From: Level42-request @ worldmachine.com (Level42 Digest) Subject: Level42 Digest V2000 #6 _ ____ _ ____ _ _ ___ // //__ // / //__ // /__// __// //__ //__ \\_/ //__ //__ // /__ D I G E S T Level42 Digest Volume 2000 : Issue 6 1165 subscribers Today's topics: Hello - here we all are then! Clare Reeves Pop Quiz Charl Mocke Basslines Book, TSGD 12", Santana, Crowd Noise Jay Krause In Answer to the Saint! Nick Smith off topic: Steely Dan on US TV BHConrad Web Site Update Lisa Harding Summer of Sam Andrew Goodwin Re: Level42 Digest V2000 #5 ElSavannah the_saint LIVE CD J.W.C. Bronski Re: Subject: Mike And Mark's singing. TenthSun Grammy Awards / SD Cliff & Debjani Barua Brian McNight Allwyn & Laura Kelly Re-union in the air ? hartej dhiman Mike's set Bilal42 Live chanting. Mark M Walsham ------------------------------ Subject: Hello - here we all are then! From: Clare Reeves Date: Sun, 27 Feb 2000 12:07:24 -0000 Microkids... Ah! Isn't this nice, all back together again - reunited in cyberspace... Great to have my favourite work avoidance tactic back again and even better to catch up with what's been going on with L42 etc (not that much seems to be going on.. am I right?) Special hellos to Lisa Hack, Don Z, Mrs Pink, Marcus, Winston, Andy Smith, Lolita, Julie, Monique, Mikey, Matthew B and all the "2nd row JazzCafe-monday-and-friday crowd"! xx Clare Reeves Studio Manager, Africa and Middle East Region World Service, BBC Resources ------------------------------ Subject: Pop Quiz From: "Charl Mocke" Date: Sun, 27 Feb 2000 15:43:50 +0200 Hi Levelheads! A little Pop Quiz... not really Level 42 related, BUT I'm sure it comes out of the 80's! :-) "Pop Quiz Hotshots, The following are lyric lines out of popular 80's? songs: 1. "All you beautiful people... and you beautiful boys and girls... we're having a party tonight, all over the world..." 2. "I owe you nothing... nothing, nothing at all..." Who are the artists and what are the songs' names? Who are the artists and what are the songs' names?" Hehehe... Cheers, Charl P.S. Thanks for all the talk about the Fender Jazz Bass, it is really helpful Mr. Charl Mocke ISIS Information Systems (Pty. Ltd.) Telkom UNIBase Cape Town South Africa [GMT +0200] E-mail: MockeC @ Telkom.co.za Office Tel.: (+27) 021 4144720 Cellphone: 083 2857506 (MTN SA) Cellphone SMS: 0832857506 @ sms.co.za ------------------------------ Subject: Basslines Book, TSGD 12", Santana, Crowd Noise From: "Jay Krause" Date: Sun, 27 Feb 2000 14:39:54 -0000 Never heard of the pop basslines book, anyone have any idea where to get it from? On the basslines book front, I don't know if it's out of print, but I've seen it recently advertised for 6.99, and it does look a very cool book. About TSGD 12", I managed to get another copy yesterday, same track listing and red cover. Rarity or factory mess up?... Never got into Santana, my dad was always the one buying his albums from motorway service stations, but watched the grammies the other night and was pretty impressed, it's always good to see that kind of music do well in the charts. About the crowd noise, it's always nice to hear them get amped, and I think LAJC sounds too clean (which does help the bass solo, but not much else in my opinion). My only other gripe at the album is that I have to sit by my ancient cd player with my thumb going white on the skip button for about 3 minutes to get to hear one of my favourites off the album, Hot Water! By the way I think that new instrumental break is brilliant! But I have to agree that too much crowd noise is a pain in the neck, with loads of people shouting in the hope that they can hear themselves on any recordings.....but thats just my opinion. I personally thought APP was a great sounding live album. Okay, thats my rant for today, thanks! Dale ------------------------------ Subject: In Answer to the Saint! From: "Nick Smith" Date: Sun, 27 Feb 2000 07:05:09 PST Hallo! In answer to the Saint....... The reasons why people like Morgan Rousell, Don Z, Rob Steen, Mike Brooks and others like myself buy ex-Mark basses are many and varied! For a start, these basses have been used by our collective hero both on tour around the world and in countless recording sessions - thus securing each instrument a special niche in the history of Level 