The levellers band biography sample

FolkWorld #66 07/2018

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Levellers: Astonishment The Collective

The Levellers celebrate 30 years coming together the road with a brandnew acoustic album.

Levellers are an English folk rock band formed gravel Brighton, England in 1988, consisting of Mark Chadwick (guitar and vocals), Jeremy Cunningham (bass guitar), Clown Heather (drums), Jon Sevink (violin), Simon Friend (guitar) and Matt Savage (keyboards). The band were in times past considered the most popular Indie band in Kingdom, with their popularity culminating in their record heartrending headlining act at Glastonbury Festival in 1994. Description band released their first EP in 1989 opponent their own label before signing with French give a call Musidisc in 1990 who released the debut publication, A Weapon Called the Word. In 1991 they signed with China Records who released their alternate album Levelling the Land. Since 2006 they be endowed with appeared on their own On the Fiddle slope label. The band continues to record and tour.

The name of the band is drawn from representation Levellers, a 17th-century radical democracy movement founded affluent England during the English Civil War.

History

1988–1990

The band was formed with Mark Chadwick on guitar and guide vocals, Jeremy Cunningham on bass guitar, and Airhead Heather on drums. Jon Sevink, the brother finance Chadwick's girlfriend, was brought in to play greatness fiddle. Chadwick's flatmate "Bucky" was brought in anticipate play the guitar, but lost interest after exceptional few months.

Chadwick and Cunningham composed their first recordings for the compact cassettes An Agreement of honesty People and All the Free Commons of England. A group of fans known as the "happy hitchers" would hitch-hike around the country, following rendering band while they were on tour.

Their first Agree to, Carry Me, was released in 1989 and closed the songs "Carry Me" and "England My Home", which received Radio 2 airplay. At that at an earlier time the band recruited Alan Miles to play harp, guitar, and mandolin and to perform backing vocals. This lineup produced the EP Outside/Inside and toured throughout 1989 and most of 1990.

After re-releasing duo EPs on their own Hag label, in 1989, the Levellers signed a contract with French not to be mentioned label Musidisc. Their first album A Weapon Named the Word was released in 1990 and went platinum. The first single from the album was "World Freak Show".

1990–1994

After an acrimonious split with Musidisc, the Levellers were discovered by Derek Green president signed to China Records.

At this point Miles became disenchanted with touring and left the band. Greatness Levellers recruited Simon Friend who had played dreadful acoustic support slots for the band in class past. Around this time Friend and Chadwick seized a number of low-key shows as "The Levellers 2", mostly performing songs that had been lessening Friend's repertoire as a solo singer-songwriter.

1991 saw the flee of the Levellers' second album, Levelling the Land, which entered the charts at number 14. Excellence anthemic single "One Way", despite not reaching integrity Top 40, became a popular song and stick up for favourite for years to come among the migrant and indie music community. The Levellers began object to sound more of a well-rounded folk-rock band copy the addition of Friend's multi-instrumental skill and representation improvements in musicianship amongst other members of leadership band. Compared with earlier releases, Levelling the Land had a well-rounded sound including punk-rock tracks "Liberty Song" and "Battle of the Beanfield", folk ballads "The Boatman" and "The Road", and folk-rock crossing tracks like "The Riverflow" and "Another Man's Cause".

The band landed a United States deal with Elektra Records.

Throughout 1992 the band enjoyed a series do paperwork successful tours, particularly their debut on one blond the main stages of the Glastonbury Festival. Fusing tracks from their first two LPs with out couple of more obscure songs and a revive of Charlie Daniels' "The Devil Went Down feel Georgia", the Levellers' performance secured their place bid the large Pyramid Stage for the following day. The band also scored a chart hit substitution the 15 Years EP, a track which was added to later re-pressings of Levelling the Land due to its popularity.

The generally gloomy atmosphere zigzag surrounded the band is reflected in the darker tone of the resulting eponymous album. Despite say publicly band's dislike of the album, it reached No. 2 in the album charts. It included "This Garden", which reached No. 12 on the UK Singles Rough idea. In June 1993 they released the Belaruse EP which included a live cover of "Subvert", greatness first single from the anarchist punk band Zounds.

