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The Levellers (band)
Encyclopedia
The Levellers are an English rock
band, founded in 1988 and based in Brighton
, England
. Their musical style is said to be influenced by punk
and traditional English music.
of Oliver Cromwell's New Model Army
; or as a reference to 'The Level', an area of Brighton around a flat triangular green in the centre of hilly Brighton, where members of the band used to live, or whether, according to guitarist Simon Friend, was chosen from a dictionary.
The band was formed with Chadwick on guitar
and lead vocals, Cunningham on bass guitar, and Heather on drums
. Jon Sevink, the brother of Chadwick's girlfriend, was brought in to play the violin. Chadwick's flatmate "Bucky" was brought in to play the guitar, but lost interest after a few months.
Chadwick and Cunningham composed their first recordings for the compact cassettes An Agreement of the People and All the Free Commons of England. A group of fans known as the "happy hitchers" would hitch-hike
around the country, following the band while they were on tour.
Their first EP, Carry Me, was released in 1989 and contained the songs "Carry Me" and "England My Home", which received Radio 2 airplay. At that time the band recruited Alan Miles to play harmonica, 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 two EPs on their own Hag label, in 1989, the Levellers signed a contract with French record label, Musidisc
. Their next album, A Weapon Called the Word, was released in 1990 and went platinum. The first single from the album was "World Freak Show".
and signed to China Records
.
At this point, Miles became disenchanted by the Levellers' communist approach to money - all of the band's earnings being put together in a fund from which the members were paid the same amount every day. After being refused more money to buy food one day, Miles quit the band. Finding themselves suddenly short of one member, the Levellers' manager called Simon Friend, a young singer-songwriter and at that time a roadie for New Model Army
, who had played some acoustic support slots for the band in the past. Friend accepted the invitation to join the band, despite it meaning turning down a chance to be the guitarist for New Model Army.
Around this time Friend and Chadwick played a number of low key shows as "The Levellers 2", mostly performing songs that had been in Friend's repertoire as a solo singer-songwriter.
1991 saw the release of the Levellers' second album, Levelling the Land
, which entered the charts at number 14. The anthemic single "One Way", despite not reaching the Top 40, became a popular song and live favourite for years to come among the travelling
and indie music
community. The Levellers began to sound more of a well-rounded folk-rock band with the addition of Friend's multi-instrumental skill and the improvements in musicianship amongst other members of the 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 crossover tracks like "The Riverflow" and "Another Man's Cause".
Friend's distinctively gravelly voice added depth and volume in backing up Chadwick's vocals and he began the tradition of taking lead vocals on a couple of tracks per album. Chadwick's singing also improved from the gruff shouted vocals of their early EPs to a fine melodic singing voice. The band also landed a U.S.
deal with Electra, although they subsequently failed to make much impression in the USA. A disastrous tour of the USA in the early 1990s left the band disillusioned with America and the long-haul journeys and lukewarm local receptions endured by touring bands.
Throughout 1992 the band enjoyed a series of successful tours, particularly their debut on one of the main stages of the Glastonbury Festival
. Mixing tracks from their first two LPs with a couple of more obscure songs and a cover of Charlie Daniels
' "The Devil Went Down to Georgia", the Levellers performance secured their place on the large Pyramid Stage for the following year. The band also scored a chart hit with the 15 Years EP, a track which was added to later re-pressings of Levelling the Land due to its popularity.
The Levellers generally consider 1993 to be a bad year for the band. Cunningham was becoming dependent on heroin, having first taken the drug as an alternative to his growing alcoholism. Feeling overworked and unmotivated, the band nevertheless felt obliged to try to write a new record to capitalise on their growing popularity. The creative process was not particularly enjoyable for any of the band who were drifting apart as friends and commuting to the recording studio to lay down the tracks for the album. Suffering writer's block, the band filled space on the new album by covering "Dirty Davey" (an early track by McDermott's 2 Hours) and recording an old track originally written by Friend while he was still at school ("Is This Art?").
The generally gloomy atmosphere that surrounded the band is reflected in the darker tone of the resulting eponymous album. Despite the band's dislike of the album, it reached #2 in the album charts. It included "This Garden", which reached #12 on the UK Singles Chart
. In July 1993 they released the Belaruse EP which included a live cover of "Subvert", the first single from the anarchist punk band Zounds
.
attracted the biggest stagefront crowd that the event had ever seen. The Levellers and their friends had spent the morning flyering the crowds at Glastonbury to advertise their later show and, having already become favourites with independent music fans and travellers across the country, this tactic paid off when the crowds surged to the pyramid stage to see the band. Their performance of "One Way" was later included on a video of Glastonbury's finest moments.
In 1994 the band purchased a derelict factory in Brighton, named the "Metway" after the factory's original owners, and created a self contained headquarters. The buildings housed their offices, fan club, rehearsal area, a bar and a recording studio
(initially equipped with gear bought from Tom Robinson
). The move enabled the band to operate on their own terms as far as possible. Spare space was given over to other Brighton musicians and small craft businesses. Weekly anarchist newspaper SchNEWS
also set up their office in the building.
"Hope Street", the lead single from the Zeitgeist
album, was the first product to come out of Metway. The album was released in September 1995 and charted at #2 in the week of its release. Buoyed by the initial success, manager Phil Nelson
persuaded China Records
to advertise the album on television and, unusually, the album reached #1 in its second week on the chart. The third single released from this album took the Levellers to their first Top of the Pops
appearance, 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 The Clash
's legendary frontman and long-time Levellers hero, Joe Strummer
guesting on honky tonk
piano. It reached #12 in the UK.
The Levellers embarked on another tour of Europe and the UK towards the end of 1995, culminating in a one-off "Christmas Freakshow" at Sheffield Arena on 18 December. This was recorded by the BBC
with eight songs being broadcast at a later date on Radio 1
. The 1995 "Total Chaos" Tour came to an end on 7 February 1996 at Blackpool
's Empress Ballroom with a show that was filmed for the video release, Headlights, White Lines, Black Tar Rivers (Best Live)
.
Every show on the 1995 tour had been recorded with a view to releasing a genuine "live" album with no studio overdubs. Sevink tasked himself with listening back to every moment recorded on tape, picking through them for the best performances of each song they'd played. The resulting album, Headlights, White Lines, Black Tar Rivers was released simultaneously with the video of the same name in August 1996. The album reached #13 in the UK album charts, and a less extensive UK tour was undertaken in September/October to support the record's release.
The band returned to the studio through late 1996 and early 1997 when the album Mouth To Mouth
was recorded. Their first gigs in several months coincided with the Labour Party
's landslide general election victory on May 1, 1997; one being held at Manchester Academy
, and a second at London's Brixton Academy the following night. These gigs previewed several new songs, including "What a Beautiful Day", which became the first single release from Mouth to Mouth and reached #13 on the UK chart.
