First Time Seeing MARK KING of Level 42! Bass Teacher REACTS to "Mr. Pink" Live
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➡️ Any time I read (or hear) about legendary slap bass players, I always realize that Mark King is on the list, but I've never gone out of my way to look him up. By request, I'm finally checking out Mark and his band Level 42 with a performance of "Mr. Pink" Live At Reading Concert Hall from 2001. I had no idea what to expect, and almost thought it was strictly a solo bass piece. However, that INSTANTLY changed when the band kicked in and it took his crazy bass playing to even higher heights. I'm normally not a fan of "relentless" slap styles like this, but I was really impressed at how musical it sounded when the song started. In this video I break down Mark's slap bass technique, how he achieves so much power (and efficiency), how his tone is perfect for blending in with the drum sound (and why this is important!), how he miraculously gets a "slap" sound when switching to fingerstyle, and much more.
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0:00 Intro
0:48 Reaction / Analysis
16:41 Final Thoughts
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Mark Michell is an internationally-touring and recording bass player known for his work with Scale the Summit, Tony MacAlpine, Tetrafusion, Watermox, and more. Michell is a published educator and author for Hal Leonard, the world's largest music publisher, and has taught bass clinics around the globe for many years. He has played on several Billboard-charting album releases and is endorsed by Jackson Basses, EMG Pickups, and Dunlop.
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👉Original Video from @OfficialLevel42: • Level 42 - Mr. Pink (L...
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Copyright Disclaimer Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for "fair use" for purposes such as criticism, commentary, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing.
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Mark King is a machine gunner of slap bass, but don't fooled, he has an amazing understanding for melodic finger style also!
correct sir ;)
True, one of my favourite level 42 albums which has a nice finger style playing bass sound is standing in the light.
Understanding and feeling!
I have always loved Dune Tune, for the way it stands out in this.
One amazing thing about Mark King is that he can play like that and still sing over it.
And he chews gums too...talking about kicking ass 😂
And he's left handed, so playing the bass wrong way round for him
AND jumping around on the stage at the same time. Watch "Love Games" live in Bochum at "Rockpalast". Absolutely unbelievable!
Yes, he can do all that and in perfect timing, he is for me one of the most talented musician on this planet.
Can't stand the songs or the whole 80s vibe. But by far a truly great player, absolute innovator of bass.
I'm amazed that a bass player didn't know Level 42 and Mark King, no disrespect it really surprises me, but I've been playing bass for 40 years so it must happen I suppose. I have been a major fan of Level 42 since they started around 40 years ago and Mark King is, in my humble opinion ;-) the greatest slap bass player ever...there I said it. Nobody can play like him and that is before he then sings. Mark did start as a drummer hence the rhythm control I guess.
Check out their first 3 albums and tracks like 88, the Chinese way, and Heathrow...all are master classes in bass playing.
I'm amazed that any musician, regardless of instrument, hasn't heard of Level42 or Mark King.
@@AndreiChera lol
Wouldn't be much of a surprise "I've been living under a rock " video otherwise
Agree about those three tracks. By contrast there’s the beautifully restrained bass on Hours by the Window. Truly brilliant musician
He is my favorite slap bass player as well. I hold him, Louis Johnson and Stuart Hamm in a place where it's like they all took what Larry Graham was doing in the early days to this stratospheric level. Mark King though, places the notes in just the right places to solder it all together in a funk jazz way that even Stuart Hamm just gives you a Mark King vibe when does it. Victor Wooten gets in that zone too I might add, but nobody does it just like Mark King for me.
He’s a really complete musician, bass, drums, guitar, keyboards, voice (yes, he sings while playing like this). Check out his solo album “Influences”.
And his brother is a great bass player and brilliant guitarist who now plays for level 42 Nathan king , also a lovely bloke
He can do this and sing at the same time too, insane talent.
Even as a kid in the Eighties before I realised how good of a bassist he was, Level 42 had so many great catchy pop songs that I love to this day. Such a colourful and diverse time for the top 40 charts!!!!!!
I’m an 80s boy too, my dad and my Uncle turned me onto Level 42, been a fan ever since! Level 42 and Mark King are totally slept on by a lot of people!
Mark King got his start as a drummer. It’s reflected in his percussive stylings on this and other Level 42 songs.
