DVD review: LEVELLERS – A Curious Life
OTF Recordings [Release date 27.04.15]
This film tells the story of the Levellers through the perspective of the band’s bass player Jeremy Cunningham. The film is directed by Dunstan Bunce, former frontman of Chumbawamba.
His parents are the unlikely stars as they have such pride in their son and his fellow band members – they went to their first gig and have lots of memorabilia. His dad also has a great store of one liners!
The film covers the band’s career mainly between 1988 to 1998. Jeremy takes us through the official Levellers archive (not as grand as it sounds and organised chaos) and you get a look into his life outside of the band, including his art and passion for history.
It touches on Jeremy’s heroin years which he is frank about and the fact the drink and drunks nearly wrecked the band, before they came back stronger with their own festival Beautiful Days and they are still pulling the fans in at gigs.
All the band members, plus a few ex-members and managers are interviewed, and you can see what a close unit they are and that they do take collective decisions, they don’t really have a band leader.
Some good parts too with their love/hate relationship with the British press and a certain bass player even sent a poo to the NME following a less than complimentary review! Also the band’s successful Glastonbury appearance is covered and again a certain bass player used the ‘c’ word live on stage, much to organiser’s Michael Eavis’ disgust as he doesn’t like swear words apparently.
A fascinating insight into one of the most unique and individual bands of the past twenty five or so years. They never have and never will conform the what the music industry and press would expect and all the more power to them for this. You can see they are all genuinely there for the music and their fans, which explains why the band are still so popular today. A ‘must have’ for their many fans. ****1/2
Review by Jason Ritchie
Featured Artist: JOSH TAERK
Since early 2020 Josh has been entertaining us with exclusive monthly live sessions, streamed via Facebook.
In 2023 he signed a recording deal with Sony in Canada and released a new single on 15 September.
Next session: Sunday 1 December
Check out videos here: https://www.facebook.com/getreadytorockradio
David Randall presents a weekly show on Get Ready to ROCK! Radio, Sundays at 22:00 GMT, repeated on Mondays and Fridays), when he invites listeners to ‘Assume The Position’. The show signposts forthcoming gigs and tours and latest additions at getreadytorock.com. First broadcast on 20 October 2024.
UK Blues Broadcaster of the Year (2020 and 2021 Finalist) Pete Feenstra presents his weekly Rock & Blues Show on Tuesday at 19:00 GMT as part of a five hour blues rock marathon “Tuesday is Bluesday at GRTR!”. The show is repeated on Wednesdays at 22:00, Fridays at 20:00). This show was first broadcast 22 October 2024.
How to Listen Live?
Click the programming image at the top of the page (top right of page if using desktop)
Listen via Windows Media Player. Click or tap here and “open file”
Listen via other media player (eg. VLC) Click or tap here and “open file”
Get Ready to ROCK! Radio is also in iTunes under Internet Radio/Classic Rock
Listen in via the Tunein app and search for “Get Ready to ROCK!” and save as favourite.
More information and links at our radio website where you can listen again to shows via the presenter pages: getreadytorockradio.com
Power Plays w/c 11 November 2024
ARCANE MOON Hello Sun (indie)
S8NT ELEKTRIC XTC (Long Branch Records)
RIOGHAN Hands (Inverse Records)
ARCANA KINGS Here We Go (Curtain Call Records)
KLOGR face The Unknown (Zeta Factory)
BEYOND UNBROKEN Dance With The Dead (FiXT)
REVENGIN Decadent Feeling (Wormholedeath)
Featured Albums w/c 11 November 2024
09:00-12:00 The Best of 2003-2023 (Melodic Rock)
12:00-13:00 The Best of 2003-2023 (Melodic Hard Rock)
14:00-16:00 The Best of 2003-2023 (Singer Songwriter)
PDF - you can delete unwanted sections