Level 42 - Mark King Interview - 2012 - The One Show - BBC One

This video is brought to you by the official website of Level 42:
www.level42.com
Broadcast date: 19/09/2012
The One Show ❯ BBC One (UK)

[@barnbersonol]

His dad, grandad, him and son ALL had number 1 hits. Must've been Running in the Family!

[@BossySwan]

They said they will thank us later

[@patpathoneyhoneypatpat8813]

And that ladies and gentlemen is why everyone was so happy in the 80s when you had talent like Mark.

[@rfcalm]

everyone was so happy in the 80's?

[@biancaturner725]

Mark seems to be such a nice bloke!

[@collegeman1988]

Agreed!

[@danielpalmersofficial]

Mark is the king of slap bass, no doubt about that. ✌️☺️

[@davidsantanadecastro7155]

this guy, is a Legend!!!

[@cosmogoy1895]

😄 HE IS !!!

[@RSTAR2009]

Mark King is a great front man. I love his vocals

[@MrTwindog4]

“Something about you” was a huge hit in America! We loved that song. These guys are great!!!

[@chriscampbell9191]

And Lessons In Love, which -- in the US -- was the follow up hit.

[@vantarpon6849]

Everything just seems so easy for Mark King. Entertaining, humble yet brilliant talk show guest, bass player, personality.

[@abrarahmed1888]

Takes consummate skill to play bass at that level and intricacy while carrying off the vocals at the same time

[@rayladd856]

heck of a bass player, love level 42

[@eduardogutierrez7570]

Damn, when he started jamming on his bass guitar 🎸, I got instant goosebumps! That was incredible! 👍👏

[@shannonlucas2980]

What a musician. In an era famous for drum machines, sequencers and artificial instrumentation, Mark cut through it with absolutely brilliant playing. From what I've read and heard from his peers, he was a top bloke as well.

[@LordMarlle]

Still is

[@mdwayne741]

Mark King is one of the best bassists alive today. The whole original lineup was stellar....Mark, Mike, Phil, and Boon... Spectacular.

[@jeffreyhawes]

thunder thumb

[@mike1967sam]

wow, you haven't seen many bassists play have you?

[@joshuaowens4797]

He and Flea should be good friends.

[@jamescallaghanmyp4074]

And Wally!

[@Markknott29]

Check out Juna Serita

[@1emmajones]

I think this man is quite special. The whole studio was buzzing. Amazing.

[@dampfi1969]

Mark King and Level 42 were such great musicians - love them

[@purpleslug7187]

The King of bass guitar. Memories of the 80's and the best days of my life.

[@GregGNP]

Lets face it, there is not many people in the World that can play bass like Mark King. What we see here is someone who is quite simply 'Gifted'.

[@user-hk7hz9cn7v]

Talented, down to earth and a hell of a frontman!

[@Mr__Geno]

Sad that the two brothers didn't want to continue with the band, but glad Level 42 continued to do their thing. Mark King is a really nice gentleman and an amazing musician. Really happy that I was able to discover their music.

[@benvankoningsveld]

Legend! Mark King rocking the One Studio!

[@R3RLEE]

A bass genius!

[@tonyrobbins1665]

I'm 59 years old now. I grew up as a full blown metal head from the early 80's. Played guitar in rock bands for 35ish years . And "there's something about you " ? Is one of my FAVORITE songs of all time! I never tire of hearing it😊🎉😊

[@RandomUser25122]

I liked Level 42 back in their early jazz funk days, right through to how they developed into that massive, well produced band. Love their work

[@andrewhinds6560]

"I don't have to compete with the young Herberts these days" . No, Mark; you don't have to because they can't touch you. You come from an era when musical integrity was important and not image and vacuous vapid lyrics. You will always inspire future bass players for years to come. No current pop star could do that.

[@user-fv5xi1lu4f]

❤

[@ian1patterson]

Pioneering Bass player......need I say more? Oh and brilliant!!

[@CFCalways]

Loved level 42 ,king was a brilliant bass player .

[@stephenalanmoore7278]

He still is and always will be a great musician. I've seen Level 42 play 'Live' four times up to now and I will be seeing them again in October. I can assure you that Mark plays as well as ever.

[@ilovecds9606]

One of the few times I have enjoyed the one show Thanks Mark.

[@HowtoMakeThings]

You could see Mark having fun wanting to carry on. Love it

[@rangerwhite5165]

I remember watching this on tv. OMFG. 10 years ago!!!!! Shocking!!!

[@nataliegarrett7378]

Love u mark

[@ianevans8406]

We All Love Mark not just you Darlin .

[@ianevans8406]

Level 42 with an Orchestra 16th March 2020 at the London Palladium and the show is being Filmed TV Crew the lot .

[@glenworrell4902]

Saw them live last week and still brillant

[@elissouza1844]

I love It s over music!

[@kyzor-sosay6087]

Level 42 was a fantastic band,crafted some excellent songs.

