Mark King of Level 42 plays a TC Electronic RH750 bass amp

Get the heads up on Mark King's approach to bass! He talks about his headless bass, his choice of strings, amp, etc. And hear why Mark King decided to catch the Bass Amp 2.0 wave for the Level 42 30th Anniversary Tour!

[@karadan100]

A true genius. Not many people in the world can play that well and sing at the same time.

[@OGBrawlerina]

AND chew gum, don't forget!

[@gary72carol61]

I was in my teens when Level 42 were big, I always loved watching Mark King on Bass Guitar. Its been a while since I saw any of him live but the last few years he has been gigging and after all these years I realise I have missed him, so glad to see him play again, come back Level 42 years.

[@tech10171968]

Mark King is a beast. That is all.

[@beachbum4166]

I love hearing a huge hit (Something About You - Level 42) from a bass monster like Mark.

[@andrewb293]

A true genius. Saw him first in 1981. Blown away. Still am

[@greatwhite61967]

All of the original members of Level 42 are amazing on their instruments (so lets not single out Mark all the time) as have those who have come in to replace those who have left but its not just the songs & the music that has made me a fan since i first listened to them play all those many decades ago but its the fact that they are all so down to earth & funny guys that dont take themselves too seriously when being around their fans or even when doing interviews as they are genuinely very humble about themselves & their upbringing & how they worked so hard to be successful & they still have the same work ethic that they've had all these year's later & still tour as much as possible... I could go on & on about all the great stories i've had when i've seen them Live but im not & i implore you to go & see them Live & experience them first hand & make you your own fun & amazing memories... Alas this will have to wait for quite sometime until this coronavirus is under control or gone... RIP Alan Murphy RIP Boon Gould In light of this still ongoing coronavirus outbreak stay safe and healthy wherever you are in the world... Ps If you think Marks good one the bass then check out his younger brother Nate who's been with Level 42 since 2001 & plays rythmn/lead guitar & vocals with them but hes sure as hell can play bass guitar also.. Though he doesn't slap as much as Mark his finger work (like Marks too) all over the fretboard when playing on a bass is amazing also & this is another reason they & many of those bands were so good as most all of the members played many different instruments other than the instrument they were predominantly known for... In such dark times Take Care One & All... .....

[@gerryd7027]

Good to watch a master at work. Mark King is the best bassist on the planet 😎

[@clarksouter]

Was one of the first 24 test pilots of the RH amps world wide and played 170+ shows this year with mine. My favorite bass amp EVER!

[@drummercook60]

Mark I love Level 42 and you are an incredible musician!! Thanks for the memories you provided over the years!

[@Oneness100]

Oh come on. Get real. The guy is legendary, he is already one of the greats, but SOME, not all, of the bass magazines are just promoting the metal rock losers because the kids are dumb enough to buy into it. Mark King has already reached legendary status a LONG time ago and he doesn't have to prove anything to anyone. I live in the USA and love Mark King and his is one of the best in the business for the styles he plays.

[@carloalbertobirocco6264]

Impressive Mark! His tune drives me crazy!

[@ChadGlassify]

He is a king. Wonderful man. A gift.

[@austinreid7229]

Mark gave Level 42 a very unique sound.Level 42 are playing at Ashton Court 80 s festival in June.The venue is just outside Bristol.There are many 80s bands and it's going to be an awesome weekend especially as Level 42 are there.

[@MrRedrocket42]

Well damn that sounds bloody fantastic!

[@dhrubachakrabarty5257]

Respected Mr. Mark has a very nice vocal, and he contributed so many hit songs to world's pop music. A few musicians that we've found who has shown their awesome ability both in accoustic instruments and vocal. They are a really invaluable treasure of music history.

[@dawndennis1512]

Gotta love FUNK!

[@martinplatt5928]

Brilliant musician..

[@Veranek]

He's the man!!!

[@davidrobinson2294]

Saw him a few years back in the IOM phenominal Band Level 42 ...just makes it look so easy ..

