SOCAL BAND FT MEMBERS OF FLOGGING MOLLY, THROW RAG TO PLAY SUPERNOVA SKA FESTIVAL.

San Diego, CA – May, 2026 – 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 has released a new music video for their second single, the title track from their debut LP ‘Rude And Lovely‘, currently available for pre-order via Pirates Press Records. The LP is scheduled for release on July 10, 2026.

“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 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!”

An exclusive sneak preview of the single & its music video premiered via the website of Supernova International Ska Festival, following the announcement that A-100s had been added to the lineup for this year’s festival in Hampton, VA this September. Tickets are now on sale for Supernova, which also includes fellow Pirates Press Records recording artists The Slackers & The Aggrolites. Fans in Europe can pre-order the album from Coretex Records, and those in the UK can order from Plastic Head Megastore! 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!

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 Petty 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.