Summer 1997 saw the band play at various festivals in the UK and Europe including a return to Glastonbury Festival, playing an afternoon slot on the Pyramid Stage. The album was finally released in August 1997 and entered the UK album chart at #5. The album spawned several more singles, "Celebrate", "Dog Train" and "Too Real", the last of which had an accompanying video directed by cult film director, Alex Cox
.
One Way of Life: The Very Best of The Levellers was released in September 1998. The album was a traditional "greatest hits" package of the hit singles, with two new songs, "Shadow on the Sun" and "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 released with an extra five-track CD of "acoustic" versions. A long and successful tour across the UK followed in November and December. However, the last two dates at Brixton Academy and the planned homecoming at Brighton
Centre had to be pulled when Jon Sevink fell ill. These dates were re-scheduled for February 1999. The release of the greatest hits album was accompanied by a video collection of promos, also called One Way of Life: The Very Best of The Levellers, and the band's official biography written by George Berger entitled Dance Before the Storm.
was bought by major label Warner Brothers
.
Work eventually began on a new studio album, Hello Pig. The band drafted in Mark Wallis, who had worked with Oasis
amongst others, to produce the record. This was an obvious change in direction,, and the resulting complex production coloured the album. "Happy Birthday Revolution" was released as a single, reaching #57 in the charts. Just prior to the album release the band promoted their own "OTF Weekender". This was held on the Isle of Wight
with two big shows at the Ryde
Ice Arena and a "secret" acoustic show held at a much smaller venue.
Hello Pig was released on Monday 4 September 2000, and went to #28. It received possibly the best critical acclaim the band had yet received, but was less popular with existing fans. With the relative commercial failure of Hello Pig, the band and the record company their severed their relationship by mutual agreement.
Despite the downturn in record sales, the Levellers performed a heavy gig schedule through late 2000 and 2001. This included a return to the United States as a stripped down version featuring only Chadwick, Friend and Sevink playing acoustic shows in February 2001, with the same trio returning to play a lengthier tour in June the same year.
In early 2002, focus returned once again to making new music, with Al Scott returning as producer. After the recording was completed, the band played a short UK tour of smaller venues to preview the new songs, and they were well received by the fans and heralded as a "return to form". Meanwhile, after contemplating releasing the new material on their own Hag label, the band eventually signed a new deal with Eagle Records
. The "Come On" single preceded the album and just failed to make the UK Top 40. Green Blade Rising (originally a title of one of the Levellers' earliest songs) was released in September 2002 and also failed to reach the UK Top 40 Albums.
Meanwhile, the band, growing weary of the existing UK festival scene, decided to put on a festival of their own. This would be a return - as far as UK legislation would allow - to the earlier festivals that the young Levellers had enjoyed, such as Elephant Fayre
. Green Blade Fayre was the title of the first attempt, and was to be held at Bicton Park, East Devon
, England in August 2002. Despite the backing of the necessary authorities, an organised local population managed to persuade the East Devon
council to reject the licence application.
Nonetheless, in 2003 the Levellers did later create their own "Beautiful Days Festival
". The festival is an annual event, taking place each August at Escot Park, near Fairmile in Devon, England.
In February 2004, the Levellers played a special acoustic gig at the Buxton Opera House
. Although they had played a couple of shows in a similar format, this particular show saw the full band being joined onstage for collaborations with Maddy Prior
, Nick Harper
, Nick Burbridge
, and Rev Hammer.
The show set the tone for the rest of the year, with the band appearing at many festivals through the summer in the acoustic guise, including the Beverley Folk Festival
in June. These festival dates included their first visit to Glastonbury since 1997, where they captured another audience record on the Avalon Stage. The year was rounded off with an acoustic tour of UK theatres.
In May 2005 the Levellers seventh studio album, Truth and Lies, was released. Mark Wallis returned as producer, with Dave Ruffy, drummer with UK punk band The Ruts
also contributing at the controls. The album, released on Eagle Records
, was generally upbeat, as typified by the track "Make You Happy", and a second single, "Last Man Alive", was also released.
Disillusioned with yet another record label's attempts to market their records, the Levellers decided set up their own 'On The Fiddle Recordings' label. Following the previous year's acoustic live work, 2005 saw the band tour the UK and Europe as a full electric band once again, continuing through 2006.
The first On The Fiddle release was a live DVD, "Chaos Theory", in October 2006.
In Spring 2007, the band went on an electric tour, visiting Scandinavia, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, the UK and Ireland. The intensive touring schedule continued with the band playing a number of festivals throughout the summer, including Wychwood, Rhythm, Bestival, Fflam, Solfest and Le Mans 24 Hours. The winter touring schedule was comparatively light, with an eleven show electric tour of Europe in November and a short acoustic tour of the UK in December.
Sessions for a new album were also underway around this time, with producer Sean Lakeman (brother of Seth) at the helm as producer. February 2008 saw Chadwick, Friend, and Sevink participate in the "Freeborn John" tour, while in March the band played four 20th anniversary gigs in a short tour termed "Beautiful Nights". This trio of gigs began at Wolverhampton Civic Hall on 6 March, continued with a gig at Manchester Apollo on 7 March, and concluded with a show at London Brixton Academy on 8 March.
Appearing once again at a host of festivals throughout the Summer of 2008, the Levellers showcased tracks from their upcoming album. Released in August 2008, coinciding with their 'Beautiful Days' festival, Letters from the Underground, their eighth studio album. Many see this album as a return to top form for the band, containing many tracks reminiscent of the material produced in the "glory days" of the early 90's. Examples include "The Cholera Well" and "A Life Less Ordinary". However, the album also introduced a 21st century "indie" type sound that is apparent on some tracks. Additionally, according to Chadwick, the album contains the band's first love song, "Before the End".
Letters From The Underground charted at #24, the band's first Top 30 album in over eight years. In 2009, On The Fiddle put out a digital only release of songs from their 2008 appearance at the Royal Albert Hall - "Live At The Royal Albert Hall" was released via iTunes
. A CD version of the album, with extra tracks was also given away to On The Fiddle fan club members.
The Levellers' Chaos Theory live DVD was released in December 2006 and includes a live show from Reading Hexagon and the 1993 tour diary/concert "Part Time Punks". During this time their Warner albums were remixed and re-issued on the Rhino label in 2007.
The band supports green anarchism
issues and has had little attention from music critics. The band supported the campaign against the Criminal Justice Act
and its measures against rave parties with such songs as "Warning" on the Julie EP.
Despite denying for many years that they are a folk band, in 2011 they were awarded the Roots Award by the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards.
