Pop Levi

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Pop Levi

Pop Levi at The Good Ship, London, 2006
Background information
Birth name Jonathan James Mark Levi
Also known as Mozambique Courier
Born 22 September 1977 (1977-09-22) (age 34)
Surrey, England
Genres Rock/Pop/Avant-garde
Occupations Musician, Record Producer, Filmmaker
Labels Counter Records, Invicta Hi-Fi, World Empire, Inc.
Associated acts Super Numeri, Zukanican, Ladytron, Bunny Holiday, World Empire, Inc.

Pop Levi (born Jonathan James Mark Levi[1][2] 22 September 1977 in Surrey[3][4]) is an English singer, multi-instrumentalist, record producer and filmmaker.

Contents

[edit] Biography

Levi grew up in a the suburbs of Birmingham and attended Shrewsbury School, a public school in Shropshire between 1991 and 1994[5] where he would skip church to write songs in the basement.[6] In 1997 Levi re-located to Liverpool to study at LIPA[7] and formed the experimental instrumental band Super Numeri with Karl Webb and James Morgan[8][9] who signed to Ninja Tune in 2002 and released albums "Great Aviaries" in 2003 and "The Welcome Table" in 2005. During this period, Levi also played bass for Ladytron live and on the album Witching Hour.[10][11]

In 2004 Levi released singles "Rude Kinda Love" and "Reindeer In My Heart" on the independent "Invicta Hi-Fi" label set up by Daniel Hunt of Ladytron.[12] A planned follow-up single in 2005 entitled "Kissed Her Sister" was shelved along with the album "Foxwatch",[13] and Levi formed The Emergencies[14] with organ player Jake Field and Zukanican members, rhythm guitarist Dominic Lewington (AKA Domino), bass player Harry Sumnall and drummer James Pagella. The band played regularly around Liverpool as "Pop Levi & The Emergencies"[15][16] including slots at the Merseyside Unity Music Festival and Unite Against Racism Festival. Now backed by The Emergencies, Levi released "Blue Honey", his last single on "Invicta Hi-Fi", before signing to Ninja Tune.[17] After signing the new deal, Levi moved to Los Angeles which resulted in The Emergencies disbanding. With Lewington still on board,[18] Levi recruited drummer Marius Simonsen and bass player Luke Muscatelli (AKA Lucky Beaches) and the band moved to the US, living together in the same house in Echo Park, Los Angeles.[19] The new backing band was named "Woman".[20]

In February 2007 Levi released his debut solo album on Counter Records, an imprint specifically created for Levi by Ninja Tune. The Return to Form Black Magick Party was self produced and recorded over several years, soley on a lap top, at Liverpool studio/rehearsal space The Kif[21] (where previous Super Numeri albums were recorded[22]) and whilst on tour with Ladytron[23] in a number of different locations in "England, China, France, Greece, LA, New York"[24] such as "on trains, in planes, in warehouses, on the top of Cathedrals, at the beach, in bathrooms, hotel rooms and tombs. I made sure to capture the first take of everything I recorded and then took the tracks to Sacramento to be mixed".[25] The album was toured extensively across the US, UK, Europe and Australia, and was listed as one of Lauren Laverne's favourite artists to make it big in 2007 on BBC Two's The Culture Show.

In July 2008, Levi released the follow up album Never Never Love, which was preceded by the single "Dita Dimoné" which made BBC Radio 6's 'Record Of The Week'. Levi set out to make the follow-up, in contrast to the loose feel of the debut, sound artifical and soulless, that it sounded "like Japanese toys falling in and out of love with each other". The album was recorded at Westbeach Recorders[26] and Westlake Recording Studios, in the same room Quincy Jones recorded Michael Jackson's Thriller and Off The Wall albums.[27] Following the recording of the album, Simonsen returned to Norway[28] and joined pop band Montée[29] and Lewington returned to England, leaving Levi with no band to tour the album. Levi and Muscatelli played sporadic shows across LA as a duo, with Muscatelli shifting from bass guitar to synth bass. Aside from a handful of solo acoustic shows in London, there was also no tour to support the album in the UK either.

