Your question and Mark's answer

Thank you for all of the submissions to the Ask Mark feature - we had an overwhelming response! This page is now closed for new submissions, but it will be opened again soon. Lots of love to you all, Mark x 28/01/2005 (10) 08/09/2004 (10) 07/09/2004 (10)

Fri, 28 Jan 2005 14:38

FROM: Terry Capewell

Hi Mark. Do you still have your Series II Alembics (coco bolo & quilted maple LEDS) and if so why are you not using them. If it is the same weight as mine then I don't blame you since I am the same age your back tends to suffer some what after a gig. Regards, Terry Capewell.

Hi Terry. I do indeed still have the two Alembics you mention, and have a 'noodle' on them from time to time. They are lovely basses and I was thrilled when Alembic offered to make them as a signature model. Obviously I'd never part with them, but then again no serious offer refused, so obviously I've just changed my mind, obviously. As for the age thing, how dare you! I've never felt fitter etc......

FROM: Nando Pettinato

Hi Mark. This is Nando. I met you at after show party at Royal Albert Hall & you were kind enough to have a photo with me. Thanks!! My question is..."Is the 94 Albert Hall gig coming out on DVD. If so any timeframe? Cheers.

Hi Nando. The '94 Albert Hall show wasn't filmed so it can't come out on DVD, sorry.
The audio was recorded though, as was the previous evening's show at Brighton, and I have the multi-track masters so who knows, maybe I'll get round to mixing them someday. The show sounds pretty good from the desk DAT, and I know there are some bootleg cd's knocking about but they sound pretty rough, and I know you wouldn't be so naughty as to buy them anyway!
Universal Music have just re-mastered the 1987 Live at Wembley video for DVD, and Studio Hamburg have re-mastered two TV appearances from 1983 & 1984 that we did for the Rockpalast series in Germany for DVD and all of these should be coming out in late March of this year. Keep your eye on the website and we'll post the release dates as soon as we know for sure.

FROM: Hans Bal

Hello Mark. Is it possible for me to get your equalizer-setting (if you don't mind), because I have been to many shows in Holland & London to see you, but I can never define the exact setting, I also have got a Trace 12 band EQ. Thanks in advance & Hope to see you next year!!!!! Hans.

Hi Hans. The eq settings change all the time in response to what the venue sounds like (some stages are very 'lively' and I may knock back the very top end a notch or two, or the stage may be hollow and really 'boom' at the the bottom end and I have to roll off some of the offending low frequencies etc.) so you should always make the most of your soundcheck time to fiddle with your settings and get it sounding good where you are, then hope that the guy doing the front of house sound knows what you are going for and gets it sounding good out front. I have been lucky enough to have had Mark Clemence working the front desk for me for the past five or six years and he is a very good bassist in his own right so he should know what he's doing with the bass sound.
As always Hans, don't be scared to really mess around with the settings - sometimes great things happen by chance!

FROM: Preston

Would you ever consider getting a tattoo of your Level 42 "Princess" logo?

How do you know I haven't got one where you can't see it?

FROM: Andrea

Hi Mark! I'm sure you've got lots of anecdotes of fan kindness. Could you share with us either a touching or humorous fan experience you've had? Andrea X!

Hi Andrea. At one of the shows before Christmas there was a delicious bottle of Crystal Champagne waiting for me backstage, which I thought was touching, and another time a babe was waiting with nothing on but a fur coat, which I found amusing (though the missus didn't seem to see the funny side of it at all), so all of you please feel free to be as kind or humorous in future and make an old man happy.

FROM: Andy Harris

Mark. Are you aware of any plans for a DVD release of Level 42's promo videos, which would be a nice compliment to the recent Ultimate Collection CD? I did hear a rumour about plans for a DVD version of the Live at Wembley 1986 show but presumably this will be a decision made by the record company based on whether the cost will be recovered in sales.

Hi Andy. The Collection DVD & CD set has 15 promo videos on it so I guess that takes care of that for you, and as I mentioned earlier the Live at Wembley vid should be available by late March. (I feel like I'm on QVC....)

FROM: Gavin Sharp

Mark what is you favorite track to play live and why?

Hi Gav. I really like playing all the songs, why else play them?, but choosing my fave is tough, especially with so many to choose from. The Sunbed Song would be a current favourite. What's yours?

