{"product_id":"level-42-level-42-thousand-club-signed-by-mark-king","title":"Level 42 - Level 42 (Thousand Club) - Signed by Mark King","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLevel 42 - Level 42\u003c\/strong\u003e returns to the band's formative 1981 debut as part of the limited Thousand Club series. This edition is especially notable for being \u003cstrong\u003esigned by Mark King\u003c\/strong\u003e, making it a distinctive version of the record that first introduced Level 42's blend of jazz-funk, pop songwriting and tightly constructed grooves. The album captures the group before their later international breakthrough, with the rhythmic precision and instrumental personality that would become central to their sound already firmly in place.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAt the heart of the record is Mark King's highly individual bass playing, working alongside Mike Lindup's keyboards and vocals, Phil Gould's propulsive drumming and Boon Gould's guitar. Rather than separating technical musicianship from songwriting, the group use both together: elastic bass lines, clipped guitar, keyboards and interlocking rhythms provide the foundation for concise songs with a strong melodic identity. That combination helped distinguish Level 42 within the early-1980s British jazz-funk landscape and provided the template from which their later pop success developed.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe eight-track album includes “Turn It On,” “Love Games” and “Starchild,” alongside the instrumental character of pieces such as “43,” “Heathrow” and “Dune Tune.” Heard as a complete record, the debut shows a band establishing its vocabulary in real time, moving between funk-driven momentum, jazz-informed playing and increasingly confident songcraft. It remains an important document of the group's earliest phase and of the musical scene from which they emerged.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis Thousand Club LP is a \u003cstrong\u003elimited edition signed by Mark King\u003c\/strong\u003e. The original album sequence is retained across two sides of vinyl, beginning with “Turn It On” and closing with “Starchild.” For established Level 42 listeners it offers a collectible presentation of the band's starting point, while for anyone approaching the group through their later hits it provides a direct route back to the jazz-funk foundations of their sound.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Fontana","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":58747410743670,"sku":"8854445","price":40.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0568\/6450\/6005\/files\/TC_Level42_1LP_FrontSticker.jpg?v=1789588029","url":"https:\/\/www.stickyblacktarmac.com\/products\/level-42-level-42-thousand-club-signed-by-mark-king","provider":"Sticky Black Tarmac","version":"1.0","type":"link"}