Level 42 Digest for Friday, September 17, 2004

Steve, MK did sell the bar, but the new owner kept the name, and opened

A second location.

My cheesy, basic cellphone has the tune ‘Just Like That’ on it, which comes in

Handy because nobody knows the song here in NYC. Doesn’t stop folks from

Asking, as apparently it must seem familiar to them.

Pete Willis, I feel ya pain man,.i felt the same way, which is why I rarely read or post

Anymore. The anti-this and that really got to be a pain in the ass to me, so I stopped

Reading it.

Guarenteed was a weird album for me. My first thought was THIS IS REALLY DIFFERENT,

More rocky than funky. Not was I was expecting, not what I necessarily wanted. Sadly,

I would have been happy if the band stayed in the same rut, doing the same jazz-funk

Stuff, and never progressing at all. But I really like quite a bit of the songs on this album.

Overtime, 7 Years, My fathers shows, a kinder eye, she cant help herself, lasso the moon,

With a little love, etc. If you were mine is one of the best L42 songs ever, in my opinion.

One man was easier to swallow, because I wasn’t expecting to hear anything like a

L42 album. Some darn good tunes…Bitter Moon, One Man, Pamela (hey, its funny),

Take my hand, Love Wars, If I had something, and Changing the Guard.

Have to disagree with Loz a bit, MK could have replaced all the songs Loz thinks are

Not good, replaced them with ‘good’ songs, and it still wouldn’t near the classic

‘CHANGES’. I think that album is gonna be the measuring stick for all L42 solo

efforts. Tin Man was enjoyable, but ranks below One Man in my opinion. Heresy?

Maybe, but just my thoughts.

Now if Phil would get off his duff and do something, anything, we can have a good

Debate.

Win

1. =?utf-8?Q?=22One?= Man =?utf-8?Q?=22?= in support of Pamela!
From:	richardjs @ breathemail.net <richardjs @ breathemail.net>
Date:	Thu, 16 Sep 2004 10:33:31 +0100	[top]
For what it is worth not only do I enjoy the One Man album but I really like Pamela!! The song that is! Although now I think about it...... Too much music is taken too seriously and I feel this track reflects more of Mark's character than many others. If I have a critism it is that it is too short, needs an instrumental section and another verse. Reminds me of Micro Kid too! Perhaps this is why I am in to McFly at the moment? They also like to inject a large chunk of humour (translates to "humor" for some of you) in their songs with some clever lyrics. OK you serious muso's can flame away now. Richard

2. ringtones
From:	Bram Strijbos <bram @ sonicbird.com>
Date:	Thu, 16 Sep 2004 11:40:51 +0200	[top]
Hi all, regarding the ring tones question posted by Ian yesterday, I've got a few Level 42 melodies as ringtone. I've got a Nokia 6230, so I can use mp3-files as ringtone. For different groups in my list, I have the ending of Almost There, the intro of the single version of Hot Water, and Talk Talk's The Party's Over and the 'Simplisties Verbond tune' (a dutch comedy duo, don't know who made the music). I never get confused thinking that it might be someone else's phone! :-) Cheers, Bram

3. Bratislava anyone?
From:	Alessandro Maccari <mac @ alessandromaccari.com>
Date:	Thu, 16 Sep 2004 03:01:21 -0700 (PDT)	[top]
Hi all, anyone up for the Bratislava gig on October 23? I'm about to start bookings and would be happy to join you L42 fans in the wonderful capital of Slovakia. Let me know by email if you want to hook up. Cheers, mac

4. FW: Bits and pieces
From:	dean.osborn <dean.osborn @ bt.com>
Date:	Thu, 16 Sep 2004 11:15:46 +0100	[top]
> yesterday, Eric wrote... > > >>what's your most/least favorite 42 video? > > That's easy - Lessons In Love, the one with the building site and awful studio backdrop - terrible...really bad. > My fave Level 42 vid is a toss up between Something About You and Love In A Peaceful World. > Also, Loz wrote.... > >>I'm convinced that what turned me onto Level 42 - creativity, innovation and quality - seems to count for very little with fans now, >>who just want nostalgia. Mike's instrumental performance of 'Hours By The Window' was innovative, it actually moved me > > There's nothing wrong with nostalgia, for nostalgia's sake, that's what Mark's current philisophy seems to be. But every time i've heard Mike perform an old level 42 song recently he does it with a new arrangement and fresh ideas, a totally different and more creative take. I'm not criticising Mark for the way HE presents the old songs, that's up to him and I have gone along and enjoyed hearing them again. But after several tours of Mark King's level 42/Groupo etc...you find yourself thinking what you are hearing is just too similar to the album sound. Personally, when I see an artist in concert (especially small, intimate gig's) I like to hear them breathe new life into their catalogue by re-inventing some of the songs somewhat, not just for the sake of it, but because music is art, and art should be creative and fulfilling. > This might sound a bit controversial, and I could be wrong, but maybe Mike loves creating and playing music more than Mark does. I've always had that impression. > > Dean >

