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A is a British
alternative rock Alternative rock, or alt-rock, is a category of rock music that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1970s and became widely popular in the 1990s. "Alternative" refers to the genre's distinction from mainstream or commercial ...
band from
Suffolk Suffolk () is a ceremonial county of England in East Anglia. It borders Norfolk to the north, Cambridgeshire to the west and Essex to the south; the North Sea lies to the east. The county town is Ipswich; other important towns include ...
, England, which formed in 1993. They have released 4 studio and 2 live albums, including their debut ''
How Ace Are Buildings ''How Ace Are Buildings'' is the debut album by British alternative rock band A, released in 1997. The album was re-released in 1998, in cassette and Limited Edition 12" formats. Whereas the cassette featured the same tracks, the 12" album als ...
'' and the UK top 20 album ''
Hi-Fi Serious ''Hi-Fi Serious'' is the third studio album by British alternative rock band A, released in 2002. The name "Hi-Fi Serious" was derived from the name of the hi-fi electronics store Alan Partridge buys a Bang & Olufsen stereo from in the last ep ...
''. Single releases have also achieved strong chart success, with a UK top 10, four UK top 40 and seven UK Top 100 singles. Shortly after releasing their fourth album, ''
Teen Dance Ordinance The Teen Dance Ordinance was a controversial Seattle law which severely curtailed the ability of concert and club promoters to hold events for underaged patrons. The organization Parents in Arms advocated for its creation. During its existence fr ...
'', in 2005, the band briefly split. In 2007 'A' reunited for a one-off gig, and have been touring sporadically ever since including playing the main stage at Download Pilot on June 19th 2021. They have not released any further albums since 2005.


History


Formation, ''How Ace Are Buildings'' and ''A vs. Monkey Kong'' (1993–2000)

The band began in
Suffolk Suffolk () is a ceremonial county of England in East Anglia. It borders Norfolk to the north, Cambridgeshire to the west and Essex to the south; the North Sea lies to the east. The county town is Ipswich; other important towns include ...
in the mid 80s as Grand Designs, named after the
song A song is a musical composition intended to be performed by the human voice. This is often done at distinct and fixed pitches (melodies) using patterns of sound and silence. Songs contain various forms, such as those including the repetiti ...
by Rush. The founder members were twins Jason and Adam Perry and their friend Mark Chapman, with bassist Stevie Swindon and the twins' younger brother Giles Perry. They cited Rush,
the Beach Boys The Beach Boys are an American rock band that formed in Hawthorne, California, in 1961. The group's original lineup consisted of brothers Brian, Dennis, and Carl Wilson, their cousin Mike Love, and friend Al Jardine. Distinguished by the ...
,
Van Halen Van Halen ( ) was an American rock band formed in Pasadena, California, in 1972. Credited with "restoring hard rock to the forefront of the music scene", Van Halen was known for its energetic live shows and for the virtuosity of its lead gu ...
and the
Beastie Boys Beastie Boys were an American rap rock group from New York City, formed in 1978. The group was composed of Michael "Mike D" Diamond (vocals, drums), Adam "MCA" Yauch (vocals, bass), and Adam "Ad-Rock" Horovitz (vocals, guitar, programming) ...
among their influences. After changing their name to A in 1993, and abandoning their early
progressive rock Progressive rock (shortened as prog rock or simply prog; sometimes conflated with art rock) is a broad genre of rock music that developed in the United Kingdom and United States through the mid- to late 1960s, peaking in the early 1970s. I ...
-inspired sound for a more punk rock style, they signed a European recording contract with Warner Bros. Records UK in 1996 and released their debut LP ''
How Ace Are Buildings ''How Ace Are Buildings'' is the debut album by British alternative rock band A, released in 1997. The album was re-released in 1998, in cassette and Limited Edition 12" formats. Whereas the cassette featured the same tracks, the 12" album als ...
'' in 1997. Also in 1997, the band briefly appeared in the music video for "Anthem" by
the Wildhearts The Wildhearts are an English rock band, formed in 1989 in Newcastle upon Tyne. The band's sound is a mixture of hard rock and melodic pop music, often described in the music press as combining influences as diverse as the Beatles and 1980s- ...
. A found a healthy underground reception and even had a couple of low-charting singles in the UK. Although A achieved some recognition with ''How Ace Are Buildings'', bassist Stevie Swindon left the band. He was replaced in 1997 by bassist and future
BBC Radio 1 BBC Radio 1 is a British national radio station owned and operated by the BBC. It specialises in modern popular music and current chart hits throughout the day. The station provides alternative genres at night, including electronica, dance ...
Rock Show DJ
Daniel P Carter Daniel Philip Carter (born 16 November 1972) is a British musician and radio DJ. He is the former singer and guitarist for hardcore punk band Hexes, the former bassist for A, the former lead guitarist for alternative rock band Bloodhound Gang ...
. Swindon went on to establish the award-winning community arts charity, TAPE Community Music and Film in 2008. A licensing agreement for the American music market was reached with the
North Carolina North Carolina () is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. The state is the List of U.S. states and territories by area, 28th largest and List of states and territories of the United ...
-based
Mammoth Records Mammoth Records was an independent record label founded in 1989 by Jay Faires in the Carrboro area of Chapel Hill, North Carolina. The majority of the acts on Mammoth were executive-produced by Faires and the label's general manager, Steve Balcom ...
. Future releases would be distributed in the U.S. and Canada by Mammoth. A's second album ''
A vs. Monkey Kong ''A' vs. Monkey Kong'' (titled ''Monkey Kong'' in the United States) is the second album by the British alternative rock band A, released via Tycoon Recordings/London Records on 9 September 1999. In May and June 2001, the band toured Europe as p ...
'' followed in 1999. The band then toured the world and enjoyed a small degree of success worldwide, especially in Germany. They released a live album, ''
Exit Stage Right ''Exit Stage Right'' is a live album by British alternative rock band A, released in 2000 on London Records. It reached #3 on the UK Indie Chart. The title is a parody of Rush's 1981 live album Exit...Stage Left. Track listing All songs writt ...
'' in 2000.