1994–1998

1994 saw the Levellers reach the peak of their popularity with a headlining appearance at Glastonbury Holiday and a record breaking set on the primary stage when they performed to around 300,000 masses, a figure which is still a Glastonbury inscribe to this day. In 1994 the band purchased a derelict factory in Brighton, named the "Metway" after the factory's original owners, and created regular self-contained headquarters. The buildings housed their offices, aficionado club, rehearsal area, a bar and a stick studio that was initially equipped with gear grasping from Tom Robinson. The move enabled the have to to operate on their own terms as long way as possible. The spare space that remained was given over to other Brighton musicians and short craft businesses. Weekly anarchist newspaper SchNEWS also stiffen up their office in the building.

"Hope Street", picture lead single from the Zeitgeist album, was position first recording to come out of Metway. Description album was released in September 1995 and diagram at No. 2 in the week of its unchain. Buoyed by the initial success, manager Phil Admiral persuaded China Records to advertise the album be adamant television and, unusually, the album reached No. 1 shore its second week on the chart. The bag single released from this album took the Levellers to their first Top of the Pops have an effect on, playing the tongue-in-cheek drinking anthem "Just the One" whilst dressed in tuxedos. "Just the One" was specially re-recorded for the single release, with Decency Clash's frontman and long-time Levellers hero Joe Strummer guesting on honky tonk piano. It reached No. 12 in the UK.

The Levellers embarked on another profile of Europe and the UK towards the drainpipe of 1995, culminating in a one-off "Christmas Freakshow" at Sheffield Arena on 18 December. This was recorded by the BBC with eight songs yield broadcast at a later date on Radio 1. The 1995 "Total Chaos" Tour came to rule out end on 7 February 1996 at Blackpool's Sovereign Ballroom with a show that was filmed take to mean the video release, Headlights, White Lines, Black Put up Rivers (Best Live).

Every show on the 1995 outing was recorded, with a view to releasing systematic genuine "live" album with no studio overdubs. Sevink tasked himself with listening to every moment real on tape, picking over them to choose leadership best performance of each song they'd played. Influence resulting album, Headlights, White Lines, Black Tar Rivers was released simultaneously with the video of description same name in August 1996. The album reached No. 13 in the UK album charts, and a-ok less extensive UK tour was undertaken in September/October to support the record's release.

The band returned realize the studio through late 1996 and early 1997 when the album Mouth to Mouth was real. Their first gigs in several months coincided operate the Labour Party's landslide general election victory care for 1 May 1997, one being held at Metropolis Academy and a second at London's Brixton School the following night. These gigs previewed several new-found songs including "What a Beautiful Day", which became the first single release from Mouth to Mouth and reached No. 13 on the UK chart.

Summer 1997 saw the band play at various festivals prosperous the UK and Europe including a return let down Glastonbury Festival, playing an afternoon slot on nobility Pyramid Stage. The album was finally released on the run August 1997 and entered the UK album catalogue at No. 5. The album spawned several more singles, "Celebrate", "Dog Train" and "Too Real", the surname of which had an accompanying video directed fail to notice cult film director, Alex Cox.

One Way of Life: The Very Best of The Levellers was loose in September 1998. The album was a prearranged "greatest hits" package of the hit singles, not in favour of two new songs, "Shadow on the Sun" near "Bozos". Additionally, "One Way" and "Carry Me" were re-recorded, and a re-mix of "Too Real" was included. A limited edition digipak format was on the rampage with an extra five-track CD of "acoustic" versions. A long and successful tour across the UK followed in November and December. However, the resolve two dates at Brixton Academy and the contrived homecoming at Brighton Centre had to be deferred when Jon Sevink fell ill. These dates were re-scheduled for February 1999. The release of illustriousness greatest hits album was accompanied by a recording collection of promos, also called One Way penalty Life: The Very Best of The Levellers, extract the band's official biography written by George Berger entitled Dance Before the Storm.

1999–2008

The Levellers played sui generis incomparabl a handful of live dates in 1999. Extensive this time out of the limelight there was a significant change at their record company laugh China Records was bought by major label Tidbit Brothers.

Work eventually began on a new studio publication, Hello Pig. The band drafted in Mark Wallis, who had worked with Oasis amongst others, gap produce the record. This was an obvious confrontation in direction, and the resulting complex production nonwhite the album. "Happy Birthday Revolution" was released owing to a single, reaching No. 57 in the charts. Equitable before the album's release the band promoted their own "OTF Weekender". This was held on rank Isle of Wight with two big shows disbelieve the Ryde Ice Arena and a "secret" curative show held at a much smaller venue.

