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Mark King Fans. They're a sensitive bunch.

bubinga5

By bubinga5,
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RockfordStone Community Regular

RockfordStone

Posted
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[quote name='karlfer' timestamp='1450358985' post='2931997']
Hmm, slap bass. If I wanted to slap things about, I'd have learned to drum.
I just can't listen to slap.
Mr King has a phenominal reputation, but from his early days, simply not for me.
I'm that bad, whenever I watch any kind of video, as soon as the slap starts, it gets closed.
[/quote]
this is pretty much the same for me, i fully appreciate the skill that is required to be able to pull it off well, which the likes of mark king definatly have, but it certainly isn't a style of play that is overly pleasing to my ears

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40hz Mentor

40hz

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[quote name='lowdown' timestamp='1450365471' post='2932084']


"Since [url="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1980_in_music"]1980[/url], [url="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Kingdom"]British[/url] [url="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pop_music"]pop[/url] musical group [url="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Level_42"]Level 42[/url] has released 11 [url="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Studio_album"]studio albums[/url]. The band's latest was [i]Retroglide[/i], released in [url="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2006_in_music"]2006[/url]. The group have one [url="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Top_40"]Top 10[/url] hit on the [url="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States"]American[/url] [url="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Billboard_Hot_100"][i]Billboard[/i] Hot 100[/url] chart ("[url="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Something_About_You_(Level_42_song)"]Something About You[/url]") and six top 10s on the British [url="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UK_single_charts"]UK single charts[/url] ("[url="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Sun_Goes_Down_(Living_It_Up)"]The Sun Goes Down (Living It Up)[/url]", "Something About You", "[url="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lessons_in_Love_(song)"]Lessons In Love[/url]", "[url="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Running_in_the_Family_(song)"]Running in the Family[/url]", "[url="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/To_Be_With_You_Again"]To Be With You Again[/url]" and "[url="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/It%27s_Over_(Level_42_song)"]It's Over[/url]"). [b]Level 42 have sold 31 million units worldwide[/b]."

31 million Bass players - That's a lot of Bass players in the World.
:D
[/quote]

I meant currently and artistically speaking, but fair enough! :D

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dmccombe7 Grand Master

dmccombe7

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I liked the songs on some of the earlier albums but not because of MK's particular bass style. I just thought they were good pop songs for that era. I'm not a huge fan of slap bass but I do like to hear the odd bit of slap thrown into a good bass players arsenal during a set or a solo spot. Everything or every style in moderation. MK's normal finger style is pretty impressive in its own right too. I can't be bothered with the continuous slap hits just because he can. It doesn't fit the music in many cases and the song would sound better with less than more IMHO. To summarise I think he does the slap thing a bit too much however he is one of the better slap bassists around.

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drTStingray Mentor

drTStingray

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Im a great fan of him. I went to a Level 42 concert a few years ago and was taken by the number of early 40s late 30s females in the audience - so not musos, though there were undoubtedly some there. I guess Mark has a lot of non muso fans who get pissed off with sometimes poor amateur bassists slagging him off for being too flash.

I've heard many rude comments about Mark King, Stanley Clark and the like - usually from guitarists or perhaps bassists wedded to a particular style (Presicion thump along with flats, Squire esque Rickenbacker, the Ox's typewriter style rock, with or without toppiness).

I've said this before but It's generally only other musicians who dislike slap bass - I play a few songs in pub/function bands which have slap bass and audience members love it - my ex wife once said to me 'can't you play some of that exciting bass rather than boring stuff' (meaning root 5 thump along).

I do wonder whether a lot of the objection to bassists like Mark King (and that shop noodling emperors new clothes chap) relates to an inability for many players to even hope to achieve that level of skill and musicianship - you hear this a lot with guitarists (complaining about obviously brilliant guitar players) - an approach being to attack it as too flash etc etc.

I also thought MK had done session work in the 80s (possibly Nick Kershaw?) - around the time of the princes trust concert (incidentally at which you can see McCartney clearly quizzing MK about his technique when McCartney is on singing - I think in the last song) - I stand to be corrected however re Nick kershaw session.