[@capitanvonchickenpants8492]

I liked it, I like him he seems nice

[@Oneness100]

Now, I am not a bass player, but have played with good players over the years and some were exceptional slap bassists and some were exceptional finger style. I like both depending on the gig and the songs. Sometimes if the bassist can't do a really good job slapping, I'll take a finger-style player any day of the week, but Mark King is one of the few slappers I would LOVE to be able to play with. He knows how to do it and I would probably get along with him just fine.

[@tjpm]

Legend 🎸

[@dacozdacoz]

Still a monster and when I grow up I just want to be adoted😎

[@DavidNPhotography]

Followed this band since I was a kid - amazing how not only do they still have it but if anything they're improving. I love my kingbass but that 30th model sure looks ( and sounds ) a bit good !

[@dab914]

wow what a player

[@LG-kl3co]

There will always be the people who attack success........Mark is highly highly talented, he plays, he sings, he composes ....and can probably dance as well ! He might not be the best or even near the best but he is way up there !

[@Dont_stay_long_k077]

Mark King, one word, * Genius *

[@acward2007]

King of Bass - always!

[@gustavonavone9834]

Con todo respeto hacia los demás bajistas........ este es el que mas me gusta escuchar.

[@roychan2160]

And he sings while playing complex lines. Wow

[@Sparta2310]

Oh yeah Mark, play that funky bass line white boy!

[@MrRedrocket42]

Mark uses a Boss CEB-3 Bass Chorus pedal I believe. BTW, I am really liking the sound of these TC RH750 amps, I may have to try one out soon.

[@Oneness100]

What's funny is that SOME people, not all, go to these clinics and they find out what they currently use and think that is all they use and they've never used anything else. Then they get the same equipment, play the same licks and wonder why their sound isn't the same as the album. well, maybe it's that they played a different rig, used a direct box, fancy eq, compression, limiting, etc. that they didn't tell you. It cracks me up.

[@query1527]

Imagine how good he'd be if the end of his guitar hadn't fallen off.

[@tcelectronic]

😂

[@dissyduster]

wicked,,,,,,

[@telaviv8969]

Wow

[@stephenvarah9305]

That guy is 1 serious accomplished fuckin musician man . as a bassist ma self i love different styles , but hey iv tried 4 trs to play like that n a just cant fukin do it lmao

[@greatwhite61967]

True That... I've been a fan of Level 42 since the Early Tape days & Marks insistence on playing Status Bass Guitars was a discussion of mine & my friends for years... Too many think of Mark as just a Slap bassist & forget he can play anything that Marcus Miller would do, but I've never liked the sound or lack of that he gets when using Rob Green's Status Bass Guitars... I owned a 5 String Status Eclipse Bass Guitar & i only bought it after trying it out first as I honestly thought it would sound as bad as the very high end models, but the inclusions of more wood within the overall structure of that bass (than all graphite) really made that bass so much better than anything Mark uses on tour... It was only the neck that was made of graphite & the body was all wood which added a nice warmth to all of its sounds... The Paramatrix in this video though looks cool, again just sounds so empty & devoid of any bottom end... Don't get me wrong as I'd love to own one but I know i'd definitely add more bass to it's overall sound than what Mark uses... I last saw Level 42 play Live 2 years ago & though a great night was had by all the sound of Marks Bass was the worst I'd ever heard it & if I hadn't known all those songs & their bass lines then as a casual listener would've missed what Mark was playing & it sounded like the Tech Guys had put his Status through too many sub woofers too boost the low end on his overall sound & by the end of the the set list his Status was just lost in this thudding booming bass sound that was too dense to really pick up any real clarity in his notes when playing... Phenomenal playing by all that night but Mark needs to ditch those Status Bass Guitars as they're not doing him any good in a Live environment.... He continues to say, when any One asks, that he pays for these Status Bass Guitars & that they're not an endorsement deal between him & Rob Green but I beg to differ... The John Diggins aka JD Supernatural Series of bass guitars of which Mark used for over 1j0 years was a great sounding bass when rolling back on the bridge pick up ad it could deliver high/miss treble & enough bottom end bass to carry it's sound across, so Marks ongoing use of Status just diesnt add up... I understand all too well the need for a change & apart for going for a Headless Status Bass which wasn't a new idea as it had been used by Steinberger & others before the Status Headless, The only 0ther inclusion was the True Bend or Bend Well which was an actual good idea for those like Mark/Myself & other bassists who like to bend strings openly or with harmonics but apart from that I don't see or even hear why he is continually using Status Bass Guitars... Has Mark had a falling out with John Higgins, as o honestly don't hear why he's stick with these Status Bass Guitars... I briefly owned a Hohner Headless Bass with Status Pick Ups & the added ability of double ball ended bass strings made it quicker to change strings & it stayed in tune after many many hours of slap bass abuse but again apart from the ability to bend strings with more ease & the changing of strings became so much less of a hassle I honestly don't know why he continues to use Status Bass Guitars... The latest in this video which we made in conjunction with collaboration of Rob Green & Mark King but apart from having more control knobs thst any bass should need it's as bad as his other status bass guitars... After hearing them I bought a Lakland 44-02 Skylin Bass Guitar for £1500 & the range of times I can get is amazing, as it covers bith Fenders Precision & Jazz Bass sounds along with a good crack at the Musicman sound & more importantly it has a great sound when replicating Marks slap bass tones... It sounds more like an Alembic than a JD when rolling back on to the bridge pick up, but more importantly it blows away the sound from those Status Bass Guitars...