FROM: Alan James

What would be your top ten favourite songs to cover if you had to cover ten songs? Please keep it contemporary, not too many songs from the sixties and seventies.

Hi Alan. I've thought about this for a whole day now and I just can't choose ten.
I think that any song that you like enough to want to cover leaves you with the task of trying to better something that impressed you so much in the first place that you wanted to cover it (if that makes any sense at all), and I tried it once with 'I feel free' and failed miserably. Having said all that, there are so many songs that are just great fun to play that the list is huge.....except for the contemporary stuff which is largely kak.

FROM: Paul Read

Hi Mark. Firstly thank you for the many inspirational songs and gigs that you and the guys have given us over the years. My question is, of the various musicians that have been connected with the name Level 42 who has inspired you the most. (sorry to put you on the spot!!!) Best Regards, Paul.

Hi Paul. You are most welcome, and yes your question does rather put me on the spot because there have been so many great players associated with Level42 over the last 25 years, be it Phil & Boon Gould, or Gary H & the Al's (Murphy & Holdsworth) Wally Badarou is definitely inspiring to work with, hence the amount of songs we've written together, and Mike Lindup is a great springboard for ideas too. It is very hard to single any one out, so I won't!

FROM: Barrington

Mark. You are one of the great Uk bass players that made an impression on me back in the early eightiees. One song in particular: "The Sun Goes Down (Living It Up)" from 1983, awsome playing!!! I would like to ask which bass player do you admire past and/or present? Regards, Barrington.

I could listen to you all day Barrington, (can I call you Rington for short?)
I'm glad you've enjoyed some of the basslines over the years. The Sun Goes Down verse bassline was one of Wally's and is great to play.
I have a few fave bassists: Jack Bruce, Colin Hodgkinson, Stanley Clarke, Alphonso Johnson, Bootsy Collins, & Doug Rauch to name but a few.
All these guys have a great talent to make whatever tune they are playing really move along or groove, I guess, and that is something that you can't really learn - you either got it or you ain't! -

Wed, 8 Sep 2004 11:30

FROM: Chris Black

Hi Mark. Just a quick question about your basses, what made you change from playing a jaydee to status, as a jaydee owner I am curious to find out why you stopped playing these wonderful instruments. Thanks, Chris.

Hi Chris. A change is as good as a rest I suppose, and I am lucky enough to be in a position to try all kinds of instruments. It isn’t a case of a tried and trusted bass suddenly becoming useless, more a case of being re-inspired by another one!

FROM: Elliott Mogg

Hi mark! just out of interest has a string ever snapped during one of your bass solos at a gig? if so did you carry on playing with 3 strings or pick up another guitar and start again? Its happened to me before half way through a bass solo, so I just made a joke of it and walked off stage! Just wondering how you get round it really. cheers, Elliott(19) big fan!

Hi Elliott. I managed to break TWO strings at the same time back in 1981 at a soul weekender on the Isle of Wight. The lads dutifully went into an extended percussion break while I rushed back to the dressing room to find some strings as this was before the days of backline techs or even spare basses. It doesn’t happen too often any more, but when it does it helps a lot to lightly run some emery paper over the saddle to smooth-out the sharp edges caused by the string winding, or alternatively employ a roadie and have a shed-full of back-up basses!

FROM: Michael Steer

Have you seen any MK/LEVEL 42 tribute bands and if so what did you think?

I thought I was in one, and I think it’s great!

FROM: Neil Gray

Hi Mark. Why is it that you have never played "good man in a storm" live. It is such a great song, and I am sure it would be brilliant live. Neil Gray PS congratulations on the albert hall show, it was superb.

Hi Neil. It was short-listed for the last tour, but we never actually got to play it. Maybe next time.
Putting a set together that works well as a whole is quite tricky, and trying to please everyone is impossible, but I do try and include some of the lesser known tracks along with the bigger hits that the majority of the audience come to hear.

FROM: Frank

Mark. How do you see the future for Level 42, and what direction would you like to take the band?

I’d love the current line-up to make an album, they’ve certainly earned it, and I’m working on that right now. Touring is great fun and I’ll keep doing it as long as we can keep the people coming to the shows, so I guess that’s the future for Level42, I’ll let you know if it changes!