As of November 2011, they are recording a new album in the Czech Republic.
Sometimes supported by Stephen Boakes (didgeridoo
).
ed symbol of the band , designed by the bassist, Jeremy Cunningham. It is composed of three sickle
s placed so as to form the letter A, recognizable however the logo is rotated.
The symbol is often featured on Levellers merchandise and at concerts. It is usually surrounded with the text "Whoever puts their hand upon me to govern me is a usurper
, a tyrant
, and I declare them my enemy." These words, originally by the French anarchist philosopher Pierre-Joseph Proudhon
, had previously been used by the band Zounds who originally released their single "Can't Cheat Karma" featuring this quote on the Crass records
label.
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
band, founded in 1988 and based in Brighton
Brighton
Brighton is the major part of the city of Brighton and Hove in East Sussex, England on the south coast of Great Britain...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. Their musical style is said to be influenced by punk
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
and traditional English music.
1988-1990
It is unclear whether the band got its name from the democratic factionLevellers
The Levellers were a political movement during the English Civil Wars which emphasised popular sovereignty, extended suffrage, equality before the law, and religious tolerance, all of which were expressed in the manifesto "Agreement of the People". They came to prominence at the end of the First...
of Oliver Cromwell's New Model Army
New Model Army
The New Model Army of England was formed in 1645 by the Parliamentarians in the English Civil War, and was disbanded in 1660 after the Restoration...
; or as a reference to 'The Level', an area of Brighton around a flat triangular green in the centre of hilly Brighton, where members of the band used to live, or whether, according to guitarist Simon Friend, was chosen from a dictionary.
The band was formed with Chadwick on guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
and lead vocals, Cunningham on bass guitar, and Heather on drums
Drum kit
A drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
. Jon Sevink, the brother of Chadwick's girlfriend, was brought in to play the violin. Chadwick's flatmate "Bucky" was brought in to play the guitar, but lost interest after a few months.
Chadwick and Cunningham composed their first recordings for the compact cassettes An Agreement of the People and All the Free Commons of England. A group of fans known as the "happy hitchers" would hitch-hike
Hitchhiking
Hitchhiking is a means of transportation that is gained by asking people, usually strangers, for a ride in their automobile or other road vehicle to travel a distance that may either be short or long...
around the country, following the band while they were on tour.
Their first EP, Carry Me, was released in 1989 and contained the songs "Carry Me" and "England My Home", which received Radio 2 airplay. At that time the band recruited Alan Miles to play harmonica, guitar, and mandolin
Mandolin
A mandolin is a musical instrument in the lute family . It descends from the mandore, a soprano member of the lute family. The mandolin soundboard comes in many shapes—but generally round or teardrop-shaped, sometimes with scrolls or other projections. A mandolin may have f-holes, or a single...
and to perform backing vocals. This lineup produced the EP Outside/Inside and toured throughout 1989 and most of 1990.
After re-releasing two EPs on their own Hag label, in 1989, the Levellers signed a contract with French record label, Musidisc
Musidisc
Musidisc is a French record label that provides music and home video distribution. It was founded in 1927, and purchased by Universal Music Group in 2004.-History:...
. Their next album, A Weapon Called 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 GreenDerek Green
Derek Green is a Canadian jurist and current Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Newfoundland and Labrador.Green was a rumoured candidate to replace Supreme Court of Canada Justice Michel Bastarache.-References:...
and signed to China Records
China Records
China Records was a record label founded October 1, 1984 by Derek Green. Its top-selling artists were Art of Noise, Morcheeba and The Levellers....
.
At this point, Miles became disenchanted by the Levellers' communist approach to money - all of the band's earnings being put together in a fund from which the members were paid the same amount every day. After being refused more money to buy food one day, Miles quit the band. Finding themselves suddenly short of one member, the Levellers' manager called Simon Friend, a young singer-songwriter and at that time a roadie for New Model Army
New Model Army (band)
New Model Army are an English rock band, who were formed in Bradford, West Yorkshire in 1980. They have been variously classified by Allmusic as post-punk and alternative rock.-Overview:...
, who had played some acoustic support slots for the band in the past. Friend accepted the invitation to join the band, despite it meaning turning down a chance to be the guitarist for New Model Army.
Around this time Friend and Chadwick played a number of low key shows as "The Levellers 2", mostly performing songs that had been in Friend's repertoire as a solo singer-songwriter.
1991 saw the release of the Levellers' second album, Levelling the Land
Levelling the Land
Levelling the Land was released in 1991 and is the second full-length album by the Brighton folk-punk group The Levellers. The album reached number 14 in the British album charts and has since gained platinum status through ongoing sales...
, which entered the charts at number 14. The anthemic single "One Way", despite not reaching the Top 40, became a popular song and live favourite for years to come among the travelling
New age travellers
New Age Travellers are groups of people who often espouse New Age or hippie beliefs and travel between music festivals and fairs in order to live in a community with others who hold similar beliefs. Their transport and homes consist of vans, lorries, buses, narrowboats and caravans converted into...
and indie music
Indie (music)
In music, independent music, often shortened to indie music or "indie" is a term used to describe independence from major commercial record labels or their subsidiaries, and an autonomous, Do-It-Yourself approach to recording and publishing....
community. The Levellers began to sound more of a well-rounded folk-rock band with the addition of Friend's multi-instrumental skill and the improvements in musicianship amongst other members of the 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 crossover tracks like "The Riverflow" and "Another Man's Cause".
Friend's distinctively gravelly voice added depth and volume in backing up Chadwick's vocals and he began the tradition of taking lead vocals on a couple of tracks per album. Chadwick's singing also improved from the gruff shouted vocals of their early EPs to a fine melodic singing voice. The band also landed a U.S.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
deal with Electra, although they subsequently failed to make much impression in the USA. A disastrous tour of the USA in the early 1990s left the band disillusioned with America and the long-haul journeys and lukewarm local receptions endured by touring bands.
Throughout 1992 the band enjoyed a series of successful tours, particularly their debut on one of the main stages of the Glastonbury Festival
Glastonbury Festival
The Glastonbury Festival of Contemporary Performing Arts, commonly abbreviated to Glastonbury or even Glasto, is a performing arts festival that takes place near Pilton, Somerset, England, best known for its contemporary music, but also for dance, comedy, theatre, circus, cabaret and other arts.The...
. Mixing tracks from their first two LPs with a couple of more obscure songs and a cover of Charlie Daniels
Charlie Daniels
Charles Edward "Charlie" Daniels is an American musician known for his contributions to country and southern rock music. He is known primarily for his number one country hit "The Devil Went Down to Georgia", and multiple other songs he has performed and written. Daniels has been active as a singer...
