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Selected Brighton Magazine Article
Tuesday 15 June 2010


A Weapon Called The Word: Levellers Go Grassroots With Debut Reissue

Brighton's very own folk-punk band The Levellers have confirmed details of their 'grassroots' tour, which will take in 18 towns and cities around the UK.
After recently enjoying some intimate club shows in Europe, the Levellers have decided to book a tour of venues that are off their usual UK touring circuit.

The band will be playing in some of the towns and cities they played when they first started out 22 years ago, and some they have never played before.

Fiddle player Jon Sevink said: "We really enjoyed playing some smaller venues in Europe last year and thought that it would be fun do something different in our own country - a return to our roots."

The tour is taking place to celebrate the 20th Anniversary of the Levellers debut album, A Weapon Called The Word.

The seminal album, which features such favourites as Carry Me, Outside Inside and World Freak Show, is re-issued on the band"s own label On The Fiddle Recording. on 11th October 2010.

As a way of documenting the tour and highlighting the release of A Weapon Called The Word the Levellers are making a groundbreaking blogumentary.

The band have enlisted the help of film-maker and ex-Chumbawamba vocalist Dunstan Bruce.

Dunstan's company, Dandy Films, is based at the Levellers' Metway Studios and he made the documentary 'Clowns' that was broadcast by BBC TV. More recently he has documented Sham 69's first visit to China.

The blogumentary will comprise of candid footage of the band on tour in the provinces of the UK, interviews with local pressure groups, fans, grass roots activists, local characters and location pieces.

The aim of the blogumentary is to show life on the road for a touring band and to give a mouthpiece to anyone who has something to say in the towns that the band visit.

Video clips will be uploaded each day to www.aweaponcalledtheword.com throughout the tour.

A Weapon Called The Word has been digitally re-mastered and includes four previously un-released tracks from a BBC Radio 1 session and tour DVD, shot on a handy cam by the touring crew that dates from 1991.

The BBC tracks are from a Mark Goodier session and the DVD catalogues the heady days of the Levellers meteoric rise.


The Levellers debut album A Weapon Called The Word, 20th Anniversary edition, is to be reissued on 11th October.

Catch the band @ Portsmouth Wedgewood Rooms on 25th November. For tickets ring 023 9286 3911 or visit www.wedgewood-rooms.co.uk - on sale 9th August.



by: Mike Cobley

Levellers To Film Groundbreaking Blogumentary


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