''Hi-Fi Serious'' and commercial success (2002)

''
Hi-Fi Serious ''Hi-Fi Serious'' is the third studio album by British alternative rock band A, released in 2002. The name "Hi-Fi Serious" was derived from the name of the hi-fi electronics store Alan Partridge buys a Bang & Olufsen stereo from in the last ep ...
'' was their third album, released in 2002 and is certified Silver in the UK having sold over 60,000 copies. It was preceded by their biggest single "Nothing", which became the band's first and only top ten hit when it reached number 9 in the
UK singles chart The UK Singles Chart (currently titled Official Singles Chart, with the upper section more commonly known as the Official UK Top 40) is compiled by the Official Charts Company (OCC), on behalf of the British record industry, listing the top-s ...
. "Nothing" was followed by top 20 hit "Starbucks", named after the coffee chain. The tour following ''
Hi-Fi Serious ''Hi-Fi Serious'' is the third studio album by British alternative rock band A, released in 2002. The name "Hi-Fi Serious" was derived from the name of the hi-fi electronics store Alan Partridge buys a Bang & Olufsen stereo from in the last ep ...
'' saw the band playing their largest venues to date, headlining the 5,000 capacity
Brixton Academy Brixton Academy (originally known as the Astoria Variety Cinema, previously known as Carling Academy Brixton, currently named O2 Academy Brixton as part of a sponsorship deal with the O2 brand) is a mid-sized concert venue located in South Wes ...
as part of their Inner-City Sumo Tour. At the end of the year they won the
Kerrang! ''Kerrang!'' is a British weekly magazine devoted to rock, punk and heavy metal music, currently published by Wasted Talent (the same company that owns electronic music publication '' Mixmag''). It was first published on 6 June 1981 as a on ...
award for Best British Band. In 2004, their single "Nothing" appeared on
Beyblade is a line of spinning-top toys originally developed by Takara, first released in Japan in July 1999, along with its debut series. Following Takara's merger with Tomy in 2006, Beyblades are now developed by Takara Tomy. Various toy companies ...
's ''Let It Rip!'' official
soundtrack A soundtrack is recorded music accompanying and synchronised to the images of a motion picture, drama, book, television program, radio program, or video game; a commercially released soundtrack album of music as featured in the soundtrac ...
. In 2007, "Something's Going On" and "The Distance" appeared on the Surf's Up
video game Video games, also known as computer games, are electronic games that involves interaction with a user interface or input device such as a joystick, controller, keyboard, or motion sensing device to generate visual feedback. This feedba ...
soundtrack.