[@ridgebackdk]

in my view mark put trace elliott on the map back in the day...great to see him work with tc electronic.was always going to happen the tc amps have that bright tight mark king sound built in as standard.great to see mark join the tc family with Ida Kristine Nielsen (bassida) and thomas rissel(marlowedk) and a list of others..and no i have no connection to tcelectronic just a fan of well built amps and good players.onwards and upwards guys long may it continue:)

[@SuckerFreeGear]

Anyone know of any Mark King footage or recordings with him playing a Wal bass. I have only read rumors or small excerpts of him playing a Wal but like to hear or see actual proof? Thanks in advance to anyone providing any info.

[@AJDOLDCHANNELARCHIVE]

Is that Gary Husband on keys haha? Ironic if so since he was their drummer for a while (whilst Allan Holdsworth came on as their guitarist).

[@Sams911]

easily one of the most under rated bassists in the world

[@meerkatandpug]

I don't think he's underrated, most people know he's brilliant.

[@HoxVox]

He sold million records and have been in top charts worldwide for years, he's underrated only among the penguins and polar bears, and I'm not even sure about that, can be some polar bears got his records.

[@sticksman1979]

Kingers!

[@bernburg1999]

Where can i watch the rest of it?

[@saltronica]

what tune did he played one 3:23, been searching it for months

[@SimaStrahota11]

+Funkmentality It's called Gaddafi duck by Mark king

[@nunoharris]

Hi. The Rotosound superwound Funkmaster strings appeared in what year ? Thanks

[@Oneness100]

THen there's Richard Bona, that can do both AND he has the West African/Jazz thing going and that guy is INSANE.

[@zooglezaga696]

c mon ami go onnnn

[@cgcgce]

Ahhhhhhh thats how he plays with those spaghetti strings,it's the super high action, now it all makes sense.I tried a set of 90-30 and I sounded like a banjo player(lol).............THANKS 'CUSTOMBOYS'

[@Oneness100]

Personally, I hope that more bass players from the US and UK get more into West African/South African bass playing ala RIchad Bona, and the guys coming out of Africa, because they have a completely other feel that the Westerners can't do very well. Then you also have Michael Manring, who is MR. DROP TUNING KEY bassist.

[@Pudsy440]

He's great! A little funny @ 4:20 (haha) when he starts some finger style playing and fucks up a wee bit .. the face he makes. All good though, his finger style is great too! It's just a demonstration after all.

[@122Music1]

Pocket pocket pocket locked!

[@greatwhite61967]

Oh yeah I nearly forgot... RIP Boon Gould .....

