The Levellers Interview

• 24th Mar 2009

For two decades ‘The Levellers’ have provided us with an onslaught of album material, live shows and commentary on life. Last year saw the release of another album studio album “Letters from the Underground” and this spring sees them yet again take to the stage. April is loaded with tour dates and this leads into the start of May.
There is also the announcement that the band are going to be giving away some free downloads available at this time. This includes:

One live Levellers track recorded exclusively from 2008’s Royal Albert Hall gig and a track from Pama International downloadable from link on the 30th March 2009

Another exclusive live track from the Levellers Albert Hall will also be available for download from link on the 13th April 2009

Bearing all this in mind we managed to send a few questions to lead man, Mark Chadwick, who was kind enough to take time out to answer a few for us. Here he lets us know what it’s been like living in Levellers land:

Hello Mark. It’s nice to see that the Leveller’s are still going so strong. How do you think you all manage to keep it together after such a long period of working with each other?

Sex and drugs and a bit of talking and ball room dancing

Do you still enjoy all the touring you do, not to mention regular festivals you attend?

Yes indeed we do. Some are better than others. All are better than a real job.

What’s the longest time you have been away from Home? Is it a painful experience?

Longest I can remember was only a month but some times two days can be a life time.

How creative do you get when you are on the road. Do you do much in the way of song writing?

Ideas maybe. But not so much. Touring is about survival of the spirit and avoiding boredom.

So what song to this day do you still really enjoy playing the most?

The newer material because its fresh but the old songs can feel fresh often.

If you met someone who knew nothing of your music and they wanted to know what song and album to start with; what Song and Album would you direct them to that best represents the “Levellers”?

Letters from the Underground (album). Life less Ordinary says it all.

Have you ever played any “Album Specific” shows, say for example “A Weapon Called the Word” or “Levelling the Land”?

Not yet, next year maybe. 20 years

Do you currently have any side projects on the go?

None but some solo shows with a 12 string.

As an artist, do you still have a lot to say that you haven’t said yet, or do ideas come with age and experience?

The latter but always got some thing to say. There are many ways to say and explain your world view which is ever changing.

What artistic pursuits or major hobbies do you have outside of music?

History and Architecture.

TOUR DATES

April Tues 21 Portsmouth Pyramids 023 9282 4355 link

Wed 22 Cambridge Corn Exchange 01223 357851 link

Thurs 23 Folkestone Leas Cliff Hall 0870 4000 890 link

Fri 24 Stoke-on-Trent Victoria Hall 0870 060 6649 link

Sat 25 London HMV Forum 0844 847 2405 link

Sun 26 Nottingham Rock City 08713 100 000 link

Tues 28 Cheltenham Town Hall 0844 576 221 link

Wed 29 Edinburgh HMV Picture House 0844 847 1740 link

Thurs 30 Newcastle Academy 01912 603246 link

May
Fri 1 Wolverhampton Wulfrun Hall 0870 320 7000 link