[@eduardopalominoc]

Level 42 qué gran banda!! Luego de varios años descubrí que Mark King es un virtuoso del bajo que creó ese sonido característico de la banda (inicialmente pensé que eran sintetizadores), con una riqueza musical notable. Disfrutando desde Perú 🇵🇪🇵🇪

[@peterernestcrowther]

I was Level 42 live in my teens and then again (more recently) thirty years later - with the same friend on each occasion. Abslooutely awesome! Can't wait until the next Level 42 gig!

[@paulkelly5788]

He's good with the bass. Anyone has to admit that

[@thulsa_doom]

Good? I play bass for over 21 years and can tell you for sure: the man is an absolute beast!

[@stephenalanmoore7278]

Mark King is not just a good bass player, he is an exceptional one.

[@ianevans8406]

I hope Mark King gets called up by Her Majesty The Queen To Be United and become Sir Mark Raymond King. That Man Deserves It .

[@dozeydevon]

Ian, If Diana was still with us he would have been Knighted years ago.

[@kingofpattaya4524]

I doubt he's bothered about that dubious honour.

[@GH05TM0V3R]

@@kingofpattaya4524 you are correct my King. And thank you for my new honour as Sir Ghostmover of Pattya!

[@heartwilson.8943]

The Queen’s dead .

[@mjmalas7859]

Na m8

[@gommechops]

My dad used to live part of the year next door to Mark's family home on the Island. Very cool visiting dad knowing we were looking out onto the house he grew up in.

[@mikedammann4171]

wow this was intensely cool

[@WahyuIrawan-el5kt]

This guy is my idol, even untill now i can not play slaps like him...

[@collegeman1988]

Pure magic at 5:56 Mark King is the best, but at the same time, he’s so humble about it. Something About You is my favorite 80s song.

[@timothycastle5044]

Mark King is the best there is on a bass,

[@LordHolley]

Really fun interview.

[@JustChiminin]

Enjoyed that . . We need this kind of TV in America, instead of all the political and pandemic insanity . .

[@johndawhale3197]

This was about 10 years ago...TV in the UK sucks as well these days.

[@justMe-rd4sw]

My fab four( not forgetting the 5th Level the magic Mr Badarou)

[@iansmith8263]

show off

[@broaddusmarines]

I first heard Living it Up on Top of the Pops in 1983 as a boy in London. I’ve been a fan ever since.

[@jeremyallcock24]

Totally in command as a performer, but laid-back in the same breath...

[@pegaga1618]

The 80s kids in the audience are having a blast!! Im So jealous

[@moacirdesouza1783]

SOU MUITO FÃ DA BANDA LEVEL 42

[@treblenote2]

Great interview!

[@2660016A]

It’s an amazing psychology - a band finally gets the break that takes to it the next level and half the members take that as their cue to call it a day. Just happened to my band. Years crafting an amazing show and right when it begins paying off and gaining momentum, half the band hit the self destruct button.

[@Greeny1308]

Amazing Bass player

[@madarab37]

When they announced it was a competition called Ace of Bass...I thought they'd point to a curtain and say "Bring in Flea".

[@garycoates4987]

Hearing Mark King play Joy Division made me whole week

[@stephenalanmoore7278]

I agree. There was a real atmosphere to his playing.

[@feliciakidd9358]

"Something About You" is the only song I listen to by them. It's wonderful!

[@stephenalanmoore7278]

You are certainly missing out then, as there are a whole load of other great albums and singles by the band just waiting out there for you to discover them. Why don't you have a good browse around KZbin for more of their material and then you can see what I mean?

[@rakishoriginal3966]

Mark king. Amazing musician, his bass playing is off the chain

[@neil222222]

They used to be the house band at Southampton Top Rank Suite in 1981

[@arnolt2590]

I just discovered "Take a Look' from those guys and this song is really goog, a hidden gem.

[@machinehead5958]

The whole album "Staring At The Sun", is a gem!

[@stephenalanmoore7278]

'Take A Look' was actually released as a single in the UK and in many other countries, but only got to a measly #32 in the UK charts.

[@plantengineer01]

I really would like meet Mark. No other star. This song and band is freaking awesome . It’s over ! Level 42 forever!

[@stephenalanmoore7278]

I've met him about four times now and each one was after seeing them play 'Live'. I can assure you that Mark is a very friendly, approachable and down to earth bloke, who is more than happy to talk to fans. Why not get a ticket for one of the band's concerts and then wait outside the stage door to meet him after the gig has finished? That's what I would do.

[@houmm08]

A complete legend and musical maestro

[@rogersalles200]

The king

[@germanbg6223]

Mark King is a badass!

[@garys1266]

Please come to the US Mark. Huge Level 42 fan here in Washington DC, My absolute favorite 80s band.

[@stephenalanmoore7278]

As long as it was financially viable, I'm sure that Mark and the guys would jump at the chance to tour the US and Canada again, but the demand for their music simply HAS to be there first in order for them to be able to do it.

[@jasonpinson8755]

Great player.thanks.

[@220773]

They're forgetting that 'Something About You' was their true breakthrough single.................

[@SKF358]

Divine talent.Divie talent

[@rockybalboap7763]

man that is sooo cool im sooooo jealous !!!!

