Song:Exodus
Album:Zeitgeist
The Levellers are a mix of folk, rock and Celtic music. They are very popular in England but not as well known in North America. The 1995 CD Zeitgeist has been their biggest seller. They are from Brighton, England. Guitarist vocalist Mark Chadwick and bassist Jeremy Cunningham met at a Brighton pub in 1988 and decided to form a band. Cunningham recruited drummer Charlie Heather. Cunningham thought they needed something to make them sound different and thought a violin would be interesting. So they added violinist Jon Sevink. They also added guitarist Alan Miles. They released an EP in 1989 and then an album on the French label Musidisc. That didn't go well but they were discovered by China Records owner Derek Green. Miles left over money and was replaced by singer songwriter Simon Friend. China Records had distribution with WEA and this led to The Levellers being signed to Elektra in North America. They reached their height of popularity with the 1995 CD Zeitgeist reaching #1 in England. This disenchanted their devoted fanbase who thought they sold out to commercial success and it led to them being less succsessful. That happens a lot to cult bands. WEA International rereleased Zeitgeist in 2007 with bonus tracks. The Levellers have always been political activists with their music and Exodus is no exception. Warners bought China Records in 2000 and after one final CD, The Levellers left the label. They now record on their own label and released Letters From The Underground in Aug. 2008. The Levellers have gone underneath the radar in North America and are worth checking out. Here's the video for Exodus by The Levellers.
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