42. Secondly, they are fantastic basses! Thirdly, we have plenty of money with which to purchase these ;-) Seriously, as a bass player who grew up in the '80's it is an honour for me to be the keeper of two of these basses - I'm sure many others would want to be able to do the same! Nick ______________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com ------------------------------ Subject: off topic: Steely Dan on US TV From: BHConrad @ aol.com Date: Sun, 27 Feb 2000 11:10:30 EST for our Steely Dan enjoying Level 42 digesters... Steely Dan: In The Spotlight (live in NYCity) (this is on the PBS channel for Boston area. check your local listings :)) friday 3/3 9pm channel 2 monday 3/13 8pm channel 44 saturday 3/18 9:30pm channel 2 now back to your regularly scheduled digest... Bruce ------------------------------ Subject: Web Site Update From: "Lisa Harding" Date: Sun, 27 Feb 2000 17:06:01 -0000 Hi all Whilst the digest has been away I have busied myself updating the site and making it more user friendly. The following have been added for your delectation! A new tour programmes section. A Shiny new Japanese Imports section (with contributions from others) A bass owners section for all those who own ex mark king basses An updated bulleting board for you all to swap and trade on and generally swap chat about the band A new band members section so you can see who else the band have worked with A new Phil Gould page with sounds from the new CD update music page and generally lots lots more - so come and have a look. As usual the address is www.mrspink.co.uk I would also like to say a huge thanks to al those who have helped with the site during 'the quiet time' and have contributed so much! Enjoy!!!! Lisa 'Mrs Pink' ------------------------------ Subject: Summer of Sam From: "Andrew Goodwin" Date: Sun, 27 Feb 2000 17:07:00 -0000 > Subject: level best > From: Sem Hillenius > > thanks John, I appreciate your support. I believe the person who wrote that, > is the notorious mister Nightfly, known for his 'funny' contributions. He > enjoys getting on peoples nerves. No I don't enjoy getting on people's nerves, I enjoy making people laugh. I don't make everyone laugh, I don't even make most people laugh, but (with apologies for blowing my own trumpet) I know I make some people laugh. If a few remarkably literal people get caught in the crossfire, so be it. Was it too much to expect people to realise that someone whose e-mail address is nighfly82 @ nightfly82 might actually be looking forward to a new Steely Dan album? An album I resolved not to mention here because I have done far too much Steely Dan promotion in the past? I must remember to be less deviously arcane in future. Now where did I put my "Farrelly Brothers Big Book of Sophisticated Humour"? AG PS Any further flames regarding my contributions to me personally please, people here have had to endure far too much of this debate in the last couple of years already. Even I'm sick of it, so I dread to think how they must feel. ------------------------------ Subject: Re: Level42 Digest V2000 #5 From: ElSavannah @ aol.com Date: Sun, 27 Feb 2000 12:09:53 EST In a message dated 27/02/00 11:59:48 GMT Standard Time, Level42-request @ worldmachine.com writes: << A track I have rediscovered lately is the B side "As Years Go By" I love the bass line and the sound. When I brought the single "My Fathers Shoes" I played the the track a few times (As Years Go By) and enjoyed it and then it has sat in my CD rack for years without being played until the other week. >> I always thought this track was a little bit weak when you stood it next to the likes of At this great distance but then after Alex's post I went back and had another listen - you're right mate it is a little gem of a song and thanks to you i now have it going round in my head!!!!! personally i always used to love Level's singles releases and would wait with baited breath to see what the b-sides were! i was only ever disappointed when RCA started bunging out the old stuff from the eighties and gave us sod all new. Lisa 'Mrs Pink' ------------------------------ Subject: From: the_saint @ planet.nl Date: Sun, 27 Feb 2000 19:05 +0000 1 mark uses 0.30 0.50 0.70 0.90 strings: they are easily to bend 2. as years go by: as a single it will top the charst: its a great song, i agree. 