2008 also saw the emergence of Levi's World Empire, Inc. film and music production company.[30] In September, the 37th Festival Nouveau Cinema in Montréal held the world premiere of You Don't Gotta Run, a surreal 37-minute docu-featurette directed by auteur Lucky Beaches and starring Levi.[31]

A planned double album of home demos and outtakes entitled "Micro Sex Tapes", which was originally set for release in 2009 was never released.[32][33] A stand-alone double A-Side single "Police $ign/Terrifying (For Kenneth Anger)" was released in June 2009,[34] with a new lineup featuring drummer Hayden Scott.[35] An early version of Police $ign was featured in the in-game soundtrack of Gran Turismo 5.[36]

In 2009 Levi travelled to Norway where drummer Simonsen was now based[37] to record his third album, tentatively titled "Records", which was intended to be live and raw sounding.[38] The album was recorded in a mountain-top converted barn[39] and re-titled "‎Smack Musick",[40] however, after being left in a state of limbo for 2 years, with the last scheduled release date being March 2011, it was eventually shelved.[41]

In April 2011, "Levitation Vol. 1" was temporarily made available as a free download via worldempireinc.com. The 14 track mixtape was recorded and mixed mostly in 2010-11 at The White Arc, Levi's studio in Los Angeles.[42] The release was followed up by "Motorcycle 666" in July 2011, recorded during the "Smack Musick" sessions in Norway.[43] The b-side "Rock Solid" was recorded at The White Arc.[44] The single was backed by select dates in London and Liverpool, with a new lineup with Muscatelli now on guitar.[45] Levi is currently signed to Ninja Tune/Counter Records for one more album.[46]

Levi has also produced and performed with Canadian-born artist and American Apparel model Bunny Holiday in Los Angeles and on a five-city tour of China.[47][48][49] In 2010 Pop Levi and Bunny Holiday directed the music video for former N.W.A. star Arabian Prince's "Let's Hit The Beach" single on Stones Throw Records.[50] The duo also directed a music video for "The Look" to promote the 2010 VansXStussy shoe collaboration.[51]

Levi's song "Sugar Assault Me Now" was used in the trailers for the 2010 film, Get Him to the Greek[52] and his music has also been featured in numerous television shows including Chuck, Entourage and 90210.

[edit] Discography

[edit] Solo

Albums
Singles
  • 'Rude Kinda Love / Clearly Dearly' 7" (UK) (2004, Invicta Hi-Fi)
  • 'Reindeer In My Heart / Hayley Square [Instrumental]' 7" (UK) (2004, Invicta Hi-Fi)
  • 'Kissed Her Sister / Supermarket Woman' Promo-only CD (UK) (2005, Invicta Hi-Fi)
  • 'Blue Honey / Mournin' Light' 7" (UK) (2005, Invicta Hi-Fi)
  • 'Blue Honey' 7"/10"/CD EP (UK/US) (2006, Counter Records)
  • 'Sugar Assault Me Now' 7"/10"/CD EP (UK) (2007, Counter Records)
  • 'Pick Me Up Uppercut' 7" (UK) (2007, Counter Records)
  • 'Never Never Love' 7" (UK) (2008, Counter Records)
  • 'Dita Dimoné' 7" (UK) (2008, Counter Records)
  • 'Police $ign / Terrifying (For Kenneth Anger)' 7" (UK) (2009, Counter Records)
  • 'Motorcycle 666 / Rock Solid' Digi-single (UK) (2011, Counter Records)
Mixsets
  • 'Interfunk Express #1' Download (2011, World Empire, Inc.)

[edit] w/ Super Numeri

Albums
  • 'Great Aviaries' CD/LP (UK/US) (2003, Ninja Tune)
  • 'The Enochian Way' CD (JP) (2005, Counter Records)
  • 'The Welcome Table' CD/LP (UK/US) (2005, Ninja Tune)
Singles
  • 'The Electric Horse Garden' 7" (UK) (2002, Ninja Tune)
  • 'The Coastal Bird Scene (Parts 1, 2 & 3)' 12" (UK) (2003, Ninja Tune)

[edit] w/ World Empire, Inc.

