MANILA, Philippines – Get ready, A1 fans! A1 is coming back to the Philippines this October, and singing a couple of their old and new hits for their Filipino fans.
Three of the original 4 – Ben Adams, Mark Read, and Christian Ingebrigtsen – are taking the Kia Theater stage on October 23 and are hitting the IEC Pavilion in Cebu on October 25. (READ: Boy band A1 to perform in PH)
A1 rose to fame in the late '90s and early 2000s, with hits like "Like a Rose" and "Heaven by Your Side."
After taking a break in 2002 and after former band member Paul Marazzi left, Ben, Mark, and Christian reunited. They've since released 2 new albums and toured the world as A1.
Ahead of their two Philippine concerts, we got to talk to Ben, who wrote many of A1's songs and went on to write songs for other artists and for his solo career as well.
Here's what he had to say:
It's your second time back to Manila – what about your last trip made you want to visit again?
We've actually been to Manila many, many times before – and we come back because we LOVE it!
What do you remember about your last Manila concert? Was there any moment that stands out as special to you?
Yes! That we didn't get enough time on stage! Thats why we're coming back on our own this time!
How is the experience performing as A1 today different from when you were just starting out? Are there habits you still fall into when you're onstage together?
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<blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned data-instgrm-version="7" style=" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:658px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);"><div style="padding:8px;"> <div style=" background:#F8F8F8; line-height:0; margin-top:40px; padding:61.3710554951% 0; text-align:center; width:100%;"> <div style=" background:url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAACwAAAAsCAMAAAApWqozAAAABGdBTUEAALGPC/xhBQAAAAFzUkdCAK7OHOkAAAAMUExURczMzPf399fX1+bm5mzY9AMAAADiSURBVDjLvZXbEsMgCES5/P8/t9FuRVCRmU73JWlzosgSIIZURCjo/ad+EQJJB4Hv8BFt+IDpQoCx1wjOSBFhh2XssxEIYn3ulI/6MNReE07UIWJEv8UEOWDS88LY97kqyTliJKKtuYBbruAyVh5wOHiXmpi5we58Ek028czwyuQdLKPG1Bkb4NnM+VeAnfHqn1k4+GPT6uGQcvu2h2OVuIf/gWUFyy8OWEpdyZSa3aVCqpVoVvzZZ2VTnn2wU8qzVjDDetO90GSy9mVLqtgYSy231MxrY6I2gGqjrTY0L8fxCxfCBbhWrsYYAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC); display:block; height:44px; margin:0 auto -44px; position:relative; top:-22px; width:44px;"></div></div> <p style=" margin:8px 0 0 0; padding:0 4px;"> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BKXpHhVh7tw/" style=" color:#000; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none; word-wrap:break-word;" target="_blank">This picture surfaced this morning to commemorate 16 years since take on me was number 1. Thank goodness there was a photographer around to capture our impeccable dress sense </a></p> <p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;">A photo posted by Ben Adams (@benadamsuk) on <time style=" font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px;" datetime="2016-09-15T08:12:01+00:00">Sep 15, 2016 at 1:12am PDT</time></p></div></blockquote>
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We always just have a lot of fun on stage. More so now, because we can mix it up and there isn't anybody telling us what tracks to perform or how to perform them. We just do what feels right, whether that be play live, dance routines, acoustic numbers, originals, covers...
You guys have had a lot of hits over the years – do you have a favorite song, or is there one that is particularly special to you?
It has the be "Caught in the Middle" – it was the first time we were allowed to write whatever we wanted and it turned out to be our biggest hit!
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A1 has continued as a band, even if you all have your own different projects. What keeps you guys going?
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<blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned data-instgrm-version="7" style=" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:658px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);"><div style="padding:8px;"> <div style=" background:#F8F8F8; line-height:0; margin-top:40px; padding:48.4848484848% 0; text-align:center; width:100%;"> <div style=" background:url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAACwAAAAsCAMAAAApWqozAAAABGdBTUEAALGPC/xhBQAAAAFzUkdCAK7OHOkAAAAMUExURczMzPf399fX1+bm5mzY9AMAAADiSURBVDjLvZXbEsMgCES5/P8/t9FuRVCRmU73JWlzosgSIIZURCjo/ad+EQJJB4Hv8BFt+IDpQoCx1wjOSBFhh2XssxEIYn3ulI/6MNReE07UIWJEv8UEOWDS88LY97kqyTliJKKtuYBbruAyVh5wOHiXmpi5we58Ek028czwyuQdLKPG1Bkb4NnM+VeAnfHqn1k4+GPT6uGQcvu2h2OVuIf/gWUFyy8OWEpdyZSa3aVCqpVoVvzZZ2VTnn2wU8qzVjDDetO90GSy9mVLqtgYSy231MxrY6I2gGqjrTY0L8fxCxfCBbhWrsYYAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC); display:block; height:44px; margin:0 auto -44px; position:relative; top:-22px; width:44px;"></div></div> <p style=" margin:8px 0 0 0; padding:0 4px;"> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BHcPmmzhFR9/" style=" color:#000; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none; word-wrap:break-word;" target="_blank">Current situation at home</a></p> <p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;">A photo posted by Ben Adams (@benadamsuk) on <time style=" font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px;" datetime="2016-07-04T13:31:05+00:00">Jul 4, 2016 at 6:31am PDT</time></p></div></blockquote>
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We all have so many projects on the go! It's great doing our own thing but I think we all love being together and performing on stage the most.
