www.ten-years-after.com proudly present:

LEVEL 42

30th Anniversary World Tour

 From "Neue Westfälische" - Article by T. Hagen, Photos by F.M. Kiel-Steinkamp


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HERFORD

Funky in die Achtziger

Level 42 spielten ihre alten Hits vor ausverkauftem MARTa-Forum

VON THOMAS HAGEN

 Pianist Mike Lindup, Bassist Mark King, Gitarrist Nathan King und Saxophonist Sean Freeman vor dem Publikum im ausverkauften MARTa-Forum. Pete Biggin ist nicht zu sehen .
 

Fantastische Fünf | FOTOS: FRANK-MICHAEL KIEL-STEINKAMP

 Herford. Ist diese britische Pop-Institution wirklich schon reif fürs Museum? Nun, fürs MARTa sicherlich, schließlich gibt’s hier keine alten Meister zu sehen. Und 30 Jahre alte Werke zählen auch in der bildenden Kunst wohl noch zur Moderne. Am Freitag gab Englands schnellster Daumen-Besitzer mit seinem Quintett Level 42 eine Retro-Visitenkarte ab.


Lange war es still um die in den Achtzigern hochpopulären Musiker um Bassist Mark King. Pünktlich zum 30. Bandjubiläum gingen die Protagonisten auf Welt-Tournee. Da macht sich Herford gut neben Städten wie Osaka, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Las Vegas oder London. Die Hütte, pardon, das Forum im Kunsttempel, war voll, die Erwartungen hochgesteckt.

Schon beim ersten Song, Hot Water, klatschen die dem Teenageralter lange entwachsenen Fans bereitwillig mit. Dazu braucht es keinen Animateur. Fast in Originalbesetzung sind die Schöpfer von mehrstimmigen Pop-Perlen wie "Lessons in love" oder "Running in the family" angetreten. Neu hinzugekommen ist Trommler Pete Biggin, der den Songs rhythmisch ordentlich Dampf macht. Gut, dass Keyboarder und Kings Co-Autor Mike Lindup wieder mitmischt. Sean Freemans Saxophon klingt eher elektronisch zugespitzt als jazzig und voluminös. Gitarrist Nathan King liefert eine gewohnt souveräne Vorstellung ab.

  Der Klang ist für das als akustisch schwierig geltende MARTa-Forum angenehm und betont basslastig. Klar, Mark King ist und bleibt der Dreh- und Angelpunkt auf der Bühne. Wie an seinen Stahlsaiten gezogen fährt der Funk-Dampfer Level 42 von einem Hit-Hafen zum nächsten. Die Fans bekommen exakt das, wonach sie verlangen. Routiniert und wohl austariert, seltener spontan und geistesblitzend. Mark Kings Bass-Solo in Slap-Technik - also harter Daumenanschlag von oben, zupfender Gegendruck von unten - gerät ein wenig zur Kirmesnummer. Die Mensur seines Status-Basses blinkt mit bunten Lichtern, während der Maestro dem 81er-Titel "Almost there" nochmal die Sporen gibt.

Zwischendrin bläst sich Sax-Mann Freeman ein Stakkato nach dem nächsten aus der Seele. Rhythmisch vertrackt - und erstmals unerwartet jazzig und polyphon - wird es bei "Livin it up". Hier kommt sogar Samba-Feeling auf. Dann die Parade-Nummer der Briten: "Lessons in love". Hier geht’s furios zur Sache, die Fans sind längst auf der Level 42-Frequenz. Beim nächsten Song haben die Besucher die Wahl. Klar, "Love Dance" muss her. Spätestens da hält es niemanden mehr ruhig stehend. Ein toller Titel, der fast so frisch klingt wie im Entstehungsjahr 1981. Mit dem ein Jahr später entstandenen "Chinese Way" geht’s in die Museums-Garderobe. Die Fans zogen nach diesem rückwärts gewandten Rottöne-Konzert zufrieden und voller wieder geweckter Erinnerungen ab.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


"SOLD OUT"

 

 

   

LEVEL 42 - History

 

ORIGINAL FORMATION:  – From 1980 to 1987

Mark King – Bass Guitar / Vocals – Born October 20, 1950

Mike Lindup – Keyboards – Born March 17, 1959

Rowland “Boon” Gould – Guitar – Born March 4, 1955

Phil Gould  - Drums – Born February 28, 1957

 

THE MEANING OF THE NAME – LEVEL 42:

Boon Gould and Mark King had both read the science fiction book “The Hitch-Hikers- Guide To The Galaxy” written by Douglas Adam’s. In the book, the number 42 is the answer to the question, what is the meaning of life.