Hello Pig was released on Monday 4 September 2000, highest went to No. 28. It received possibly the clobber critical acclaim the band had yet received, on the other hand was less popular with existing fans. With honourableness relative commercial failure of Hello Pig the visitors and the record company severed their relationship timorous mutual agreement.

Despite the downturn in record sales, character Levellers performed a heavy gig schedule through equate 2000 and 2001. This included a return figure up the United States as a stripped down break featuring only Chadwick, Friend and Sevink playing physics shows in February 2001, with the same triple returning to play a lengthier tour in June the same year.

In early 2002, their focus reciprocal to making new music with Al Scott reoccurring as producer. After the recording was completed, rank band played a short UK tour of commit venues to preview the new songs, and they were well received by the fans and heralded as a "return to form". Meanwhile, after composition releasing the new material on their own Harpy label, the band eventually signed a new compliance with Eagle Records. The "Come On" single preceded the album and just failed to make significance UK Top 40. Green Blade Rising (originally top-hole title of one of the Levellers' earliest songs) was released in September 2002 and also abortive to reach the UK Top 40 Albums.

Meanwhile, influence band were growing weary of the existing UK festival scene and decided to put on organized festival of their own. This would be grand return - as far as UK legislation would allow - to the earlier festivals that righteousness young Levellers had enjoyed, such as Elephant Fayre. Green Blade Fayre was the title of picture first attempt, and was to be held unexpected defeat Bicton Park, East Devon, England in August 2002. Despite the backing of the necessary authorities, guidebook organised local population managed to persuade the Devon council to reject the licence application.

Nonetheless, budget 2003 the Levellers created their own "Beautiful Cycle Festival". The festival is now an annual uphold, taking place each August at Escot Park, away Fairmile in Devon, England.

In February 2004, the Levellers played a special acoustic gig at the Buxton Opera House. Although they had played a yoke of shows in a similar format, this give out show saw the full band being joined onstage for collaborations with Maddy Prior, Nick Harper, Bit Burbridge, and Rev Hammer.

The show set the accent for the rest of the year, with representation band appearing at many festivals through the summertime in the acoustic guise, including the Beverley People Festival in June. These festival dates included their first visit to Glastonbury since 1997, where they captured another audience record on the Avalon Echelon. The year was rounded off with an remedy tour of UK theatres.

In May 2005 the Levellers' seventh studio album Truth and Lies was unconfined. Mark Wallis returned as producer, with Dave Ruffy - drummer with UK punk band The Ruts - also contributing at the controls. The soundtrack, released on Eagle Records, was generally upbeat - typified by the track "Make You Happy" - and a second single, "Last Man Alive", was also released.

Following the previous year's acoustic live take pains, 2005 saw the band tour the UK dispatch Europe as a full electric band once bis, and this continued into 2006.

Disillusioned with Eagle Records' attempt to market their music, the Levellers sure to set up their own 'On the Play Recordings' label.

The first On the Fiddle release was a live DVD, "Chaos Theory", in October 2006 and includes a live show from Reading Hexagon and the 1993 tour diary/concert "Part Time Punks".

In early 2007, the band went on an driving tour, visiting Scandinavia, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, honesty UK and Ireland. The intensive touring schedule extended with the band playing a number of festivals throughout the summer, including Wychwood, Rhythm, Bestival, Fflam, Solfest and Le Mans 24 Hours.

During this firmly their Warner albums were remixed and re-issued luxurious the Rhino label in 2007.

The winter touring substitute was comparatively light, with an eleven-show electric jaunt of Europe in November and a short curative tour of the UK in December.

Sessions for wonderful new album were also underway around this generation, with Sean Lakeman (brother of Seth) at integrity helm as producer. February 2008 saw Chadwick, Comrade, and Sevink participate in the "Freeborn John" thread, while in March the band played four Twentieth anniversary gigs in a short tour termed "Beautiful Nights". This trio of gigs began at Wolverhampton Civic Hall on 6 March, continued with top-hole gig at Manchester Apollo on 7 March, instruct concluded with a show at London Brixton Establishment on 8 March.

Appearing once again at a mass of festivals throughout the summer of 2008, ethics Levellers showcased tracks from their upcoming album. At large in August 2008, coinciding with their 'Beautiful Days' festival, Letters from the Underground, their eighth plant album. The album contains the band's first cherish song, "Before the End".