You released Rediscovered in 2013 – how is that album different from your previous ones?
Well, I produced a lot of it on a laptop in my hotel room while I was doing a dance show called Skal Vi Danse in Norway. So I guess that's a bit different! Ha!
Watch one of Ben's Skal Vi Danse performances below!
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Who inspires you? What's your favorite song at the moment?
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<blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned data-instgrm-version="7" style=" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:658px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);"><div style="padding:8px;"> <div style=" background:#F8F8F8; line-height:0; margin-top:40px; padding:56.8075117371% 0; text-align:center; width:100%;"> <div style=" background:url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAACwAAAAsCAMAAAApWqozAAAABGdBTUEAALGPC/xhBQAAAAFzUkdCAK7OHOkAAAAMUExURczMzPf399fX1+bm5mzY9AMAAADiSURBVDjLvZXbEsMgCES5/P8/t9FuRVCRmU73JWlzosgSIIZURCjo/ad+EQJJB4Hv8BFt+IDpQoCx1wjOSBFhh2XssxEIYn3ulI/6MNReE07UIWJEv8UEOWDS88LY97kqyTliJKKtuYBbruAyVh5wOHiXmpi5we58Ek028czwyuQdLKPG1Bkb4NnM+VeAnfHqn1k4+GPT6uGQcvu2h2OVuIf/gWUFyy8OWEpdyZSa3aVCqpVoVvzZZ2VTnn2wU8qzVjDDetO90GSy9mVLqtgYSy231MxrY6I2gGqjrTY0L8fxCxfCBbhWrsYYAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC); display:block; height:44px; margin:0 auto -44px; position:relative; top:-22px; width:44px;"></div></div> <p style=" margin:8px 0 0 0; padding:0 4px;"> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BLQpItZBwIj/" style=" color:#000; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none; word-wrap:break-word;" target="_blank">On my way to film a promo clip with classic fm. I can sing to 100k plus people without blinking but playing piano infront of a few and I'm nervous #stupid</a></p> <p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;">A photo posted by Ben Adams (@benadamsuk) on <time style=" font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px;" datetime="2016-10-07T11:28:53+00:00">Oct 7, 2016 at 4:28am PDT</time></p></div></blockquote>
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Favorite song at the moment is "To the Moon and Back" from my classical EP One Beautiful Mourning. Go check it out on Spotify– its perfect to chill out to.
You've written and produced songs for many artists already, but do you have a dream collaborator?
[I] have worked with most of them. I write a lot of songs these days with a girl called Shelly Poole. She used to be in a band called Alisha's Attic and we've had a lot of success together in recent years.
Listen to "Guilty Flowers" below, a song written by Ben, Shelly, and Catherine and Lizzy Ward-Thomas.
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What has been the most memorable moment in your career with the band?
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<blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned data-instgrm-version="7" style=" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:658px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);"><div style="padding:8px;"> <div style=" background:#F8F8F8; line-height:0; margin-top:40px; padding:50.0% 0; text-align:center; width:100%;"> <div style=" background:url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAACwAAAAsCAMAAAApWqozAAAABGdBTUEAALGPC/xhBQAAAAFzUkdCAK7OHOkAAAAMUExURczMzPf399fX1+bm5mzY9AMAAADiSURBVDjLvZXbEsMgCES5/P8/t9FuRVCRmU73JWlzosgSIIZURCjo/ad+EQJJB4Hv8BFt+IDpQoCx1wjOSBFhh2XssxEIYn3ulI/6MNReE07UIWJEv8UEOWDS88LY97kqyTliJKKtuYBbruAyVh5wOHiXmpi5we58Ek028czwyuQdLKPG1Bkb4NnM+VeAnfHqn1k4+GPT6uGQcvu2h2OVuIf/gWUFyy8OWEpdyZSa3aVCqpVoVvzZZ2VTnn2wU8qzVjDDetO90GSy9mVLqtgYSy231MxrY6I2gGqjrTY0L8fxCxfCBbhWrsYYAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC); display:block; height:44px; margin:0 auto -44px; position:relative; top:-22px; width:44px;"></div></div> <p style=" margin:8px 0 0 0; padding:0 4px;"> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BJVP0rIhu6A/" style=" color:#000; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none; word-wrap:break-word;" target="_blank">Great gig yesterday with my backing singers </a></p> <p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;">A photo posted by Ben Adams (@benadamsuk) on <time style=" font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px;" datetime="2016-08-20T13:21:06+00:00">Aug 20, 2016 at 6:21am PDT</time></p></div></blockquote>
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Probably winning the Brit Award – thats something you never forget and was a milestone in the band's career.
Do you have any advice for boy bands or even girl groups who are trying to make it big today? How about for band members who are trying to make it as solo artists?
My advice for both is to enjoy every single second of whatever level of success you manage to get. Don't get chasing the next goal before you have appreciated your existing successes.
Will we expect to hear more of your classics at your upcoming concert, or will you perform more of your recent singles?
We'll mix it up and try and cover all ground!
What's your favorite A1 song? Will you be watching A1 at their upcoming Philippine concerts? Let us know!– Rappler.com