' "The Devil Went Down to Georgia", the Levellers performance secured their place on the large Pyramid Stage for the following year. The band also scored a chart hit with the 15 Years EP, a track which was added to later re-pressings of Levelling the Land due to its popularity.
The Levellers generally consider 1993 to be a bad year for the band. Cunningham was becoming dependent on heroin, having first taken the drug as an alternative to his growing alcoholism. Feeling overworked and unmotivated, the band nevertheless felt obliged to try to write a new record to capitalise on their growing popularity. The creative process was not particularly enjoyable for any of the band who were drifting apart as friends and commuting to the recording studio to lay down the tracks for the album. Suffering writer's block, the band filled space on the new album by covering "Dirty Davey" (an early track by McDermott's 2 Hours) and recording an old track originally written by Friend while he was still at school ("Is This Art?").
The generally gloomy atmosphere that surrounded the band is reflected in the darker tone of the resulting eponymous album. Despite the band's dislike of the album, it reached #2 in the album charts. It included "This Garden", which reached #12 on the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
. In July 1993 they released the Belaruse EP which included a live cover of "Subvert", the first single from the anarchist punk band Zounds
Zounds
Zounds are an English anarchist band formed in 1977 from loose jamming sessions around the Reading area. Originally they were part of the cassette culture movement, releasing material on the F**k Off Records label, and were also involved in the squatting and free festival scene...
.
1994-1998
1994 saw the Levellers hit the peak of their popularity, when their appearance at the Glastonbury FestivalGlastonbury Festival
The Glastonbury Festival of Contemporary Performing Arts, commonly abbreviated to Glastonbury or even Glasto, is a performing arts festival that takes place near Pilton, Somerset, England, best known for its contemporary music, but also for dance, comedy, theatre, circus, cabaret and other arts.The...
attracted the biggest stagefront crowd that the event had ever seen. The Levellers and their friends had spent the morning flyering the crowds at Glastonbury to advertise their later show and, having already become favourites with independent music fans and travellers across the country, this tactic paid off when the crowds surged to the pyramid stage to see the band. Their performance of "One Way" was later included on a video of Glastonbury's finest moments.
In 1994 the band purchased a derelict factory in Brighton, named the "Metway" after the factory's original owners, and created a self contained headquarters. The buildings housed their offices, fan club, rehearsal area, a bar and a recording studio
Recording studio
A recording studio is a facility for sound recording and mixing. Ideally both the recording and monitoring spaces are specially designed by an acoustician to achieve optimum acoustic properties...
(initially equipped with gear bought from Tom Robinson
Tom Robinson
Tom Robinson is an English singer-songwriter, bassist and radio presenter, better known for the hits "Glad to Be Gay", "2-4-6-8 Motorway", and "Don't Take No for an Answer", with his Tom Robinson Band...
). The move enabled the band to operate on their own terms as far as possible. Spare space was given over to other Brighton musicians and small craft businesses. Weekly anarchist newspaper SchNEWS
SchNEWS
SchNEWS is a free weekly publication from Brighton, England, which has been running since November 1994. The main focus is environmental and social issues/struggles in the UK – but also internationally – with an emphasis on direct action protest, and autonomous political struggles...
also set up their office in the building.
"Hope Street", the lead single from the Zeitgeist
Zeitgeist (The Levellers album)
Zeitgeist is the fourth album by The Levellers. It was released in 1995 and reached #1 in the UK album charts, making it the band's most successful album...
album, was the first product to come out of Metway. The album was released in September 1995 and charted at #2 in the week of its release. Buoyed by the initial success, manager Phil Nelson
Phil Nelson
Phil Nelson is a former tight end for the Oakland Raiders. He played collegiately for Delaware Fightin' Blue Hens. He was Mr. Irrelevant of the 1981 NFL Draft.-External links:*...
persuaded China Records
China Records
China Records was a record label founded October 1, 1984 by Derek Green. Its top-selling artists were Art of Noise, Morcheeba and The Levellers....
to advertise the album on television and, unusually, the album reached #1 in its second week on the chart. The third single released from this album took the Levellers to their first Top of the Pops
Top of the Pops
Top of the Pops, also known as TOTP, is a British music chart television programme, made by the BBC and originally broadcast weekly from 1 January 1964 to 30 July 2006. After 25 December 2006 it became a radio program, now hosted by Tony Blackburn...
appearance, 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 The Clash
The Clash
The Clash were an English punk rock band that formed in 1976 as part of the original wave of British punk. Along with punk, their music incorporated elements of reggae, ska, dub, funk, rap, dance, and rockabilly...
's legendary frontman and long-time Levellers hero, Joe Strummer
Joe Strummer
John Graham Mellor , best remembered by his stage name Joe Strummer, was the co-founder, lyricist, rhythm guitarist and lead vocalist of the British punk rock band The Clash. His musical experience included his membership in The 101ers, Latino Rockabilly War, The Mescaleros and The Pogues, in...
guesting on honky tonk
Honky tonk
A honky-tonk is a type of bar that provides musical entertainment to its patrons...
piano. It reached #12 in the UK.
The Levellers embarked on another tour of Europe and the UK towards the end of 1995, culminating in a one-off "Christmas Freakshow" at Sheffield Arena on 18 December. This was recorded by the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
with eight songs being broadcast at a later date on Radio 1
BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1 is a British national radio station operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation which also broadcasts internationally, specialising in current popular music and chart hits throughout the day. Radio 1 provides alternative genres after 7:00pm including electronic dance, hip hop, rock...
. The 1995 "Total Chaos" Tour came to an end on 7 February 1996 at Blackpool
Blackpool
Blackpool is a borough, seaside town, and unitary authority area of Lancashire, in North West England. It is situated along England's west coast by the Irish Sea, between the Ribble and Wyre estuaries, northwest of Preston, north of Liverpool, and northwest of Manchester...
's Empress Ballroom with a show that was filmed for the video release, Headlights, White Lines, Black Tar Rivers (Best Live)
Headlights, White Lines, Black Tar Rivers (Best Live)
Headlights, White Lines, Black Tar Rivers is a 1996 live album by The Levellers, which filled the gap between their fourth and fifth studio albums...
.
Every show on the 1995 tour had been recorded with a view to releasing a genuine "live" album with no studio overdubs. Sevink tasked himself with listening back to every moment recorded on tape, picking through them for the best performances of each song they'd played. The resulting album, Headlights, White Lines, Black Tar Rivers was released simultaneously with the video of the same name in August 1996. The album reached #13 in the UK album charts, and a less extensive UK tour was undertaken in September/October to support the record's release.
