Interview: Joey McIntyre (New Kids On The Block)

22 November 2011

NKOTBSB

Next year, New Kids On The Block and Backstreet Boys will bring their NKOTBSB collaboration to the UK.

We spoke to NKOTB member Joey McIntyre about the tour, their joint Greatest Hits and much more.

-How has it been touring with Backstreet Boys in the States? Do you all get along well?
Yeah, like I said, we got along marvoulously. It was a blast. We're just a bunch of guys getting to do what we love every night - performing, on the road, to sold-out arenas. It doesn't really get much better than that!

It is also a challenge, as lucky as it is, you have to stay on your game, you're away from home, away from your families. There's sacrifices along the way, but we're playing at the height of the game. It's an awesome thing.

-What can fans expect from the live show itself?
Do you guys have Billboard Magazine over there? Well, they're doing an article, the making of the home run - how we changed the game of how bands tour together. It's funny, sometimes the simplist thing becomes brilliant.

We decided to make it one big show, instead of "one band goes on for an hour, then another band goes on for an hour". We combined the two groups to make one big, awesome rollercoaster of a show.

Like I said, we feed off it, and they feed off it - and the fans feed off it. It's definitely, for a pop concert, it's in overdrive - it's awesome. It's something that I don't think a lot of people have experience, as far as pop shows go, with two great bands trading off.

-You've released a combined Greatest Hits. How was the track-list put together?
What we did was, we let the fans decide. So, it wasn't difficult because we let the fans decide. They voted, and whatever the top 5 songs were for each band, is what made it. It was kinda easy in that respect.

-How's the reaction been to 'Turn Out The Lights'?
I think it's a great song. To have both groups on one record, it's cool. It's a bit of pop history, and getting together like that was very cool. It's a great song, it's great to have something like that to play live every night. It's a special and fun moment in the show. It was kinda written specifically for that moment in the show. It's always fun to write something for a specific spot. The reaction's been great - it was an important piece of the puzzle.

-With your supergroup, and Take That's success, what do you think is the reason for this recent boyband revival?
I can't speak specifically for the Take That thing cos I don't know it that well. They came a little bit after us, and got back together a little bit before us. When you are a teen idol sensation, it's a moment in time in your fans' lives.

They got absolutely bananas, they lose their minds, and then they grow up and get their own boyfriends. They go to college, they have life experiences and we all move on.

Specifically for New Kids fans, I think, you know, they're at a different place in their life. They've jumped into a career, or they've got married and had kids. Now they can look back on that time with...more of an open heart. They can really embrace the past.

The cool thing is we're still young enough, so there's plenty of nostalgia, but it's still fun, current, exciting.

Obviously Take That has proven that - even though it's something from the past, it's still very current. You can't argue with the success, but timing is everything.

Our fans were ready to come back, and we were ready to come back. Going through all that we did, we needed a lot of time off and we've done stuff on our own now.

-How did the collaboration with Backstreet Boys come about initially?
Well, the New Kids got back together in 2008, had a huge arena tour. If you call it a comeback, it was an amazing comeback. Our fans stepped up, it was...it was really something to be a part of it. It was amazing.

Over the past few years we've been having a blast with our fans, and trying to keep it fresh or new. We didn't wanna get old. We don't want it to get old.

I know that the five of us...we're not going to do it if it's not something new and exciting to us. We've been able to do that. In that thinking, we've feeded off each other. One group does a few songs, the other does a few. It's very energetic - it's worked.

-Last year, Brian said that he'd been writing new material with Donny. Can we expect more from the supergroup in the future?
I don't know. Right now, we're looking forward to this tour. You know, you've got two groups, each group has its plans and aspirations - and then, within those two groups, you have 9 individuals that have careers, families and dreams.

Right now, there's nothing on the table for both groups together. What we've done here, so far, is really special. We hold it in high regard - whatever it is, we want to keep it that way. All doors are open, so we'll see.

-Along with the tour, you've also got your annual New Kids On the Block cruise. Can you tell us a bit about that?
Well, I guess this is number four - it sold out in minutes and it's becoming it's own little phenomenom, the New Kids Cruise. It's a blast - it's a microcosm of the New Kids nation, and what we do.

People have taken four days out of their life to fly to Miami, get on a boat and have the time of their lives. It's a blast, but we take it very seriously. We want it to be fulfilling and special.

We sit around, every time we put another one sale, like...is it still gonna sell out? It keeps selling out faster. Than we think...how can we top that? It's a fun little chapter in the New Kids story.

-Are you excited to bring the NKOTBSB tour to the UK?
Oh, of course! We're thrilled. We've been so fortunate to do what we're doing. To bring it to the UK is a whole different energy. Being from the States, we know what it was like for our fans there...I think it's going to be heightened.

I know the Backstreet Boys have spent a lot more time there than we have. I think that's going to add to the excitement, and bring out more New Kids fans because of that as well. It's like a snowball. We feed off each other, it's really cool. It becomes one fanbase, once the tour starts.