A-100s

Pirates Press Records is thrilled to announce Rude and Lovely, the debut album by Southern California’s A-100s! A-100s are a new band steeped in the traditions of ska, reggae, and rocksteady, but the players are far from new! The core of the band is Matt Hensley (accordionist of Flogging Molly) and Sean Wheeler (vocalist of Throw Rag)! Although their best known projects are known for their distinctive takes on Celtic punk and desert punk, respectively, both collaborators have a deep love of classic Jamaican reggae & ska. Hensley even previously played guitar & keys in the early 90s ska band Spy Kids, several members of whom contribute to A-100s in the studio and onstage. Speaking of collaborators, the combined pedigree of the band is truly legendary in the annals of underground music: members of Mariachi El Bronx, Mad Caddies, Smoke and Mirrors Sound System, and folks who have played alongside greats such as Jimmy Cliff, Symarip, and even Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers have all left their mark on this record! In other words, this is THE REAL DEAL! And in order to capture all this talent on wax, no less than Roger Rivas of fellow Pirates recording artists The Aggrolites co-produced the album. The sound of the A-100s is reverent to the roots of the music, and at the same time authentic to themselves, adding touches of Conjunto accordion. It’s sweet & beautiful sounds played with just the right dose of raw & ramshackle to keep things interesting. It’s Rude and Lovely!