| "HAMPDEN COMEBACK IS A1 FOR BEN" - DAILY RECORD - THE RAZZ (June 2005) By John Dingwall Former A1 star Ben Adams will be making a triumphant return to Scotland for this weekend's Live+Loud with One Scotland pop festival He has already proved himself as a solo artist with his smash-hit single Sorry after a lengthy break from the pop scene. At just 23, the classically trained singer-songwriter is probably one of the youngest pop stars to make a comeback. His experience to date includes a string of hits with A1 between 1999 and 2002. Prior to that, the former choirboy had performed for Pope John Paul II at age 10. These days, he enjoys experiences at the opposite end of the spectrum, such as partying with Har Mar Superstar, the pot-bellied American singer with a penchant for performing in his underpants. The pair collaborated on Get Off My Girl, the sleazy cracker which Ben insists wasn't at all autobiographical for the pair. Ben, from Middlesex, laughed: 'Don't worry. I won't be singing in my underpants at Live + Loud but I did have a great time working with Har Mar Superstar. He's a great guy. 'I'm really looking forward to coming back to Scotland because I have great memories of being there with A1.' This year's Live+Loud with One Scotland sees the festival veer away from its teen pop roots as more and more music fans turn their back on the manufactured pop scene in favour of bands and 'real' music. Ben, signed to the new BMG label Phonogenic, is certainly winning fans with his cutting-edge R&B sound. He added: 'The pop industry would have us believe young music fans are too stupid to grasp or embrace new ideas. That's rubbish. If music doesn't move forward, it just dies. Pop music has really suffered from the 'It'll do' mentality. But I didn't want my career to be 'quite good' or 'just good enough'. I wanted to smash the whole thing apart.' But there's little chance of Ben getting back with the other lads from A1 - Mark Read, Paul Marazzi and Christian Ingebrigtsen. 'A1 was a great experience but I
always felt it was a rehearsal for my solo career. am a lot wiser to the
industry, so I can avoid the mistakes people make first time round. It's
like anything - the more you do it, the better you are at it. But I still
keep in touch with the lads Interview sourced from Daily Record |