Unchained 30/10/2018
Hour Two:
Mark King Special
Level 42: love games
Level 42: something about you
Mark King: I feel free
Mark King: Interview October 2018
Gizmodrome: I know too much
Level 42: a floating life
Level 42: man
John is at home with MARK KING, the front man of LEVEL 42. They are about to undertake another British and European tour.
You can listen to Mark King chatting on A Word In Your Ear from this week: http://wordpodcast.co.uk/
Very detailed insights into the life of Wally Badarou… During a 2 hour in-store conversation, the legendary (pop) musician unfolds his approach to making sounds and music and comments on his magnum opus as well as his musical life in general. Host is Margie.
Arp Frique invited the living pop music legend for the occasion of his Festival Magia, where Badarou performs live (Rotterdam, 01-09-2018).
Godfather of pop, synthesizer specialist, Wally Badarou was the long-time associate of the British band Level 42, known for its blend of funk, pop, soul, and rock. He was a member of Island records’ Compass Point All Stars and worked with M, Robert Palmer, Tom Tom Club, Grace Jones, Talking Heads.
In the states, Level 42 may only be seen as two-hit-wonders thanks to the massive success of “Something About You’ and “Lessons in Love” in the mid-80s. But around the rest of the world, Level 42 were viewed as a seriously complex group merging funk, r&b, jazz and rock in ways few others have ever done. Founding members bassist Mark King and keyboardist Mike Lindup finally closed up shop in the mid-90s, but reunited in 2006 and have steadily toured the world ever since. In this deep chat, Mike and I go over the band’s history, the stories behind some of their songs, his excellent, but under-heard solo album, and what he’s up to now. There’s also a hilarious Bill Murray story at the end. On a personal note, this is a big one for me as Mike owns my all-time favorite singing voice.
Revered musician Wally Badarou breaks down some of the secrets of working as part of the Compass Point All-Stars with Sly and Robbie while also offering a fly on the keyboard view of recording Pop Muzik with Robin Scott and explaining why he refused to sign a contract with James Brown in his RBMA Melbourne 2006 Lecture.
Keyboard legend Mike Lindup reminisces on how Roland’s D-50 synthesizer helped shape some of Level 42’s best-known tracks. Back in 1987, as their fame reached epidemic proportions, the band were spending most of their time on the road, playing arenas all over the world – both as headliners and opening for the likes of Madonna and Tina Turner. Needing to work on new material, Mike put together a studio that he could use on the road, which just happened to include a new and rather interesting Roland synth called the D-50…
