Level 42 - Starchild Reaction
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- čas přidán 29. 08. 2024
- In this video we're listening to Level 42 for our Friday Favourites series. We don't know a lot of songs from these guys; besides the few commercial successes they had in the mid to late 80's. We're really excited to hear some of their earlier work. Enjoy!
/ hanierfamily
cynthiamartin....
It Mike Lindup, the keyboard player, on vocals. Their album, Standing In The Light, waa produced by one of the members of Earth, Wind and Fire.
Absolute classic 😊
Transition from Disco to New Wave witnessed in a single song.
I remember discharging myself early from hospital because I had tickets to see them at Gold Diggers nightclub in Chippenham (England). This was a small, standing room only, venue and they were phenomenal. At the time Love Games was their only top 40 hit (I'm old) and that only reached 38. Although they weren't well known by the general public at the time, they were well respected in the music industry and were popular on the live scene. Mark King was being call the best bass guitarist in the world by many in the business. He, however, would tell you that there were many better than him.
He once joked that he was fed up with being the best bass guitarist, he wanted to be the richest. Level 42 then got the chance to have their "Standing in the light" album produced by Earth Wind and Fire and it all took off from there. So well spotted on the Earth Wind and Fire vibe, although this song (sung by Mike Lindup) predates that time. They were already heavily influence by them though.
On the Vocals Mike Lindup with his higher voice, as Level 42 left always space for each, member, Mark King had usually the big role but a lower voice, like his bass, and Mike was usually helping with backup voices and falsoletto effects, but always had a couple of song of his own in each albums they had released. In their beginning until 83' they effectivly had more instrumentals and showed more jazz-Rock influence in their song that pleased more musicians than average listeners then "Heathrow" 43" Dune tune" , the most known hit on this record may have been "Love Games". On their early records they had a fifth musician playing with them, Wally Badarou, a great keyboarder and arranger, that you can hear very clearly on the long end of Starchild that you found too long, probably it was fit already for the dance floor then. Wally Badarou eventually became their Co-producer later when they got more popular on "World Machine" 1985vwith "Something about you" and "Running in the family" 1987 with "Lessons of Love" they greatest successes. You are right it were influenced by Earth,Wind and fire but also Georges Duke and Shakatak, smooth jazz to Funk styles.
So glad you reacted to Level 42. Wonderful band with great songs and I agree Running in the Family is sensational lyrically.
Love love love Level 42 and both singers are so excellent in their own ways! Absolute powerhouse of musicianship, awesome tunes and Mark King has definitely been an influence on my bass playing ❤️
They are huge and still touring. Try Children say or Love games you wont be disappointed. Amazing group!
Larry Levan…Paradise Garage NUFF SAID….
It’s a real showcase for Mike Lindup. I love his influence on this track - lots of synth stabs and vocals. In a way it really shows how much he contributed to the band.
It's mike lindup singing
They were great in their day. A lot of people still dig them for their musicianship. I remember working at Kmart many years ago, and hearing one of their songs. ''Running In The Family'' teleports me back to dusting and filling up shelves and being miserable. 😀 Wonderful days.
I (Chris) used to stock shelves at a big box supermarket in my home town overnight. The music was never as good as 'Running In The Family', though. Some nights we were forced to listen to the local radio station. Yeah, just one. Small town radio stations tend to be a weird mix of things. And not always good.
@@hanierfamily lol... I'm curious to know what the one town radio station would play now. I used to work at Kmart in Broadway, Sydney and I made a playlist on Spotify called ''Kmart radio (the good old days of nothingness - Broadway, Sydney) which features all the songs I remember playing on that particular Kmart radio overhead back in the day. I guess the music wasn't all that bad after all! We got to hear Todd Rundgren, Steely Dan, The New Radicals, Mary J. Blige, Groove Armada... I was miserable, but I guess I didn't have it so bad!
Off to see them live this October 😊 my favourite band .
Mark King is a phenomenal bass player. 🔥
One of my favorites of theirs would be "The Sunbed Song", but they have lots of greats, including this one.
Off the Forever Now album . Such a Great album .
Mike Lindup singing not Mark King..
That was the album extended version so very stretched out.
Yeah. Mark is more of a baritone, isn't he.
@@hanierfamily Lindup sings probably just as many lead vocals as King does. Lindups backup falsettos are fire. So good! Being a drummer, I love this band. Level 42 always has amazing drummers. Gould, Husband, and now Biggins.
@@carlgibbons5777 - Phil Gould had played open-handed, if I remember correctly?! And your picture looks familiar! The 'Spirits In A Material World' video on the JustJP channel, wasn't it? 😀
@@mightyV444 He does on some stuff. He switches it up. I also like doing that. Been practicing left hand on hi-hat/ride for like a decade now. Check out their current drummer Pete Ray Biggins. Amazing drummer.
@@carlgibbons5777 - I will! And thank you for the suggestion! I've been practicing open-handed playing over the past couple of years, and strangely, it works really well for Shuffle rhythms with me! I don't really expect it to ever feel natural to me otherwise, though 😅
Howdy from France, long time Level 42 fan here (seen them in concert in Paris in 87 and 88). There are two main features in L42 : Mark King slap bass playing, and the harmonies between his singing and keyboardist Mike Lindup falsetto singing. Their first album from which Starchild is extracted also has one of their first hit, Love Games, with an incredible bass riff, as well as two instrumental tracks, Heathrow and 43 - which, when played live, features a jaw dropping set of drums and drum solo. Enjoy ;)
That's great! Rush's YYZ is an instrumental dedicated to Pearson International.
@@hanierfamily Didn’t know that. Went to Toronto a couple of times in the 90s and 2000s for work :)
Level 42 under the radar 80's band. Great musicianship. Mark King inspired many a bass player. You can hear his influence on bassist Nick Beggs from Kajagoogoo.
I'm sure we only know Kajagoogoo's big hit. What would you recommend from them?
@@hanierfamily
Thanks for commenting back!
Like you, I mainly know them from the hit "Too Shy".
I am more familiar with Nick Beggs bass playing with other artists and his similarities to Mark King.
However having fun with the Level 42 comparison, "Turn your Back on Me" from Kajagoogoo's "Islands" album is an interesting sampling.
In fact, any song on that album leans into that jazz funk synth sound. IMHO.
(I enjoy your honest reactions!)
@@randdouglas5354”Hang on Now”, “shouldn’t do that” and “Kajagoogoo” are good and showcase Nick’s bass abilities well.
Amazing job!
I think she needs to stick to the single versions 😂
You should try Starchild by Jamiroquai(2005). It’s not a cover of this song.
Another suggestion is Walking in Rhythm by The Blackbyrds.
The best Jamiroquai is the Fast Show version.
It’s spot on.
Jeremy Kwee
Not my cup of tea.
Never liked them to be honest.
I think one of them has recently flogged off his guitar.