Singles
  • 'Welcome Song' Digi-single (2011, World Empire, Inc.)
  • 'The Rah Rah Star Sound Thief' Digi-single (2011, World Empire, Inc.)
  • 'Holy Musick' Digi-single (2011, World Empire, Inc.)
  • 'Play This To People And They'll Do Stuff For You' Digi-single (2011, World Empire, Inc.)
  • 'The Reason To Stay In LA' Digi-single (2011, World Empire, Inc.)

[edit] w/ Bunny Holiday

Singles
  • 'Chyna Girl' Digi-single (2011, World Empire, Inc.)
  • 'Teach Me How To Bunny' Digi-single (2011, World Empire, Inc.)
  • 'Rabbit Fever [Moombahton Mix]' Digi-single (2011, World Empire, Inc.)

[edit] w/ Zukanican

EPs
  • 'E 5Number' 10" (2004, Pickled Egg Records)

[edit] w/ Ladytron

Albums
Singles
  • 'Evil' CD (UK) (2003, Telstar)

[edit] Filmography

  • 'You Don't Gotta Run' documentary (dir. Lucky Beaches) Hand-numbered limited (50) edition DVD (2008, World Empire, Inc.)

[edit] Filmettes

The following are the short films directed & produced by Pop Levi.

Year Film Cast Notes
2011 Skipper Does Inglewood P. R. Nelson
2008 You Don't Gotta Run Premiere Souvenir Pop Levi, Cocoa Rigal, Bunny Holiday, Lucky Beaches Filmed at 37th Montreal Film Festival
2008 Play Bunny Bunny Holiday Music by Bunny Holiday
2008 Charm Harp Boogie Cocoa Rigal, Bunny Holiday Music by World Empire, Inc.
2008 Black Boys Are Flowers Too Bunny Holiday Music by World Empire, Inc.
2008 You Don't Gotta Run (Performance) Pop Levi, Cocoa Rigal, Bunny Holiday, Lucky Beaches
2008 Fountain Of Lies (Performance) Pop Levi, Cocoa Rigal, Bunny Holiday, Lucky Beaches
2008 Welcome Song Pop Levi, Cocoa Rigal, Bunny Holiday, Lucky Beaches Music by World Empire, Inc.
2008 The Rah Rah Star Sound Thief (Animation) Music by World Empire, Inc.
2008 Listen, Listen, Listen Pop Levi, Bunny Holiday Music by World Empire, Inc.
2007 Bambi (Dutch) Pop Levi
2007 Magnum Pop Levi, Cocoa Rigal, Lucky Beaches Directed by Pop Levi & Lucky Beaches
2007 Do You Know What I Mean? Pop Levi
2007 Dita Dimoné Demonstration Pop Levi Music by Pop Levi
2007 Penniman Heaven Little Richard Filmed at Long Beach Blues Festival
2007 Tiptoes Pop Levi Music by Pop Levi
2007 Accordingly Affirmative Pop Levi
2007 Next To You Pop Levi
2007 New Born Blues Pop Levi
2007 Goose Operator Pop Levi
2007 All Yours Baby Pop Levi
2007 Adult Hitler Pop Levi
2007 Roosie Splash-Out Pop Levi, Lucky Beaches Filmed at Roosevelt Hotel (Hollywood)
2007 Coming To America Pop Levi
2007 Green Card Pop Levi
2007 Shangri-Later Pop Levi
2007 Sandy's Medicine Pop Levi, Lucky Beaches, Dita Dimoné, Sandy Calderon
2007 Harmony's Letter Pop Levi
2007 Figueroa Blow-Up Pop Levi, Dita Dimoné
2007 Nippon Connection Pop Levi, Lucky Beaches, Domino, Marius Simonsen
2007 Dogs Or Dragons Pop Levi
2007 Oui We Oui Pop Levi Filmed during Montreux Jazz Festival
2007 Ex-Jazzer Pop Levi Filmed during Montreux Jazz Festival
2007 The Hex Pop Levi Filmed during Montreux Jazz Festival
2007 Cutie Patootie Pop Levi
2007 Hollydog Pop Levi
2007 Star Jumping Pop Levi
2007 Isolett Blues Pop Levi
2007 Won't Home Pop Levi
2007 Austr-Aliens Pop Levi Filmed in Australia & New Zealand
2007 Capitool Re:cunts Pop Levi
2007 Magick Mountain Pop Levi, Dita Dimoné Filmed at Mount Wilson Observatory
2007 The Making Of Semi-Babe Pop Levi Filmed by Domino
2007 A Child Can Dance Pop Levi, Domino
2007 Otteh G. Piks Pop Levi

[edit] Music Videos

The following are the music videos starring and/or directed by Pop Levi.