The band returned to the studio through late 1996 and early 1997 when the album Mouth To Mouth
Mouth to Mouth (Levellers album)
Mouth to Mouth is the fifth studio album by The Levellers. It was released on the China label in 1997 and peaked at #5 in the UK album charts.-Track listing:# "Dog Train"# "Beautiful Day"# "Celebrate"# "Rain and Snow"# "Far Away"# "C.C.T.V."...
was recorded. Their first gigs in several months coincided with the Labour Party
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
's landslide general election victory on May 1, 1997; one being held at Manchester Academy
Manchester Academy
Manchester Academy is a brand name used by the University of Manchester Students' Union for its four concert venues in Manchester, England, which reside on Oxford Road both within and adjacent to the main Students' Union building....
, and a second at London's Brixton Academy the following night. These gigs previewed several new songs, including "What a Beautiful Day", which became the first single release from Mouth to Mouth and reached #13 on the UK chart.
Summer 1997 saw the band play at various festivals in the UK and Europe including a return to Glastonbury Festival, playing an afternoon slot on the Pyramid Stage. The album was finally released in August 1997 and entered the UK album chart at #5. The album spawned several more singles, "Celebrate", "Dog Train" and "Too Real", the last of which had an accompanying video directed by cult film director, Alex Cox
Alex Cox
Alexander Cox is a British film director, screenwriter, nonfiction author and sometime actor, notable for his idiosyncratic style and approach to scripts...
.
One Way of Life: The Very Best of The Levellers was released in September 1998. The album was a traditional "greatest hits" package of the hit singles, with two new songs, "Shadow on the Sun" and "Bozos". Additionally, "One Way" and "Carry Me" were re-recorded, and a re-mix of "Too Real" was included. A limited edition digipak
Digipak
Digipak is a patented style of CD, DVD or BD packaging, and is a registered trademark of AGI World Ltd., an Atlas Holdings company.-Features:...
format was released with an extra five-track CD of "acoustic" versions. A long and successful tour across the UK followed in November and December. However, the last two dates at Brixton Academy and the planned homecoming at Brighton
Brighton
Brighton is the major part of the city of Brighton and Hove in East Sussex, England on the south coast of Great Britain...
Centre had to be pulled when Jon Sevink fell ill. These dates were re-scheduled for February 1999. The release of the greatest hits album was accompanied by a video collection of promos, also called One Way of Life: The Very Best of The Levellers, and the band's official biography written by George Berger entitled Dance Before the Storm.
1999-2008
The Levellers played only a handful of live dates in 1999. During this time out of the limelight there was a significant change at their record company as China RecordsChina Records
China Records was a record label founded October 1, 1984 by Derek Green. Its top-selling artists were Art of Noise, Morcheeba and The Levellers....
was bought by major label Warner Brothers
Time Warner
Time Warner is one of the world's largest media companies, headquartered in the Time Warner Center in New York City. Formerly two separate companies, Warner Communications, Inc...
.
Work eventually began on a new studio album, Hello Pig. The band drafted in Mark Wallis, who had worked with Oasis
Oasis (band)
Oasis were an English rock band formed in Manchester in 1991. Originally known as The Rain, the group was formed by Liam Gallagher , Paul "Bonehead" Arthurs , Paul "Guigsy" McGuigan and Tony McCarroll , who were soon joined by Liam's older brother Noel Gallagher...
amongst others, to produce the record. This was an obvious change in direction,, and the resulting complex production coloured the album. "Happy Birthday Revolution" was released as a single, reaching #57 in the charts. Just prior to the album release the band promoted their own "OTF Weekender". This was held on the Isle of Wight
Isle of Wight
The Isle of Wight is a county and the largest island of England, located in the English Channel, on average about 2–4 miles off the south coast of the county of Hampshire, separated from the mainland by a strait called the Solent...
with two big shows at the Ryde
Ryde
Ryde is a British seaside town, civil parish and the most populous town and urban area on the Isle of Wight, with a population of approximately 30,000. It is situated on the north-east coast. The town grew in size as a seaside resort following the joining of the villages of Upper Ryde and Lower...
Ice Arena and a "secret" acoustic show held at a much smaller venue.
Hello Pig was released on Monday 4 September 2000, and went to #28. It received possibly the best critical acclaim the band had yet received, but was less popular with existing fans. With the relative commercial failure of Hello Pig, the band and the record company their severed their relationship by mutual agreement.
Despite the downturn in record sales, the Levellers performed a heavy gig schedule through late 2000 and 2001. This included a return to the United States as a stripped down version featuring only Chadwick, Friend and Sevink playing acoustic shows in February 2001, with the same trio returning to play a lengthier tour in June the same year.
In early 2002, focus returned once again to making new music, with Al Scott returning as producer. After the recording was completed, the band played a short UK tour of smaller venues to preview the new songs, and they were well received by the fans and heralded as a "return to form". Meanwhile, after contemplating releasing the new material on their own Hag label, the band eventually signed a new deal with Eagle Records
Eagle Records
Eagle Records is a leading independent record label, a division of Edel Records. Also exists as Eagle Rock Entertainment.In the United Kingdom the label's managing director is Lindsay Brown, former manager of Van Halen, while in the United States the head is Mike Carden, formerly of CMC...
. The "Come On" single preceded the album and just failed to make the UK Top 40. Green Blade Rising (originally a title of one of the Levellers' earliest songs) was released in September 2002 and also failed to reach the UK Top 40 Albums.
Meanwhile, the band, growing weary of the existing UK festival scene, decided to put on a festival of their own. This would be a return - as far as UK legislation would allow - to the earlier festivals that the young Levellers had enjoyed, such as Elephant Fayre
Elephant fayre
The Elephant Fayre was held in the stately home of Port Eliot, St Germans, fayre" in every sense of the word, it featured a host of different types of performances, media, experimental theatre and rock, punk, folk and reggae music...
. Green Blade Fayre was the title of the first attempt, and was to be held at Bicton Park, East Devon
East Devon
East Devon is a local government district in Devon, England. Its council is based in Sidmouth, and the largest town is Exmouth.The district was formed on 1 April 1974 by the merger of the borough of Honiton with the urban districts of Budleigh Salterton, Exmouth, Ottery St. Mary, Seaton, Sidmouth...
, England in August 2002. Despite the backing of the necessary authorities, an organised local population managed to persuade the East Devon
East Devon
East Devon is a local government district in Devon, England. Its council is based in Sidmouth, and the largest town is Exmouth.The district was formed on 1 April 1974 by the merger of the borough of Honiton with the urban districts of Budleigh Salterton, Exmouth, Ottery St. Mary, Seaton, Sidmouth...
council to reject the licence application.
Nonetheless, in 2003 the Levellers did later create their own "Beautiful Days Festival
Beautiful Days (festival)
This article is about the music festival. For other uses, see Beautiful Days .The Beautiful Days is a music festival that takes place in August at Escot Park, Ottery St Mary, Devon...
