Mark King

 

This interview originally appeared in Global Bass Online November 2000

Global Bass writer ANDY LONG chats up Mark King, monster bass player from the `80's band LEVEL 42. With a new album out soon, in the 'Trash' series, we thought it was time to catch up with Mark and see how the new millennium is treating him

When one hears the name Level 42, The first thing that springs to mind is the image of Mark King, huge Jaydee bass strapped right up under his chin, thumb erect and going like a jackhammer, popping out a barrage of bass notes and grinning like a Cheshire cat.

The first song that springs to mind is, of course, 'Lessons In Love'. Remember that classic intro? The song hit the Number One spot in an astonishing seventeen countries, although surprisingly enough it failed to reach that hallowed spot in the band's native U.K., where it peaked at Number 3.

Even though they never had a British #1 hit, Level 42 developed into an amazing success story. In their fourteen-year history they chalked up a total of twenty-nine U.K. chart hits and sales in excess of thirty million. Their last single 'Love In A Peaceful World' achieved a respectable No. 31 in August of `94.

I spoke to Mark recently to catch up with what he's been doing since the band's demise, I was interested in finding out why they broke out but opened up the chat by asking him to name a few of his early influences.

Mark: I began playing bass in 1979 around the time that Level 42 began 'jamming'. I had really wanted to pursue a career as a drummer, but fate has a funny way of turning things around, so my influences were not just bassists but musicians such as Billy Cobham, John McLaughlin, Lenny White, Stan Clarke, Chick Corea, Herbie Hancock, and so many of the great players that Miles Davis brought to light in the late sixties and early seventies.

So, going back to my earlier point, after all the success Level 42 achieved, why did they decide to call it a day in 1994?

Mark: We had been very successful, but music by its very nature continually moves on and evolves. Level 42 hadn't really done that for a few years, so..... to me we really felt like a band from the 1980's that had outstayed its welcome!

Following the split Mark took the whole of 1995 off and took some time to just enjoy being a family man back at home on the Isle of Wight. Shortly afterwards he sold his archetypal rock-star mansion with built-in studio and the family moved to a smaller home on the island. About this time Mark began to consider a new direction for his career.

Mark: Well I was looking for some kind of role in the music industry. What do you do? I write songs amongst other things, so I thought I might try writing songs for some artists I admired. I never had the balls to approach them with the material I came up with and it started to mount up! Then I got a call from Warner Chappell's (publisher) and they listened to the stuff I was doing and introduced me to Eagle Records.

The Eagle people liked what they heard and they soon signed up Mark for a solo album. 'One Man' was actually Marks second solo album, having released 'Influences' way back in 1984. Sad to say that the press and the record buying public reacted with what Mark describes as "Stunning indifference!" to both the album and its single release 'Bitter Moon'.

Mark: 'I never seem to have learned the lesson that what had got me anywhere in the first place was a complete belief in my own ability', Mark mused. 'The moment you invite anyone else to choose your path you are compromised - and, of course, that's your own fault!'

The next album was an independent release, 'Trash, described as a selection of songs that were 'never finished or used'. I asked Mark why he chose to release an album like this.

Mark: Having shelves full of odds and sods of music from the past twenty years led me to post a message on the websites offering any hard and fast fans out there a chance to hear some of the things that were never going to see the light of day otherwise.

A glance at Marks website reveals that 1999 was a pretty hectic year, with a tour that took in dates in the U.K., Scandinavia, Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Spain. Sounds like a lot of hard work to me but Mark disagreed.

Mark: I had some good lads working with me - My brother Nathan, Lyndon Connah (a tortured artist if ever there was one!) and Trevor Smith, (who succumbed to the lure of a regular shilling), plus a good crew made the Euro jaunt a happy affair! I like playing live - It's the arse-ache of setting it all up that wears a bit thin at my age!

Along with Lyndon and Nathan, Mark is currently working with drummer Gary Husband. 'Hubbo' is the most talented musician I've ever, and probably ever will work with - and I've played with a lot!'. So what can a gig-goer expect to hear in an average set from the Mark King Band?

Mark: I'm afraid we don't do 'average' sets, but right now it's sounding pretty good! I asked the website to come up with suggestions for any numbers that Level 42 never played live but that they would have liked to hear, (and the results were an education!), so I have taken the suggestions on board and it sounds cool!

The band closed 1999 with seven straight nights at Ronnie Scotts Jazz Club in Birmingham, a prestigious venue indeed. They followed this up with another five-night slot at the Jazz cafe in Londons Camden Town. All this led to the most recent release 'Live At The Jazz Café'. How pleased was Mark with the result?

Mark: It was as good as it was! Playing live can be traumatic from the players point of view, and we all feel it could have been so much better. The plain fact is of course, that that is how good you were right there and then! - it's live, right?

So Mark is content to sell these albums independently through his website, and it seems to be working for him, as he explains.

Mark: The problem with the internet as a way of selling direct for a new, unknown artist is; How the hell do you get people to look you up when no-one has heard of you or knows what you do? Oh no! it's the record companies for you young man! .....For myself, I have the benefit of a 'track record', so people looking up Level 42 stuff will get round to finding out what I've been up to, and yeah ....it's workin' just fine for me!