3. i can understand why he's collecting basses now. how much for the starchild bass? 4. enyone who has a spare copy of level best video's or maybe a home made collection of clips. I' ve missed many clips. must fly.... ------------------------------ Subject: LIVE CD From: "J.W.C. Bronski" Date: Sun, 27 Feb 2000 21:01:15 +0100 Hi everybody! Now that the digest is back online I'd like to say a few words about the Mark King Band Live CD. Basically I think it's a good recording. The sound is OK and the playing is very good. Every member of the band seems to have fun. But there are also some weak points. 1) Mark's voice: I hate to say this but I think it's the weakest vocal performance I've ever heard from Mr. King. His voice sounds thin and not relaxed at all. Maybe he didn't hear himself on the monitor. 2) The overall direction of the music. One of my favourite musicians seems to have turned from a great jazz-funker (which I liked very much) into a successfull pop-musicians (not sure if I liked it) and then into an unsuccessfull rock-musician (definitely don't like it). Where does he want to go from there? Maybe he will retire after all. I wouldn't be surprised. JWC Bronski ------------------------------ Subject: Re: Subject: Mike And Mark's singing. From: TenthSun @ aol.com Date: Sun, 27 Feb 2000 16:26:55 EST In a message dated 2/26/00 6:59:19 AM Eastern Standard Time, Dean Osborn wrote: << You know, I could not have put it better myself. I think I tried last year sometime when I mentioned on the digest how I had really felt like I'd re-discovered the track STARING AT THE SUN. This track perfectly showcases Mark and Mike singing in harmony together with beautiful lyrics, and is now one of my favourite tracks from that album. You are correct , Mark and Mike really do have wonderful voices in their own right, but hearing them sing together is just heaven..... anyone else got any tracks that they feel that have almost 're-discovered ' ? >> Hi Dean! And Thanks for picking up the thread!! My personal favorites is the harmonic action on To Be With You Again (Running in the Family). Off the top of my head, that's the one that comes closest to the vocal hook of Something About You. But I'm always struck by how soulful Mark gets on Lying Still (World Machine) and the beautiful vocal punctuations Mike puts on that. They truly understood how to make pop-R&B with jazz-quality musical chops. I just get really moved by that song. Same for Leaving Me Now although I think Lying Still does it much better. And has anyone paid attention to how Mike and Mark sing the scale on Good Man in a Storm? Mike starts singing but then the tone goes below his range and Mark picks it up seamlessly for a really smooth transition. Yum! That really shows they understand how their voices work togethter. And Good Man in a Storm by the way is a really understimated song if ever I heard one. As a woman, I thought it gave me an insight to how sometimes we expect a little too much from men. SOMETIMES, not all the time, we put a little too much of a burden on them and then they (the good ones anyway) break their necks trying to live up to obligations that are really a little too much for them. Nobody can be strong ALL the time. We all need a little help. But it can be hard for men to admit that and hard for women to let them admit that. And that's what I thought that song was saying and I really apprecitated it. Any thoughts anyone? Terri H. ------------------------------ Subject: Grammy Awards / SD From: "Cliff & Debjani Barua" Date: Sun, 27 Feb 2000 18:58:11 -0500 Andrew, I just couldn't resist responding to this one. Being Canadian, we cannot claim ownership to either the Brits or the Grammys. We have the Junos, but that's another story. People can win numerous Grammys because there are so many categories, and relatively few nominees per category. We get the Brits about a month or two after they're broadcast in England, and I'm always amazed at how there are about 28 nominees per category. Whereas the Grammy is either a popularity contest (who sold the most records last year regardless of quality) or belated recognition time (as with Santana this year, in a year where he sold tons of records). The