Mark King also plays drums and keyboards. He did a solo album in the eighties where he plays all the instruments and sings on it too. Worth a listen.
One of my favourite bands of the 80's and one of the reasons I picked up the bass. How he plays like that and sings is beyond me. He is to jazz funk what Geddy Lee is to rock.
So did I. Have a JayDee and Trace Elliot Top
He's a phenomenal musician. Thinking of King as a bass player is just not enough.
This, with bells on.
He tapes his thumb because he's injured himself several times. Once concert he did, he blew his thumb open and his shirt and bass was covered in blood- but he kept going until he got some gaffer tape from a mic stand and taped it up.
He is a master of musicality in bass, who just happens to be a machine-gunner when it comes to slap. It tricks a lot of new bassists into adopting slap, but they often miss how to do it with musical merit... which is hard to do, but Mark absolutely kills it. Truly a master.
As you mention at the end, the REALLY impressive thing about Mark King is that he plays lines like this while singing lead. Check out "Almost There" or "The Chinese Way" for some good examples.
Great examples. Also "Dune Tune" for that bass melody. Massive fan of their first 4 albums - not so much after that when they went full pop. . Go thunder thumbs!
Kansas City Milkman (live on Physical Presence) is great song for his singing and playing at the same time, that also features his finger-style playing.
Chinese Way - superb song with excellent base. This guy is a genius. I was lucky to see them live a few times.
In an interview, Mark said that his most difficult part to play and sing, was "Lessons In Love". something to do with the progression of notes. He started out as a drummer, hence the percussive nature of his playing. (Lest we forget, of course, that's Gary Husband on drums, who now plays keyboard for...Billy Cobham!) I've been fortunate enoughtto see Level 42 1983 and Billy Cobham/Gary Husband at Ronnie Scott's i n London, a few years ago!
A multitasker. 🙂
Back in the day level 42 were just another chart band, that just happened to be composed of incredible musicians, but they fitted into the pop sensibilities of the time just fine.
Of the funniest things I remember with Mark on a lunchtime TV show, with his bass in hand, and the interviewer said something like that incredible bass run, you can’t have played it live, and Mark said oh yes I did, and proceeded to play it, just knocking it straight out of the park.
I remember some interviewer saying that he went to his house and he ordered pizza in for all the media crew. What a great guy.
With Simple Minds et al Level 42 didn't really get their due. The 80s scene was probably the wrong time & the 70s would have been more them. Mark does Disco, there's a thought.
That's not quite true. They were a half-way underground jazz-funk band for a long time before they broke. They had a live following but no really big hits before Something About You in 1985. What you describe is what it would have seemed like to a lot of people, though, so I guess it's not completely wrong.
@@leonskum.5682 correction. He went to Mark King's house and Mark King had *made* pizza not ordered it. He also says that when you go to Iggy Pop's house Iggy Pop haven't made Pizza for you :D
@@Generalbas1972 hehe. Nice one.
Fun fact: the guitarist in this video is Nathan King, Mark’s brother, who is also a pretty badass bassist in his own right too - plays bass in the excellent prog rock band Frost*.
Also, pretty funny and knowledgable gear-reviewer for Anderton's channel: th-cam.com/video/Ef9GYkbA9Kc/w-d-xo.html
Hello fellow Frost*ie!
Also pretty hilarious!
Frost is awesome! Bros. King are super talented musicians.
He also plays pretty much every gig with The Blockheads these days, and depping for the legend that is Norman Watt-Roy takes some skill. What a talented bunch the King family is.
The balance in the music, how it all fits around the bass, is because he was the main creative force behind the songs - not to say it was a one horse show, not at all - but the songs generally started as a bass riff and were written around that riff so yes it all fits nicely. As the band moved into the late 80s they became more commercial and the bass retreated somewhat much to the chagrin of us long standing fans. He's a complete legend and one of the nicest guys around in the business so it's very heartwarming to this late 50 year old fan (the band signed n 21st birthday card for me) that the next generation of musicians are finding him and the band's musicianship.
Mark King is awesome. How he plays this stuff and sings a counter melody ar the same time without crashing never ceases to amaze.
