New Kids on the Block reunited for a brand new album in 2008, their first in 14 years. The Block hit number 2 in the US and reintroduced the group onto the music scene.
On the back of its success New Kids on the Block teamed up with Backstreet Boys for a world tour which saw them perform in the UK after a long absence. Five years after The Block the group is ready to release brand new album 10.
We caught up with Jordan Knight from the group to talk about 10, find outĀ more about new single Remix (I Like The) and to find out when New Kids on the Block will be back in the UK.
The last time we spoke to you were preparing to come across to the UK with the Backstreet Boys for the NKOTBSB tour. New Kids on the Block are about to release their new album 10. Tell us all about it.
Weāre only collaborating amongst ourselves on this record. The last album, The Block, was released on Interscope records and we collaborated with a lot of music artists that were on that label at the time. It was collaboration heavy so this time around we have just stuck together and weāre doing it all by ourselves. With this album thereās definitely more of a deeper musicality and more introspective songs. Thereās less āletās go out, have a drink, party and danceā to it. Itās more introspective on relationships and things like that.
The feel of the album is very different to The Block. Whereas that album felt more R&B-influenced, 10 feels more pop and closer to the music youāre known for. Was that a conscious shift?
Yes. The Block was more like that. We felt that we needed to take it back home and do some big pop songs; really sing from the heart with some good ballads and pop songs for the girls.
The focus of 10 really is on the vocals and those harmonies are tightā¦
Itās definitely more vocal conscious. When you have a song with a beat itās more about the rhythm and attitude and less about how well you execute the notes. This time we had to really execute the notes to stand out against the bed of the beautiful music. We spent a lot more time on the vocals making sure they were sounding really good.
Why did you decide to release Remix (I Like The) as the lead single from the album?
I think with Remix (I Like The) we just wanted to come in a little left and catch people off guard by doing a song that we wouldnāt necessarily do. I think we pull it off but itās not your regular pop/R&B type song. Itās more of a Bruno Mars/Adele/Cee-Lo throwback kind of record that you hear a lot of these days.
The beat is really strong on the track. Weāre loving the video too. Where did the concept for that come from?
The concept of the song is basically saying āsexy isnāt necessarily sexy, confidence is sexyā. You can look at an aesthetically beautiful girl but because of her attitude she doesnāt even look beautiful when you get to know her. I think itās a message that we should all learn and itās an old message ā beauty comes from within. Itās about your attitude and your self-confidence that makes you attractive not the outside.
Letās talk a bit about the making of the record. How does the dynamic work in the studio?
We always collaborate with producers and writers, and people that are in the studio every day doing it for a living. We do music for a living but weāre not in the studio every day so we go in and listen to people we admire to hear what theyāre doing. We put in our two cents then we go back and forth with ideas. Maybe thereās a song with a great melody but the track isnāt so hot so weāll ask the producer to change it up and put a heavier/lighter drum beat. Sometimes thereās a track thatās great but it just doesnāt suit us so we give the writers ideas. Donnie, Joey and myself go in there first and make tweaks.
Do you have more creative control over your music at this stage in your career?
We have 100% control. Weāve had a lot, even when we were young, than what is perceived. Weāre five guys that have been in the business forever now and we know what we need to do and where we need to go more than anybody. More than our managers, more than any producers, more than anybody we know what to do. Weāre the guys in control.
It was fantastic to see you on stage here in the UK last year. We know youāre gearing up for a tour with 98 Degrees and Boyz II Men in the US. Can you tell us about that?
Itās called The Package Tour. 98 Degrees havenāt been together in 10 years so theyāre doing a reunion like ours and itāll be their first time performing on a tour in over 10 years. Boyz II Men have been touring but theyāve never teamed up with another group like us. Based on what has happened with the Backstreet Boys we know itās like a powder keg when you put groups together that have a lot of hits. It draws a lot of people; they want to come and hear all those songs they grew up with. Boyz II Men are such great singers with such big pop songs. They are a good combination to go along with us and 98 Degrees.
Will the show use a similar format to the NKOTBSB tour where you perform songs together and separately within your respective groups?
This tour is a little different. With the Backstreet Boys we did it together and opened the show together. This tour is a headlining tour for New Kids on the Block. Itās going to be pretty hard to resist coming up with songs to do with Boyz II Men and 98 Degrees. The good thing about the last tour with the Backstreet Boys is that we did stuff together but some of our fans wanted to see us just performing our own material. Weāre trying to accommodate both things here at the same time. We want to give the fans a lot of us exclusively but we want to collaborate with the other groups for sure.
Do you have any plans to bring the tour to the UK or perform any New Kids on the Block shows over here?
Weād like to definitely tour the UK and sing a lot of the songs off the 10 album. Weāll have to figure out our schedule. Itāll most likely be around this time next year if we can do it.
How do you find the UK audiences?
Theyāre great. Itās cool to see. Obviously we donāt live in the UK so itās a pleasant surprise to go to another country and find fans that are as into you as US fans. Itās very humbling and gratifying. We just feel really grateful that we have the fan base that we have.
We can safely say weāve never heard as much screaming as we did when we saw you at The O2ā¦
Yeah The O2 is such a big place and an incredible, incredible place to do a concert. The fans weāre definitely into it and we were into them for sure.
What are your hopes with 10? What would you like it to achieve?
As long as our fans love it thatās it right there. Of course we want it to go into the mainstream, go to the top of the charts and be a big album. Thatās gravy for us. We do it for our fans and if it catches on then thatās great too. As long as our fans love it and respond well to it weāre good.
Have you got time to fit anything else in this year?
Weāll see. Weāre going to do some performances in the fall and TV performances before getting ready to do an overseas tour. Hopefully weāll be in the UK before you know it.
Do you have any plans for any more solo material?
Yes! I donāt know exactly when because 10 is coming out and weāre touring with it. Iām trying to find a spot to fit it in where it doesnāt feel awkward (laughs). I did a tour myself with my last solo album and it was a lot of fun. Iāve been dying to do it in the UK and do a show but itās just finding the time. Maybe after I do another solo album maybe Iāll do a show in the UK. Itās always fun to go over there and perform.
New Kids on the Blockās new album 10 is available now.