5. The Perfect Storm
From:	Andrew Goodwin <thenightfly83 @ yahoo.co.uk>
Date:	Thu, 16 Sep 2004 12:41:06 +0100 (BST)	[top]
> 3. Collecting > From: Green, Laurence > > I think that having owned a very large collection; > having gone through the unfulfilling rigmarole of > continually having to hunt down the next rarity for > a fix, and now having come through that; I can look > back and say that my enthusiasm and appreciation for > Level 42's music and writings could have been > fulfilled in different ways. Deep down I knew I > thought Guaranteed was a poor offering, but I was > happy to spend Ł150 on a promo box set and that > drive to collect certainly made me more circumspect > when it came to giving my opinion on certain albums > and songs. I'm not sure how well I'm explaining > this. Very well, actually. We’ve all had a bit of fun with Laurence over the years, and I’m sure there’s a bit of mileage left in this bizarre new allegiance to Deacon Blue, but I’d like to say that I find it refreshing to see someone stand up and make as honest and self-aware a statement as this. Well played son. Ian Lovell, there is no such thing as a perfect ringtone, Level 42 or otherwise. Mobile phones are Satan’s own accoutrement, and I for one am hoping that in a generation’s time the 17 or so of us left in this country who don’t own one will be running everything, due to the epidemic of radiation-induced brain damage these foul implements will have wrought. If I am slightly more curmudgeonly than usual on this issue, two weeks in an office next to someone whose phone plays The Streets’ "Dry Your Eyes" - a wretched enough single even when not reduced to a tinny, whining monotone - may be responsible. As for Guaranteed, three times in the last few years I’ve wondered whether I haven’t been doing it a disservice, and fished it out for a re-appraisal. Each time it’s actually got worse, which is no mean achievement. "Seven Years" just about scraped its way onto my two CD ‘best of’ burn, and even that was probably only out of a sentimental desire to represent all the albums. AG ___________________________________________________________ALL-NEW Yahoo! Messenger - all new features - even more fun! http://uk.messenger.yahoo.com

6. guaranteed, one man, changes, etc
From:	Winston Walker <winman42 @ comcast.net>
Date:	Thu, 16 Sep 2004 08:08:04 -0400	[top]
Steve, MK did sell the bar, but the new owner kept the name, and opened A second location. My cheesy, basic cellphone has the tune ‘Just Like That’ on it, which comes in Handy because nobody knows the song here in NYC. Doesn’t stop folks from Asking, as apparently it must seem familiar to them. Pete Willis, I feel ya pain man,.i felt the same way, which is why I rarely read or post Anymore. The anti-this and that really got to be a pain in the ass to me, so I stopped Reading it. Guarenteed was a weird album for me. My first thought was THIS IS REALLY DIFFERENT, More rocky than funky. Not was I was expecting, not what I necessarily wanted. Sadly, I would have been happy if the band stayed in the same rut, doing the same jazz-funk Stuff, and never progressing at all. But I really like quite a bit of the songs on this album. Overtime, 7 Years, My fathers shows, a kinder eye, she cant help herself, lasso the moon, With a little love, etc. If you were mine is one of the best L42 songs ever, in my opinion. One man was easier to swallow, because I wasn’t expecting to hear anything like a L42 album. Some darn good tunes…Bitter Moon, One Man, Pamela (hey, its funny), Take my hand, Love Wars, If I had something, and Changing the Guard. Have to disagree with Loz a bit, MK could have replaced all the songs Loz thinks are Not good, replaced them with ‘good’ songs, and it still wouldn’t near the classic ‘CHANGES’. I think that album is gonna be the measuring stick for all L42 solo efforts. Tin Man was enjoyable, but ranks below One Man in my opinion. Heresy? Maybe, but just my thoughts. Now if Phil would get off his duff and do something, anything, we can have a good Debate. Win