That's cause you don't see the months and months of him practicing doing it before going live. He even said so once in an interview
My all-time favourite band since seeing them at Wembley in 1986. You talking about Mark got me rather defensive, like you were talking about a family member lol. Glad you appreciate his talent. Now you need to check more of their live stuff out!
I saw Level 42 in October, at Liverpool Philharmonic Hall, they were brilliant! I heard an old interview with Mark King and he said that he switched from drums to bass, so that goes a long way to understanding his impecable timing and percussive style of playing on the bass. 😀
Mark is an excellent drummer as well. Explains a lot about his rhythm.
Mark was a drummer that transitioned to bass when they already had a drummer so he took up the bass. His percussive style comes from that training and the drummer is no ordinary drummer. It’s Gary Husband who was Alan Holdswoths drummer. Alan was a part of Level 42 for a while. Greatness attracts greatness !!!
King started life as drummer! And talking about drummers, the drummer here is Gary Husband who played with Allan Holdsworth .... And now often plays Keys for Billy Cobham. You should check out Stuart Clayton's analysis of King's style/technique.
You might not know it but Allan Holdsworth actually helped Level 42 out when they had a tour but no guitar player. So a few shows in the U.K. (on the Guaranteed Tour) he played. The beauty of it is that for the solos they let him simply do his thing 😎
@@ChrisEchoes I’d forgotten about that. Wasn’t he helping out because Alan Murphy was too ill, or had already passed? Everyone should check out Murphy’s playing. He was incredible, and a great loss to the guitar playing community.
@@ChrisEchoesAllan was guitarist in Guaranteed album too, fill in solo in track 4, 8, 9, 10, 12 and some live. His signature on "If You Were Mine" on intro and solo so bold.
@@simonbowkett124 not entirely sure about the circumstances. Murphy is indeed great. I got a friend who has pretty much anything that Holdsworth plays on who also is a great admirer of Murphy's playing and has lots of the music he plays on.
Level 42 is a fabulous band and totally worth your time to review. You will not be disappointed
OMG you definitely have to listen to more of Level 42. I was raised listening to them (thanks to my dad and uncles) and I love these guys. Mark is a king when it comes to bass and singing. He does have over the top skills on both attributes and the way he does both in such a complex, groovy, tight way is outstanding.
Simply the greatest. One of only two bassists to be presented with a signature Alembic model back in the 80’s (with Stanley). Slap, finger style, singing on top, he can do it all…and faster!
Was going to comment how that body shape looked a lot like an Alembic. Geez what I would give for a Stanley Clarke Alembic. I’m not saying I’d trade my child but I might hesitate
This guy is the real deal. Easily one of the greatest bass players of all time. Check out some of his interview. He's an incredibly humble guy and a brilliant storyteller. So down to earth. I respect this man immensly.
Big brother here supporting the coolest guy on the planet
he’s so naturally talented
Saw them live for the first time in 1981 over here in The Netherlands and been a fan ever since. Back then they opened for The Police and had some gigs of their own after that in Holland. The crowd was very 'up' and Mark got carried away and was 'smacking' the strings so hard that he split his thumb! He started using gaffer tape around it, and never saw him without it at live concerts after that... He's well known for his 'machine gun' slap style, but this man is an allround musician, make no mistake... Check out the last track of "Live at Reading Concert Hall 2001", named "Foundation & Empire", a great jazz-funk melodic instrumental piece! You won't be disappointed... 😎
@ErikJan, YES, Foundation & Empire is an awesome piece of work, written by Mark King alone, and it is brilliant! Blows me away every time I hear it!
In interviews Mark King explains the tape is because in the early 80's he actually split his thumb whilst playing a gig 😮 In terms of a track where he plays and sings check out 'Almost there' or 'Love games' both were done on latest tour in UK and Europe! They are spectacular! Great vid and analysis
Saved me from having to type out the explanation 👍
Wow, and his skin hasn't healed in 4 decades? It's called a Gimmick. In fact, it even slows his playing down a bit, and since he's never had a good tone (no matter what bass), it probably stunts the sound too.
@@tenthletter2678 it healed, he just prefers to play with tape around his thumb now
His non-slap is amazing. He's got a great voice too. His brother Nathan, on the strat, is some musician too. Oh and he started out as a drummer.
