Donnie Wahlberg's experience with Hurricane Sandy

Donnie had some first-hand experience with Hurricane Sandy's destruction. Here are some videos he posted on Twitter last night from his apartment in NYC.


Video courtesy of suzi98babe

 
He has since updated his Twitter to say "Safe and Sound on Higher Ground! Don't worry about me. Material things are meaningless. Check in with those you know in the storm! Stay safe!!" and "Lump is safe and sound with me."

Several media outlets have reported on Donnie's videos. Here are some links if you would like to read them.

E! Online: Donnie Wahlberg's Apartment Floods, NYC Celebs Blown Away by Hurricane Sandy

US Weekly: Donnie Wahlberg Wades Through Flooded Home Post-Sandy

Daily Mail: Donnie Wahlberg shares dramatic video of apartment 'under a foot of water' as celebs sit out Superstorm Sandy

TMZ: DONNIE WAHLBERG Hurricane Sandy FLOODED My Entire Apt

Joey McIntyre at 8th Annual Pink Party

Joey McIntyre attended the 8th Annual Pink Party at Barkar Hangar on October 27, 2012 in Santa Monica, California. The event benefited the Cedars-Sinai Women's Cancer Program.

New Kids on the Block in the recording studio update

Here are some recording studio photos that the guys shared with us on Twitter... even Jonathan is singing! Also, according to Jordan, they did a photo shoot this morning too.

NKOTB in the studio this weekend

In cased you missed the tweets, the guys have been tweeting about going to Los Angeles this weekend to record some new music!  Here are some highlights...


@JonathanRKnight
L.A. bound..... It's a good weekend for making some new NKOTB music!


@DonnieWahlberg
I think it would be unfair to let @jordanknight go to the studio all alone tonight... WHEELS UP! #NKOTB2013!

BH's, Lovers, friends, followers, random passers by, even those dreaded haters... I am #SAFE&SOUND&ONTHEGROUND! Time to make some music!

T Minus 1 hour til me and @jordanknight get together and get it popping! TWUGS and TWEETS and TWITPICS to follow!



@jordanknight
La here I come!!

Watch Donnie Wahlberg on CBS New York

Donnie was interviewed on the show "The Couch" on CBS New York . Here is the video clip.

Update: Video has been deleted, does anyone have it saved?

Listen to Donnie Wahlberg on Kiss 108

Donnie did an interview with Matty in the Morning on Kiss 108 this morning.

Update: Interview has been deleted, does anyone have it saved?

Nikki Van Noy's interview with Rock Book Show

Rock Book Show interviewed Nikki Van Noy about her authorized biography "New Kids On The Block: Five Brothers and a Million Sisters". Check out the video below.

Video courtesy of rockbookshow

Postmedia News article about Jordan Knight

Postmedia News talked with Jordan recently.  Here is their article posted on canada.com

NKOTB's Jordan Knight on solo career: 'I have the best of both worlds'

By Mike Devlin

Jordan Knight has developed a solid outlook on his career, one which has ebbed and flowed in dramatic fashion since his arrival as a pop star in 1986.

More than anything else, Knight is equipped to handle the pressure that comes with being famous nowadays -- more so than he did as a teenager when his group, New Kids on the Block, sold 80 million records and $400 million worth of merchandise during the late '80s and early '90s.

"You're not worried about what people are thinking, or if your next record is going to be a hit," Knight, 42, said from his home in Boston. "There's none of those kinds of thoughts. It's smooth sailing now. We're all comfortable in our own skin."

Knight and his fellow New Kids have begun recording the followup to 2008's The Block, the group's first studio album following a 14-year break. At the moment, he's occupied with details relating to his Canadian solo tour.

He's ecstatic about the state of his career in 2012, having weathered the lean years following the dissolution of NKOTB in 1994. Knight -- a sober, dashing, happily married father to two sons, aged five and 13 -- is now able to balance all facets of his life, an outright impossibility during the world-domination years of NKOTB.

"I have the best of both worlds," he said. "Back then, it was too much. If I went to the mall, you'd have to shut the mall down. Now, I can go to the mall, sign a few autographs, and a few people pat me on the back and I'm on my way."

After a tour with NKOTB wrapped in June, Knight took the summer off. He vacationed in Cape Cod with his wife and children, a way of re-energizing his batteries for the solo tour that is currently underway in support of his fourth solo album, Unfinished.

Knight loves being back in Canada, the site of NKOTB's resurrection in 2008 and the country for which he has an official passport (both his parents are Canadian). Canuck audiences are always incredibly nice, Knight said, stopping short of comparing them to American ones.

