Joey Interview with BBC

Interview from BBC News

Talking shop:
New Kid Joey MacIntyre

In the late 1980s and early 1990s, New Kids on the Block were the biggest boy band on the planet. Jordan and Jonathan Knight, Donnie Wahlberg, Joey McIntyre, and Danny Wood sold millions of albums, and set the template for groups like Take That, and 'N Sync.

After a 14 year hiatus, the boys are back together with a new album, The Block, under their belt, and a tour which is due to hit the UK in January.

McIntyre, the youngest kid on the block (he's 35), talked to the BBC News website about getting back together, crazy fans, and selling his NKOTB memorabilia on eBay.

How does it feel to be making a comeback?

I'm not nervous, probably because I get to spend time with four other guys that I love and respect. We shared so much and we were all willing to go at it again - that was enough!

Who was the driving force in getting you all back together?

I think we all were in our own way but, speaking as a fan of music and bands, you want all the members to take part.

Even John - who is arguably the guy who hasn't been in the business and wasn't necessarily born to be on stage, although he's still really talented. But without him it wouldn't be all five, it wouldn't be the real deal.

On the other end of the spectrum, Donnie was the executive producer of the album and, as far as the day-to-day is concerned, he was very, very involved. I like to think of myself as his wing-man!

Jordan is the lead singer so he had to be there, then Danny throughout the years has been a huge part of this troop. It's a team effort.

Did you see bands like Take That getting back together and think 'we can do that!'?

I don't think us getting back together had anything to do with any other group - whether it's Take That or Metallica! I realise now just how big the Take That reunion was, but we are talking about different people and different sounds. We didn't take the temperature of the pop world.

How old are your fans these days?

I guess most of them are between 25 and 35, but some of our fans have kids and nieces and nephews who like us.

When I saw you perform at Whitley Bay Ice Rink in the early 1990s, Donnie was hanging out of a window throwing toilet rolls at the screaming fans below. Can we expect the same rick n' roll high jinks this time?

Maybe... maybe! That could sound like a horrible thing to do, but if you know Donnie like the fans know Donnie, you know he does it with love. If anyone can throw toilet paper with love it's Donnie!

I think what Donnie is excited about this time is meeting those same fans in the hotel bar, instead of throwing things out of the window.

That's Donnie's quest is to meet every fan in the road and give them a hug and spend some quality time with them.


Danny couldn't perform on a few dates during that tour because he had slipped on a toy thrown onto the stage by fans. Will these dangerous items be banned this time around?

The UK fans are, I don't know man, I think it's that soccer-game mentality. You guys can get kind of crazy. We thought our fans in America were crazy but when we came over there we felt like we needed armoured vehicles or something!

You guys weren't even drinking back then, so God forbid you have a pint before the show or something. I don't know what is going to happen.

Looking back at all that madness, how does it feel now?

I think of flashes. I think of playing in London and staying at the Mayfair hotel, and having thousands of girls out in the street, and the Mayfair politely asking us not to come back again!

It was fun. Wild stuff. But at the same time you were realising that this was probably way too much for a 17-year-old kid to be going through.

How well did you cope after New Kids split up?

When you are that famous, a little peace and quiet is great!

But, through that period, I probably went out too much and partied too much, but I had a good family who didn't let me fall too far.

Did you keep any of the mountains of New Kid memorabilia - like the lunchboxes and sleeping bags and dolls?

I think there is a box of it around, but I don't know if it is in storage or my mothers basement.

Are you not tempted to sell it on eBay?

Thank God I didn't! I'm sure it's worth five or 10 cents more now we're back together.

Tell me about the new album.

Lyrically, we are talking about more mature relationships. The song Two in the Morning is about working things out in a relationship, and there is a more mature party side too. We're not talking about popsicles any more, we're talking about having a good time. We just try to be honest and go with the flow.

There's a song on the album called Sexify. What does "Sexify" mean? Surely it's too raunchy for New Kids?

I think so too! I tried to make a plea as the good boy of the group but it didn't work!

The guy who wrote it, Nasri, was like "I was kidding!" They played the track and we're all sitting around, grooving on, and he was like (sings) "Sexify my love!" And we all looked at him! But when you're writing music things just happen and you roll with it.

No matter what it's called it is a really sexy record.

When I was 13, I was in love with you for a whole week. So on behalf of myself, and the millions of other Joey fans out there, I have to ask - are you single?

I'm married with a nine month old boy and my wife is amazing. I'm sorry it didn't work out for us.

I'm sorry too...

I guess we just weren't meant to be...