Mark King interview - Much Music Tv 1987 - Blue Jaydee Bass

Canadian Tv host Erica Ehm interviews Level 42’s Mark King on the program ‘Much Music Tv’, from late 1987/early 1988. Mark demonstrates how to setup the action on the rarely seen blue Jaydee Supernatural series 1 bass and proceeds with some serious slap 🤣👏

[@danielhicks4826]

Listen how delightful and sweet and nice and even genuine some women reporters or whatever like this lady were back then, what a great era it must have been. And Mark King making Fleas slap look almost ordinary since at least 1981.

[@ladylaois8184]

I totally agree

[@Neil-pv8pw]

not too much feminism back in the 80s but being talented and good looking and rich helps

[@KRAZEEIZATION]

Fancy bass. Fancy chops. Fancy slap technique. Fancy lady very impressed!

[@newbbietrader9918]

mark king a beast playing...... and the girl interviewing is a bit sexy by the way hehe....

[@michaelb.42112]

WoW, another time warp video where Mark has an iPhone in 1987... Oh wait, it's just a tool kit. That blue JD is gorgeous ! Mark is always humble and in 1987 this was MIND BLOWING playing. It STILL is today 35 years later, but as always, the bar gets raised.

[@dissyduster]

looks easy im thinking of getting one he said get the best you can get makes it easy work.

[@MrRedrocket42]

Brilliant post Lee! Mark made this appearance the night before Level 42 opened for Madonna's Who's That Girl show at The Exhibition stadium in Toronto.

[@MrJoebiz24]

Thanks for sharing. This was exceptional.

[@funky_monk_9796]

Revisiting this one 😀 does anyone know who his bass tech was, who 'did a runner'?? There must be more of a story there... 😃

[@8draupadi]

Loove this miracle Man

[@David-h4z2s]

Beautiful Canadian lady She is interviewed so many great rock pop stars 80s 90s❤

[@rainblaze.]

Man she's a pistol

[@blake7871]

80’s chicks were hot.

[@nunoharris]

Hi Whats the brand of the pedal that Mark King was using? Thanks

[@daraGTC]

One and only Mark King ❤❤❤

[@samsonwoods5448]

Mark King " DID NOT INVENT SLAP BASS, Larry Graham of Sly & The Family Stone did in 1968, do your homework sista!!!!!!!

[@stephenalanmoore7278]

@samsonwoods5448. Please read her comment again. daraGTC wasn't even trying to claim that Mark King invented the slap bass technique in any way whatsoever. All she was saying is that King is obviously a great bass player, which he undoubtedly is. Why do you have to make it all sound like such a fierce competition and deadly serious rivalry when there actually isn't one to begin with? Just enjoy each musician's work for their own particular talents instead of always trying to pit them against each other. For the record, Mark King has NEVER derided or belittled ANY of his fellow bass playing contemporaries or musical heroes. On the contrary, he is always happy to give well deserved credit to all of the great musicians who've inspired him. For instance, he paid an honest and sincere tribute to Cream's Jack Bruce on his debut solo LP 'Influences' way back in 1984 by recording a cover version of their classic hit 'I Feel Free' and even released it as a single, too.

[@marcraygun6290]

My late friends wyn had early eighties jaydee he had from new , I seem to remember he was always meaning to get it sorted out for years

[@clancywiggam]

That woman, like many women before her, has just realised that bassists make the best lovers.

[@stephenalanmoore7278]

She does seem rather taken with him. Wink! Wink! Nudge! Nudge! 😀

[@mustardbassman]

If I were to order a Jaydee series 1, I think it would be in this colour!

[@funky_monk_9796]

Great find, thanks Lee for uploading! Haven't seen this interview before, captures MK really nicely. Cool interviewer too.

[@LeeTavMusic]

It’s a great interview isn’t it! 💥👍

[@funky_monk_9796]

@@LeeTavMusic Again, it makes me think what else Mark could have done as an improviser in the jazz realm. Phenomenal ability.

[@franzjosephamrein2663]

He's unique in his kind of playing somehow

[@danielpalmersofficial]

Wow, Mark King is a bass genius and he has so many underrated bass lines!! 😀👍

[@fortissimoX]

I guess one of the most frequent comments on KZbin is that something is "underrated" which I guess makes commenter knowledgeable unlike others? Nope, Mark King was never underrated, which is quite obvious from the interview which clearly states that he got many awards even then.

