The Levellers are a popular English rock band influenced by punk and traditional English music. They are based in Brighton, England where they were founded in 1988. There are several stories regarding how they got their name; from the Levellers, a radically democratic faction of Oliver Cromwell's New Model Army, or as a reference to 'The Level', an area of Brighton around a flat triangular green in the centre of hilly Brighton, where members of the band used to live, or simply, according to guitarist, Simon Friend, they got it from a dictionary. Simon Friend explaining the origins of the band's name: blank">Simon Friend interview at the Hebredian Celtic Festival Strongly interested and outspoken about green anarchism issues the band have built up a strong and devoted fanbase, despite being nearly universally ignored by mainstream critics. The band have been spokespeople for a number of issues including campaigning against the _Criminal Justice Act (and its measures against rave parties ) and various anti-capitalist and environmental issues. They continue to tour extensively around Britain and Europe but maintain a mutual dislike with the music press which stems from their early days.

Levellers have long been and still are, one of the best live bands around. Often overlooked is their outstanding back catalogue of recorded music. Levellers sold more platinum, gold, and silver albums in the 1990s than any other act. 5 of their 6 Top 40 albums (which spawned 14 Top 40 singles), including the number 1 Zeitgeist, are re-released this June on Warner Brothers’ Rhino label. Levelling the Land is re-issued as a double disc with the BBC’s recording of the era-defining headline slot