Dylan Jones interviewed A1’s Mark Read ahead of their performance at G-A-Y this weekend.
So we hear A1 are playing G-A-Y at Heaven soon…
Yes we are indeed, on the 9th.
Are you excited?
Yes, always a great gig. We’ve actually played there about eleven times now. We used to do a gig there every time we released a new single. It’ll be great to go back there.
So, you’re quite seasoned clientele then?
I guess so! After playing there more than ten times, I think we would qualify.
Didn’t you have your comeback gig at G-A-Y?
Yeah! That was a really interesting one because it was way before Big Reunion and all that. We had been planning to come back to the UK for a while. We had been together a lot longer before that. We ended as a three-piece around 2003 and then myself, Ben and Christopher actually got together back in 2009. We just went over to Norway for a one-off gig, and things went so well! We got a TV show over there, which got really great ratings, and they wanted us to do an album over there. Christian’s Norwegian so we’ve got Norwegian in the blood.
What’s kept you going back to G-A-Y so many times?
Definitely the atmosphere, they’re always the best gigs. Any time we’re in London we jump at it. Back in the day it was always one of the wildest gigs, it was always one of the most appreciative audiences. Sometimes when you do some shows you feel like you have to play it a little bit cool; and think you need to shy away from some of the things that actually brought us to the dance. We can’t do the cheesy dance routines, we can’t do this, we can’t do this… Some audiences embrace it more than others. The G-A-Y audiences really enjoy us doing the full-on dance routine, so we’re happy to do it again.
It must be fun just being a bit camp and silly.
Absolutely! It’s so much fun. You can’t really generalise and say one audience is different from the other, but generally they’re always up for a really good time at G-A-Y, and it’s just party night from the moment you get on stage.
Well it was great to speak to you Mark. We’ll come and see you on the 7th
No the 7th is Porn Idol, we’re playing on the 9th!
Oh.
Just go to both. Porn Idol, can’t miss that.
• A1 are at G-A-Y @ Heaven (Under the Arches, Villiers Street, Charing Cross, WC2N 6NG) on Saturday 9th May, 11pm-5am. Discount entry wristbands available at G-A-Y Bar.
