Last night in Glasgow...

[fallon]

...I heard Level 42.
They played a slightly off beat first set...
I was very confused at the choice of tunes,as were most of the balding/grey haired audience.The sound mix was excellent...it is always difficult mixing the bass guitar when slapped by such an intense player.Gary Husband on the drums was second to none...although he lost at least three drumsticks,one of which nearly hit Mark King!
Last year when Level 42 played in Glasgow,he did not venture a bass solo.I was hoping that this year would be different and it was.Although I cannot dismiss his solo,it was a half-hearted lame representation of his known ability.The overall sound of Level 42 on this occasion was superb,I felt lost at the lack of incentive for the future by the band...no promise of a change in direction,no nothing other than a "good night Glasgow".:-( I do not expect to hear/see Mark King again in Glasgow..the band played a couple of really tight funky tunes fusing great jazz sax. with two hand slapping and backing from the great powerhouse,not only on drums but piano,Gary Husband.I feel quite sad about the whole thing just now.That said,stay cool.Scotland's slap bassist."Fallon".

 

[Treena Foster]

I'm not sure if you enjoyed the performance or if it made you sad.

Hello from CA.

Invalid Link Removed
Treena

 

[Bruce Lindfield]

What I read from that is that Gary Gusband is good but everybody else is a disappointment?

So I am not suprised, as he has actually been developing and progressing as a straight ahead Jazz player. So I have seen him play with several bands as a drummer and a keyboard player.

He played keyboards with Billy Cobham's Jazz fusion band which I loved and he leads his own Jazz trio - where he wrote all the material - I have the CD!

I have also seen him playing drums in small Jazz groups (all-acoustic) at my local Jazz club at very close quarters . So we're talking about a small, smoky club here - but he was great. I remember one improvised drum solo where he broke his bass drum pedal, but carried on picking up his bass drum and playing it with sticks!!

I see so many great Jazz musicians in much better surroundings - where you are close to the band and can chat to them over a few drinks - that I often wonder why I ever went to see bands in big stadiums, where it's often uncomfortable, impersonal and you often feel that the band feel exactly the same!!

 

[The Mighty 'V']

Strange, strange, strange...Gary Husband once said in an interview that he was really glad when Level 42 had disbanded back then (me too, by the way, although I quite liked them before they became all poppy and had their hits) as in the end the whole thing was only for the money and not much fun anymore...makes you wonder why he's been joining them again for their reunion, eh?

 

[Bruce Lindfield]

Well - I can imagine that while his Jazz trio is very challenging and a very fulfilling thing to do - and is musically, exactly what he wants to do now - it doesn't bring in much money!!

So, if Gary wants to keep being a professional musican he can't afford to turn down a gig that pays well...

I wouldn't go to the Level 42 tour although it is coming to my home town - as I would be thinking that none of the players really want to be doing this, but it is what the fans want and hence it brings in the money!!

 

[fallon]

Overall,I enjoyed it.Mark King was at his best around the early eighties when he said publically that he was the 'redeemer' of the bass guitar.A good example of his ability is on a sound clip from a concert in Tokyo,the piece was called Level 42 vs.Casiopia.The two bands 'acted' out a competion with each player soloing off against each other in turn.As Bruce pointed out,I would also prefer to hear Mark King at close quarters and I think he did something like that in a club in London.The current tour is called the Ultimate tour,so reading into that, it probably is the last we'll see of Level 42 and judging by the turn-out,perhaps dwindling crowd numbers has already decided that.All things considered,stay cool,Fallon.

 

[The Mighty 'V']

Originally posted by Bruce Lindfield
Well - I can imagine that while his Jazz trio is very challenging and a very fulfilling thing to do - and is musically, exactly what he wants to do now - it doesn't bring in much money!! ...

He actually said something similar to that in the same interview, that not being committed to "Level 42" anymore would leave him the time and freedom to do what he actually feels like. I can imagine this is much more fun having the safety of a full bank account!

I wonder if the Boon brothers, who originally were drummer and guitarist for the band, were at any stage asked to consider a reunion?!