Song:Something About You
Album:Classic
The British group Level 42 had their biggest international success with the 1985 hit Something About You. They are very big in England. The group started out wanting to be a jazz fusion group but when they went more mainstream they continued a high standard of musicianship. Lead singer and bass player Mark King was a huge Stanley Clarke fan and guitarist Boon Guild, his drummer brother Phil Gould and keyboard player Mike Lindup were all jazz fans. And though he wasn't a member of the band, Wally Badarou was involved in songwriting for the band. The name Level 42 is a Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy reference. So they wanted to be a fusion group. But by the time they signed with Polydor Records in 1982, they had decided to add vocals and be more mainstream. Their early albums still had jazz elements. The turning point was likely their 1983 album Standing In The Light which had their first top ten hit in England The Sun Goes Down. So by the time the 1985 album World Machine was released, they were a mainstream pop band. Something About You reached #7 on the Billboard Hot 100. It would be their biggest hit and obviously it gave them a very solid fanbase. The Gould Brothers left in 1987. Gary Husband was the new drummer and Alan Murphy was eventually the new guitarist though he died in 1989. All of their Polydor hits are on this comp. They moved to RCA in 1990 and floundered around until Mark King disbanded Level 42 in 1996. King recorded solo but also reunited Level 42 and they are currently touring and may record a new CD. Here's the video for Something About You by Level 42.
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