LEVEL 42 - Time to appreciate the genius

ZakAttak

Level 42 are easily one of the most innovative and musically gifted bands to ever come out of the U.K., they’re certainly the best thing that ever came out of the isle of Wight. They have a quintessentially 80s pop-funk sound; which is exactly why I like them so much. I cant post any music or links (work-stuff) but here is a list of they’re songs which I think some of you may like

'Heathrow’ (instrumental) – off their 1st album (self titled).
‘Love Games’- the same album (this was their biggest hit).
‘Are you hearing? (What I hear)’- off their 2nd album “The pursuit of accidents”.
‘The Sun goes down down (Living it up)’ – off their 3rd album “Standing in the light”.
‘Hot Water’- off their 4th album “True Colours”.


The people who won’t like this band are the same people who don’t like dancing with girls and think a guitar is just something you strum whilst excreting a constant whine.

Are you a D.J./electronic artist of some sort? They’re albums are goldmines for good bass-line samples, so check‘em out!

And before anyone states the obvious, that they’re a bit cheesy, I’ll say this; Who else sounds like this band? Nobody.

Musical ecstacy! (Now thats cheesy).

Prefabsprouter

Heaven in My Hands and Starchild are two of my favourite tracks. Indeed I have seen Starchild on more than 1 Deep House compilation. A good thread and well done for starting it. Now for that Prefab Sprout thread!

Nolanger

They're in the same league as Shakatak - capable musicians but sh*te.
Better Brit-funk bands from the same era were Freeze, Hi Tension, Light of the World, Heatwave.

Prefabsprouter

Shakatak?? Class , pure class. Shakatak at their worst are better than some of the drivel being peddled onto the charts at the mo. Agreed about Freez and Hi Tension. What about Linx? "Throw away the key" and "Intuition" are good songs.

humberklog

No. This is one step to far in the re-appraising of all things '80's.
Off with his thumbs I say!
Has David Irving moved on from Hitler to the 80's for fooling about with historical revisionism?
P.S I like dancing with girls and think people that strum a guitar and whine should be ejected from the mothership.

Prefabsprouter

I'll defend this one to the death. Brit-funk is one of the most under-rated genres of the 80's and deserves to be highlighted more!! Any more threats and I'll drag Lee John and Imagination into the mix!!!

humberklog

Prefabsprouter wrote: »

I'll defend this one to the death. Brit-funk is one of the most under-rated genres of the 80's and deserves to be highlighted more!! Any more threats and I'll drag Lee John and Imagination into the mix!!!

I love my funk as much as the next red blooded male. That's my truck with Level42. They fcuked up the funk.
Nothing wrong with any of other artist mentioned. Just the OPs!

herbieflowers

Heh, saw them at the Hague Jazz Fest but only cos I wanted to see Billy Cobham. They came on about an hour late, needless to say the music was pretty dire.

Prefabsprouter

Sorry if I sounded defensive and using the "imagination" threat!! ;D . As a lover of this genre I've had to take dogs abuse for years from musical "elitists" who tend to look down over such artists . Makes one a bit tetchy you see!!

keefg

I have been a fan of Level 42 for years. I saw them a couple of years ago at Vicar St. Great gig!

humberklog

ZakAttak wrote: »

they’re certainly the best thing that ever came out of the isle of Wight.

Nope. That very dubious honour would go to The Red Funnell ferry to Southampton.


Nothing wrong with Imagination.

ZakAttak

Nolanger wrote: »

They're in the same league as Shakatak - capable musicians but sh*te.
Better Brit-funk bands from the same era were Freeze, Hi Tension, Light of the World, Heatwave.

==>But hi-tension etc., although very good bands, were playing a classic style of funk- borrowing heavily from the Americans. Level 42 had they're own style, they didn't sound like anyone else at all. Yeah, I know slap was an American thing in the first place but King made his own unique style out of it.

Brit-funk was so much better than alot of other scenes that came out of the U.K. The problem is this- The British like being miserable and moaney (the Irish can be like that as well at times). They much prefer depressing vacant music rather than something that makes you tap your feet and start groovin.

Latchy

Level 42 were Ok by me .The funk ,bass, synth, drum sound was different to what was in the charts .

The other lead singer (mike ) had a bit of a hang up about his high pitched falseto voice but then so did Brian wilson .Artists sometimes have to suffer for their art

Children say / it's over are two of my fav 80s songs

ZakAttak

Whay do people think of their last album, 'retroglide'?

Latchy

ZakAttak wrote: »

Whay do people think of their last album, 'retroglide'?

Afraid i never got round to hearing it and wanted to go see them on there uk tour last year but missed that one.Will check it out

Prefabsprouter

Never heard it either. Mind you I do know of one individual who claims he was mentally scarred upon seeing said band live!!!

Latchy

If it's that bad then that's one gig maybe worth missing .:D

suppose concert reviews might be in order

jasonb

Always liked their songs. As someone said above, they had some great bass lines.

Saw Mark King on TV once, years ago, in a Blue Peter type of show. He was showing the presenter how to play slap bass and they were talking about how his thumbs were insured for £1m.

At the end, the presenter, ina joky way, said 'If I practice, will I ever be as good as you', and Mark, in a completely serious voice, just said 'No'. Even at the time I thought that was so funny...

J.

ZakAttak

He appeared on a TV show with Chris Evans and Zig and Zag- Zig downtuned one of the keys on his bass. They were on the fast show too at one point.

Channel 4 did a documentary on Level 42 years ago- its somewhere on you tube, it shows them playing in a holiday camp with dickie bows and white shirts on, hilarious! and yet the music they're playing is cool.

Howard the Duck

Hey they were Princess Diana's favourite band .. who could argue with her.. i mean she's dead so you can't.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pHPnR0jn5Os

Ardillaun

Well, I'm a little late to this thread. I saw the guys in Calgary in 1988. Wonderful.


The song Lessons in Love

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=0xAIg_W96uc

Reminds me of One Headlight by the Wallflowers, esp at the start:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Zzyfcys1aLM

I never saw Level 42 or similar outfits cited as an influence there, though.