[@danielpalmersofficial]

@@fortissimoX Well I mean the deep cuts from Level 42, I mean they were popular in many countries but what I meant was that he has a lot of underrated bass lines other than “Lessons in Love” and “Something About You” for examples. 😄👍

[@fortissimoX]

@@danielpalmersofficial Sorry, I was a bit grumpy at the moment and annoyed by millions of "underrated" comments. It's just happened that your comment came at the wrong time. Yep, I know what you mean and I certainly agree that apart from most famous songs, a lot of his repertoire is not well known. But, I guess that goes for most artists. Sorry again, stay well! 😀👍

[@danielpalmersofficial]

@@fortissimoX No worries and thank you, I get quite annoyed at this sometimes as anger is a key emotion to all of us. You take care too, the best Level 42 album will always be “Standing in the Light” but your opinion might differ to me!! 😄👍

[@df3575]

He seemed to answer the question of when he started playing the bass as "1979, 80". That seems impossible given they were recording as a band in 1980. They released their debut full album in 1981....and were performing live then. He learned in a matter of months?? Id like to hear a more fulsome answer from Mark about his process and time it took to learn how to play in order to be clear about it. Is there any video or text available that answers this?

[@MG-iv9nw]

I heard that from an early age he learned to play guitar as well as playing the drums; the drums being his forte. I believe he became so good a drummer that at the age of 11, a covers band, doing the usual pubs and wedding venues around the Isle of White, asked his parents for permission for him to go and play for them. So possibly a combination of playing two instruments (one to a high standard) perhaps led to his super fast bass development? Other than that I agree that he's quite vague on the matter to say the least.

[@df3575]

@@MG-iv9nw hey.....thank you, MG. I appreciate the additional information. Indeed, given the timeline, he's more than vague....it's weird. Almost suspicious. Not sure why....it seems like a great story.

[@MG-iv9nw]

It could be just a touch of genius he as with the bass guitar. I even heard that it took him a year from picking the bass up for the first time to making the first early recordings with Level 42!!! But like you I'm not sure what to believe. Thanks for the reply@@df3575

[@LeeTavMusic]

It’s a great point, I was thinking this the other day. Three factors imo that has been said many times before; started drums and guitar at an early age, bit of a prodigy and also worked in ‘Macari’s’ music shop in London full time for, ok, maybe only 6 months but I think if he was doing that day in day out… add all those factors and he was in the right place, right time. I think so anyway 😆💪

[@df3575]

@@LeeTavMusic Thanks, Lee. My point is: why do we have to guess at it (thats pointless)? Why not hear it directly from Mark? Why's he so completely opaque about it? And why doesn't anyone try and actually pin him down so he gives a clear direct answer? ....even if it's "I don't want to tell you" that's a clearer and more honest response than anything it seems he's given.

[@OGBrawlerina]

Mark was so hot in the 80s. 😍😋

[@stephenalanmoore7278]

The gorgeous young woman that was interviewing Mark obviously agrees with you, as she seems rather smitten by him.

[@rickygarcia5662]

Double thumbing wasnt done back then so he is basically hitting every single note without rest except maybe for the hammer ons and taps which i think was already being done then.So you c asn probsbly cheat this solo snd still get th e same effect witjout losing your thumb.

[@jaydeebasssociety268]

I'd love to know the current whereabouts of this bass.

[@stephenalanmoore7278]

Mark has amassed a huge collection of bass guitars over the years from throughout his entire career, which he still keeps at his home on The Isle Of Wight. I recently saw an interactive interview with him (which is also still available to view on KZbin) where he had them displayed all over the room that he was sitting in. An extensive and very impressive collection.

[@FGMP78]

Monster, giant, myth. Sonething wasn't properly adjusted on the E string

[@wanttoknow9690]

sounds horrible through that Marshal guitar amp

[@stephenalanmoore7278]

I think that it sounds great. Ahhh...well. Horses for courses.

[@peterjanjanin9883]

Louis Johnson is faster....

[@stephenalanmoore7278]

It's NOT a competition. Mark King has always had huge respect for other bass players such as Billy Cobham, Louis Johnson, etc. He's also a massive fan of influential bands like the Mahavishnu Orchestra. He was just demonstrating a little bit of his bass playing technique because she asked him to. That's all.

[@LeeTavMusic]

With respect, I’d be impressed if you can find evidence of Louis playing quicker than that… he doesn’t have the technique; he is unbelievably fast considering how far away he comes to hitting the neck but he doesn’t play as fast as this for sure.. glad to be proved wrong! 👍

[@samsonwoods5448]

"Billy Cobham is not a drummer, you r showing ignorance, and your bias!!!!!!!​@@stephenalanmoore7278