Grade 'A'

Straight from jollie olde England, the five piece ensemble of A (yeah, that’s A), has strutted their stuff all across America. From the recording studio in LA to the vintage scene in Brussels, they have worked hard and toured long and even made the Germans sing "I Love Lake Tahoe."

"We’ve been together [as a band] about eight years, something like that, we’ve had a record deal for nearly five years now, and we’ve been touring about five years constantly. And boy, are we tired," says vocalist Jason Perry.

Three of the band members have been a unit much longer, however.

"We’ve been together since conception," Perry explains in complete sincerity. Besides Jason, the band is made of up two Perry brothers: Jason’s twin, Giles (keyboard), and older brother Adam (drums). Along with the brotherly talent is Mark Chapman, who kicks the sound with guitar, and Daniel P. Carter on bass. These five complete the hard-working eight-year-old English punk band.

In one nonstop tour after another the band has played with the Bloodhound Gang and Goldfinger (also appearing with them at The Brick Works).

"We’ve been touring with [the Bloodhound Gang] for most of the year, really, places in Europe," explains Jason Perry. "They’re massive in Germany, and places like that: Austria, France, Spain, everywhere in Europe they’re really, really big, even in England now they’re massive." Bringing in the crowd, the Gang introduced A to some of their followers, but most needed no introduction.

"The ‘I Love Lake Tahoe’ song was a big hit in Germany, so it went down really well every night. It’s amazing how everybody knows our songs, just start playing it and everyone goes off, kind of shocking every night." While the Germans may have had it in for A, most Americans — or Chicoans, anyhow — probably haven’t been keyed into the sound A has been mass performing.

A’s genre is difficult to classify: they are pop, they are electric, they are weird. It is safe to call them an alternative band, that is the only radio set that will air their music. With crazy keyboards and sweet synthesizers, A brandishes the scene with new age punk / rock. With influences like The Police and The Clash, to Van Halen and Busta Rhymes, A cannot be categorized as just another name on the chart, they are something more, something a mother would call "special." Especially when the words Beastie Boys are mentioned. "Beastie Boys are my favorite band in the whole world, ever. No wrong in my eyes, the greatest live band, the greatest recording band, the greatest everything, I love them." Perry’s self-description is a little more clarifying: "It’s just A, it’s kind of eclectic, we can rock with the best of them, when we want to, but we’re kind of on the pop side kind of melody and harmony, like the Beach Boys."

The keyboard seems to be the ultimate focus of A’s sound, with classic and synthesized sounds intermingled to create unparalleled melodies. A also includes electronic sounds with the usual vigorous guitar, bass and severe drums. The best part however, is Jason Perry himself, who happens to have a rare voice, and matched with the English accent it makes for a cool and definitely distinct sound. America does not seem to push out too many artists as distinct as A. Moby is a bit in the same genre, but he is more mellow, smoother. Perhaps it is in our best interest to let the English come and teach us what it is we are really missing out on. That is meant with a bit of irony, seeing as how many of A’s influences and desires reside in the States. However, they did grow up in England and do know the scene better than we do. Let the residents reign. While this montage of sound is fascinating and something from which we can grow and learn, is it something that will sell? Will the kids enjoy this international music lesson? It is believed that when A hits the Chico stage, many a shiny face will be awed by their evident talent and rockabilly attitude. Not to mention A has a firm stance in the American music environment, so they will be a name we hear many a time more. Jason heartily agreed, saying that this is "the first of many times you’re gonna see us, we’ve got in your doorsteps. We’re not like other English bands that just come over and play New York and LA, and then go home; we’re here to work. We spend so much time here anyway we feel like we live here. Everyone in England thinks we’re American anyway."

Well, we certainly know that A is not American, and it just might have to do with the thick English accents, but that is part of the whole genre, and what makes their music super-cool. They will also be sticking around awhile with one CD already in America and another on the way.

A currently has two full-length albums, one live CD (Exit Stage Right, released in 1999) and they anxiously await to record a third full-length. How Ace Are Building, their first CD, has not yet expanded to the U.S. but Monkey Kong is readily available, with songs like the elderly bashing "Old Folks" and the anthem "A." Perry explained the production of their first release, "The first album was already out before Dan [Carter] joined the band, we recorded the first record [How Ace Are Building] in Los Angeles with Thom Wilson, the Offspring Producer. So it was really good we spent the first three months of our fine career in the states, in L.A — that’s where we discovered Lake Tahoe." After recording in LA, the moved back to England to record their sophomore album.

"The second album, Monkey Kong — which is the one that’s out now — we recorded that in Brussels, in Europe, which is not the most exciting place to go, but probably the best recording studio in the world. It’s an amazing recording studio, and it’s quite cheap as well. It’s got all this awesome gear, vintage gear, vintage microphones, amps and guitars, it’s awesome, amazing."

Also on Monkey Kong is the infamous "Here We Go Again (I Love Lake Tahoe)" song that just killed the Germans. However, as most young bands learn, CD sales are not going to get you a fancy crib in LA. But they will give you roots and something to work from and continue to learn and branch from. With three CDs already laid in cement, A doesn’t have a worry in the world, except whether or not they can make it to Tahoe for snowboarding.

While touring has been good for A, they have also been getting some radio play, but, mostly touring scores the broad goals. "Huge, huge arenas in Europe, huge places and big outdoor football stadiums, and that kind of stuff." That is what A is getting used to playing in. I suppose Chico’s enthusiastic crowd will have to make up for the lack of masses. But Perry doesn’t have his hopes up, "Hopefully they’ll like us, you never know, Chico might be a place where they hate us, get guns and shoot us. I’m waiting for that one."

I have a feeling Chico will be a bit kinder than that, but we will see.

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