Advantages: Write their own music, play their own instruments and have a variety of sounds Disadvantages: They are 'on a break'
A1 were formed by Steps Manager, Tim Byrne (also manages Simon Cowell?s contestants in the X Factor). Tim wanted to create the ultimate boy band. One that could sing, dance, write music and play their own instruments.
The first member of the band was Paul Marazzi who was picked from auditions Tim held. Paul was the only auditionee good enough. Tim nex spotted Mark Read in the audience at a gig and asked him to go for a meeting, Mark went along and sang and became the second member of the band. Tim asked Mark if he knew of any friends who are talented and would be interested and Mark recommended the youngest member of the band Ben Adams. Last but not least Christian Inbebrigtsen was recommended by one of his teachers at the Paul McCartney Fame School (also known and LIPA).
The band secured a contract with Sony which ...
Tinkerbella1 22.03.2005
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of A1 - A1
Advantages: sing live, great music, talented Disadvantages: always seen as a boy band
Well, by the looks of it, all the other opinions in this section are writing off A1 as "just another boy band" but I wonder just how many of you have actually heard them sing?
Now, let me clarify, I am not a teenybopper or a fan madly in love with them, I am 31. I bought their album, The A-List, for one of my daughters for Christmas and expected it to be pretty awful. It isn't, it's great.
When they released their cover version of A-Ha's Take On Me, I was sceptical. I remember the original version and prefer it. I dismissed A1, assuming they were clones of hundreds of other "pretty boy" acts singing cover versions. I was wrong.
I confess to regularly watching CD:UK on Saturday mornings, mainly because I think Ant and Dec are one of the best team of TV presenters there are at the moment.
A1 were on there one week, singing ...
KarenUK 23.02.2001
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of A1 - A1
Advantages: fun, catchy songs, a variety of styles, two hit singles on this so far Disadvantages: a couple of awful, cheesy tracks
I bought The A List, A1's second album, for my seven year old daughter for Christmas. She had wanted their album or Billie Piper's and I prefer Billie, so had looked for that, but they had sold out in Asda, so A1 it was.
I wasn't expecting much to be honest, I thought they were just another boy band - four lads (Paul, Ben, Mark & Christian) all pretty good looking and able to dance - but anything more ? I didn't think so.
I didn't mind their version of Take On Me, but I'm old enough to remember (and prefer) the A-Ha version. The video was very good though.
Then I heard their second single from this album - Same Old Brand New You and loved it from the first time I heard it. It was one of my favourite singles for the year 2000, in fact.
Anyway, these two hits are the first two on the album. I then let it play through and was ...
KarenUK 03.01.2001
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of The A List - A1