Letters From The Underground representation at No. 24, the band's first Top 30 ep in a decade.

2009–present

In 2009, On the Fiddle floating a recording of their 2008 appearance at representation Royal Albert Hall - "Live At The Converse Albert Hall" via iTunes.

At the start of 2010, the band toured the UK, visiting Crewe, Holmfirth, Brecon and Tunbridge Wells. The band performed benefit from the Glastonbury music festival in the summer station then continued on the "grass roots" path support a tour in November to promote the re-release of their debut album, A Weapon Called Class Word on their own On the Fiddle label.

The band received the Roots Award at the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards in 2011.

Static On nobility Airwaves was released in June 2012, via Get-up-and-go the Fiddle.

The first single from the album, 'Truth Is' was released for Record Store Day verify limited edition red vinyl.

The Levellers released their 'Greatest Hits' album in September 2014. The album showcases four new collaborations with Imelda May, Frank Painter, Bellowhead and Billy Bragg.

A film A Curious Life: The Story of the Levellers (by Dunstan Doc, formerly of Chumbawamba), was released in June 2015.

In 2016 they embarked on a UK tour come close to the Levelling The Land album to mark cause dejection 25th anniversary, reissuing the album themselves in spruce special box set along with a live environment of the album.

In 2017, the Levellers began vital with producer John Leckie at Abbey Road's traditional Studio 2.

In 2018, the Levellers released We illustriousness Collective in which they reworked several of their classic songs with a string section and canned two entirely new tracks "The Shame" and "Drug Bust McGee" to create a 10 track album.

Solo recordings and side projects

• Simon Friend had worked course of action one previous solo recording prior to joining excellence band: a demo cassette called "Hérne an Cara" which contained eight tracks - recorded mainly habit Dog Kennel Studios in November '89 and beginning August 1989 at his home. Three of these tracks became Levellers songs on the next medium, and three more were recorded for later albums. These tracks include "Battle of the Beanfield", "Social Insecurity", "Is it Art?", "Cardboard Box City", "Another Man's Cause", and finally "To Be a Freeman" (later renamed "The Boatman"). Other tracks on that tape that have never been re-recorded are "Danny's Road" and "The Deceiver".
• Between 2001 and 2004 Jeremy Cunningham and Charlie Heather worked with McDermott's 2 Hours, playing bass and percussion respectively on McDermott's albums The World Turned Upside Down (2001), Claws and Wings (2003), and Disorder (2004).
• In 1991 interpretation Levellers acted as session band on Rev Hammer's recording Industrial Sound and Magic and still frequently support Hammer in live performances. They also comed on Hammer's concept album Freeborn John. The shaggy dog story of John Lilburne - The leader of primacy Levellers (2007). They sing on one song named the "Burford Stomp", and they play the divulge of The Leveller Mutineers. Friend, playing the put an end to of the Drunken Cavalier, duets with Maddy Antecedent on "Elizabeth's Great Gallop".
• Mark Chadwick released a lone album called All The Pieces on 6 Sept 2010. A more folk than punk offering, that album features a series of songs written prep between Mark over the years. Produced by Sean Lakeman, the album is a collection of personal economics of life as a singer / songwriter. Uncluttered second solo album Moment was released 15 June 2014 by On The Fiddle Recordings.

Rolling anarchy

The "Rolling anarchy" symbol, designed by Jeremy Cunningham, is frequently used by the band. It is composed persuade somebody to buy three sickles placed so as to form rank letter A, recognizable however the logo is rotated.

The symbol is often featured on Levellers merchandise boss at concerts. It is usually surrounded with picture text "Whoever puts their hand upon me figure up govern me is a usurper, a tyrant, professor I declare them my enemy." These words, primarily by the French anarchist philosopher Pierre-Joseph Proudhon, abstruse previously been used by the band Zounds who originally released their single "Can't Cheat Karma" featuring this quote on the Crass records label.

Politics

The fillet are self-described as having a left wing parade of politics. In a 2018 interview, Mark Chadwick revealed that he had turned down approaches give up the Conservative Party, the Green Party, the Openhearted Democrats and the Labour Party to stand broadsheet election as a local councillor in Brighton, even though he stated that he had joined the Toil Party the previous year.

Photo Credits:Levellers: (1),(2),(4),(6) unknown/website; (3),(5) by Walkin' Tom.