How on earth do you become such an accomplished bassist as this guy is without ever having heard Mark King before?
Another 80s bass guitarist you should give a listen to its Nick Beggs if you haven't already. From the group Kajagoogoo. Seemed to win best bass guitarist every year whilst the band was around.
This post should be pinned at the top. Beggs and King are true legends without a doubt
Mark is the real GOAT. You need to listen to all of the L42 material.
Don't feel bad. I've been trying to receate this for 39 years!
Thought I'd nailed it from the early tapes with no videos, then saw him live. I cried.
I can't do the drum roll
Level 42 were part of my youth - saw them live a number of times. Great nights out.
How Water, Running In the Family, Lessons In Love ... A REALLY talented bunch of guys who have written so fantastic music. (The drummer - Phil Gould - is one of Neil Peart's favourites)
Phil Gould was the original drummer. The drummer in this video is Gary Husband.
Oops.
@agd2112 is right tho, Phil was the founding drummer and played on all up to Forever Now albums (personally I think that's his best performance), as well as being the main lyricist. Gary took over for Staring at the Sun and that's a whole other tale.
I'd love to see someone break down the differences between PG and GH playing the same tunes.
Neil Peart indeed said lots of good things about Phil's playing, documented in many places.
@@andrewharbron5841 Gary was on Staring at the Sun and Guaranteed as well. Then Phil came back for Forever Now.
@@OGBrawlerina aye true did I miss that? But he'll, they've all been amazing. 👍
Geddy Lee and Mark King are my two favourite bass players. I bet they are great to learn and play along to
Really, REALLY liked your commentary on this. At the start, when you were saying that a lot of people can play technically impressive slap but don't have the groove I was thinking '... Just wait until Mark gets going'... And he did, and you called it. Virtuosity is one thing, but Mark never strays far from the groove - his basslines always drive the melody, and they really do DRIVE relentlessly. I was also waiting for your reaction when he went fingerstyle....because many people assume Mark's a one trick pony until they hear his awesome fingering - check out Almost There or Theme to Margaret. Great, great reaction video.
It's cool that you also tuned into the fact that Mark locks into the percussion well - he was first and foremost a drummer (worshiping at the throne of Lenny White and Billy Cobham) and plays bass accordingly, especially in this case with the legendary Gary Husband.
And you guessed right - the gaffer tape is because during a tour years ago he split a callous on his thumb, and now he's used to the feel and the sound. He's VERY hard on his instruments.
He's playing a Status KingBass - developed by Mark with Rob Green at Status and, I think, sort of taking design cues from the Stanley Clarke Alembics (listen to 'Dune Tune' or the RIDICULOUS 'Foundation & Empire' and you'll hear that Mark was a big Stanley Clarke fan). Love that cut-glass hifi tone.
Finally, what still amazes me is that when he wrote Mr Pink, Mark had only been playing bass for something like a couple of years...he only switched to bass, so the legend has it, because he needed a job, and the music shop in London where he applied only needed someone to demo basses....so he learnt to play them...though he's left-handed....and sings as well, Makes you sick 🙂
Wow, thanks for the nice words and plentiful recommendations! I’ll come back to this when I do Level 42 again. I had no idea he was a drummer until the comments started flowing in - makes total sense because he thinks so percussively. I wish I had that background starting out sometimes. I came from piano and trumpet and always think very melodically, which has become my personal bass style, essentially. Cheers, and thanks for stopping by!
I heard that song 30 years ago in a mixtape my bass teacher made for me, that tape is long gone and i had no idea who played it so you gave me some closure 😎
Wow.... Level 42 was my fav band in the late 80s. Saw them live 13 times
Level 42 started off as a mainly instrumental band in 1980. By the mid-80s they had ditched the instrumentals and were one of the biggest bands in the uk. They had a US top 10 single with Something About You on which Mark's bass is understated and supports the song. For him playing tasteful finger style, check out the song Standing in the Light. Also the tone on that song and others at the time is so much better than on this video because he was playing his jaydee. He went back to his old jaydee a couple of years ago and sounded amazing when i saw them. For endurance and singing while playing check out Lessons in Love from the wmbley video online. This has the original and best lineup with the gould brothers on drums and guitar.
