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General Category => Everything Else => Topic started by: Intothewind on May 15, 2015, 07:21:26 AM

Title: A curious life: The story of the Levellers
Post by: Intothewind on May 15, 2015, 07:21:26 AM

Anyone else seen it yet? Just finished watching and really enjoyed it, but I'm a big fan. I have to admit, I do associate the two bands so it is strange to me, that after all these years NMA and The Levs have films made about them at the same time.

Wonder how the two films compare?
Title: Re: A curious life: The story of the Levellers
Post by: Pol on May 15, 2015, 10:55:34 AM
Would like to give it a watch but unfortunately I'm tapped out just now

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=t1VDhe73Qi8
Title: Re: A curious life: The story of the Levellers
Post by: Master Ray on May 15, 2015, 08:50:26 PM
Deffo wanna see this.  Huge fan of The Levs since I saw them supporting NMA with AWCTW, was that the Impurity tour?  Seen 'em many times since.  I love the way that they can usually command quite large venues, but often take the time to play tiny venues in small towns...

 
Title: Re: A curious life: The story of the Levellers
Post by: Johnz on May 16, 2015, 10:21:36 AM
They never meant as much to me as NMA but they're a fantastic live band and have written a lot of good tunes. I haven't kept up with their recent output though. I did like Truth Is and that was the last song I've heard.

Can anyone tell me what Mark Chadwick's solo stuff is like? I'm kinda curious.
Title: Re: A curious life: The story of the Levellers
Post by: Intothewind on May 16, 2015, 06:12:42 PM
Chadwick's solo stuff is pretty good - pretty similar to modern Levellers, although I'd say the bands albums are probably better.

Green blade rising's a pretty good newish album. 'Come on' is ace: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KL-hhp0tI7I
Title: Re: A curious life: The story of the Levellers
Post by: Master Ray on May 16, 2015, 07:17:13 PM
Chadwick's solo stuff is pretty good - pretty similar to modern Levellers, although I'd say the bands albums are probably better.

Green blade rising's a pretty good newish album. 'Come on' is ace: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KL-hhp0tI7I

GBR was out in 2002!

But it is well worth checking out...  ;)  Come On is excellent

Most recent is 'Static On The Airwaves', saw them twice on that tour, terrific album... to be honest, the only Levs album I wouldn't recommend is 'Hello Pig', never got to grips with that one, nit of a change in style that didn't really work...

Title: Re: A curious life: The story of the Levellers
Post by: Johnz on May 16, 2015, 11:16:19 PM
Thanks for the recommendations. I will go and check them out.

Like many NMA fans, I got into the Levellers during the Impurity Tour. Saw them a few times between 1990-93. Hello Pig kinda put me off and I haven't really followed them much after that. I like their integrity and the fact that they are still together in the same line-up after all these years. I always found their political views a bit too clichéd although I actually agree with most of them. Songs like "Liberty Song" always made me cringe a bit.



 
Title: Re: A curious life: The story of the Levellers
Post by: Shush on May 16, 2015, 11:38:23 PM
Like many NMA fans, I didn't give a **** about the Levellers as soon as I heard them

Sorry, truly not wanting to start an argument, but hate it when people hear that I am an NMA fan, expect me to like the levellers, of whom I am completely indifferent to
Title: Re: A curious life: The story of the Levellers
Post by: Pol on May 17, 2015, 05:43:02 AM
I felt like you till a few months ago shush . I thought why does nearly every nma fan like them except me i just didn't get it . Then i picked levelling the land at the local charity shop and started to really like some of the songs, i think its more the part of me that liked the pogues than anything to do with nma. Its probably have have a few drinks sign along / dance along to music
Title: Re: A curious life: The story of the Levellers
Post by: Pol on May 17, 2015, 05:47:33 AM
Try this mr shush I like this alot

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=vBVtVR7Nme0
Title: Re: A curious life: The story of the Levellers
Post by: Intothewind on May 17, 2015, 08:43:03 AM
Chadwick's solo stuff is pretty good - pretty similar to modern Levellers, although I'd say the bands albums are probably better.

