Mark Chadwick
Though around for a few years, recent months have seen a major enhancement in profile as exposure from a top 50 single has helped the LEVELLERS' unique brand of music reach out across the country. Comparisons with the WATERBOYS and THE POGUES should be ignored as the Levellers' routes cross too many directions. Adrift from most things we hear today but still retaining remnants of music past, they manage to weave their individual creation in a direct but insidious manner, omitting any form of sub standardised cliche. Using just about any instrument they can get their hands on and digging somewhere into a Celtic subconscious (they come from Brighton) memories and moods are stirred with an enthusiastic infectious passion.To find out more it's off to West London for afternoon beers and a meeting with Simon Friend and Mark Chadwick, vocalists and guitar men within the unit. Observing the credits on the tracks, I notice all members are given a share in the songwriting stakes. I wonder if this is a band full of young writers or is it a case of sharing the spoils? Over the background noise of top 20 music and 50 other conversations Simon says:
"We all write. Mark or myself might come up with the original idea for a song, but it wouldn't be the same without the others putting in their input."
Mark intervenes:
"We work as a band or as a team, if you like, so it wouldn't be fair if some members were earning a lot more than others. Splitting everything is the best way to ensure there are no arguments."
Democracy still has its place within the industry then?
"With us it does."
What's been the reaction to the more recent shows? Simon takes over:
"Really good. I'm pleased musically and pleased to see people are really awake out there. it's great to see them believing in what I believe in. In a way, it's testified myself to myself, and restored my faith in bands going out and doing what they believe in."
Mark continues:
"It shows that you don't have to be a band that's part of a collective thing. As long as you believe in yourself and are prepared to work hard, the only thing you really need is an attitude. We were lucky enough to pick up an agent quickly, and he believed in what we were doing and kicked us around the country. We played just about everywhere and that made us strong, it was like do it or die. We could have easily split but audience reaction was always for us, and we knew we had something."
Did releasing your own singles help things get started?
"Yeah, it did. It was excellent publicity. Our drummer lived in the same house as Phil, who later became our manager. He wasn't that keen on what we were doing at first but got to like it after a while. He had to really because we rehearsed in the house, and we're always waking him up. One day a song hit the chord with him, and he decided to get it released for us. He did it with money he didn't have so it was a hell of a gesture."
Was coming out of Brighton a disadvantage? It's the sort of place that's easily overlooked by the industry.
Simon answers:
"It is a bit forgotten, but if we'd come from Manchester or Liverpool, we would have been completely out of it. We wouldn't have fitted into anything coming out of there, and anyway I wouldn't want to wear baggy trousers. Coming from down here means people have a neutral view of us and don't know what to expect."
Mark continues:
"Being on the road so much and playing in off the track places gives the band a no home identity. If you play in places no one else goes, the locals often believe you are from the vicinity. That's one of the best ways of building a following."
You moved over to China records from Musidisc this year, are you beginning to feel the benefits?
"When we were with Musidisc I think we were employing more people than them, and felt we were doing a better job. Our manager took the decision to get us out of the contract, so we left. It took a while finding the right company, but China came along offering artistic integrity and generally giving us a good feeling. We could have gone elsewhere for more money but would have ended up with some A&R guy trying to manipulate the band."
Simon cuts in:
"China's A&R man is more of a fan of the band. He comes to the gigs and is really into what we do. He's there to give us advice and help us when we need it, not out to mould us into his idea of what a band should be. It's very important that company and band have respect for one another. I know of one major that insists that their acts do a cover song on each album. That's forcing the wrong identity out of the band."
Integrity is obviously important to you.
"That's the whole point. There's a heap of dross around and I don't want to be labelled with that."
Mark adds:
"As a musician -- and I speak for all of us in the Levellers -- I can say we have no set of influences, but we all listen to good music. I like all types and styles as long as it's real and the person singing it means what they're doing. That's all that counts in the end. It's too easy to turn out pointless crap."
Although you use authentic instruments you don't always use them in traditional ways.
"We do use real instruments but like to approach them in different ways. We will use all kinds of effects on violins and mandolins and change their sound altogether. I think that's how an instrument should be treated. It's the sound you get that counts not the textbook technique."
Being on the road as much as you are, do you ever feel it becoming a drudge?
Mark continues:
"Never. I know a lot of bands don't enjoy the touring part, but that's the favourite part for me. There's not a thrill I know that matches the high you have when you finish a gig. I'm so high from the buzz I can't sleep. It's when I'm not on the road that I start to get edgy."
With sleepless nights ahead Mark and the Levellers take to the road again with a cross country tour that spreads across the land. Their second album and 1st for China records level in the land was released on October 7th.
Mike Harris
Riff Raff
November 1991
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