TV Hits Magazine
"Brand new us"
They’ve never really taken off in Australia, bit a1 reckon you’re gonna love their new single and album. TV hits agrees!
Guys, we have to ask why should Aussie audiences
not write you off as just another boy band?
Mark: The second you come out, people are just waiting
to say, “Oh here comes another boy band,” and we’ve said, “You can say
that if you want, but it couldn’t be further from the truth” We’re nothing
like the others because they’re following a definite pattern as far as
boy bands go – we’ve added an extra edge. For us the main thing is our
love for the music. We love what we are doing, we love entertaining and
we love performing.
You pride yourselves on writing your own songs,
but your last single, take on me, was a cover version…
Mark: People are always skeptical about cover versions,
asking, “Why do you need a cover?” and saying the original is better.
The way we felt about Take on me is that most of our fans didn’t even
know that song, so it was our chance to introduce it to a new audience.
We weren’t trying to better the original; we just wanted a version that
stood alongside it.
When you were in Oz last year, people thought
you were too cheesy. Have you changed since then?
Mark: We understand that with that fresh image and our
very happy, poppy look, that’s the picture we painted. But as time goes
on we’re putting more of our own personalities and our influences into
the music.
Your new single, Same old brand new you, is a
different song for you. How do you think people are going to react?
Mark: It’s the first step towards a new a1. People will
be thinking, “Haven’t a1 changed?”
Christian: With the new album, people will think very
differently about us. We have a lot of songs but then we keep writing
songs that are better than the first ones.
Mark: The bands that are big now – Craig David, Destiny’s
Child and Sisqo – weren’t as big when we came out. The pop scene is changing.
We want to be part of that.
What’s the song title mean?
Mark: You’ve got to be thinking, “What’s that about!”
It’s when two people have been in a relationship and go their separate
ways, and one comes back and goes, “Hey let’s give it another go, I’ve
changed.” But when you do get back together, they’re exactly the same
– and that’s where the title comes from.
The rest of you are pretty quiet. Do you all enjoy
the jet setting pop star life?
Ben: Yeah! We’ve been everywhere! We visited over 50
Japanese cities which took us a whole month. I don’t think I’ve seen as
much of my own country.
Paul: I’m quite used to it now and I’m quite ashamed
of myself. I feel like a bit of a posh git.
And what about all the girls you must attract?
Christian: You meet some nice girls but you’re never
anywhere long enough to really get to know them. I’ve come to the stage
where if I don’t think a girl could be a proper girlfriend then I won’t
even bother flirting.
Do you still get on after all that time spent
together?
Ben: I think when you are on top of each other every
day you are going to have difficult moments with anybody, but we’re all
mature and grown-up enough to sort it out.
Paul: When we were in Japan we got a bit bored and went
a bit travel crazy. We have an inter-band sense of humor that no one understands,
but I think every band has it.
So with a new look and sound, you must be
pretty excited about your new album, the a-list!
Mark: The album’s gonna be a big surprise to everyone
cos it’s got such a different sound on it.
Paul: Just hearing the new album made me feel like this
year is going to be really good for us.
Mark: We really want Australia to be a part of that too.
Thanks to Crimson who took the time to type this interview and forward
the scans.