Green blade rising's a pretty good newish album. 'Come on' is ace: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KL-hhp0tI7I

GBR was out in 2002!

But it is well worth checking out...  ;)  Come On is excellent

Most recent is 'Static On The Airwaves', saw them twice on that tour, terrific album... to be honest, the only Levs album I wouldn't recommend is 'Hello Pig', never got to grips with that one, nit of a change in style that didn't really work...

.... Ha I seem to class everything after the 90's as new   ;D
Title: Re: A curious life: The story of the Levellers
Post by: Shush on May 17, 2015, 08:28:00 PM
Thanks Pol, I'll give it a go when I am in the right  frame of mind  ;)
Title: Re: A curious life: The story of the Levellers
Post by: Master Ray on May 17, 2015, 08:44:28 PM
Like many NMA fans, I didn't give a **** about the Levellers as soon as I heard them

Sorry, truly not wanting to start an argument, but hate it when people hear that I am an NMA fan, expect me to like the levellers, of whom I am completely indifferent to

Fair enough, mate, I think (and I might be wrong on this) that the Levs gained a lot of fans supporting NMA, a support boost that gave them the bunk-up they needed to 'break through'... after that, I guess it was just a 'right place, right time' scenario.

And I often see NMA T-shirts (and similar types of folks) at Levs gigs...

But if you don't like 'em, don't worry about it.  We can be polar opposites when it comes to opinions about bands.  Just not sauces...  :)

Title: Re: A curious life: The story of the Levellers
Post by: JohnnyM on May 21, 2015, 10:06:10 PM
I used to go and watch them a lot -  I reckon their gigs around 90/91 were some of best I've ever been to (though ironically for a discussion on this board - the influx of NMA followers really changed the atmosphere at gigs - and not for the better). I sort of gave up watching them about 92/93 and have only seen them a handful of times since then.

Anyway - back on topic... Im not sure there would be much of a story in the film if you werent a fan. Band gets big playing student friendly raucous pop-punk-folk , has a lot of drink/drug issues, carries on, start their own festival, plays some more gigs and er... thats it.

Or is there a hidden story behind the headlines? Be good to see some old live footage though
Title: Re: A curious life: The story of the Levellers
Post by: Master Ray on May 21, 2015, 10:11:10 PM
I used to go and watch them a lot -  I reckon their gigs around 90/91 were some of best I've ever been to (though ironically for a discussion on this board - the influx of NMA followers really changed the atmosphere at gigs - and not for the better). I sort of gave up watching them about 92/93 and have only seen them a handful of times since then.

Anyway - back on topic... Im not sure there would be much of a story in the film if you werent a fan. Band gets big playing student freindly raucous pop-punk-folk , has a lot of drink/drug issues, carries on, start their own festival, plays some more gigs and er... thats it.

Or is there a hidden story behidn the headlines?

Yeah.  Mark Chadwick is Keyser Soze.

 ;)
Title: Re: A curious life: The story of the Levellers
Post by: Intothewind on May 22, 2015, 07:44:07 PM
I used to go and watch them a lot -  I reckon their gigs around 90/91 were some of best I've ever been to (though ironically for a discussion on this board - the influx of NMA followers really changed the atmosphere at gigs - and not for the better). I sort of gave up watching them about 92/93 and have only seen them a handful of times since then.

Anyway - back on topic... Im not sure there would be much of a story in the film if you werent a fan. Band gets big playing student friendly raucous pop-punk-folk , has a lot of drink/drug issues, carries on, start their own festival, plays some more gigs and er... thats it.

Or is there a hidden story behind the headlines? Be good to see some old live footage though

That pretty much sums it up  ;) Actually the focus of the film is mainly on the life/work/drugs of bassist Jeremy. I would say that like most music docs it was one for the fans (unless you're like me and enjoy music docs about bands I don't even like!)

What I thought might be interesting for NMA fans (besides some musical similarities at times) is a band working outside the mainstream music media, having a documentary about them, after all these years at the same time. Just seemed an interesting coincidence I thought would be interesting to discuss.

Oh and there is some great grainy footage of an early gig in 1988 in the extra's, the whole gig in fact!