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Grassie Experienced

Grassie

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Most people think of slap bass and Mark when they think of Level 42. The other vital ingredients (for me anyway) was Mike Lindup's falsetto and Phil Gould's songwriting and drumming. Level 42 would have disappeared without a trace after a couple of albums if it weren't for those two dudes.
And as far as looking for stuff that MK has recorded that doesn't involve slap, check out Dominic Miller's album "November" from a couple of years ago. His playing is unrecognisable. :)

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sunburstjazz1967 Enthusiast

sunburstjazz1967

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[quote name='drTStingray' timestamp='1450376762' post='2932237']
Im a great fan of him. I went to a Level 42 concert a few years ago and was taken by the number of early 40s late 30s females in the audience - so not musos, though there were undoubtedly some there.

[/quote]

Blimey who let those women away from the cooker, whatever next? !

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JTUK Veteran

JTUK

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I quite like him.. I think he influenced a LOT of players, never really got the L42 thing myself
so yes, would like to see him branch out.
He was very good on the Princess Trust gig, but I guess he is wealthy enough to do as he pleases
...or maybe people don't call him too much as they think he will do the one thing he is known
for...which is reasonable thinking..
The two themes don't seem to have joiined up.

Maybe he could be the driver for doing other things...and maybe he doesn't want to..??

I'm sure he could do it if he wanted...

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Mykesbass Grand Master

Mykesbass

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[quote name='drTStingray' timestamp='1450376762' post='2932237']

I also thought MK had done session work in the 80s (possibly Nick Kershaw?) - around the time of the princes trust concert (incidentally at which you can see McCartney clearly quizzing MK about his technique when McCartney is on singing - I think in the last song) - I stand to be corrected however re Nick kershaw session.
[/quote]

Yep, All Music Guide which is usually pretty thorough, has him listed on The Riddle.(update, just checked my vinyl copy, he is listed as special guest on the track Easy).

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drTStingray Mentor

drTStingray

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[quote name='Grassie' timestamp='1450378121' post='2932257']
Most people think of slap bass and Mark when they think of Level 42. The other vital ingredients (for me anyway) was Mike Lindup's falsetto and Phil Gould's songwriting and drumming. Level 42 would have disappeared without a trace after a couple of albums if it weren't for those two dudes.
And as far as looking for stuff that MK has recorded that doesn't involve slap, check out Dominic Miller's album "November" from a couple of years ago. His playing is unrecognisable. :)
[/quote]

The concert I mentioned from a few years back was notable for fabulous vocals - the whole band sang backing as well as MK and ML and they'd really enhanced the vocals on that string of 80s hits. Also, the sax and guitar arrangements had been filled out very tastefully to reflect the fullness of the recorded sounds. The result was overall really good and though you can't get away from the MK elements, the overall group sound and dynamics was great. The drummer was also awesome - highly recommended.

I've seen them three times - 1981, 1990 and circa 2008. The last time it was a complete and very enjoyable show. Everyone up dancing etc

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BottomE Rising Star

BottomE

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If he was American i wonder if people would feel the same? Dunno. For me i like the first Level 42 album "Level 42". His bass playing is obvioulsy excellent and theres plenty of evidence on the internet of him playing other styles rather than slapping. And he sings at the same time!

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spectoremg Rising Star

spectoremg

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[quote name='drTStingray' timestamp='1450380185' post='2932287']
The concert I mentioned from a few years back was notable for fabulous vocals - the whole band sang backing as well as MK and ML and they'd really enhanced the vocals on that string of 80s hits. Also, the sax and guitar arrangements had been filled out very tastefully to reflect the fullness of the recorded sounds. The result was overall really good and though you can't get away from the MK elements, the overall group sound and dynamics was great. The drummer was also awesome - highly recommended.

I've seen them three times - 1981, 1990 and circa 2008. The last time it was a complete and very enjoyable show. Everyone up dancing etc
[/quote]Was it the 2012 tour? I was staggered and I mean STAGGERED by the quality of the vocals.

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ambient Grand Master

ambient

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[quote name='chris_b' timestamp='1450368933' post='2932124']
I think Larry Graham beats MK to that title by about 10 years.
[/quote]

What I've heard of him, he sounds like he's more influenced by Stanley Clarke than Larry Graham.

From the albums that I've heard, I prefer the very early Level 42. That had a certain rawness and attitude to it, that was lost in the later, more polished and possibly over produced 'pop' albums.

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White Cloud Mentor

White Cloud

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[quote name='CamdenRob' timestamp='1450343865' post='2931767']
It's not just Mark King fans or even just BCers, it's just people in general... The vast majority are way too sensitive about everyone agreeing with them... almost like they need others to confirm their views to verify them somehow.

Listen to what you want, like whoever you like and play whatever gear you think sounds best... sod everyone else.
[/quote]
Word! This is wisdom.

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