With A1, to Oslopuls

WE ARE A MAN BAND!

“We never really dissolved the band. We just took a long break, and went out with other people, you know” says Mark Read.

He, Ben Adams and Christian Ingebrigtsen form A1, which once were a glittering star in the boy band world. With boyish charm and several litres of hair spray, they took a whole generation of teenage girls by storm in the late 90s. They topped the charts in Britain and Norway with several songs, and got a Brit Award as the best newcomers in 2001. But as known, nothing lasts forever, and after three albums the band decided to take a break in 2002.

- You are now back to do some concerts in Oslo. But why right now?
- “It was actually the concert we did on the "Allsang på Grensen" in the summer that convinced us. There were 11,000 people who showed up, it was packed and totally amazing, you know. We realized then that this isn’t over yet" says Mark. - So it has nothing to do with the wave of boy band that reunite these days?
- “First, we thought it was stupid to do it since everyone else was doing it, but then we thought it was even more stupid not to do it" explains Christian.

Adults

Today, most of the members in the reunited boy bands have turned 30, and some even 40 as well. There’s a little discussion if whether the term boy band still has a meaning.

- “Haha, yeah, the “New Kids On The Block” should actually have been renamed to “The Old Boys On The Block” laughs Ben.
- What about you then?
- “We are not a boy band anymore, we are a man band” laughs Mark, and shows his biceps.

- So the boy band period is over for good?
- “I guess we were seen as a boy band in the beginning, but we actually were more like a pop band before we took a break. We weren’t dancers, but musicians that played their own instruments and made their own music" explains Christian.

Wild times.

When A1 was in the top of it’s career, a normal working day would consist of taking a plane to Japan, sign albums in front of 20,000 screaming fans, and then play in front of hundreds of thousands TV viewers.

- Do you miss the time with screaming fans and panties on stage?
- “Hmmm ... It was really crazy back then ... I got to admit that I miss it a bit" says Mark.
- “When we arrived in Oslo earlier, it used to be hundreds of girls at the airport. This time, there were only some Liverpool Supporters, and they were probably not waiting for us!” Laughs Mark.
- “But the last time, it happened so much at the same time, so we didn’t actually get the time to enjoy it" says Ben.
- “It’s wonderful that we finally can decide things ourselves. We’ve got nothing to prove this time. So I hope that we get the time to enjoy everything that happens along the way” says Christian.

Loyal audience.

Much may indicate that A1 still has some exciting adventures in front of them as a band. They had to add 3 more shows to the original four concerts they are having now in December. A secure source says that there are coming people from countries as Australia, India and even Bangladesh, to see their old idols.
- “I don’t think there are many artists out there that has such a good and loyal audience as we have" says Christian.
- “I’m look forward to the concerts, but it will probably be a bit calmer than it was back in the days" says Mark.
- “It's probably natural, since the audience has grown older. But it doesn’t matter because we've grown older, too.”
- “Hey! I'm still 27!” says Ben instantly.
- “Yeah, that's right" says Mark, and adds: “You still live to the rock myths for all of us.”

Source: Oslopuls

Thanks to Catharina Berntsen that sent the interview translated.

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