How the filp you not heard of Mark King. Wow. Saw level 42 play in concert. Brilliant
He is an amazing musician and also a very funny guy. I saw them the first time in 1985. Cheers from Italy!
Mr Pink got me into bass playing. in my first hour of lessons, i talked to my teacher that i wanted to be able to play this song and he just played it like it was nothing. 1 year later i could play it too. not perfectly, not always at 100% speed, but i was fucking happy :D
p.s. the bass solo in the intro is just improvised. the song itself starts when the band kicks in.
Oh you've so been missing out all these years. What a band, saw them live in 2023 - epic.
Thanks for featuring this piece, which is probably his masterpiece in terms of an instrumental at a live show.
There are also good examples on this concert DVD, Level 42 Live at Reading of 2001, of him singing to slap and finger style bass lines.
E.g. the tracks Hot Water, Love Games, also slower titles like Why Are You Leaving, I Want Eyes. Actually the entire show/concert is worthwhile watching 😊
Mark King is one of the best & in my opinion is the best bass player in the world. Apart from his exceptional slap bass style he is equally great at finger style, not forgetting he does all this while singing. And he has a great voice too.
He was up there for me too...until I discovered Charles Berthoud a couple of years ago. IMHO, head and shoulders, the best bass player I've ever heard. Technically, musically and arrangment...he has the lot. If you haven't already, check him out...B-)
@@m4hs33r5
I agree he is an excellent bassist, but not as good as Mark King in my opinion. He and Dave 504 were asking for bass challenges so I sent them this link th-cam.com/video/Vy1ctn6F2Yg/w-d-xo.htmlsi=KXStkTriVxIAJEFj. . They didn't respond. The solo starts at 3.15
Status Basses are legendary. They had carbon fibre necks that stay in tune for months on end. Proper high end hand made instruments. Love my Status S2. Also that Trace Elliot amplification from the 80’s is also very unique. Put both Status Basses & Trace amps together & that bass totally cuts through in the band. 🤔
I have a Status Streamline bass and I love it.
Level 42 were my companions on cassette tape in the early 1980s when I was ploughing the motorways of the UK as a computer service engineer...back in the days when computers were the size of wardrobes! The Pursuit of Accidents was probably my fav album back then, wish I still had that on vinyl. Funny that the band originated in the Isle of Wight...famously only for musicians going to it, not coming from it. 😂
Mark split his thumb while playing in Holland years ago, spraying the audience with blood - hence he was nicknamed The Butcher. Ever since, he's taped his thumb.
I guess because he's also a drummer his timming is so good, in some way he apply the drummer way of thinking in to a bass, as a drummer myself I can understand that.
Back in the 80'S nobody was thinking that the best bass player was on a band like Level 42, everybody was looking for the heavy metal or progressive rock band.
Mark King started life as a drummer and I think that is an excellent grounding for playing the bass guitar
Thanks for the great analysis!
I first heard Level 42 in a specialist London record shop in 1980. The shop was playing a white label 12" single called "Love Meeting Love", their first record.
After that their popularity quickly snowballed initially among the jazz-funk-fusion crowd and by the mid 80's they were getting international chart hits. Their 1981 debut LP on Ploydor Records was a revelation and is one of my all time faves.
The guys played so tight together and there was someting new and different to their sound, with Mark's bass playing of course making such an impact.
Check out especially the 2 instrumentals "43" and "Heathrow" plus the singles "Turn It On" and "Starchild" from that album.
It wasn't until I saw them live in 1983 that Mark's brilliance really hit home to my friends and I who were watching.
BTW Reading (UK) is a large historic town around 40 miles west of central London and is pronounced like (Otis) "Redding".
I love this video of Mr. Pink. It absolutely revolutionized the way I understood slap and what could be accomplished with the technique, serving as the perfect gateway into the world of King, Wooten, Miller and others.
What us old buggers call musicianship,all the band are fantastic,i listend to this band almost non stop back in the day. Id forgotton just how good they were as a band,this is what happens when a buch of guys decide if were doing it,lets do it right,and they do on just about every song theyve done.