''Teen Dance Ordinance'' and hiatus (2005)

A released their fourth album, ''
Teen Dance Ordinance The Teen Dance Ordinance was a controversial Seattle law which severely curtailed the ability of concert and club promoters to hold events for underaged patrons. The organization Parents in Arms advocated for its creation. During its existence fr ...
'' (TDO), on 27 June 2005. The album had been recorded two years earlier, but was heavily delayed due to Jason Perry's illness and disputes with the record company. It featured a more straight rock sound and displayed an almost complete absence of the keyboards and sampling that marked the early sound of the band. Unlike their last two albums, ''Teen Dance Ordinance'' was not released in the US.
Hollywood Records Hollywood Records is an American record label of the Disney Music Group. The label focuses in pop, rock, alternative, hip hop, and country genres, as well as specializing in mature recordings not suitable for the flagship Walt Disney Records ...
agreed early on to release it in the US, but ultimately did not. Following the release of ''Teen Dance Ordinance'' in 2005, the band worked on other projects. Jason Perry spent time writing, recording, and touring with
Matt Willis Mathew James Willis (born 8 May 1983), also previously known as Mattie Jay, is an English musician, singer, songwriter, television personality and actor. He is known as co-founder, bassist and the co-vocalist of the pop rock band, Busted. Will ...
, formerly of Busted, and has now become a Grammy award winning producer, working with the likes of the Blackout,
Kids in Glass Houses Kids in Glass Houses are a Welsh rock band from Cardiff. The band's name was inspired by the lyrics "not throwing stones at you anymore" from the Glassjaw song "Tip Your Bartender". The band achieved success on the strength of the singles " G ...
, and
McFly McFly are an English pop rock band formed in London in 2003. The band took their name from the '' Back to the Future'' character Marty McFly. The band consists of Tom Fletcher (lead vocals, guitar, and piano), Danny Jones (lead vocals, har ...
. Adam Perry and Daniel P Carter briefly became full-time members of
the Bloodhound Gang The Bloodhound Gang was an American rap rock band from Collegeville, Pennsylvania. It was founded in 1988 by rappers Jimmy Pop and Daddy Long Legs (now in Wolfpac) as a hip-hop group, before branching out into other genres as their career prog ...
: Perry replaced drummer Willie the New Guy in 2005, and Carter replaced guitarist Lupus Thunder in 2009. Carter continued writing material with Jason Perry and artists such as McFly, and has hosted
BBC Radio 1 BBC Radio 1 is a British national radio station owned and operated by the BBC. It specialises in modern popular music and current chart hits throughout the day. The station provides alternative genres at night, including electronica, dance ...
's Rock Show since 25 September 2006. Mark Chapman went into teaching, and has played in the bands Malpractice, alongside drum'n'bass producer
Adam F Adam Fenton (born 8 February 1972) is an English record producer and DJ who has worked across various genres. He is also the co-founder of the drum and bass label Breakbeat Kaos along with DJ Fresh. He found initial success with the 1990s drum ...
, and 'MiLLS,' fronted by former
Cable Cable may refer to: Mechanical * Nautical cable, an assembly of three or more ropes woven against the weave of the ropes, rendering it virtually waterproof * Wire rope, a type of rope that consists of several strands of metal wire laid into a hel ...
drummer Richie Mills. Giles Perry went on work for the BBC, and has also produced videos for
Hundred Reasons Hundred Reasons are an English alternative rock band from Aldershot, Hampshire, and Teddington, South West London, formed in 1999. The band consists of Colin Doran (vocals), Larry Hibbitt (guitar, vocals), Andy Gilmour (bass) and Andy Bews (dru ...
and
Biffy Clyro Biffy Clyro are a Scottish rock band that formed in Kilmarnock, East Ayrshire, composed of Simon Neil (guitar, lead vocals), James Johnston (bass, vocals), and Ben Johnston (drums, vocals). Currently signed to 14th Floor Records, they have r ...
.


Reunion (2007–2008)