FROM: Clarke Hubbard

Mark. Would it be possible now, or in the future to obtain an instructional DVD on your bass playing? We would like to see some of those chops broken down (honestly, slowed down). I have seen some of the DVD instruction videos, and they really are opening up the opportunity to interact with your media. Multiple camera angles, special features, product info, etc. I promise to study hard, just give me something fun to study. I realize that I am an American but dont hold it against me, I'm also a devoted fan since the early 80's. Respond if you can. Thanks, Clarke.

Cheers Clarke! It’s a good idea. I’ll do it.............. Probably. I suppose I could film it myself (I can’t stand all those video types poncing about keep saying “could you do that again”, and “well, it’s your career!” etc....) I’ll get me tri-pod out.

FROM: Remco Tuinier

What was the role of Wally Badarou in Level 42 and why did he never join Level 42 on tour?

Wally first played with us on ‘Love Meeting Love’ in 1980, and what he played on the Korg Poly-Synth on the outro did more, I believe, to establish the fundamental sound of Level42 than anyone else – it started right there. We all felt that Wally was the fifth member, including Wally himself, but he had serious commitments to another record label and, indeed, to his own career, so at the time it didn’t seem unusual that he was with us in the studio but not on the road.
I think too that meeting up with Wally just for the song-writing and production was a real positive and helped to maintain the respect that we all held (and still hold) for him, and it was always incredibly inspiring to have this sudden injection of fresh ideas. I’m pretty sure we’ll do some more along the way – it works too well not to!

FROM: Caroline

In the video for Running in the family did u almost fall off the revolving platform? it looks like you did!!

How dare you!!!!!!..........yes. I also remember feeling queasy after a couple of run-throughs.

FROM: John Jackson

Mark. Which level 42 bass line is your favorite? What the words do you say before The Pursuit of Accident on the Album? Are you going to bring us more years of great music, great live shows and great Bass Playing? Will we ever see A one off performance with all the original band members? Thanx John

Hi John. There are quite a few corkers so I couldn’t really choose a favourite. There’s no doubt that the Level42 songs have been fantastic ‘vehicles’ for a bass player, and often the bass line was conceived by one of the other guys so it helped to stretch my abilities (ooh Matron!) and made me a better player.
At the start of ‘The Pursuit of Accidents’ I say “lets go, it’s a.. one, two, three, four (cue bass drum)”, but then I never was a great lyricist.
As to seeing the original members play again it is unlikely, but you never know for sure. We had a get together last year and though it was great to see everyone again it was quite apparent that we had all moved on, which is just as it should be. I’m proud of what we achieved together.
I shall, however, be driving my knackered old frame onwards for the foreseeable future so I hope to see you out there.

FROM: Gary Stewart

After many years as the front man of such a successful band and the various fortunes of your personal life, have you any plans to write a book?

Hi Gary. It’s hard enough answering these questions never mind writing a book. How about a pamphlet?

Tue, 7 Sep 2004 11:44

FROM: Mark Wibberley

Why not write (if not already written!) & release another 'Influences' style album? Times change, but an 'involved' instrumental style work would be great: "The Essential-Mk II" for the 21st century!

This is more of a suggestion than a question!, but I do seem to come up with more than a few instrumentals which I thoroughly enjoy playing and at some stage will string it all together for just what Mark has suggested.

FROM: Paul Dizy

According to the book, The Definitive Biography, you were a very talented drummer. Do you still practice the drums and do you think it was an advantage for you when you switched to bass? Thanks, Paul

The book was wrong about a few things, and this could be one of them!
I do love the drums and great drummers, and count my blessings that I have had some amazing drummers to play with over the years.
I have a kit permanently set up at home in the studio and like to lay down the backing tracks for any ideas that I may be working on (the current kit is one of Gary’s old Pearl Masters set’s – very yellow!!) and sometimes I even sound good.
Switching to bass was that much easier thanks to having played drums, particularly with the style of bass that I play which is largely percussive and utilises both hands a-la drumming, but I’m sure that would be the case for any other instrument too.