Year Song Artist Director Label
2011 Motorcycle 666 Pop Levi William Overby Counter Records
2010 Chyna Girl Bunny Holiday Pop Levi World Empire, Inc.
2010 Teach Me How To Bunny Bunny Holiday Pop Levi & Bunny Holiday World Empire, Inc.
2010 Let's Hit The Beach Arabian Prince Pop Levi & Bunny Holiday Stones Throw
2010 The Look Bunny Holiday Bunny Holiday & Pop Levi World Empire, Inc. for Vans
2010 Tender Young Flesh Bunny Holiday Pop Levi & Bunny Holiday World Empire, Inc.
2010 Tender Young Flesh (Live Cam) Bunny Holiday Pop Levi & Bunny Holiday World Empire, Inc.
2009 Terrifying (For Kenneth Anger) Pop Levi Dylan Mulick Counter Records
2008 Everything & Finally Pop Levi Auntie Mum Counter Records
2008 Semi-Babe Pop Levi Aaron Willmer & Martin Dobson Counter Records
2008 Dita Dimoné Pop Levi Neil Mclean Counter Records
2008 Mai's Space Pop Levi Auntie Mum Counter Records
2008 Never Never Love Pop Levi Neil Mclean Counter Records
2007 Pick-Me-Up Uppercut Pop Levi Mox & Pop Levi Counter Records
2007 Pick-Me-Up Uppercut Pop Levi Brian Harty Counter Records
2006 Sugar Assault Me Now Pop Levi Brian Harty Counter Records
2006 Reindeer In My Heart Pop Levi Pop Levi Invicta Hi-Fi
2006 Blue Honey Pop Levi Christian Swegal Counter Records
2005 Blue Honey Pop Levi Jackie Passmore Invicta Hi-Fi
2004 Rude Kinda Love Pop Levi Good Times Invicta Hi-Fi