When questioned at the Download Festival in 2007,
Daniel P Carter Daniel Philip Carter (born 16 November 1972) is a British musician and radio DJ. He is the former singer and guitarist for hardcore punk band Hexes, the former bassist for A, the former lead guitarist for alternative rock band Bloodhound Gang ...
said the band would be reuniting for a "few shows" at the end of the year. In a 2008 interview, Jason Perry explained the hiatus and expressed how much he had enjoyed being in the band, reiterating the desire to record and tour again in the future. In August 2008, Adam Perry revealed six tour dates supporting
the Wildhearts The Wildhearts are an English rock band, formed in 1989 in Newcastle upon Tyne. The band's sound is a mixture of hard rock and melodic pop music, often described in the music press as combining influences as diverse as the Beatles and 1980s- ...
on the band's forum, noting that: "This is going to be wicked and we are grateful to the Wildhearts for dragging us from our retirement! Plus there are now big plans afoot to start the new record for next year." Bassist
Daniel P Carter Daniel Philip Carter (born 16 November 1972) is a British musician and radio DJ. He is the former singer and guitarist for hardcore punk band Hexes, the former bassist for A, the former lead guitarist for alternative rock band Bloodhound Gang ...
did not return to the band, however, and John Mitchell, front man of It Bites and producer of bands including
Enter Shikari Enter Shikari (stylised as enter: shikari and occasionally as ΣΠΤΣ℞ SΗΦΚ∆℞Φ) are a British rock band formed in St Albans, Hertfordshire, England in 1999 by bassist Chris Batten, lead vocalist and keyboardist Rou Reynolds, and dr ...
and
Funeral for a Friend Funeral for a Friend are a Welsh post-hardcore band from Bridgend, formed in 2001 and currently consists of Matthew Davies-Kreye (lead vocals), Kris Coombs-Roberts (guitar, backing vocals), Gavin Burrough (guitar, backing vocals), Darran Smi ...
, filled in for the tour.


Later work (2009 – present)

'A' played a 10-date UK tour in December 2009, supported by This City. On 13 May 2010,
Bowling For Soup Bowling for Soup (abbreviated as BFS) is an American rock band formed in Wichita Falls, Texas, in 1994. The band consists of Jaret Reddick (lead vocals, guitar), Chris Burney (guitar, backing vocals), Gary Wiseman (drums, percussion, backing voc ...
singer
Jaret Reddick Jaret Ray Reddick is an American musician, singer, songwriter, composer, podcaster and actor, best known as the lead vocalist, guitarist, and primary songwriter of the rock band Bowling for Soup. As a voice actor, Reddick is known for his work ...
announced 'A' as support band for their Autumn tour. 'A' then announced on their own Twitter on 26 May 2010 that Daniel P. Carter would be returning to the band for this tour. Later that year, Perry and Carter were credited as co-writers of
the Subways The Subways is an English rock band from Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire. Formed in 2002, the band consists of Billy Lunn (lead vocals, guitar), Charlotte Cooper (bass guitar, lead vocals), and Camille Phillips (drums). Founding-drummer Josh ...
song "I Wanna Dance With You" from the album '' Money & Celebrity''. 'A' played a one-off show at the Kasbah nightclub in Coventry on 1 December 2012. In June 2015, they played warm-up concerts in
St Albans St Albans () is a cathedral city in Hertfordshire, England, east of Hemel Hempstead and west of Hatfield, north-west of London, south-west of Welwyn Garden City and south-east of Luton. St Albans was the first major town on the old Roman ...
and
Royal Tunbridge Wells Royal Tunbridge Wells is a town in Kent, England, southeast of central London. It lies close to the border with East Sussex on the northern edge of the High Weald, whose sandstone geology is exemplified by the rock formation High Rocks ...
before headlining the 4th stage at that year's
Download Festival Download Festival is a British-created rock festival created by Terrance Gough, held annually at the Donington Park motorsport circuit in Leicestershire, England (since 2003); in Paris, France (since 2016); at Parramatta Park, Sydney (since 2 ...
. Andrew "Shay" Sheehy, formerly of
Kids in Glass Houses Kids in Glass Houses are a Welsh rock band from Cardiff. The band's name was inspired by the lyrics "not throwing stones at you anymore" from the Glassjaw song "Tip Your Bartender". The band achieved success on the strength of the singles " G ...
, filled in on bass guitar for these shows. In February 2018, 'A' embarked on an 8 date UK tour in support of Hell Is for Heroes, joined briefly by
McFly McFly are an English pop rock band formed in London in 2003. The band took their name from the '' Back to the Future'' character Marty McFly. The band consists of Tom Fletcher (lead vocals, guitar, and piano), Danny Jones (lead vocals, har ...
bassist
Dougie Poynter Dougie Lee Poynter (born 30 November 1987) is an English musician, songwriter, fashion model, aspiring clothing designer, children's author and actor. He is the bassist of the pop rock band McFly. Biography Early life Poynter was born in Orset ...
. and an appearance at Download Festival. In November 2018, the band went on a 9 date tour playing the album Hi-Fi Serious in full, with support from Wheatus and
InMe InMe are an English rock band originally formed in Brentwood, Essex in 1996. InMe have released seven studio albums, two EPs, one "bootleg" album, one best-of compilation, one live album, one live EP and an acoustic album. A DVD of the band's ...
followed by another UK headline tour and appearances at
Two Thousand Trees Festival 2000trees festival is an independent music festival held from Wednesday to Sunday on the second week of July at Upcote Farm, Withington, near Cheltenham in Gloucestershire. It offers a diverse selection of more than 120 acts across five stages, ...
and Camden Rocks in summer 2019. In November 2019, 'A' band played eight dates in the UK to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the album ''
A vs. Monkey Kong ''A' vs. Monkey Kong'' (titled ''Monkey Kong'' in the United States) is the second album by the British alternative rock band A, released via Tycoon Recordings/London Records on 9 September 1999. In May and June 2001, the band toured Europe as p ...
''. The band were joined by Tim HB, formally of
Architects (British band) Architects is a British metalcore band from Brighton, East Sussex, formed in 2004 by twin brothers Dan and Tom Searle. The band now consists of Dan Searle on drums, Sam Carter on vocals, Alex Dean on bass, and Adam Christianson and Josh Middlet ...
who stepped in on bass guitar for the tour. Support was provided by '68. During 2021 'A' performed on the main stage at the
Download Festival Download Festival is a British-created rock festival created by Terrance Gough, held annually at the Donington Park motorsport circuit in Leicestershire, England (since 2003); in Paris, France (since 2016); at Parramatta Park, Sydney (since 2 ...
Pilot event and the rescheduled Slam Dunk Festival. In April 2022 the band played a warm-up show in
Dover Dover () is a town and major ferry port in Kent, South East England. It faces France across the Strait of Dover, the narrowest part of the English Channel at from Cap Gris Nez in France. It lies south-east of Canterbury and east of Maids ...
before heading out around the UK on 11 dates as main support for
Reef A reef is a ridge or shoal of rock, coral or similar relatively stable material, lying beneath the surface of a natural body of water. Many reefs result from natural, abiotic processes—deposition of sand, wave erosion planing down rock ...
. 2023 has seen fresh rumors of new "A" material.


