Profile of A1
a1 was a relatively successful British boy band whose first single, "Be The First To Believe", was released in 1999. Its members were Mark Read, Paul Marazzi, Ben Adams and Christian Ingebrigtsen (from Norway). a1 also won a Brit Award for 'British breakthrough act' in 2001.
Biography
The group's publicity focused on the fact that a1 wrote many of their own songs, and that three of the four play musical instruments. Read plays the piano and drum, Adams plays the piano oboe and violin and Ingebrigtsen plays the piano and guitar. After an initial period during which they achieved success in the UK singles chart, in autumn 2000 two of their singles went to number one in the chart within nine weeks: "Take On Me" and "Same Old Brand New You". The former was a cover of A-ha's 1985 single, which itself only reached a number two position in the UK charts in 1986. a1 also won the smash hits award for best video for "Take on Me". Ben Adams also won "most fanciable male" the year after. In 2001 they toured Asia, where they were well-received. The music video for their single "No More" was filmed in Singapore.leg of their tour, whilst they performed in a shopping mall called Taman Anggrek Mall, four teenage girls were killed in a stampede. The band members were upset by the incident, and all four considered leaving the band.
Their third album, Make It Good, featured a sound closer to traditional rock music, but was to be their last studio project.
On October 8, 2002 Paul Marazzi left the band citing personal reasons, and the group subsequently split.
They released a Best Of album in January 2004 which featured previously unreleased concert recordings, their singles, and two unreleased studio recordings.
Ben Adams released the solo single, "Sorry", which reached #18 in the UK Singles Chart in April 2005.
Christian has since become popular back in his home country of Norway and Mark is still writing songs for many artists.
Discography
Studio albums
Here we come * Released 1999 * UK Album Chart: # 20
The A list * Released: 2000 * UK Album Chart: # 14
Make it good * Released: 2002 * UK Album Chart: # 15
Compilations
The Best of a1 * Released: 2004
Band Personnel
Ben Adams
Ben Adams (born Benjamin Anthony Edward Stevens Adams, 22 November 1981, in Middlesex, UK) is a British pop singer, and was a member of the British boyband, A1.
He attended Bedales School which he left after his GCSEs at 16 to join Charterhouse School before which Westminster Under School, where he was head chorister of the school choir and of St. Margaret's Choir of Westminster Abbey.
After winning a Brit Award and having two Number one singles, A1 began to decline from the public eye.
After a couple of years writing, Adams made a comeback with a new solo recording contract. He is currently working on an album. His first solo single, "Sorry", reached #18 on the UK Singles Chart in June 2005.
He co-wrote the Lisa Scott-Lee single "Electric".
He has dated former S Club 7 lead singer, Jo O'Meara.
Mark Read
Christian Ingebrigtsen
He was born into a musical family. His father Stein Ingebrigtsen was the biggest selling recording artist in Norway in the 1970's. Already at the age of 3 Christian joined his father on tour. He learned to play the violin at six, and later started playing the piano and guitar. At school he concentrated on music and drama, and eventually played the piano at local events and at church. At 16 he started composing his own songs, and as an exchange student in Kentucky in the US he participated in musicals, talent contests and held his own concerts. In 1995 he was even given the state award Kentucky Colonel, something he shares with the likes of Bing Crosby and Winston Churchill.
In 1996 Christian got into the new highly anticipated LIPA academy in Liverpool, where he studied song-writing and production. In 1998 he was one of 2500 auditioning for a new boyband. A teacher at LIPA recommended Christian to manager Tim Byrne working on putting together the group, and he became the third member of a1, who after becoming a quartet, signed a record deal with Columbia records in 1999
Paul Marazzi
Paul Leo Thomas Marazzi (born 24th January 1975 in Wanstead, London) was a member of the British boyband A1.
He grew up in the East End of London and in Hertfordshire, and moved to Benidorm in Spain when he was 18.
He auditioned for a new boyband which Tim Bryne and Vicky Blood wanted to put together; Paul was the only candidate they liked at the auditions. The project went on to find Ben Adams, Mark Read (singer) and Christian Ingebrigtsen, and a year later a1 was complete.
Paul plays the bass (though not professionally), and he is also a master of the tambourine.
He is quoted as providing the following essential advice: "Never kiss a cow's bottom with your tongue".
Paul is currently in a stinky band called Snagsby