Duddddeeee, I am so happy that you’ve discovered Mark King and Level 42. I am about 40 years luckier and I know you will dig into it. Look up sessions from Prague, just Mark goofing around. Level 42 baby
Well done as usual sir! Back in the mid 80's, my then GF dragged my to a Tina Turner concert with Level 42 opening. Long story short, I discovered one of my all time favorite groups and I don't really remember TT's set.😜JK, she also put on a hell of a show. More L42 pleeeeze! BTW, Mark K. and Henrik L. are my 2 fave bassists.
Mark is an astonishing bass player… and he would sing while playing. Good video and explanations! Nicely done!
I also didn’t realize there are bass teachers who’ve not heard of or seen Mark King. Next up, a pianist who’s not familiar with Mozart. 😅
Hey Nick, appreciate the nice words! Thanks for stopping by. I’m getting that sentiment a lot…I’ve definitely heard of Mark before, and have seen little clips over the years. Just haven’t sat down and listened to a full Level 42 song and seen him in action. I can’t wait to check out more!
He is a beast. Enjoy! He carries his bass much higher than I do... and he's also way better.@@LowEndUniversity
@@LowEndUniversityDefinitely check out the Sunbed Song from the same Live at Reading performance. Also, user “John De Leeuw” has a lot of videos on Mark King and Level 42 playing some of his best slap and finger work, if you’re looking for more L42 songs. Cheers!
@@LowEndUniversity My favourite band of all time - they are legends here in the UK and as others have said, how he plays like that and sings is totally beyond me!!!! 🙂
@@LowEndUniversityNo offense, but I think the problem I am finding out with a lot of the bass TH-cam channels that I am running into lately is that they have not heard the a complete album of a lot of the bass players they are talking about , and they quickly make these top 10 songs and players without hearing the whole album or enough songs from that bass player.For instance , Havona is a great song on Weather Report-Heavy Weather, but I don’t think it’s the best bass playing that Jaco does on that record. Just my opinion. And I hope you look at some of the suggestions for Level 42 songs that people have put on here.
Mark King started off as a drummer. Octopus style bass, and fantastic vocals. Best stuff pre 85. Finger style....Sun goes Down. He's one of the greats from England ( Jersey UK)...
Amazing bass player, and a pretty great singer and songwriter too. I love Level 42, saw them once live opening for Steve Winwood on his Higher Love tour back in 1986 at the Pacific Coliseum in Vancouver B.C. Canada. Great concert. Level 42's best album, IMO, is World Machine.
Mark King is a legend in the music world, not just in the bass-slap world. ... now you should listen to his amazing voice (while playing like that) he is also an amazing singer
His voice was its very best prior to 1994. After that, it was different and not as good.
Mark is King. Since the first time I heard his playing in Turn it On (1981), I knew I should dig into it. No waste there
.. Love games made me a bass player 👌
Mark King started his musical career as a drummer, hence his style is based on hiting the strings in a percussive way. He had tape on his thumb. Still touring, and as good. Just seen Level 42 on tour in the Uk, October 23. Brilliant 👍
I saw him in an interview, and he wears that protective band on his thumb because he blew his thumb out on stage. He said he was excited about this one concert and the first slap of the bass his thumb split. He is so in tune with the drums because he started playing drums before he played bass.
You are supposedly a bass teacher but don’t know about Mark King? That’s like a classical musician not knowing about Beethoven.
Mark King + Status Graphite + 0.35 strings + Trace Elliot = Cannot fail! :)
"Eyes Waterfalling" live version from about 1982, BBC Sight and Sound.
A bass teacher that hasn’t heard Mark King 🤔
I was thinking the same thing.....
He's american, that explains it 😅
He doesn't seem to of heard of anyone tbh i hate to think what he listen to
@@Colin-ro6lh - in one video about Faith No More he said that he listened a lot to Mr Bungle.
@@Pedroleum100 who the bass player?& I've heard of them but not sort of thing I listen to tbh
Mark is also the singer. And yes !!! he slaps and sings at the same time... an icon here in the UK and Europe.
The names KING for a reason 👍🇬🇧👍🇬🇧
The thumb protector he wears is because he once hit the string so hard (during a concert in Germany) he split his thumb badly and covered people in the front row with blood.
Thumbs up for mentioning "serving the song". I feel that it's important for all musicians to bear that approach in mind. In fact, listen to 4 or 5 of Level 42's hits from the 80s and you'll soon notice that on some tracks, King's bass is prevalent, while it's dialled back in others. It won't take you long to realise that King's choices pretty much always suit the mood of the song.
