Same old brand new A1

MANILA, Philippines – Before the likes of the British group One Direction came, there was A1.  

For those who grew up with ’90s to 2000s music, A1 fueled the fevered dreams and frenzied fan-girling over boy bands. 

A1 doesn’t mind still being referred to as a boy band.  

“I think it’s quite flattering if anything because, you know, age-wise, we’re actually men,” laughed Ben Adams, who formed the British-Norwegian trio with Christian Ingebrigtsen and Mark Read, in an exclusive Skype chat with The STAR last week.

Things may have clearly changed but they’re for the better, according to A1, and they hope their Filipino fans will get to see all that when they return to the country for shows in Manila (Kia Theatre, Araneta Center on Oct. 23) and Cebu (IEC Pavilion on Oct. 25). A1 Live in Manila and Cebu is produced by Concert Republic. 

Since your last visit to the Philippines, what have you been up to (individually and together as a band)?

“That was four years ago. We’ve done a lot really, a lot of touring around the UK. We had a big TV program along with the other big bands in the ’90s and 2000s. It was fun and sort of a big stag duo, which is where people go out to before they get married and just go crazy. It was a little bit like two weeks on a stag duo, which was a whole bunch of pop stars of that era and just touring on a tour bus together like we used to do back in the old, smash-hits magazine tour days. It was quite interesting and a lot of fun.

“We’re also writing and producing for artists, some of which have gone No. 1 in UK. I don’t know if they made it over to the Philippines. But there’s a country band that just went No. 1 called Ward Thomas, and they’re pretty massive over here right now. There are X-Factor people that I’ve written and produced for. That’s what we do here a lot of the time, we write and produce for other artists, together and on our own. 

“I have also written a classical EP One Beautiful Mourning. I think it’s now available on Spotifiy, it would be nice if you can check it out before we come. I’ve been writing that for a long time. I’ve been classically trained as a kid, and it was something I was writing just for myself really. I wasn’t intending to release it but somebody heard it, a friend of mine who happens to be in a classical field, and said, you have to release this. So we did but just to see if anybody would be interested, and it went straight to No. 1 in classical charts and so I was like oh, okay, maybe people are really interested (laughs) in me doing this kind of music. I’ve pretty much written the whole album and I’m just gearing up to release a few more tracks in November, and the full album beginning next year. 

“I’ve also written a musical, Eugenius!, which has gotten its first showing at the Palladium in London. So, it’s been a very busy time but we’re very excited to go back and see the Filipino fans.”

Ben Adams: Back in the day, when we got to No. 1, instead of enjoying it, we stressed over (having to) get the next single ready and be No. 1. The tour sold out, but it didn’t sell in one particular place, we were focusing on the wrong things. So, if I could just go back, I’d say to myself, ‘Look, enjoy what you’re doing.’ And that’s what I do now, that’s how I sort of live my life now. Every single day, I enjoy and take pride in what I’m doing rather than sort of get caught up in things that could be better.

You disbanded in early 2000s and reunited in 2009. How is it so far and how did the dynamics between the members change?  

“Well, we are one member less, which actually works out pretty well. I don’t think Paul (Marazzi) really wanted to be in a band like A1... I think, we’re just like brothers really. We grew up together. I was 16 when I joined the band. And I’m now 34. So every time we meet, every time we do concerts, it’s pretty much like you’re on stage with your brothers or friends. 

“But obviously, we’re older now, so we now know more about the industry. We’re better writers, we’re better performers, we’re better singers, so it’s just a lot of fun really.”

Would your hit Same Old, Brand New You be a fitting song to describe the band now? 

“(Laughs) I guess so, because we’re essentially the same people. The three of us, none of us got kids or got married, so I think we still feel like we are kids. We’re not particularly grown-up grown-ups. We’ve been very lucky to be able to live our entire lives making music and not doing anything else. I think when you’re in that kind of industry, it’s so difficult to grow up like everybody else, does or should. So, I think we’re definitely the same old, brand new (A1). Well, it’s easier to grow a beard now, but that’s about it.”

If there’s anything you’d like to do any differently in the past, what would that be?

“I think I’d like to go back and tell myself to enjoy more of it than I did. Back in the day, when we got to No. 1, instead of enjoying being No. 1, we stressed over (having to) get the next single ready and be No. 1. The tour sold out, but it didn’t sell in one particular place, we were focusing on the wrong things. So, if I could just go back, I’d say to myself, ‘Look, enjoy what you’re doing’ at that time. And that’s what I do now, that’s how I sort of live my life now. Every single day, I enjoy and take pride in what I’m doing rather than sort of get caught up in things that could be better.”

Can you share why A1 broke up the first time around considering it was also the height of band’s career? 

“Paul left, for starters, and that made us... change things immediately. And then we sat back and had just the biggest hit of our entire career, which was Caught in the Middle, (which became) No. 1 all over the world really. We felt, OK, we’ve been working solidly now for five years, and we really didn’t have any time off, maybe this is a good time to just take a break and pursue other things really.”

Speaking of your hits, do you have any plans of reworking any of them and releasing them (again)?

“When people come and see us in Cebu and Manila, they would hear some slightly different versions of the old hits. We’ve done sort of acoustic versions of some of the biggest hits. That would be interesting for the audience to hear. But we would like to move forward, you know. Those songs were great but they were great as they were back then. So, if we do new stuff, we always tend to write new songs instead of trying to rehash things from the past.”

What can your Pinoy fans expect in your return show? 

“I would say... well obviously we will be singing all of the hits, Everytime, Caught in the Middle, Same Old Brand New You, Like a Rose, Living the Dream, Heaven By Your Side, all those kinds of tracks and a couple of ones that the (Filipino) people might not heard of before but had a lot of success over at the UK, Europe, Scandinavia. 

“It’s kind of a different show from the one that people might have seen previously. Because the last time, we did it in massive venues, the whole band and stuff. But this time, we decided to come over with a slightly more intimate show, so that we could actually have a bit more rapport with the audience. Last time, we felt there’s just so many people in such a vast massive room, we were unable to get personal with anybody. So, it’s going to be that type of show (intimate and more personal). And we might show a few dance routines just for fun (laughs).”  

How many times have you been to the Philippines? 

“Absolutely no idea... a lot of times! Last time, we went to Boracay, which is unbelievable. But our main memories are of the people, who came to see us and support us. What was very interesting for us was even having split up the first time around and then coming back after so long, and seeing the same old faces. They’ve obviously moved on and have kids now, or all grown-up, but it kinda felt like we were visiting family members that you haven’t seen for quite a long time.”

For how long do you see yourself performing with A1?

“Till we’re dead (laughs) so hopefully for a very long time. There’s no reason for us not to carry on this journey for as long as people want to come and see us, and want to hear our music and for as long we enjoy doing it, we will always come back together and do concerts and gigs because it’s so much fun. 

“To be honest, it’s quite hard to be in a band. There are lots of perks, and great things happening, but it’s quite hard work and I think you have to really like each other because you spend so much time together. So, if you don’t like each other, you’re gonna get a pretty miserable life. Thankfully, we are the best of friends and have always been, and it’s a bit like coming together for a family reunion every time we go and do stuff together.”

The Manila concert tickets are available at Ticketnet outlets (log on to www.ticketnet.com.ph or call 911-5555) while tickets to the Cebu show can be purchased through Ticketworld (www.ticketworld.com.ph/a1cebu).