". The festival is an annual event, taking place each August at Escot Park, near Fairmile in Devon, England.
In February 2004, the Levellers played a special acoustic gig at the Buxton Opera House
Buxton Opera House
Buxton Opera House is in The Square, Buxton, Derbyshire, England. It is a 902-seat opera house that hosts the annual Buxton Festival and International Gilbert and Sullivan Festival, among others, as well as pantomime at Christmas, musicals and other entertainments year-round. Hosting live...
. Although they had played a couple of shows in a similar format, this particular show saw the full band being joined onstage for collaborations with Maddy Prior
Maddy Prior
Maddy Prior is an English folk singer, best known as the lead vocalist of Steeleye Span.-Early life:...
, Nick Harper
Nick Harper
Nick Harper is an English singer-songwriter/guitarist. He is the son of English folk musician Roy Harper.-Early life:Nick Harper was born in London in 1965 to the famous folk singer-songwriter Roy Harper...
, Nick Burbridge
Nick Burbridge
Nick Burbridge is a British novelist, poet, dramatist, journalist, short story and song writer. He suffers from chronic depression, and his writing often concerns itself with the dispossessed, those at the margins of society...
, and Rev Hammer.
The show set the tone for the rest of the year, with the band appearing at many festivals through the summer in the acoustic guise, including the Beverley Folk Festival
Beverley Folk Festival
The Beverley and East Riding Folk Festival is a three day celebration of music, workshops, comedy and spoken word that is held in and around Beverley, East Riding of Yorkshire, England....
in June. These festival dates included their first visit to Glastonbury since 1997, where they captured another audience record on the Avalon Stage. The year was rounded off with an acoustic tour of UK theatres.
In May 2005 the Levellers seventh studio album, Truth and Lies, was released. Mark Wallis returned as producer, with Dave Ruffy, drummer with UK punk band The Ruts
The Ruts
The Ruts were a reggae-influenced British punk rock band, notable for the 1979 Top 10 hit "Babylon's Burning", and an earlier single "In a Rut", which was not a hit but was much played and highly regarded by the UK BBC Radio 1 disc jockey, John Peel.-Career:...
also contributing at the controls. The album, released on Eagle Records
Eagle Records
Eagle Records is a leading independent record label, a division of Edel Records. Also exists as Eagle Rock Entertainment.In the United Kingdom the label's managing director is Lindsay Brown, former manager of Van Halen, while in the United States the head is Mike Carden, formerly of CMC...
, was generally upbeat, as typified by the track "Make You Happy", and a second single, "Last Man Alive", was also released.
Disillusioned with yet another record label's attempts to market their records, the Levellers decided set up their own 'On The Fiddle Recordings' label. Following the previous year's acoustic live work, 2005 saw the band tour the UK and Europe as a full electric band once again, continuing through 2006.
The first On The Fiddle release was a live DVD, "Chaos Theory", in October 2006.
In Spring 2007, the band went on an electric tour, visiting Scandinavia, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, the UK and Ireland. The intensive touring schedule continued with the band playing a number of festivals throughout the summer, including Wychwood, Rhythm, Bestival, Fflam, Solfest and Le Mans 24 Hours. The winter touring schedule was comparatively light, with an eleven show electric tour of Europe in November and a short acoustic tour of the UK in December.
Sessions for a new album were also underway around this time, with producer Sean Lakeman (brother of Seth) at the helm as producer. February 2008 saw Chadwick, Friend, and Sevink participate in the "Freeborn John" tour, while in March the band played four 20th anniversary gigs in a short tour termed "Beautiful Nights". This trio of gigs began at Wolverhampton Civic Hall on 6 March, continued with a gig at Manchester Apollo on 7 March, and concluded with a show at London Brixton Academy on 8 March.
Appearing once again at a host of festivals throughout the Summer of 2008, the Levellers showcased tracks from their upcoming album. Released in August 2008, coinciding with their 'Beautiful Days' festival, Letters from the Underground, their eighth studio album. Many see this album as a return to top form for the band, containing many tracks reminiscent of the material produced in the "glory days" of the early 90's. Examples include "The Cholera Well" and "A Life Less Ordinary". However, the album also introduced a 21st century "indie" type sound that is apparent on some tracks. Additionally, according to Chadwick, the album contains the band's first love song, "Before the End".
Letters From The Underground charted at #24, the band's first Top 30 album in over eight years. In 2009, On The Fiddle put out a digital only release of songs from their 2008 appearance at the Royal Albert Hall - "Live At The Royal Albert Hall" was released via iTunes
ITunes
iTunes is a media player computer program, used for playing, downloading, and organizing digital music and video files on desktop computers. It can also manage contents on iPod, iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad....
. A CD version of the album, with extra tracks was also given away to On The Fiddle fan club members.
The Levellers' Chaos Theory live DVD was released in December 2006 and includes a live show from Reading Hexagon and the 1993 tour diary/concert "Part Time Punks". During this time their Warner albums were remixed and re-issued on the Rhino label in 2007.
2008 to the present
In 2008 the band headlined "Doncaster Live", an outdoor music event in Doncaster, and played the Eclectica Festival in St. Helens. In 2010 the band had a return performance at the Glastonbury music festival.The band supports green anarchism
Green anarchism
Green anarchism, or ecoanarchism, is a school of thought within anarchism which puts a particular emphasis on environmental issues. An important early influence was the thought of the American anarchist Henry David Thoreau and his book Walden...
issues and has had little attention from music critics. The band supported the campaign against the Criminal Justice Act
Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994
The Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It introduced a number of changes to the existing law, most notably in the restriction and reduction of existing rights and in greater penalties for certain "anti-social" behaviours...
and its measures against rave parties with such songs as "Warning" on the Julie EP.
Despite denying for many years that they are a folk band, in 2011 they were awarded the Roots Award by the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards.
As of November 2011, they are recording a new album in the Czech Republic.
Members
- Mark Chadwick (vocals, guitar, harmonica)
- Simon Friend (1990 to present: guitar, banjo, vocals, mandolin, harmonica)
- Jeremy Cunningham (bass guitar, vocals)
- Charlie Heather (drums)
- Jonathan Sevink (fiddle)
- Matt Savage (2003 to present: keyboards, backing vocals)
Sometimes supported by Stephen Boakes (didgeridoo
Didgeridoo
The didgeridoo is a wind instrument developed by Indigenous Australians of northern Australia around 1,500 years ago and still in widespread usage today both in Australia and around the world. It is sometimes described as a natural wooden trumpet or "drone pipe"...
).