other funny thing about the Brits is that, for non-British residents, we sit there scratching our heads wondering who most of the artists are. Of course, five or ten years later when they get that _one_ international hit, we'll remember where we first saw them. Likewise, many top British artists (that are _actually_ known in the U.S.) never receive Grammy nominations (i.e Blur, Oasis, Cure, Depeche Mode). But it's all irrelevant in the big scheme of things: the Grammys feature the likes of Jennifer Lopez and Toni Braxton in minimal clothing, as opposed to Sporty Spice, Geri Halliwell and the singer from Skunk Anansi (at the Brits). Enough said. I don't know if you get VH1's Classic Albums over there, but the one on "Aja" was sublime. The boys at a mixing board going through the tracks ....... How about "World Machine" with Mark, Mike and Wally?? And anyway, what's going on with that Level 42 band?? Cliff Barua - Toronto ------------------------------ Subject: Brian McNight From: "Allwyn & Laura Kelly" Date: Sun, 27 Feb 2000 19:50:31 -0700 I personally enjoyed Brian McNights vocals when he was with the group Take 6, nice and buried in the mix. later laura ------------------------------ Subject: Re-union in the air ? From: "hartej dhiman" Date: Sun, 27 Feb 2000 22:03:50 PST Greetings LevelHeads ! I have been meaning to say this since a week now , first things first though...It was great to have the L42 digest back again , I had almost given all hope but thanks to Eric and team we are back in the groove. I was listening to Mike's "Life will never be the same" and realized how meaningful and how heartfelt that song is , I also read it on www.mikelindup.com that the inspiration for the song came from Mike and Mark drifting apart over the years which makes the song very special to all of us fans too....Now I have been rubbing my chin red over reading the words "Level 42" and "re-union" in coherence on some L42 related website (and I swear I am not spreading a rumour !) COULD IT BE TRUE ? I felt like running naked across the street (not unlike our great Archimedes), but thought better of it and listened to "Leaving me now" instead yet again. I don't know what differences Mike and Mark have but it would be another reason to live if they ever came together . Q Where can hope be found ? A In the heart of a true L42 fan ! Bye ! Sleepwalker ______________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com ------------------------------ Subject: Mike's set From: Bilal42 @ aol.com Date: Mon, 28 Feb 2000 04:06:52 EST All I hope you are all well. Sorry if I have not replied to any mail in the last few dys, I've been away. This is just a reminder to clarify that Mike Lindup's live slot at London's (Camden) Bartok on this Wednesday 1st March will be a 20 minute solo slot. This will be followed on Wednesday 15th March by a set by Mike and his new band at the same venue. If anyone manages to take some good pictures, mail them over and we'll put some on www.mikelindup.com! All the best to everyone. Bilal http://www.mikelindup.com ------------------------------ Subject: Live chanting. From: "Mark M Walsham" Date: Mon, 28 Feb 2000 09:45:36 -0000 Sorry to disagree, but the crowd 'Yoo Hoo' stuff is just a bit of fun. Why not? One may state that it encourages the band to give it that extra 5% by making them feel the crowd is really up, and thus the crowd gets a better show. An example of this was MK's gig at Shepperds Bush Empire, the crowd were really 'up for it', and I think this spurred the band on to a really fantastic performance. Yes, 'Yoo Hoo' is a pretty pointless thing to shout out, but it is engrained into the L42 history. It's just one of those fun things that get's done at a live gig. Fans recognise it, join in and enjoy it for what it is. I don't see many fans at concerts just standing in an unanimated manner appreciating 'the music'. I think this is the province of some old folk guitar player whom is playing in the pub across the road, to 40 people. Come on, this is funk man, you cant ignore the groove... Just another 2p down the wire... Rgds, Mark Walsham - London, England, 2000 Microkid42 @ Hotmail.com ------------------------------------------------------------ I'm Just A Common Man And In That There Is No Shame - Is There?