FROM: Nathania Apple

Dear Mark. There has been a debate on the digest for some time regarding the backing vocals for "Heart on the Line" off the Resurgence version of Forever Now. No one has been able to decipher the lyric sung in the background of the chorus. People have suggested such absurdities as "Tough to be a suckling pig", "Socka me, oh, socka me", "Sack of meat, a sack of meat". Can you put an end to this speculation for us, please? Nathania Apple.

Nice one Nathania! We were just vocalising a sound which roughly translates to “sakemea-sakeme” (that’s how it is written on the track sheet) and it doesn’t actually have any meaning other than it scans perfectly and fits the ‘vibe’ of the track.
When Nick Raymond (BMG a&r dude) heard the finished track he said it “sounds...skeletal, what are you going to add to it?”
Thus missing the point by some margin, but inspiring the addition of the word ‘skeletal’ to the track title.

FROM: Bob C

Mark. Back in the mid-1980s, you performed with my other musical hero, Stewart Copeland, for his song Love Lessons for what I believe was a charity television appearance, with Mark Brzezicki from Big Country and comedian Bean on kazoo! I've always been curious about how this came about and what are your recollections of this performance? Thanks so much for all the great music! Bob C

Oh yeah................. This was on the Wogan show and was one of the first Children in Need nights, 1985 I think. We had a call from Stewart Copeland’s office asking if I could play bass in a band he was putting together for the night.
I jumped at the chance, as like you I thought Stewart Copeland was a cool drummer and we could really get our teeth into something here – but wait! Stewart wanted to play guitar, not drums – bummer!
Anyway, we were joined by Mark Brzezicki on drums, Rowan Atkinson on tambourine (he is quite a ‘fusion’ fan and plays very well), and Nick Kershaw on guitar. I had a good time.

FROM: Astrid Povinelli

Hello Mark. I always wanted to know if the dvd's and cd's that we buy are really signed by you or if someone is doing that for you. There are so many fans but when you receive that signed cd or dvd with a personal greeting that feels great! I hope that you will keep on playing for a long time, greetings from Astrid, Holland

I do sign them myself Astrid, and I’m very happy to do it for you too! Sometimes it isn’t possible if I am away or whatever, but I would never have them signed as ‘me’ by anybody else.

FROM: Ian Staines

Hi Mark. Just want to know, do you read the digest, and how often?

I don’t mate, no. It would be a bit like eavesdropping, and no one ever hears any good about themselves when they eavesdrop!

FROM: Hans Bal

Hi Mark. What kind of bass did you use on the Early Tapes album?? Best Regards, Hans.

Hi Hans. I had just got the JD Supernatural Classic bass from Sounds in Shaftesbury Avenue, and I’m pretty sure I was playing it through a Roland JC200 amp head and Marshall 8x10 guitar cab.

FROM: Jen (From the IOW)

Hi Mark. What do you think of the die-hard fans who keep coming to see you year after year? It must be nice to see the familiar faces supporting you at the gigs etc? Thanks

Hi Jen. I love to see the ‘old’ faces, though none of them seem to be getting as old as mine – how is that? We play to so many people on our travels, but I am always thrilled when we can fill a Theatre or Venue and still recognise the faces in the front rows, no matter where in the world. It is a nice feeling.

FROM: Dave Tarr

I'm sure I'm not the first Yank to ask this question, nor will I be the last: what are the chances of the rejuvinated Level 42 touring the States? We'd LOVE to see you here!!

Cheers Dave. I’d love to get the band ‘Stateside again, believe me, but the way it works is down to local promoters. We will play anywhere but we can’t just show up like Mickey Rooney and “do the show right here in the barn”. Lets hope we can make it one day soon!

FROM: Chris Randall

Having recently seen you in concert at the Colston Hall, Bristol, which was brilliant, I wondered if you were going to release a new Level 42 album. I'm sure every Level 42 fan would like to see some new material and maybe another tour to promote it.

I swear I didn’t write this one! Thanks Chris, I am doing my best to come up with the right songs for the next Level42 album, and I know it seems to be taking forever, but I’m getting there, and I am very glad to have the line-up from the last two tours to record the album with as I love these guys, and we are one hell of a band! We have just a few shows booked for this Autumn as I wanted to keep the decks clear for the new stuff, but we will be back out next year for the long haul so I hope to see you all there.