7. One JT
From:	Tom Foolery <grooveyardtom @ yahoo.com>
Date:	Thu, 16 Sep 2004 06:59:38 -0700 (PDT)	[top]
Ah, well yes I did speak up in appreciation of "One Man." When it first came out, as Eric suggested can happen, there was a certain "ehh" response to it, then it kind of got shelved. I have heard privately from a few folks who really dig One Man - but you know, "every rose has it's thorns" as JT's favorite band once sang :) I would also remove Pamela from that album - mind you, I'm as interested in social commentary about Pamela Anderson as the next dessicated pervert. It's just that the song is all lyrics - the music is too simple for my liking. An example of some serious brilliance is the juxtaposition at the end of the song "One Man" of those old world cellos playing a mournful little phrase - whilst over the top is some 21st Century mind-bashing techno mayhem. Mark King thinks about his songwriting, methinks. Now, I was buring down a gross of telephone poles in a huge bonfire while I was listening, so I will allow that the creosote fumes may have been affecting my judgement. My suggestion, JT, is that you put One Man in again - and turn it up LOUD. Some great music suffers when restrained to lower volumes. Of course, you will have to pull that CD of .38 Special's Greatest Hits out of your player first! :) -Tom T <<<<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>> So last year! http://www.emeraldsoul.com __________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? New and Improved Yahoo! Mail - 100MB free storage! http://promotions.yahoo.com/new_mail

8. Guaranteed bashing
From:	Green, Laurence <Laurence.Green @ carillionwsp.com>
Date:	Thu, 16 Sep 2004 15:46:05 +0100	[top]
>My Fathers Shoes, Seven Years, A Kinder Eye, She Can't Help Herself, If You Were Mine & Lasso The Moon. I wouldn't say I hate guaranteed; but it sits so incongruously alongside the other Level 42 albums that if it had been released by another band, I'd probably have disregarded it as an average album by average players. Whereas, if another band had released 'World machine' my ears would have pricked up. Guaranteed was one big mistake wrapped up in an error of judgement. The music, the lyrics, the clothes - the band should have taken a hint from Polydor. I can see the record company execs recoiling in horror as they played it. L()z

9. Joe Daflo's
From:	Dave Webster <dwebster @ wight365.net>
Date:	Thu, 16 Sep 2004 16:39:20 +0100	[top]
All, Mark has sold the bar, some time ago indeed. And yes there is another Jo Daflo's in Newport, and possibly one in Southampton now too, all under new management. Dave

10. Joe's
From:	DonZipf @ aol.com <DonZipf @ aol.com>
Date:	Thu, 16 Sep 2004 14:39:59 EDT	[top]
Hi, Steve! > I thought Mark was selling the bar, and now I hear there is a second one down > the road in Newport. So anyone know the truth? Some say he sold the bar, others have said he still owns the building but rents it out. In any case, it is NOT the Joe DaFlo's that we knew and loved back at the first ILF in '98. The decor is totally different--not one particle suggests a connection with Level 42 or Mark King--but it's really a much better restaurant now. And the new branch in Newport appears quite a bit larger (at least from the bus windows, as we were passing by). Have fun! - Z

End of Level 42 Digest (web edition)
Please note: you are viewing the web version of today's Level 42 Digest mailing. This content was distributed via email to subscribers at approximately 10:00 GMT (5:00am EST/EDT) this morning. -- To post a new message email level42 @ Level42Digest.com (make sure to remove spaces in this email address). You must be a subscriber to post a message. Please also note that all MIME attachments will be automatically stripped from messages before posting on the Digest (this is to prevent computer viruses, huge Digest emails, etc.) -- To subscribe to the mailing list email level42 @ Level42Digest.com with SUBSCRIBE as the subject (make sure to remove spaces in this email address). Digests are mailed out every day at approximately -0400 GMT (5:00am EST/EDT). -- To unsubscribe from the list email level42 @ Level42Digest.com with UNSUBSCRIBE as the subject (make sure to remove spaces in this email address). -- NEW! an archive of all Level 42 Digest messages since 1993 is available for browsing! -- Any questions, comments or suggestions for the Level 42 Digest? Email us at admin @ Level42Digest.com (make sure to remove spaces in this email address). Related web sites: Level42.com, Forever Now, Mike Lindup, Boon Gould, Gary Husband, Jakko Jakszyk, Level 42 Web Digest Please note that by viewing or posting messages to the Level 42 Digest, you agree to be bound to the terms and policies located at the Terms Of Use web page.