[@jameswhite7997]

Awesome musician and bloke.

[@davidbachman2028]

@elpactodejohnson1 I would have thought making a tremolo that could cope with the tension of bass strings would have been very difficult. By bending the strings beyond the nut you can also bend individual strings rather than having to do the whole lot. Tremolo bugs the hell out of me on guitars and I'd be more annoyed if I had one on my basses.

[@akencanamulya7577]

😘😘

[@cgcgce]

Oy yeah I have different basses with various string guages and some with flatwounds.All I'm saying is with Mark Kings set up you are limited to a certain style of playing, nothing wrong with that, LONG LIVE THE KING AND HIS FUNKY THUMB!.................favorite song- 'Fashion Fever' of Running in the Family

[@desy5224]

Whats the name of the song at the begging?

[@greatwhite61967]

An amazing bassist but let's not forget Nate King is a dab hand on bass guitar also, all the while playing lead guitar with Level 42 within their current line up... Back in the day you had to know how to play more than one instrument competently as they'd be looking for extra input from other player's & this is why you'll find a lot of the musicians from back in then played at least 3 instruments very well... I just wish he'd (Mark King) go back to using his JD Supernatural Series bass guitars or put more bass on these Status Bass Guitar's as they just don't cut it for... The John Diggins Supernatural Series had/has that high end mid/treble & bass to give you a better warmer sound when going for the high mids & trebles... Just look up Level 42's earliest gigs to their final big gig at Wembley & the difference with the JD & Status is night & day but it's still great to see a band like Level 42 still going strong after all these year's... Theres not many still doing it regularly, I can only think of Level 42/Duran Duran & Depeche Mode as all the other bands are riding the nostalgia wave were as the 3 I've mentioned have kept going since they formed... .....

[@7000bass]

mmm...yup mark....comes across here as very very very weedy here...top quality headphones on my ears, just to let u know...luv u *****

[@rockpro7049]

como se llama la canción que toca en el minuto 3:10

[@metalheadneji]

Funky bass playing.

[@tonylamosa]

Is that chorus from the amp

[@MontrealMan1970]

it sounds like shafer on letterman in the mid-80s cheddar boards

[@_A_343]

What brand and gauge string do you use?

[@Denisbassman]

At now I don't known, but by the past, Mark used 090-070-050-030 gauges strings, so very light tension

[@lowlyrover358]

Ernie Ball

[@oliverbowen17]

@@lowlyrover358he uses rotosound

[@tcelectronic]

No it's not from the amp as RH750 doesn't feature a build in chorus.

[@mbroughton]

What's the effect he kicks in at 1:30?

[@AJDOLDCHANNELARCHIVE]

Chorus and reverb.

[@martinheath5947]

He's right about the lack of bottom end to the bass sound using those skinny strings 30 50 70 90 gauge. Heavily influenced by Stanley Clarke for sure, I'm sure James Jamerson would be scratching his head if he could hear this! Great playing though

[@paulanderson79]

He does admit it's a trade off between tone and speed. Jamerson might take a similar approach with modern amplification and EQ. I only say might. . . . .

[@groovyshades8055]

I taught all he knows

[@markbass354]

Mark , I've played bass since I was 19, after hearing Grand Funk Railroad I had to be part of a garage band I played in and had no clue what I was doing. I didn't even know if the bass was tuned correct , it was a 1969 Fender Precision bass and man was it ever ugly with metal bumpers but played great . I didn't know what I was holding back then. I had many basses thru my life and now have a Fender Jazz bass , this June I will be 59 and cant believe it. Nothing ever materialized with me playing bass other than the fun of playing, learning new songs. Best, Mark S Beretta

[@4to88strings]

