Mark King

Mark Raymond King (born 20 October, 1958, Cowes, Isle of Wight) is an English bassist, vocalist, songwriter and bandleader, best known as the lead singer and bassist of Level 42. Recognised for a percussive slap‑and‑pop technique that brought bass playing to the forefront of 1980s pop and jazz‑funk, his work spans band frontmanship, solo projects and prominent session appearances. He has been honoured for his contribution to British music, including a BASCA Gold Badge Award (2015) and the “Outer Limits” award at the Progressive Music Awards (2017).

Early Life

Raised in a working family in Cowes, Isle of Wight, King was the son of Raymond King, a dairyman, and spent his early years in a tied dairy house before later living on the Camp Hill and Albany prison estates near Newport. He attended Kitbridge Middle School—where a supportive music teacher encouraged his ambitions—and then Cowes High School. Beginning drums at nine after his father bought him a £10 kit, and adding guitar by eleven, he developed quickly as a multi‑instrumentalist. At fifteen, he met drummer Phil Gould, who noted King’s fluency behind the kit and early interest in programming and synthesis, foreshadowing the rhythmic precision that would mark his later bass playing.

Career

Moving to London at nineteen, King worked at Macari’s on Charing Cross Road, where practical necessity accelerated his switch from drums to bass. In 1979, he co‑founded Level 42 with Phil Gould, Mike Lindup and Boon Gould, initially releasing with Elite Records before signing to Polydor. Early singles led to UK chart visibility with “Love Games” (1981) and an appearance on Top of the Pops, followed by a broader breakthrough with “The Sun Goes Down (Living It Up)” (1983). Through the decade, the group evolved from jazz‑funk roots to a polished pop sensibility, touring with The Police (1981), Steve Winwood and Queen (1986), and Madonna (1987). Alongside band duties, King contributed bass to Nik Kershaw’s The Riddle (1984) and Midge Ure’s The Gift (1985) and Answers to Nothing (1988). His solo debut, Influences (1984), highlighted his instrumental range; One Man (1998) returned him to the studio as a singer‑songwriter. He self‑released the archival set Trash (1999) directly to fans, later issuing a series of live recordings—Live at the Jazz Cafe, Live on the Isle of Wight and Live at Reading Concert Hall—via his Summerhouse imprint. Level 42 resumed recording with Retroglide (2006) and maintained a consistent European touring presence, including a 2008 run with a line‑up featuring King, Mike Lindup, Gary Husband, Nathan King and Sean Freeman. In 2016, he joined the quartet Gizmodrome with Stewart Copeland, Adrian Belew and Vittorio Cosma, releasing their debut album in September 2017.

Personal Life

King returned to the Isle of Wight in 1988. During the 1990s, he owned Joe Daflo’s, a pub in Ryde named for his children—son D’Arcy and daughters Jolie and Florrie—later selling the venue in 2000. He now lives with his wife, Ria, and their daughter Marlee (born 1996). His brother Nathan King has performed with Level 42 and with Frost*. King is a longstanding supporter of The Prince’s Trust, appearing at the 1986 All‑Star Rock Concert at Wembley Arena and at Rock Galas at the Royal Albert Hall in 2010 and 2011. His bass approach—rapid semiquaver figures combining thumb slaps, pops, hammer‑ons and fretting‑hand percussion—has influenced generations of players and informed collaborations with builders including Jaydee and Status Graphite, as well as bespoke Alembic and signature instruments.

Current Activities

King continues to front Level 42, performing festival and theatre dates in the UK and across Europe alongside co‑founder Mike Lindup and a long‑standing touring line‑up, and he maintains a profile through select catalogue and live releases on Summerhouse. To mark the band’s milestone, Level 42 has officially booked a commemorative five‑date UK arena tour in December 2026 to celebrate 45 years since their 1981 debut self‑titled album, with dates announced via official channels.