Watching your video right now and you have nailed the whole genius of Mark King. The slap bass solo stuff is for TV interviews and shit. Go back and watch the Level 42 live videos from the 1980's and then it all makes sense. Mark's bass, Phil's drums, Boon's guitar, Mike's keyboards. It's super connected that it blows your mind. I heard you say Geddy Lee as well and that's interesting because Level 42 and Rush were my favourite bands at the same period in time, which is crazy.
Mark and Mikes vocals harmonize so well, my favorite singers ever!
This is my first time ever seeing your channel. You really got me with "I kinda feel bad about saying what I said earlier" Brother there is an honesty there and an ability to be critical of ones self reflected in that that tells me that you are a good man! That you want to give your best to your listeners. BRAVO! Subscribing today!
That means a lot, thanks so much! I aim to always keep an open mind towards all music, and am happy to have my mind changed! Appreciate the sub, and I’ll see you around!
I saw Level 42 live when they first started in 1981 at Placemates 7 in Manchester. We were right in front of Mark King and I have been a life long fan since. Can't believe this guy has never heard of them!..
Very nice. If you want to see him sing in a certified pop hit, try "Something About You". If you want something a bit more like this, try "Almost There".
Mark King is the reason I (and many, many others) started playing bass in the early 80s. The Status 'period' is my least favourite sonically to be honest - go back to their earlier material where he played Jaydee basses. He has recently gone back to playing Jaydees on tour as well - I can recommend the whole Physical Presence live album, and check out the Live at Wembley 1986 gig - there's a track called Love Games which starts off with a bass solo. That one really shows off his range of technique, and he sings.
Love games at Wembley 86 and the solo first is, for his pinicle. Simply perfect!
I just recommended the same album. :)
If you want to see him play and sing together, I recommend Level 42 Love Games Improv in tro GLive. It’s extraordinary how he can play such complex bass lines and sing
As a young bass player before I was doing professional stuff someone said check him out. I was in Highschool and Lessons in love was out and I was like cool sound lotsa bass but one of the greatest? I was like nah. Then when I was on the road doing some touring and had a chance to pick up some of their early cd's that another bass player told me about I was like whoa this guy is the real deal. Not only did he have serious chops he could sing like crazy over the top of all these crazy rhythms. Dig into their catalog and if you want to get really freaked out check out how long he had been playing bass when they started recording, youll want to quit playing:-) He was a drummer first thats where he gets all his right and left hand percussion stuff going on. Also on another note got to meet him once after a show and he is seriously an all out super nice guy. I met him outside a show as he was coming to his bus and we chatted seriously for what seems like 20 minutes, we were freezing as it was in the middle of winter, anyway at the end of the conversation I asked him if he would sign my ticket, he looked and me and said are you kidding? No I wont he said. Then he proceeded to go over to his bus and pulled open the cargo door and rummaged through a bunch of stuff and pulled out the bands promo glossy's and signed that for me. Was a great night to meet a young bass players Hero who turned out to be a classy guy!
I've seen them 2 weeks ago in the Netherlands! 🙂 Check out their concerts with the original lineup on German TV show "Rockpalast" from 1983 and 1984 here on YT!
Mark King is a musical miracle, and the band is airtight.
Mark King is the bassist who got me playing. He can sing, play and songwrite. MR Pink is my favourite instrumental by Level 42
Check out True Believers for all fingerstyle playing from him while he sings lead. A favorite song from my favorite band.
Mark was my neighbour in south London in the 80s
You gotta get into their earlier videos of their gigs when they just hit the music scene. The original lineup was just as phenomenal as they are nowadays with the different members. My favorite band growing up in the eighties just loving them! Bought all their albums and listened to them over and over. Seen them in concert in Toronto in the eighties as well with the original line up. Before Boon Gould the original guitarist passed away and the original drummer had left the band. Boon Gould was the original drummer Phil Gould's brother. RIP 🙏
Anyhow, they still sound incredible today even with the newer members. Mark King is so impressive! Check out their earlier stuff from the eighties.