+Mark S B. Cool story, similar to mine! I Loved GFR Mel, his bass had punch even on the more melodic tunes. their live version of Gimme Shelter,,,holy cow his bass oozes through the grill cloth!!! Am an Entwistle fan too. About the same age as you, I played in some great bands in 70's-80-s based out of Dallas. When it was time to finally get a "good bass", I had a friend that wanted $300 for his 72 Fender P bass or $400 for a Rick 4001, both were fairly new and beautiful. Well, since I was making about $300 a week back then I went for the P, not only for price but I could do more with it than I could the Rick. But after nearly 40 years, thousands of miles and packed venues, and even a flood in Beaumont Tx,, , I still have my beautiful p bass!! The black finish is down to wood in many places, stripped of it's hardware and I replaced the neck many years ago, but it plays and sounds better than ever!! I even took out the Dimarzio's and put the original pickups back in. (cant believe I still had them in road case!! I love my P,,my wife sez she's gonna bury it with me. I told her she might want to check face value first {B>)

[@markbass354]

B , sounds like you had a great time , I wish I would have stuck with my bass playing but work got in the way , Armco Steel got laid off was laid off of every good paying job I ever had. I should have stayed with my bass , now I'm closing in on 60 and play better now than ever , better now than never. Wiser now days hands are stronger , I can lay it down on my bass now but cant lay down my bass like I did the good ole Bud., pee water, but a cold Bud. sure sounds good ,,, r r r r r r r o geez what suffrage.

[@helmuth6139]

I was a level 42 fan from the very very beginning, but the sound of his headless basses is not turning me on, sorry Mark! Have a look at Scott Whitleys SWB 1, sounds like an old Alembic, made in GB.

[@7000bass]

1967 selmer bass & treble valve amp & goliath 18" speaker cab + gibson eb0 bass (EB3's weren't in the shops & we couldn't afford those anyway) unless you were Jack))...crap sound but very cooking overdrive hot...that was it is all about now but was awful back then. That was the best of what was going around..unless you were a Fender bloke :-0

[@gary9816]

What bass is it?

[@oliverbowen17]

Status king bass

[@MetathronMovies]

chorus

[@TheWizardofGore]

lol he's a funny dude

[@Oneness100]

But then again, there's Rocco from ToP and all he does is finger-style but he is not considered a soloist per se.

[@danielelise7348]

He just had his old girlfriend serviced by a mate hehe 😂😂

[@zycos35960]

nobody plays (played) the bass as he does. Better, different jazzier funkier but not as he does. He's unique !

[@philiprobinson256]

I hope everybody at the end got up and played Spinal Tap's Big Bottom, lol!!!

[@TheAchillers]

cgcgce what are you talking about??? the are countless ways to play bass and if you want agile slapping you mostly need light gauge AND that does not make you a guitar player

[@rickb1266]

Mark King can solo but I think he is more of a groove master like Verdine White.

[@cgcgce]

I agree Mark King is a legend and I play many of his basslines when I jam with a drummer but his bass can't hold the bottom,plain and simple,try a set of his strings you'll see THERE IS NO BASS....................... PERIOD,you will need a keyboardist to fill in the bottom..

[@xenomorph42]

Mark and Les..... Now for that, I would pay $300 bucks to see those two titans go at it!!!

[@DrumSolVanIsle]

The tone presented here is not indicative (or accurate IMO) of a Level 42 performance, from the last decade, wherein Mark King has used his KingBasses. I'm surprised that TC Electronics allowed this audio visual to be published. The tone is no doubt presented in a feeble fashion. But, go see a Level 42 show before daring to cast aspersions upon the tone of a KingBass. This vid is not the be all and end all of Mark King, his live sound will literally blow you away, out and on yer bike mate.

[@SneakySeriyuu]

I saw them a few months ago and thought his live tone was garbage, literally zero definition. I went with somebody who didn't know them hugely well and didn't recognize a single one of their basslines after I played them the CD in the car because you couldn't make them out when they were played live.

[@DrumSolVanIsle]

Fair play, thanks for reply . To me his tone is good, because it sits in a spacious & ethereal position in the mix, unlike any other popular music. What I've seen of Level 42 live -- is absolutely pounding, and IMO his bass makes (not all) but a large part of that effect.