Solo recordings and side projects
- Simon Friend had worked on one previous solo recording prior to joining the band: a demo cassette called "Hérne an Cara" which contained eight tracks - recorded mainly at Dog Kennel Studios in November '89 and in August 1989 at his home. Three of these tracks became Levellers songs on the next album, 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 this tape that have never been re-recorded are "Danny's Road" and "The Deceiver".
- Jeremy Cunningham and Charlie Heather have recently worked with McDermott's 2 Hours, playing bass and percussion respectively on McDermott's albums The World Turned Upside Down, Claws and Wings, and Disorder.
- In 1991 the Levellers acted as session band on Rev Hammer's recording Industrial Sound and Magic and still often support Hammer in live performances. They also appeared on Hammer's concept album Freeborn John. The story of John Lilburne - The leader of the Levellers. They sing on one song called the "Burford Stomp", and they play the part of The Leveller Mutineers. Friend sings a duet with Maddy Prior called "Elizabeth's Great Gallop", playing the part of the Drunken Cavalier.
- Mark Chadwick released a solo album called "All The Pieces" on 6 September 2010. A more folk than punk offering, this album features a series of songs written by Mark over the years. Produced by Sean Lakeman (brother of Seth), the album is a collection of personal accounts of life as a singer / song writer.
Rolling anarchy
"Rolling anarchy" is a trademarkTrademark
A trademark, trade mark, or trade-mark is a distinctive sign or indicator used by an individual, business organization, or other legal entity to identify that the products or services to consumers with which the trademark appears originate from a unique source, and to distinguish its products or...
ed symbol of the band , designed by the bassist, Jeremy Cunningham. It is composed of three sickle
Sickle
A sickle is a hand-held agricultural tool with a variously curved blade typically used for harvesting grain crops or cutting succulent forage chiefly for feeding livestock . Sickles have also been used as weapons, either in their original form or in various derivations.The diversity of sickles that...
s placed so as to form the letter A, recognizable however the logo is rotated.
The symbol is often featured on Levellers merchandise and at concerts. It is usually surrounded with the text "Whoever puts their hand upon me to govern me is a usurper
Usurper
Usurper is a derogatory term used to describe either an illegitimate or controversial claimant to the power; often, but not always in a monarchy, or a person who succeeds in establishing himself as a monarch without inheriting the throne, or any other person exercising authority unconstitutionally...
, a tyrant
Tyrant
A tyrant was originally one who illegally seized and controlled a governmental power in a polis. Tyrants were a group of individuals who took over many Greek poleis during the uprising of the middle classes in the sixth and seventh centuries BC, ousting the aristocratic governments.Plato and...
, and I declare them my enemy." These words, originally by the French anarchist philosopher Pierre-Joseph Proudhon
Pierre-Joseph Proudhon
Pierre-Joseph Proudhon was a French politician, mutualist philosopher and socialist. He was a member of the French Parliament, and he was the first person to call himself an "anarchist". He is considered among the most influential theorists and organisers of anarchism...
, had previously been used by the band Zounds who originally released their single "Can't Cheat Karma" featuring this quote on the Crass records
Crass Records
Crass Records is an independent record label which was set up by the anarchist punk band Crass.-Overview and history:Prior to the formation of Crass, Penny Rimbaud and Gee Vaucher had published their creative works via their own Dial House based Exitstencil Press...
label.
Albums
| Year | Album details | Peak chart positions | Certifications Music recording sales certification Music recording sales certification is a system of certifying that a music recording has shipped or sold a certain number of copies, where the threshold quantity varies by type and by nation or territory .Almost all countries follow variations of the RIAA certification categories,... (sales thresholds) |
|||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UK |
BEL (VL) Ultratop Ultratop is an organization which generates and publishes the official record charts in Belgium, and it is also the name of most of those charts... |
NLD |
SWE Sweden Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund.... |
|||
| 1990 | A Weapon Called the Word A Weapon Called the Word Released in April 1990, A Weapon Called the Word was the debut full-length album by The Levellers. The album contains re-recorded tracks from the band's first two E.P...
|
- | - | - | - |
British Phonographic Industry The British Phonographic Industry is the British record industry's trade association.-Structure:Its membership comprises hundreds of music companies including all four "major" record companies , associate members such as manufacturers and distributors, and hundreds of independent music companies... : Gold |
| 1991 | Levelling the Land Levelling the Land Levelling the Land was released in 1991 and is the second full-length album by the Brighton folk-punk group The Levellers. The album reached number 14 in the British album charts and has since gained platinum status through ongoing sales... China Records China Records was a record label founded October 1, 1984 by Derek Green. Its top-selling artists were Art of Noise, Morcheeba and The Levellers.... |
14 | - | - | - |
|
| 1992 | See Nothing, Hear Nothing, Do Something: UK Singles and Live Collection | - | - | - | - | |
| 1993 | Levellers Levellers (album) This untitled/eponymous album was the third full-length release by Brighton-based folk punk band The Levellers. The record charted at number two in the British album charts and contained the singles "Belaruse", "This Garden" and "Julie".-Track listing:... |
2 | - | 50 | 13 |
|
| 1995 | Zeitgeist Zeitgeist (The Levellers album) Zeitgeist is the fourth album by The Levellers. It was released in 1995 and reached #1 in the UK album charts, making it the band's most successful album... |
1 | 7 | 46 | 5 |
|
| 1996 | Headlights, White Lines, Black Tar Rivers (Best Live) Headlights, White Lines, Black Tar Rivers (Best Live) Headlights, White Lines, Black Tar Rivers is a 1996 live album by The Levellers, which filled the gap between their fourth and fifth studio albums... |
13 | 41 | - | 48 | |
| 1997 | Mouth to Mouth
|
5 | 14 | 43 | 48 |
|
| 1998 | One Way of Life: The Very Best of The Levellers One Way of Life One Way of Life is a "Best of" compilation by The Levellers, released in 1998 on China Records.-Track listing:# One Way # What a Beautiful Day# Fifteen Years# Shadow on the Sun# Hope St... |
15 | - | - | - |
|
| 2000 | Hello Pig Hello Pig Hello Pig is a studio album by The Levellers, released in 2000 on China Records.-Track listing:# "Happy Birthday Revolution"# "Invisible"# "Weed That Killed Elvis"# "Edge of the World"# "Do It Again Tomorrow"# "Walk Lightly"# "Voices on the Wind"... |
28 | - | - | - | |
| 2001 | Special Brew | - | - | - | - | |
| 2002 | Green Blade Rising Green Blade Rising Released in 2002, Green Blade Rising is the sixth studio album by The Levellers.-Track listing:*All band members are given writer's credits on all the tracks except on "Believers" where Stratton is also credited.#"Four Winds" – 3:22... Eagle Records Eagle Records is a leading independent record label, a division of Edel Records. Also exists as Eagle Rock Entertainment.In the United Kingdom the label's managing director is Lindsay Brown, former manager of Van Halen, while in the United States the head is Mike Carden, formerly of CMC... |
77 | - | - | - | |
| 2005 | Truth and Lies Truth and Lies Truth and Lies is the title of the seventh studio album by The Levellers. It includes the singles "Make You Happy" and "Last Man Alive".-Track listing:#"Last Man Alive" – 5:33#"Make You Happy" – 3:07#"Confess" – 3:45#"For Us All" – 4:49... |
102 | - | - | - | |
| 2008 | Letters from the Underground Letters from the Underground Letters from the Underground is the eighth studio album by folk-punk rock band The Levellers. It includes the single "Burn America Burn", which is a scathing attack on American society.-Track listing:# "The Cholera Well"# "Death Loves Youth"... |
24 | 86 | - | - | |
Re-issues
All of the following were remastered with new artwork and released 16 July 2007:- Levelling the LandLevelling the LandLevelling the Land was released in 1991 and is the second full-length album by the Brighton folk-punk group The Levellers. The album reached number 14 in the British album charts and has since gained platinum status through ongoing sales...
