate, congratulations. See ya!! -- Get your free email account at http://www.freesurf.ch ------------------------------ Subject: SWAP REQUEST: Steely Dan's "Two Against Nature Live" From: John Shuford Date: Tue, 14 Mar 2000 08:16:49 -0800 Dear All: Non-Level content, I suppose. I am wondering if anybody has a copy on CD of the Steely Dan concert that was on PBS past week. If you're a Dan fan and you missed it, you should kick yourself...twice. I haven't stopped listening to it! Willing to swap. Have L42 and related material available on CD. Please e-mail me privately at either of these addresses: DawgDadShuf @ aol.com (preferred address) shuf @ darkwing.uoregon.edu ------------------------------ Subject: Published songs From: DonZipf @ aol.com Date: Tue, 14 Mar 2000 11:57:48 EST > Someone wrote yesterday about why Mark hasn't played any material > from the Forever Now and Guaranteed albums. My guess (IMHO) is > that he is still under severe restraint from RCA regaring the performance > of these tracks from these two albums, as Level 42 did break their contract > with RCA/BMG after the breakup in October 1994. You don't need permission to perform published works. The licensing for the recordings is totally separate from the licensing of the songs. The fact that a song is published means that it is available for anyone, anytime, to perform or record, so long as the appropriate license fees are paid (and performance license fees are paid by the venues or tour promoters). I'm sure the reason he hasn't performed any material from those two albums is that there were no real hits from them (even though they are two of my favorite L42 albums). Cheers - Z. ------------------------------ Subject: Re: Level42 Digest V2000 #21 From: "Andrew Goodwin" Date: Tue, 14 Mar 2000 18:53:27 -0000 > Subject: American Ignorance and British Arrogance > From: "Brian Flint" > > Ignorance is rampant here in the states. Before > you Limey's agree with me, keep in mind something, just because we talk > funny, doesn't mean you are superior. Although I speak to you in plural, we > all know who this is directed towards. Do you mean "we all know towards whom this is directed"? AG ------------------------------ Subject: Who is that drummer? From: "Mike Payne" Date: Tue, 14 Mar 2000 15:01:44 CST Hello again, I was at the final tour for L42 at Brighton Dome and Albert Hall in 1994 during the Forever Now series....the drummer was Gavin Harrison? Does anybody know what he is doing, or has done prior? He was quite good I thought......any comments? Mikey42 :) ______________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com ------------------------------ Subject: Literary references From: KNAPPT @ ldcorp.com (KNAPPT) Date: Tue, 14 Mar 2000 17:22:24 -0500 You know, awhile back I asked if anyone knew of lit refs in level 42 other than foundation and empire, hours by the window, and eyes waterfalling. I thought before, but now feel sure that Dune tune is based on the frank herbert masterpiece Anyone agree? This might also explain why Boon named his daughter Chaini, a main character in the first 3 dune books and an unusual name!! Theron ------------------------------ Subject: Huh?? From: KNAPPT @ ldcorp.com (KNAPPT) Date: Tue, 14 Mar 2000 17:32:16 -0500 What 's with all those quiting the digest?? Mike on tour and new album on the way, Mark on tour and new demo disks / internet releases on the way, Phil releases a two disc set of drums (which I have and was WAY too damn expensive, but...) and i just know boon is up to something... Things are exciting again for the first time in a couple of years and so many are leaving??????????????????? I just hope the boys aren't determining demand by reading this digest!! If I find out a release was cancelled because of you quitters, I just might have to fly over and clobber you!!! Theron PS I like metallica, the S&M disc is OK, but not their greatest or even close While I loved the night at the proms, Metallica just doesn't have the same edge with strings, atleast in the arrangements on that albumn. Just MHO ------------------------------ Subject: british? From: "Huge Rademaker" Date: Wed, 15 Mar 2000 08:46:45 +0100 Hee Brian, Rotosound strings are still around. Check out http://www.rotosound.com/default1.html. The old Superwound strings are no longer there, but the now produce another type of (bass) string which has also the world famous piano string design. I haven't tried them out yet, because I haven't found a shop yet where they sell them. TMHO, Alembic is a US thing... Check out alembic.com Bye now! PS Nice to know that I'm not the only one with mixed feelings about the `new' LEVEL42 albums. I did not know about the RCA contract... Glad I'm not a professional musician... Bass regards, Huge Rademaker Get your Free E-mail at http://come.to/level42 ____________________________________________________________ Get your 100MB FREE Internet storage! Sign up now - http://www.netdrive.com/?ao=zzn