[@Oneness100]

I don't care, I am just enjoying a lively discussion, exchanging ideas, that's all. Mark King has used different bases and maybe different string sets, because not all songs he plays are slapping. Yeah, he is predominately a slapper, one of the best in the business. But if he wants to do more Mowtown, ToP, he can always switch the bass with different strings and play finger style, that's all. How about using a thicker bottom string or thicker bottom two stings? Do guys do that?

[@Meddled]

Love the playing, hate the tone.

[@InfiniteRhombus]

dont care

[@Meddled]

Thanks for taking time out of your day to register a note of apathy.

[@Meddled]

I'm not criticising Mark King's playing, his musicianship or his skills as a bassist, just his tone. Its a shame you're too thick to perceive any of that.

[@Dankshasta]

tone sux

[@Dankshasta]

lol

[@huskvarsm]

mark must be a pastorius fan.

[@seesnap]

Marks a cross between Vladimir Putin and David soul

[@cgcgce]

Are you a bass player 'tdelamont' ? if yes I suggest you slap on a a set of Rotosound funkmaster's guaged 90-30 and try playing a gig with where a heavy P-bass flatwound sound is required to play Motown and Blues and tell me how your piccolo bass sounded in the mix...GOOD LUCK my friend you'll need it

[@Funkstar124]

His basses sound so clunky, tappy and weedy compared to his Jaydee and Alembic.

[@mikiryann5882]

The jaydee sounded pretty snarly and nasal to me but I still like it better than these

[@MonkeysOnRiot]

i think Mark King and Les Claypool should have a bass off

[@Oneness100]

I mean, if I were a prof bass player playing a variety of gigs/sessions, I would probably have a bass collection to fit a bunch of different needs, just like ALL professional bass players. That's what all professional players do. Collect the classic standbys, and then then the more esoteric basses for a different tonality for different gigs.

[@Bradbull111]

Good but not a patch on Flea

[@sideparting6845]

I think their styles are very different ( Flea is more aggressive sounding, although the recent RHCP has some great mellow sounds and good musicianship compared to early RHCP) but Flea's bass lines are easier to play than Mark King's. They're really difficult! (Mainly due to his excessively percussive left hand technique, combined with the robotic right arm speed).

[@rickb1266]

Sounds like a toy bass!

[@havanakim]

Moving into Stanley Clarke territory.....

[@cgcgce]

But don't you see if you use anyth Take a deep breath my friend nobody dislikes you...................there do you feel better, good............ now string up your bass with a 90-30 Funkmaster set, jam with your band or a drummer and try playing some FAT fingers funk,Motown or Reggae influeced basslines,It dos'nt work all you could do is slap,mind you if thats all you want to do then thats fine,more power to you

[@carlmontney7916]

Hi I'm the bass tone control. Please turn me up. Seriously that rig needs some low end. I know it's slap but IMO way to tinny sounding.

[@cgcgce]

True 'TheAchillers" However if you're playing with a 90-30 set on your bass you'll need a keyboardist to cover the low end once you start slapping,because there is NO bass on such a light guage,Mark King will never play without a keyboardist,he needs it.

[@Oneness100]

Yeah, well, then use thicker strings and don't bend them Mark likes to bend strings and he prefers the thinner gauge. But have you tried to play around with the eq or playing with a 15inch cab or a better amp/cab combination? I mean seriously, you don't HAVE to get the thinner gauge strings do you? I see it this way, depending on the song might dictate what strings/bass to be used. Some songs, I like the Fender Jazz or P-Bass, but some songs, I like the more Alembic/Status/GB bass sound.

[@neil2905]

carbon fiber necks sound muck for slap and pop I think. sounds way too plastic or something.

[@thepad4197]

didbyoubgetca lot of blisters before the tape. bleeding on delivery bass after 4 tunes. ex was bassist trained in darlington hall quartet in tonnes and was more the ginger walker laid back music like willin an the Breese abdominal used gold flat wound for precision but don't think remember strings for Gibson 1968? eb*32? too many years like the sounds any newvword out . letbknow. OK gotta dash bbye sldc

[@zycos35960]

Sorry ! not funkier !