[edit] References

  1. ^ http://repertoire.bmi.com/writer.asp?page=1&blnWriter=True&blnPublisher=True&blnArtist=True&fromrow=1&torow=25&affiliation=PRS&cae=458596302&keyID=1042718&keyname=LEVI+JONATHAN+JAMES+MARK&querytype=WriterID
  2. ^ http://www.ascap.com/ace/search.cfm?requesttimeout=300&mode=results&searchstr=1777227&search_in=c&search_type=exact&search_det=t,s,w,p,b,v&results_pp=25&start=1
  3. ^ http://www.findmypast.co.uk/search/england-and-wales/results?event=B&recordType=GRO&route=&recordCount=-1&forenames=jonathan+james+mark&_includeForenamesVariants=on&surname=levi&_includeSurnameVariants=on&fromYear=1970&toYear=1980&county=&_county=1&district=&_district=1&mothersMaidenName=&_useMothersMaidenNameAsSurname=on&sortOrder=RK%3Atrue&_performExactSearch=on&x=48&y=12
  4. ^ Music.guardian.co.uk
  5. ^ http://www.shrewsbury.org.uk/downloads/welcome/SALOPIANjune09.pdf
  6. ^ http://www.freeqmagazine.com/features/interviews/62-interview-pop-levi
  7. ^ http://www.amazon.com/review/R39Z95DJ9XN22G
  8. ^ http://sharemyplaylists.com/artists/James+Morgan
  9. ^ http://repertoire.bmi.com/title.asp?blnWriter=True&blnPublisher=True&blnArtist=True&keyID=8771616&ShowNbr=0&ShowSeqNbr=0&querytype=WorkID
  10. ^ http://www.metacritic.com/music/the-return-to-form-black-majick-party
  11. ^ http://www.signonsandiego.com/uniontrib/20061012/news_lz1w12ladytro.html
  12. ^ http://ninjatune.net/artist/pop-levi
  13. ^ http://m.fasterlouder.com.au/features/8211/Pop-Levis-return-to-form
  14. ^ http://www.dbmagazine.com.au/449/iv-PL.shtml
  15. ^ http://www.gigwise.com/news/3262/Saturday-061104-The-747s-The-Joness-Pop-Levi-and-the-Emergencies-The-Wandering-Step-@-Zanzibar-Liverpool
  16. ^ http://www.outlar.com/event.php?event=1289
  17. ^ http://www.fredperrysubculture.com/band_profile.asp?id=45
  18. ^ http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2006/dec/07/popandrock1
  19. ^ http://www.purplerevolver.com/music/open-mic/121776-lucky-beaches-the-first-lucky-beaches-interview.html
  20. ^ http://musicremedy.com/p/pop-levi/songs/pickmeup-uppercut-13426.html
  21. ^ http://www.purplerevolver.com/music/open-mic/121776-lucky-beaches-the-first-lucky-beaches-interview.html
  22. ^ http://www.discogs.com/Super-Numeri-The-Welcome-Table/release/590328
  23. ^ http://www.hotpress.com/archive/2925075.html?new_layout=1&page_no=2&show_comments=1
  24. ^ http://www.thisisfakediy.co.uk/articles/interviews/pop-levi
  25. ^ http://sexasaforeignlanguage.wordpress.com/2008/09/03/pop-levi-interview-full-transcript-2/
  26. ^ http://www.travishuff.com/projects.html
  27. ^ http://blog.kexp.org/2008/08/13/what-makes-him-pop-an-interview-with-pop-levi/
  28. ^ http://www.rbnett.no/kultur/moldejazz/article360590.ece
  29. ^ http://www.yugongyishan.com/2011/07/montee-norway/?lang=en
  30. ^ http://worldempireinc.com/
  31. ^ http://www.feedmemusic.co.uk/Band_Artist_Details.aspx?Band_ID=4073
  32. ^ http://blog.kexp.org/2008/08/13/what-makes-him-pop-an-interview-with-pop-levi/
  33. ^ http://www.ink19.com/issues/november2008/interviews/popLevi.html
  34. ^ http://ninjatune.net/article/2009/jun/1/pop-levi-inch-police-sign-and-terrifying-inch-out-today
  35. ^ http://www.parisdjs.com/index.php/post/Pop-Levi-Police-$ign-/-Terrifying
  36. ^ http://gran-turismo.wikia.com/wiki/Music_of_Gran_Turismo_5
  37. ^ www.lipa.ac.uk/downloadfile.aspx?ID=288
  38. ^ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dTBSXJUv-xs
  39. ^ http://ninjatune.net/release/pop-levi/motorcycle-666-rock-solid
  40. ^ http://youtellconcerts.com/new-video-by-bunny-holiday-mmm-yummy-yummy-yummy/
  41. ^ http://ninjatune.net/release/pop-levi/motorcycle-666-rock-solid
  42. ^ http://worldempireinc.com/?p=62
  43. ^ http://ninjatune.net/release/pop-levi/motorcycle-666-rock-solid
  44. ^ http://www.parisdjs.com/index.php/post/Pop-Levi-Motorcycle-666
  45. ^ http://www.purplerevolver.com/music/open-mic/121694-pop-levi---the-ladykillers-at-mojo,-liverpool-review.html
  46. ^ http://www.freeqmagazine.com/features/interviews/62-interview-pop-levi
  47. ^ http://www.beijinggigguide.com/en/performer/Bunny-Holiday
  48. ^ http://radstarr.wordpress.com/2010/04/01/teach-me-how-to-bunny/
  49. ^ http://blousesydney.blogspot.com/2011/01/bunny-holiday-is-tre-sexy.html
  50. ^ http://stonesthrow.com/news/2010/06/arabian-prince-beach-video
  51. ^ http://www.vans.com/videos/channel/677/
  52. ^ http://www.sevenstreets.com/music-and-listening/announcements-music-and-listening/pop-levi-at-the-shipping-forecast/

[edit] External links

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