="PowerTool" I'm sure Level 42 were named after the top floor of the worlds highest multi-storey car park (at the time)
And what is 42 ? Some think it is the answer to life,the universe and everything - others merely think it is the answer to 6 times 7..
Andrew
Hi Andrew
You are possibly correct, the name was of mixed history:
Origins of the name
The origin of the band's name has been variously described as being inspired by a sign in a lift in a very tall building in the US; the top level of the biggest car-park in the world, in Japan; the floor on which Jonathan Pryce's character resides in the film Brazil (which was released long after the band gained international recognition); or after Tower 42 (also known as NatWest Tower) a tall building in the City of London.
King and Boon Gould decided the band should be called simply by a number, and they both favoured '88' - the number of the bus they used to catch to the recording studio. However, Lindup and Phil Gould saw a poster for a band called 'Rocket 88' so their idea was abandoned (although '88' was later used as a song title). King and Gould both claim to have been reading Douglas Adams' comical science-fiction novel, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy wherein the Answer to Life, the Universe, and Everything, is '42'. Therefore '42' was suggested as a name for the band. It should be noted that their then producer, Andy Sojka (now deceased), similarly claimed to have been reading the book, and claimed to have put forward the number as a suggested band name. It is known therefore, that the use of the number '42' in the band name came from either King, Boon Gould, or Sojka. The appendange of the word 'Level' is claimed to have been from either Sojka's lawyer, or John Gould's (the third brother and band manager) lawyer.
Other names considered for the band were 'Powerline' and 'Kick in the head'. 'Powerline' was rejected and given to another of Sojka's groups, and it was on a white label promotional record numbered 'DAZZ 4' that the words 'Level 42' first appeared. The band providing the B-side - a track called 'Sandstorm' (a track which they also wanted to call 'Kick in the head'). The A side was provided by 'Powerline'.
'Kick In The Head' was finally used by the band as a working title for the song 'A Floating Life' on their 'True Colours' album. The lyric features in the song.
Three further songs (both instrumentals) were 'numbered' by the band: '43', '88' and the B-side 'Forty-two'.[/quote]