(Alternate Band Names) – Power-Line and Kick In The Head

Tower 42 in London – formerly the tallest tower in London.

 

THE BANDS MUSIC INFLUENCES:

Miles Davis – John McLaughlin – Keith Jarrett – Jan Hammer – Mahavishnu Orchestra

 

SHORT BAND BIOGROPHY:

Mark King worked in a London music store, and learned the art of thumb slapping bass guitar playing from American funk players who were visiting London.

The band formed between 1979 and 1980. The record company insisted that the band add vocals to their instrumental numbers, in order to give the band a more commercial sound. Mark King stepped forward  in order to fill this gap, thus also becoming the bands front man in the process. During this 1981 period, Polydor Records teamed up Level 42 with veteran music producer Mike Vernon. The band recorded “Love Games” which was released in April, together with an instrumental  - “42”. The single reached number 38 in the charts.

From that alone, the band found themselves on BBC’s famous Top Of The Pops T.V. Show

(This can be seen on “Level Best Video”). 

Their first single was called “Love Meeting Love”. Their self titled first album was released in 1981. It was a slick Rhythm and Blues collection that charted in the U.K. Top 20. This spurred the release of “The Early Tapes” as the band had produced several minor hit singles before 1984’s “The Sun Goes Down – (Living It Up), that went into the British top 10.

“Lessons In Love” hit number one in Britain and “Something About You” went to number 7 in the States.

Both Gould brothers left the band in late 1987 and were replaced by guitarist Alan Murphy and drummer Gary Husband. Alan Murphy later died on October 19, 1989 of pneumonia / complications caused from AIDS. He had worked with Kate Bush, Mike and the Mechanics and Go West.

He was then replaced by the renowned fusion guitarist Alan Holdsworth, for the bands 1991 album titled, “Guaranteed;” and followed by “Forever Now”.

Phil and Boon Gould’s reasons for leaving the band were: 1. That they were apparently suffering from nervous exhaustion. 2. Differences in musical direction. As Phil Gould was quoted as saying, Mark wants a newer “Pop Sound” and I personally think “It’s nothing more than “Shallow Pop Music”. Boon was also suffering from severe chronic stomach  pains.

 

The two constant members of the band throughout  the 1990’s and into the 2000’s have been Mark and his brother Nathan King from 2001. 

In 2006, Level 42 released the studio album called: “Retrograde”.

1998 marked the bands 39th Anniversary with a special tour and an elaborate Box-Set, simply called “Living It Up” which includes a disc of fresh acoustic versions recorded by Mark King and Mike Lindup. 

The band – disbanded in 1994, after suffering from a series of personal changes and musical direction conflicts. They reformed in 2001.

 

THE MUSIC OF LEVEL 42:

The band had 30 singles in the U.K. music charts.

 

Level 42 is an English Pop / Rock / Jazz  / Funk / Band.

The band is well known for its high calibre musicianship, in particular, that of Mark King. Whose percussive thumb slap bass guitar technique provided the driving groove for many of the bands hits, during the 1980’s and 1990’s.   The band is also best known for the combination of Mark King’s vocals and the high falsetto backing vocals of Mike Lindup.

 

Reviews of the band first self titled album:

The critics described it as having: “Freed jazz and funk from the neurotic self absorption and vacuous meanderings prevalent among many of the art”.  

 

BAND HIGHLIGHTS:

They played Hammersmith Odeon London to a sold out audience, who had a two year wait before getting to see them live in concert. (1990)

 In September they opened for “The Police” – on their seven date tour of Germany. On October 23rd – Level 42 started on their first major tour at Brunel University Uxbridge.

 In 1984 – 1985 – The band were voted “Best British Funk Act”, by British Disc Jockey’s.

 1986 – Level 42 played to 20,000 people at Madison Square Garden

 The band recorded at London Sarm Studio (Formerly known as the home of Alvin Lee  “Hook End Manor”.

 1990 – The band signs with RCA Records

 Level 42 - Played The Royal Albert Hall 

 

by Dave Willey

 

LEVEL 42 - 30th Anniversary World Tour 2010

 

left to right:
Pete Biggin (dr) -  Sean Freeman (sax, voc) - Nathan King (g) - Mark King (bass, voc) - Mike Lindup (keyb., voc)

 

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