[@drright2410]

Mark failed to mention he always wanted to be a drummer first but there were better drummers than him so when he picked up the base his drumming mindset evolved into his bass playing.

[@raysmith7251]

He actually did!...@5:42 No Less!?!?..

[@jamesbridges1107]

Mike King is the man!!!!!

[@D4LM4R]

That base is tattooed in my memory.

[@Hellwyck]

*Bass

[@pegaga1618]

5:55 goosebumps!!

[@spikepike42]

The flying thumb👍

[@teddouglas953]

Funk and slap bass is a standard playing method but Mark King's technique I'm guessing is pretty much unique in that he uses both hands in a percussive manner to form notes and fills? Can anyone advise? Apart from that Level 42 are still spinning on my turntable, just brilliant music.

[@thewomble1509]

Yes. He began as a drummer so when he switched to bass he took the two hands hitting something sort of thing with him.A lot of his lines involve using his left hand to percussively hit all four strings at once as a form of muting, especially when he does his "machine gun" rapid slapping. He is also just as good playing more conventional lines with separate fingering of each fret with his left hand too. To cap it all, he is actually left handed!

[@stephenalanmoore7278]

@@thewomble1509 True. His being left handed might actually be an advantage for him.

[@Turbomgzt]

Show me ANY lead singer that plays such a fast slap and hook bass while dancing in DM boots live on stage at the same time!

[@jmt4291]

Les Claypool

[@Penny-Lane]

The golden Thumb. 👍

[@crashboombang8163]

King Mark!

[@Anoncore1]

The two legend of isle of white , level 42 and David Hicke

[@thetruththewayandthelife803]

David icke is a Freemason demon

[@Hellwyck]

"I can feel it all over" is called Sir Duke.

[@joe-vl3nd]

Level 42 are Brilliant 👍🇺🇸

[@EWFMW]

Level 42🙏 Mark K☀️⭐️💫

[@user-xw6bv2gz3x]

Actually mark king was hail one of the best bass player in this world.

[@lavapirate]

funny he wrote the bass line for the bass when it's actually quite easy on a keyboard. didn't think about it being difficult - now i want to try it on the bass.

[@maryaustin7054]

❤❤❤❤

[@marilenemiguel9413]

THE BEST MANS. 🤫

[@austinreid5032]

Bath Forum in a few weeks time. Cant wait

[@rudolfduna]

Superr pley

[@brsnight]

Mark has been a huge influence for bassists around the whole world, I consider myself a bit of a disciple of him. Love his bass lines, love the band songs, love his vocals and Mike's. Thanks Mark and the guys for all the music that we are still listening to and that it's a part of our life. Saw them in Huesca and Bristol and will be back at one of their concerts hopefully soon.

[@douglaw43]

International superstar and that slap technique is outrageous! What brand of guitar is that?

[@mike1967sam]

I was there in the 80's when this song came out, the problem was that it was so commercial it catapulted the band into that horrific category of bands known as "one hit wonders". You can compromise but don't sell out.

[@Richard_Jones]

The odd thing is Lessons in love was actually their seventh hit and not their last. Sellouts maybe, one-hit-wonders definitely not.

[@accadoza]

🌟

[@stumpwatersalad3024]

Henrik Linder has mastered the slap bass, so she was wrong on that.

[@angelonucellese1411]

💙🌀💙

[@tommytaylor4139]

Carrie is a babe.

[@alexjohnston8889]

Yes indeed, David is a lucky man

[@paulanderson7796]

Classic 80's Trace Elliot 4 x 10" combo. I wouldn't want to sit that close to one of those things.

[@nalindasampath4677]

Mark king

[@chriswhite9058]

No it was Something about you

[@jenny395791]

I always thought that he'd make a good teacher, maybe?...

[@BeeRich33]

World Machine, you mean. LIL ws later.

[@Mike-dk7wj]

Great musician he certainly is but Mark definitely didn't invent slap bass, which was developed by jazz bassists in the 1920s so they could be heard over the rest of the instruments and then by funk bass players in 1970s playing electric guitars.

[@veemacks7255]

Is he perhaps the best bass player of all time? Other memorable ones: Flea from RHCP, Deacon from Queen. I can't really think of any others.

[@warwickstingray]

No but a fantastic player and really helped bring attention to very percussive bass styles as whole baselines.

[@La_sagne]

well.. im only a drummer.. but lets give you a couple dudes to check out. first the slappers: stanley clarke, marcus miller, victor wooten, les claypool and then a few more legends: tony levin and john entwistle (both also do their fair share of slapping), chris squire, jaco pastorius, geddy lee, billy sheehan and justin chancellor come to mind.. i probably still forgot a lot - and i didnt even get to all the not so flashy players (who are still absolute monsters like leland sklar)

[@nickstone1587]

Tom Jenkinson AKA Squarepusher, his music isn't to many people's taste but he's something else with a bass. I thought a lot of his tracks where nylon guitar for ages, turns out he was just playing an 8-string bass like one.

[@lw1391]

Different style but put John Taylor on that list too

[@stephenlpurdon]

John Entwhistle or Jack Bruce