Level 42

[TheGreek]

For those who might be interested here are the tour dates/venues:

http://www.level42.com/events/

[blamelouis]

No Ireland ...pity.

[bluesparky]

Alas, I won't be going this year, first time in 8 years I've missed out.

[barneyg42]

G-Live, Guildford for me! Birthday pressie from my girlfriend, she's a darling!

[Paul S]

Middle front row of the circle at the Cliff's Pavilion for me and Mrs S - booked on the 'priority booking' scheme to get a good seat. Not to be missed!

Probably said it before but, for me, it is Mark King's finger style playing that impresses most. Some of the lines he plays are rather complex and he just stands there playing them and singing at the same time.

[Grassie]

Not going. I'm a big fan, but the Sirens EP had about three good tunes on it, and I've seen them quite a bit since 2001, so no more "knackered old hits" for me thanks. It's a shame, because if MK put a bit more effort into coming up with new material I think I'd be more likely to buy a ticket. But he makes his living from touring and not record sales so I can hardly blame him for milking his back catalogue. Still my favourite bassist ever though.

[bluesparky]

Ah, I've just seen that I'm back in the country when their tour is on and I've a day off in Glasgow when they're there so I'll do my best to pop in.

[ambient]

Hear on the radio earlier that Mark King plays on a remake of rock around the clock.

[nick@ibassmag]

There's some really great Level 42 tuition by Stuart Clayton in issue 03 of iBass Magazine. Stuart looks at Dune Tune, Theme to Margaret and Hot Water… plus there's a great video interview with Mark talking through some of his favourite Level 42 tunes.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QW6o6ilYN2Y

[wombatboter]

I'm a huge King fan but can't believe how terrible his Status sounds in the clip above my post..strings seem to be dead too while he gets them for free and can be replaced in a second. Weird how he prefers this sound after all the basses he's been through.

[BassBod]

I thought that sounded pretty good, for a quick backstage bash...I've heard worse!

[spacey]

Once stood there and thought... what this band needs is a bass player ! Yes a bass player, all twang slap and pop and no real bass under the songs.

[wombatboter]

[quote name='BassBod' timestamp='1400317723' post='2452813']
I thought that sounded pretty good, for a quick backstage bash...I've heard worse!
[/quote]

I can understand the circumstances but even live imo it misses warmth...seen them around 25 times and nothing beats the old Jaydee.

[BassBod]

Haven't seen them in a long long time, but I never thought his sound worked well in a live setting - the bigger the hall, the worse it sounded. Probably a lot better these days, with modern PA systems. I was at one of the live shows that became the Physical Presence album and that captures it well..with all its rattle ping and honk.

My favourites for bass sound are Standing in the Light and True Colours - one very JD, the other pretty much Status (I guess).

Good to see the old slapper still getting about, isn't it?

[wombatboter]

This sort of sound still is my favourite...right in your face (hit me like a truck at the time)

[url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ccT4C-nakw"]http://www.youtube....h?v=6ccT4C-nakw[/url]

Edited May 17, 2014 by wombatboter

[Grassie]

Maybe his hearing is going, but I haven't seen a recent video clip where his Kingbass sounds good, the audio always makes it sound really thin. I do prefer his 80's sound, but I also love the sound of the Alembic on the Guaranteed Live video.

[juliusmonk]

[quote name='Grassie' timestamp='1400428032' post='2453710']
Maybe his hearing is going, but I haven't seen a recent video clip where his Kingbass sounds good, the audio always makes it sound really thin. I do prefer his 80's sound, but I also love the sound of the Alembic on the Guaranteed Live video.
[/quote]

Yes, the Guaranteed video was the pinnacle of his bass tone imo. A Kingbass badly (or un-)amplified can sound really bad, very plasticky. I don't like TC Electronic (sterile) amps either, in general. The Live at Reading tone was pretty good, though.

[marcus bell]

[quote name='wombatboter' timestamp='1400318571' post='2452825']


I can understand the circumstances but even live imo it misses warmth...seen them around 25 times and nothing beats the old Jaydee.
[/quote]

👌

[marcus bell]

I think marks tone with the jaydee basses was amazing, earlier on especially, some alembic tones were awesome too I.e princes trust 1989, and the status kingbasses sounded their best on the reading 2001 DVD and the Jakarta 2003 clips

Just my thoughts

[leroydiamond]

not a huge fan, but the Tone of Mark king with the Jaydee was terrific.

[Dingus]

As I have said before , MK sounds approximately the same whatever bass he uses, and recently I'm always struck by how much he makes his Status basses sound like an Alembic, albeit one with those incredibly weedy thin strings on .

MK will always have a crap tone as long as he uses those strings , and I doubt he will ever change now. Someone should have taken him to one side a long time ago and said" Mark, if you use thicker strings , you will find it hard to play the way you do now, but that will be a good thing. " Mark might have been upset for a while, but in the longer term I'm sure he would have been grateful and the world would have been a better place.

I last saw Level 42 when he played a JD and he had a sound so thin you could whistle over it, and fretbuzz that set your teeth on edge. I also remember MK sweat so much as he pummelled his bass that I was worried he was going to be electrocuted.

[wombatboter]

This sounds really ok to me and not that thin..

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C3mH7z84dkM

[Dingus]

[quote name='wombatboter' timestamp='1400584514' post='2455073']
This sounds really ok to me and not that thin..

[url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C3mH7z84dkM"]https://www.youtube....h?v=C3mH7z84dkM[/url]
[/quote]

That example is much more like the sound he achieves in the studio. He gets an acceptable tone there, but you can still tell he is using extremely light gauge strings. To my ears at least, this version is more typical of MK's usual tone in a live situation:

[url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uzQpqFzRaIg"]https://www.youtube....h?v=uzQpqFzRaIg[/url]

Edited May 20, 2014 by Dingus

[Guest bassman7755]

[quote name='spacey' timestamp='1400317789' post='2452814']
Once stood there and thought... what this band needs is a bass player ! Yes a bass player, all twang slap and pop and no real bass under the songs.
[/quote]

Thats like saying AC/DC would be better with a proper singer who doesn't just screech all the time i.e. totally missing the point of what makes the band unique in the first place.

[Dingus]

Many years ago I went to see Stanley Clarke and thought to myself "He needs a bass player", and , to his credit, Stanley had agreed with me and gotten one ( Jimmy Earl).

Edited May 20, 2014 by Dingus