Level 42

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Internationally popular Brit-funk quartet best known in the UK for their hits ‘Lessons in Love’, ‘Something About You’ and ‘The Sun Goes Down (Living It Up)’. Level 42 started life on the Isle Of Wight, Though their membership has fluctuated throughout the years, the original and perhaps best-known lineup consisted of Mark “Thunderthumbs” King (vocals & bass), Mike Lindup (vocals & keyboards) and brothers Boon Gould (guitar) and Phil Gould (drums). After the success of the Running In The Family album, Phil & Boon left the band, citing musical differences & nervous exhaustion as their respective reasons. They were replaced by Gary Husband on drums and former Go West & Kate Bush guitarist, Alan Murphy.

At the end of the 80s, Mark King was recognized as one of the best bass players in the world having pioneered the ‘slap and pull’ technique, treating the bass as a percussion instrument. His style and virtuosity still are hugely influential, considering he also sang while he played very difficult basslines.

King and Lindup continued under the Level 42 name, picking up new musicians along the way (including Gary Husband and the late Alan Murphy, who passed away after suffering from an AIDS related illness in October 1989) from the late 1980s through to 1994, when Forever Now became their last commercially-released album.

King continued to perform with an new lineup under the Level 42 name until recently. He and Lindup again joined forces in the autumn of 2006 to release their first album in over a decade called Retroglide.

Tagged as:

80s, pop, funk, new wave, bass
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Top Tracks

1	Lessons In Love full track	1,083
2	Something About You full track	1,011
3	Running In The Family full track	465
4	It's Over full track	210
5	Love Games full track	206
6	Hot Water full track	167
7	To Be With You Again full track	159
8	Leaving Me Now full track	146
9	Children Say full track	140
10	Starchild full track	100
11	Heaven in My Hands full track	94
12	The Chinese Way full track	87
13	The Sun Goes Down (Living It Up)	63
14	Tracie full track	61
14	Take A Look full track	61

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uberjeff wrote:
yesterday morning

A longtime Level 42 fan, I saw Mark perform live for the first time on the '99 European One Man Tour on the Isle of Wight. Hanging out with Mark, Ria, and his brother at Joe Daflo's after the show was a real treat. Since then I've been fortunate enough to see the newly reconstituted Level 42 several times in London. They are so great live it doesn't really matter if they play the old or the new stuff. Its all good.

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os_teriyaki wrote:
last month

Yeah, the earlier jazz stuff was a bit more unique, but to be honest I don't think it's any *better* than the pop stuff later on.

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man-called-adam wrote:
last month

I saw level 42 back in the day. All i wanted to see/hear was the Mark doing his bass solo's, but he was modest and respected the band. But when he did, the place erupted, with a hall full of "Air slap bass heroes". The guy is a genius! Shame they went down the pop route, but we all gotta make a living!

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BCASILLAS wrote:
last month

oscar velazquez

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fmaratz wrote:
September 2009

They're awesome And the famous singles are probably the least interesting songs. They've got great compositions, harmonies, musicianship, variety. Great band.

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ebovaguira wrote:
July 2009

shit

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cesarmexico2007 wrote:
July 2009

cool band

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LQQKIE wrote:
June 2009

Please join our Retro Fridays group. You'll Love it http://www.last.fm/group/RETRO+FRIDAYS

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Dance1989Paula wrote:
May 2009

lessonss:D:D

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Helena2491 wrote:
May 2009

Hot Water - live. It´s on "The sun goes down".

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Stevenrock wrote:
April 2009

Got Lesson in Love on my ipod

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Freakyvegeta wrote:
April 2009

lol love this song makes me feel young again!!! hahaha

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lenorazmelody wrote:
April 2009

Couple of them still look quite good..totally adding to my "Back in the Day!" list

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Wuruburu wrote:
March 2009

Recommend : Love Games...

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ted1986 wrote:
March 2009

It's over is pure bliss

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Shonbaby wrote:
February 2009

A love carved out of caring fashioned by fate!! Nice lyrics.

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os_teriyaki wrote:
February 2009

Awesome band :] Mark King's a great bassist (goes without saying) but I think it's a shame no one mentions his voice - as far as I'm concerned he has one of the nicest voices in music, really warm and rich. Favourite song? Probably "It's Over" ^__^

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chunkyshep wrote:
January 2009

was lucky enough to see the original line up a few times and still have mark kings sweaty towel from the gig at the NEC b/ham from the "running in the family" tour 86/87 never quite the same after the gould bros departed.. but still an awesome live band...

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krpiguz wrote:
January 2009

this is it ................!

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Charlotte_A wrote:
January 2009

Music is my life's soundtrack... check it out > http://www.02l.net/projects/music_set/ganz_de_ville/blue_channel ... or LAST.FM's version> http://www.lastfm.it/music/Ganz+De+Ville/_/Blue+Channel ... THAT'S INCREDIBLE

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