Members

Current members * Jason Perry – lead vocals (1993–2005, 2008–present) * Adam Perry – drums (1993–2005, 2008–present) * Giles Perry – keyboards, backing vocals (1993–2005, 2008–present) * Mark Chapman – guitar (1993–2005, 2008–present) Former members * Steve Swindon – bass guitar (1993–1997) *
Daniel P. Carter Daniel Philip Carter (born 16 November 1972) is a British musician and radio DJ. He is the former singer and guitarist for hardcore punk band Hexes, the former bassist for A, the former lead guitarist for alternative rock band Bloodhound Gang ...
– bass guitar, backing vocals (1997–2005, 2010–2012)


Discography

*''
How Ace Are Buildings ''How Ace Are Buildings'' is the debut album by British alternative rock band A, released in 1997. The album was re-released in 1998, in cassette and Limited Edition 12" formats. Whereas the cassette featured the same tracks, the 12" album als ...
'' (1997) *''
A vs. Monkey Kong ''A' vs. Monkey Kong'' (titled ''Monkey Kong'' in the United States) is the second album by the British alternative rock band A, released via Tycoon Recordings/London Records on 9 September 1999. In May and June 2001, the band toured Europe as p ...
'' (1999) *''
Exit Stage Right ''Exit Stage Right'' is a live album by British alternative rock band A, released in 2000 on London Records. It reached #3 on the UK Indie Chart. The title is a parody of Rush's 1981 live album Exit...Stage Left. Track listing All songs writt ...
'' (Live) (2000) *''
Hi-Fi Serious ''Hi-Fi Serious'' is the third studio album by British alternative rock band A, released in 2002. The name "Hi-Fi Serious" was derived from the name of the hi-fi electronics store Alan Partridge buys a Bang & Olufsen stereo from in the last ep ...
'' (2002) *''
Teen Dance Ordinance The Teen Dance Ordinance was a controversial Seattle law which severely curtailed the ability of concert and club promoters to hold events for underaged patrons. The organization Parents in Arms advocated for its creation. During its existence fr ...
'' (2005)


References


External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:A English indie rock groups Musical groups established in 1993 Warner Records artists Kerrang! Awards winners Sibling musical groups Musicians from Suffolk