Time for the part weve all been waiting for, a look at Marks gear. In the level 42 days Mark was always seen with those huge Jaydees or Alembics. I noticed that he appeared to be playing Fender Jazzes these days but he soon put me right there. They are in fact the custom creations of Bernie Goodfellow.

Mark: Right now I'm breaking in a pair of new GB basses, made by Bernie Goodfellow. The pair I was using before were 'Fender' based, but these new basses are more.... well, just more really! They have thru' necks, which I always prefer, and Bernies electronics are fab! The Lights-up-the-neck go bananas when I play fast, but Bernie says they're meant to!

While were on the subject of Jazz basses, a few years ago Mark did a DIY de-fret on a Moon Jazz, something most of us non-luthiers would be very nervous about attempting, but Mark went for it.

Mark: I don't know about non-luthier, I'm Methodist I think...., anyway the removing of the frets was fine, and I needed a fretless - what are you gonna do?!

As far as amplification goes, Mark has been heavily featured in the Ashdown advertising campaign over the last year or so, showing off the huge 8x10 combo that they built for him. I was under the impression that this was a sponsorship deal but Mark was quick to correct me (again!).

Mark: I don't have sponsorships with any manufacturer, and NEVER have! I've used various makes of equipment over the years and have always made it clear to the manufacturers involved that I won't sign any exclusive contracts, so I never did! I exercise my right to use whatever I want, whenever I want. That said, Mark Gooday from Ashdown is an old pal from the Trace Elliot days, and when I was looking for a different approach sound wise for the 'One Man' stuff, he came up with an Ashdown rig which was perfect! Great warm bottom end, but here we are one year on and I'm checking out an Eden rig, courtesy of the Bass Centre (Cheers Barry and Alex!).

Mark's sound has always been fairly free of effects, 'But,' he says, 'I'm tempted to bring back a couple of old E1010 delay units, (old analogue Yamaha delays!), for a couple of the songs that I had used them on originally'.

Just to close I asked Mark what his immediate plans for the future were?

Mark: I am filming the latest tour because I want to have a live video to offer on the website. I can't get to all the places on the planet that I would like to and this is the best way to get the squonk to all the dudes who can't get to the gigs! Trash 2 is coming', and.......and... thats where were going to have to leave the Mark King story for now. From the heady days of the eighties when Level 42 was heard pumping out from behind the darkened windows of every white Ford Escort XR3i, Mark seems well on the road to reinventing himself as the serious and more mature musician.

A chronological listing of all of Level 42's records.

1980
Singles
Sandstorm
Love Meeting Love - Elite Records
Love Meeting Love - Polydor Records
(Flying On The) Wings Of Love

1981
Album
Level 42

Singles
Love Games
Turn It On
Starchild

1982
Albums
Strategy
The Early Tapes July/August 1980
The Pursuit Of Accidents

Singles
Are You Hearing (What I Hear)?
You Can't Blame Louis
Weave Your Spell

1983
Album
Standing In The Light

Singles
The Chinese Way
Out Of Sight Out Of Mind
The Sun Goes Down (Living It Up)
Microkid

1984
Album
True Colours

Singles
Hot Water
The Chant Has Begun
Kansas City Milkman
A Floating Life

1985
Albums
A Physical Presence
World Machine

Singles
A Physical Presence EP
Something About You
Leaving Me Now
World Machine

1986
Albums
Greatest Hits of Level 42
Greatest Hits

Single
Lessons In Love

1987
Albums
Running In The Family
Running In The Family - Platinum Edition
The Family Edition

Singles
Running In The Family
To Be With You Again
It's Over
Children Say
The Platinum Edition Megamix

1988
Album
Staring At The Sun

Singles
Heaven In My Hands
Take A Look

1989
Album
Level Best

Singles
Tracie
Take Care Of Yourself

1990
Album
On The Level

1991
Albums
1980-89 Complete Box Set
Guaranteed
Best Collection Of Level 42, The

Singles
Guaranteed
Overtime

1992
Album
The Remixes

Singles
My Father's Shoes
The Hit Combination

1993
Albums
On A Level
Lessons In Love - Best

1994
Album
Forever Now

Singles
Forever Now
All Over You
Love In A Peaceful World
Learn To Say No

1995
Album
To Be With You Again (Compilation CD)

1996
Albums
Turn It On (Compilation CD)
Live At Wembley
The Remix Collection
The Master Series

1997
Album
The Very Best Of Level 42 (German Compilation CD)

1998
Albums
The Very Best Of Level 42
Greatest Hits And More

Single
The Sun Goes Down (Living It Up) '98 Remix

1999
Album
The Universal Masters Collection

2000
Albums
Millenium Edition
Best Level
Level 42/The Early Tapes July/August 1980 Re-issues
The Pursuit Of Accidents/Standing In The Light Re-issues
True Colours/World Machine Re-issues
A Physical Presence Re-issue
Running In The Family/Staring At The Sun Re-issues
Running In The Family (Compilation CD)

2001
Album
Guaranteed (Compilation CD)

Singles
Starchild - BMR with Level 42
Starchild (The Remixes) - BMR with Level 42

2002
Albums
Live At Reading
The Ultimate Collection

Singles
Starchild - BMR with Level 42
Something About You (2002 White Label Remix)