Level 42

British fusion-pop band Level 42 started out with its 1981 self-titled debut album and had a run of hits including Lessons In Love and Something About You. After releasing the successful Sirens EP in 2013, the band has been busy touring. KS spoke with keyboardist and founding member Mike Lindup about the upcoming Japan dates.

What can the Japanese audience expect from Level 42 on this visit?

The Sirens EP and tours have been very successful for us, with some of the best times onstage that I can remember! We will be bringing an updated set to Japan, with some of the favourite songs the fans love, plus something different from our extensive album back catalogue. The lineup will include our horn section, Sean Freeman on sax, Dan Carpenter on trumpet, and Nichol Thomson on trombone, plus regulars Pete Ray Biggin on drums and Nathan King on guitar joining myself and Mark King. Everyone sings vocals in this band.

The Sirens EP was released in 2013, will there be any more new material coming soon?

We are planning to record new material for our 2018 autumn tour; it’s early days but ideas are in progress. We have the luxury of being able to wait until we have the right songs before recording and releasing them.

2016 and the start of 2017 looks to have been busy tour-wise for the band, how is the rest of the year shaping up?

It’s been very busy recently; it seems the longer we are playing, the more appreciation we receive, for which we are very grateful. On the back of a successful UK and European Sirens 2 tour in 2016, we have many festivals over the summer in the UK and Norway, Belgium, and Germany (with more dates to come), including some open-air stadium shows with Ali Campbell’s UB40, which we are looking forward to.

British fusion-pop band and horn section
• Billboard Live OSAKA, Osaka • Fusion • 6:30pm/9:30pm • ¥9,800/¥10,800 • Tel: 06-6342-7722