(2 disc, with BBC's recording of Glastonbury 1992) - LevellersLevellers (album)This untitled/eponymous album was the third full-length release by Brighton-based folk punk band The Levellers. The record charted at number two in the British album charts and contained the singles "Belaruse", "This Garden" and "Julie".-Track listing:...
(with additional tracks) - ZeitgeistZeitgeist (The Levellers album)Zeitgeist is the fourth album by The Levellers. It was released in 1995 and reached #1 in the UK album charts, making it the band's most successful album...
(with additional tracks) - Mouth to MouthMouth to Mouth (Levellers album)Mouth to Mouth is the fifth studio album by The Levellers. It was released on the China label in 1997 and peaked at #5 in the UK album charts.-Track listing:# "Dog Train"# "Beautiful Day"# "Celebrate"# "Rain and Snow"# "Far Away"# "C.C.T.V."...
(with additional tracks) - Hello Pig (with unreleased tracks)
Singles
- "Carry Me" (5/1989)
- "Outside/Inside" (10/1989)
- "World Freak Show" (5/1990)
- "Together All the Way" (10/1990)
- "One Way" (16/9/1991) 51
- "Far From Home" (2/12/1991) 71
- "15 Years" (18/5/1992) 11
- "Belaruse" (5/7/1993) 12
- "This Garden" (25/10/1993) 12
- "5 songs" (1993)
- "Julie" (9/5/1994) UKUK Singles ChartThe UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
17 - "Hope St." (7/8/1995) UKUK Singles ChartThe UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
12 - "Fantasy" (9/10/1995) UKUK Singles ChartThe UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
16 - "Just the One" (18/12/1995) UKUK Singles ChartThe UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
12 - "Exodus" (live) (5/7/1996) UKUK Singles ChartThe UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
24 - "What a Beautiful Day" (4/8/1997) UKUK Singles ChartThe UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
13 - "Celebrate" (13/10/1997) UKUK Singles ChartThe UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
28 - "Dog Train" (15/12/1997) UKUK Singles ChartThe UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
24 - "Too Real" (9/3/1998) UKUK Singles ChartThe UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
46 - "Bozos" (19/10/1998) UKUK Singles ChartThe UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
44 - "One Way '98" (1/2/1999) UKUK Singles ChartThe UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
33 - "Happy Birthday Revolution" (9/12/2000) UKUK Singles ChartThe UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
57 - "Come On" (16/9/2002) UKUK Singles ChartThe UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
24 - "Wild As Angels" (13/1/2003) UKUK Singles ChartThe UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
34 - "Make U Happy" (18/4/2005) UKUK Singles ChartThe UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
38 - "Last Man Alive" (12/12/2005) UKUK Singles ChartThe UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
147 - "What a Beautiful Day" [Remastered copy] (25/6/2007)
- "A Life Less Ordinary" / "The Cholera Well" [download only single] (03/03/2008)
- "Burn America Burn" [download only single] (02/06/2008)
- "Before the End" (28/7/2008)
Videos and DVDs
- The Great Video Swindle (November 1992) - live gig recorded at Barrowlands, Glasgow, Scotland in May 1992. The gig is interspersed with band interview footage. (VHS only, deleted)
- Best Live: Headlights, White Lines and Black Tar Rivers (August 1996) - live gig recorded at the Empress Ballroom, Blackpool, England on February 7, 1996. (VHS only, deleted)
- One Way of Life: The Best of The Levellers (October 1998) - collection of videos to the band's singles.
- Chaos Theory (October 2006) - recording of a live gig at Reading Hexagon plus extras including acoustic performances with Nick Burbridge, Maddy PriorSteeleye SpanSteeleye Span are an English folk-rock band, formed in 1969 and remaining active today. Along with Fairport Convention they are amongst the best known acts of the British folk revival, and were among the most commercially successful, thanks to their hit singles "Gaudete" and "All Around My Hat"....
and Rev Hammer and a tribute to the ClashThe ClashThe Clash were an English punk rock band that formed in 1976 as part of the original wave of British punk. Along with punk, their music incorporated elements of reggae, ska, dub, funk, rap, dance, and rockabilly...
with Billy BraggBilly BraggStephen William Bragg , better known as Billy Bragg, is an English alternative rock musician and left-wing activist. His music blends elements of folk music, punk rock and protest songs, and his lyrics mostly deal with political or romantic themes...
.
See also
- Dan DonnellyDan DonnellyDaniel Thomas Donnelly is a singer-songwriter.Growing up in Belfast, Donnelly played in a number of local bands, finding success in Ireland with Watercress, a four piece acoustic folk-rock band for whom he played guitar, mandolin, percussion and "plumbing"...
- The Wonder StuffThe Wonder StuffThe Wonder Stuff are a British alternative rock band, originally based in Stourbridge, West Midlands, in the Black Country, England.-Origins:...
- New Model ArmyNew Model Army (band)New Model Army are an English rock band, who were formed in Bradford, West Yorkshire in 1980. They have been variously classified by Allmusic as post-punk and alternative rock.-Overview:...
- 3 Daft Monkeys3 Daft Monkeys3 Daft Monkeys are a world music-influenced acoustic band from Cornwall, UK, consisting of Tim Ashton, Athene Roberts, and Lukas Drinkwater...
- McDermott's Two HoursMcDermott's Two Hours-Introduction:The folk-rock band McDermott's Two Hours was formed in Brighton in 1986 from the remnants of two other bands, The Bliffs and The Crack, and featured a vigorous line-up of vocals, fiddles, whistles, bouzouki, acoustic and electric guitars, drums and bass.Front man Nick Burbridge named...