Re: MUSIC OF THE FANTAVERSE, VOL. 2 - The New Thread

**BarcaRulz** · by **BarcaRulz** on Wed Apr 15, 2009 6:53 pm

I've never been a classical music kind of guy, but i do have a soft spot for it. Choir and some Opera are absolutely fantastic, case in point; Nessun Dorma performed by The Three Tenors:

A_Roode · by A_Roode on Fri Apr 17, 2009 1:36 am

Catchy little song from "Li'l Abner" and even if you don't like it, Leslie Parrish is nice to look at:

**Shrykespeare** · by **Shrykespeare** on Sun Apr 19, 2009 5:57 pm

I hope that everyone that listens to music has that one artist or group that, from the very first moment you hear their stuff, penetrates your soul and takes ownership of it. Such it is with me the first time I heard Level 42.

Most people who hear their name today either a) haven't heard of them; b) go "Oh yeah", when reminded that they were the ones who sang Something About You, one of only two Top 40 hits they had in the U.S. (and their only Top 10 hit), or c) couldn't care less. The epithet "one-hit wonder" is often attributed to groups like this, as if the group formed, churned out one hit and called it quits. Such a description rarely is the truth, and it certainly isn't anywhere near the truth when it comes to Level 42.

It was the summer of 1985 when I first heard Something About You on the radio. After hearing it, I immediaetly had to buy the album, World Machine (on vinyl). From there, I was hooked. I proceeded to track down and purchase, either on vinyl or cassette (and later, on CD) everything that I could find with their name on it; early recordings, live recordings, B-sides, whatever I could find. And I loved it all, even the stuff I didn't really like, if that makes sense.

It's funny - my favorite genre of music has always been "alternative" music, which is why Depeche Mode remains to this day one of my three favorite groups of all time. The second group, UB40, is another exception to my chosen genre, and I hope to be seeing THEM one week from today. But Level 42, with their combination of pop, jazz and funk style, was unique to me. With simple yet well-written lyrics, terrific piano and guitar rhythms, and true emotional impact behind every note, every chord, I found myself, at the age of 16, a fan for life. And now, more than two decades later, despite numerous lineup changes, they are still making music, and still performing the odd live show (but sadly, pretty much exclusively in Europoe, where they were always far, FAR more successful than they ever were on American soil, more's the pity). Lead singer/bass player Mark King and keyboardist/singer Mike Lindup are both over 50 now, but they can still rock it out, and I would give anything to see them again.

Of all the thousands of singers and groups I have heard in my near four decades on this planet, Level 42 is the ONLY one that has made me want to hear every single second of music that they've ever recorded. Mark King is, to this date, the only "rock star" I've ever had my picture taken with. (I know I still have that photo, somewhere...) And I will love them, and their music, until the day I die.

This thread has always been about each of us sharing with our best friends our very favorite music, whether it be a blast from the past or something really cool that's out now. And I am very honored to share with you some of the best music from this vastly (or, some might say "justly") underrated group.

I may sound fanatical, or that I am attempting to convert all who listen to it to fandom. But that's not true. If their music is not your thing, no worries. If, after hearing their music, it elicits nothing more than a "meh" or a "not bad, but not great", that's okay too. Sharing this music with you probably gives me more joy than it does to you guys from having to listen to it. But I'll do it anyway. Even I bore the living shit out of you, I'll do it anyway.

There are so, SO many songs of theirs that I love and can (and have) play hundreds of times, that I don't think I can pick a "favorite". Therefore, over the next week or so, I'll pick my faves out of the YouTube roster in the order that they were released choronologically.

From their first album, the eponymous Level 42 album in 1981, here are couple of tracks that they performed live in 2006 (and I'll be going to this live show a lot, as it kicks ass and the sound quality is terrific):

transformers2 · by transformers2 on Mon Apr 20, 2009 10:39 am

An awesome new thrash band with an older sound. This Is Municipal Waste just saw them last night live and they were amazing.

NSpan · by NSpan on Mon Apr 20, 2009 11:13 am

**Shrykespeare** · by **Shrykespeare** on Wed Apr 22, 2009 6:47 pm

Two more outstanding Level 42 songs.

From 1984's album True Colours, here's a live recording that features some truly awesome bass rhythms and sax.

And also from that album, one of the simplest yet most haunting songs in their repertoire.

transformers2 · by transformers2 on Fri Apr 24, 2009 2:14 am

Song from the new Mastodon album. A really unique track from an amazing band.

**Shrykespeare** · by **Shrykespeare** on Sun Apr 26, 2009 4:25 pm

Here's a goody from the "World Machine" album. Not the American version, but the British one.

(Don't worry, the song isn't 9:00 long, it's only just over four minutes.)