Ska/Reggae Band A100sAnnounce Debut LP Rude and Lovely
SKA/REGGAE BAND A100s ANNOUNCE DEBUT LP RUDE AND LOVELY
FIRST SINGLE NOW STREAMING BY SOCAL BAND FT MEMBERS OF FLOGGING MOLLY, THROW RAG
San Diego, CA – April 17, 2025 – Southern California’s A100s are a brand new band nearly a decade in the making from the core songwriting duo of Matt Hensley (accordionist of Flogging Molly) and Sean Wheeler (vocalist of Throw Rag), playing music inspired by vintage ska & reggae with a touch of Conjunto accordion. The band have just announced pre-orders for their debut LP Rude and Lovely, co-produced by The Aggrolites’ Roger Rivas, via Pirates Press Records. The LP is scheduled for release on July 10, 2026. The album is available for pre-order from Pirates Press Records (and Coretex Records in Europe). Lead single “Too Rad To Be Sad” is now streaming on all major platforms, and the music video can be viewed on YouTube!
Although their best known projects are known for their distinctive takes on Celtic punk and desert punk, respectively, both Hensley & Wheeler 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.
Hensley first pitched the idea for A100s to Wheeler nearly a decade ago in 2017, framing it in the context of vintage ska & reggae sounds with a touch of Conjunto accordion. In the ensuing years, the duo worked on songwriting in between tours by their main bands, and Hensley worked on building a studio.
Over time, an impressive array of collaborators coalesced, and the combined pedigree of the band is truly legendary in the annals of underground music: members of Mariachi El Bronx, Mad Caddies, Smoke & Mirrors Sound System, and folks who have played alongside greats such as Jimmy Cliff, Symarip, Roddy Radiation, and even Tom Pettyhave 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!
“Rolling through Mexico City looking out the backseat window like one hundred times before…taking in the rhythm of the city, I see a rotulo on a beauty salon’s storefront: ‘Rude and Lovely,’ hand painted to perfection,” explains Sean Wheeler. Unable to get the phrase out of his head, he excitedly called Hensley immediately. “That’s it! The perfect statement for what we had been doing musically!”
Regarding the debut single, “Too Rad To Be Sad,” Wheeler points to it as a message of hope & resilience. He says it is about “reminding those around us to keep their heads up. Stay in the light and remind them that they are loved, appreciated, and necessary for the bright future ahead.”
Rude and Lovely by A-100s is available from Pirates Press Records on 12” Martian Marble Vinyl and 12” Iridescent Gold Vinyl. Look for it wherever you get your ska & reggae records July 10th, 2026!
Fans in Europe can pre-order the album from Coretex Records, and those in the UK can order from Plastic Head Megastore!
Additionally, the PPR webstore has pre-orders available for A-100s T-shirts, Hoodies, and Crewnecks in a variety of different colors and cuts!
A100s, 2026
Photo Credit: Grant Brittain
For more information on A100s
https://instagram.com/
https://piratespressrecords.
https://a100sband.bandcamp.