There is an excellent interview I heard a long time ago with Mark King. He mentioned something akin to being paid by the note. 😂 When I finally got around to viewing the film Whiplash not very long ago, this set and song immediately came to mind. You hit on how what I thought about the drummer and bassist were so tightly in the pocket.
As well, the guy who got me into wanting to learn the bass said to me once, “He and Les Claypool make you want to do one of two things as a bassist: Give up or practice more and more.”
A lot of random thoughts I unpacked here but Level 42/Mark King will always amaze the heck out of me.
Remember Mark King saying in the 80's he never practised bass ever
11:46 there is a LOT of this in level 42's music, theres a song by them called "Almost there" where you cant really tell if its a snare or a pop on the off beat and then realizing the speed of the bass line is complete fucking insanity, he zigs when you're expecting a zag and when you realize that he zagged it turns out that he was zigging all along.
I’m gonna have to remember that last line
Follow the baseline in "Heaven in my Hands". It melts my brain. So many amazing hits and baselines. The Complete musician.
at 5:33 he is palying the groove of another level42 song, it's called "43". wonderful...
You have to listen to is solo album « Influences »: he Plays all the instruments, drum, keys, guitar, bass and sings.
That album is freaking awesome!
The thing on his thumb is just tape. He first did this after playing live gig and his thumb split and he went all Texas chainsaw massacre on the audience. Blood everywhere! Since that day, he’s used tape on his thumb. He also uses very light strings 90-30’s. He may have gone to 35’s in recent years. That’s very much where his ‘sound’ comes from. Check out Status basses from the 80’s. Stunning. I’m addicted to them. I have 10!
As someone else mentioned Gary Husband on drums played with Alan Holdsworth. Alan Holdsworth played guitar with Level 42 for a while. Jakko Jakszyk who recently played with King Crimson was also guitarist for a while. Then there's Mark's brother Nathan on guitar whose played bass for many bands including my favourite Frost*, a British Prog band made up of music writers, producers and top players. Level 42 has always had top notch musicians playing for them..😎
As a bass teacher, how can you be “not familiar at all” with Mark King? I don’t understand!
excellent analysis and thoughts. i grew up with level42, mid eighties onwards, and you brought plenty of new observations👍
Should see the old stuff L42 did live in 80s, Mark King on stage with DM boots on stomping up and down the stage while singing and playing. He is also a pro drummer. He is one of the best for this style. Seen them many times, in the original line up and recent. Love them.
Level 42, from what I know, has been big in Europe in the 80s, but not so much outside of that, so don’t slag him off for not knowing Mark King.
Another classic Level 42 tune with a “killer” bass loop and him singing at the same time is Love Games, or try Lessons In Love, or Hot Water
I saw them about 25 years ago and for me the most impressive thing was the pressure from the speakers with this sound. You hear the fresh strings, the slap sound and you think a steam locomotive comes over you. So seeing him live was awesome. I like these hard slap technique. The only bass play I remember was Wojtek Pilichowski, whose has created live a very similar sound impression to me...
I remember as a kid in the early eights. His picture was in NME magazine with a headline, The Man that launched a Thousand Thumbs . Amazing band for sure.
I’m Paul, Birmingham UK. I used to work as a Stagehand, Local Crew in my home town and beyond. Worked a L. 42 gig, had a seat on the edge of the Front of House riser for the sound check, a cheeky move for one in my job role! Mr King steered the drummer into a quirkily shifted version of one of their classics, brilliantly jammed for a round of verse/chorus before he slowly turned around and saw me digging the groove from FOH :) Half way through the 2nd chorus by then, he got there and carried on looking at me while he broke into the best solo I’ve heard from him. At the time, I’d been a fan for all of their early years/hits, lost my love of his playing as he went very technical, lost his music (in the studio/industry?) around the time that his first solo disc released. I’ve caught plenty live footage from the years between and it’s all mostly held up my lack of interest, sadly, so this Reading (pronounced “Redding” btw :) tune is another positive blessing. The band’s audience ALWAYS want King to get his slap chops out, a jazz/funk tune is a cool way to ‘solo’ eh?! And yeah, he’s the main composer and arranger, so it’s no wonder how congealed the bass/drumming is - without googling, my ears tell me the skin beater has been a long term fan too! King is in his groove dna!!!