So word on the street is that nineties RnB-pop group, Another Level, are to temporarily reform next year - sans Wayne Williams apparently - for a few just-for-fun-one-off gigs. This news is music to the ears of the group's fans but seeing as we've had our hopes dashed in the past, well we'll see what happens... but we so hope to see Another Level performing again next year.
And this news reminded me of three things:
1. How much I loved Another Level!
My siblings and I were a massive fans of the group which consisted of Wayne Williams, Dane Bowers, Bobak Kianoush, and Mark Baron. We bought all the CDs (because that's what people did back then - they bought CDs!) watched all the TV appearances; bought the magazines; listened to the radio interviews... for this urban music-loving girl, I didn't feel that there was any other group in the charts at the time who could be compared to Another Level so they were refreshingly unique. But when the group split, most of the former members - with the exception of Dane Bowers - left the spotlight and moved on to other things, and in time so did a lot of Another Level's fans. But I can honestly say the group had - and still has - a very special place in my heart...
2. My life back then
Thinking back to my time as an Another Level fan when the group were in the charts, it reminds of how my life was back then. I had just started university, and was fast approaching the end of my teen years and the beginning of a new chapter - my twenties (gosh that was so long ago!) I won't lie - I hated university: I was in the wrong place and doing the wrong course (or so I thought anyway!) But it wasn't all bad: I got to meet 'my girls' while at uni who to this day are friends-bordering-on-family; went to countless house parties, and it was during this time that I visited America for the first time - my future home!
Oh and I also managed to get in a bit of study...
3. The Another Level Record Signing
News that the boys are due to play a few one-off gigs reminded me that it was twenty years ago that I went to the Another Level record signing at HMV in Oxford Street -which is of course now no longer. Not only was it the first record signing that I'd been to, but it was the first time I'd ever seen any of my musical idols in the flesh. It was also my little brother and sister's first time going to a record signing, and furthermore, their very first time in Oxford Street. I still remember their excitement at seeing a brightly lit Oxford Street. Fast forward several years to when they were teenagers, and they were hardly ever at home. Instead they were busy running around Central London with their friends!
But goodness there was a lot of drama we had to contend with before Another Level even got on stage. It was however an awesome night, and the boys put an a great performance. I'm so glad I got to share that with all my siblings. Too bad it was in the days before camera phones so I don't have any pics but I do have very special memories of that night. The night ended on a high with a visit to Pizza Hut!
Another Level... Hope to see you soon!
Photo collage and second photo from YouTube
Other photos and wordcloud by Angel Noire