NKOTB always had a love-hate relationship with audiences south of the border, in part because of one major misunderstanding. Much of the criticism levelled upon one of the pre-eminent boy bands in pop history was from whites accusing NKOTB of being pop impostors pretending to be black.

That's the irony of it all. Black audiences had no problem with them whatsoever, Knight said.

"When we came up, most black people who saw us do it liked the music. They saw that we were genuine and felt comfortable with us. We weren't scared or afraid, we just wanted to entertain."

Knight and two of his bandmates, Donnie Wahlberg and brother Jonathan Knight, were born and raised in Dorchester, Mass., a segregated, primarily black, inner-city neighbourhood.

When it was time to enroll in high school, the two Knights and Wahlberg were bused out of Dorchester to a school in nearby Roxbury, as per the state law which ordered school districts to desegregate.

It wasn't easy, but being exposed to different musical cultures is what gave NKOTB -- who were put together by producer Maurice Starr, a black concert promoter who worked a similar magic with New Edition -- a leg up on the competition right out of the gate.

"All of our very first shows were in front of black audiences. He didn't send us into white neighbourhoods. All of his connections were in the black music world, so we were brought up in that."

The us-against-the-world mentality kept NKOTB members together through the unfathomable highs and perilous lows. That the original group is still together as a unit speaks to a lot of things, Knight said, not the least of which is the core friendship that binds the group.

NKOTB will have a new CD in the spring, which is to be followed by a summer tour. Once his solo tour wraps, Knight will switch back into gang mode, a mentality that NKOTB had to adopt in order to survive a business that quite often eats its young.

"When you're new and fresh and on top of the world, the world is holding you on a pedestal," he said. "There's a lot of people that want to knock you down."

Listen to Jordan Knight on 107.7 The River

Jordan was interviewed by 107.7 The River in Calgary. He talks about how working on the new NKOTB album, how things have changed over the years, if he is happy with his voice and keeping in shape to sing and dance.

Update: Interview has been deleted, does anyone have it saved?

Listen to Virgin Radio 953's Interview With Jordan Knight

Jordan was interviewed by Virgin Radio 9 5 3. He is asked about being known as Mr. O-Face, what his favorite reality show is and what is the strangest rumor he has heard about himself.

Update: Interview has been deleted, does anyone have it saved?

Listen to Jordan Knight on 98.5 Ocean

Jordan was interviewed on 98.5 Ocean in Victoria. They talk about what happens to stuff that fans throw on stage and what’s new for not only Jordan’s solo career, but also New Kids On The Block.

Update: Interview has been deleted, does anyone have it saved?

Listen to Jordan Knight on 99.7 The River

Jordan was interviewed on 99.7 The River in Vancouver. He talks about being a dad, his solo tour, his perspective on fame, what kinds of gifts he gets from fans and more!

Warren Andrews 1 · Jordan Knight

Listen to Jordan Knight on 101.5 Kool FM

Jordan was interviewed on 101.5 Kool FM in Calgary today. 

Update: Interview has been deleted, does anyone have it saved?

NKOTB News for October 17

Here is a photo and short article from the Boston Globe about Joey at the Sense-sation! gala.

Joey McIntyre and members of Boston City Singers perform at the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center.

New Kid Joey McIntyre opened Wednesday’s fund-raiser for Mass. Eye and Ear with a rendition of Frank Sinatra’s “High Hopes,” backed by the Boston City Singers. (Later, he joined Sweet Honey in the Rock on “Stay the Same.”) Over 600 people attended the event, which raised more than $1.1 million for the hospital’s Curing Kids Fund.

Here is another photo from Mass. Eye and Ear on Twitter. 

According to Billboard, Donnie is scheduled to attend the 2012 Billboard Touring Conference on November 7-8 in New York.

Don't have a copy of the NKOTB book yet? You can win a copy here.

LA Weekly: Ten Things We Learned About NKOTB From Their New Biography

LA Weekly posted a review of the New Kids on the Block book and lists some things that were surprising to them.

Ten Things We Learned About New Kids on the Block From Their New Biography

Like any girl who came of age in the early 90s, we knew some basic facts on the New Kids on the Block.
We knew Donnie was the leader; Joey and Jordan, the cute ones, and the lead singers; Jon, the shy, sensitive one; Danny, the one who looked like a monkey. We knew that our best friend in grade school was utterly convinced she was going to marry Jordan. And we knew that when the New Kids, now known by the acronym NKOTB, made their triumphant return four years ago, a surprising number of our friends bought tickets and shrieked all the way through the show.

So maybe those friends -- the diehard fans -- knew everything there was to know about the band already. But for those of us who just knew the basics, Nikki Van Noy's new authorized biography, New Kids on the Block: Five Brothers and a Million Sisters, contains a surprising number of revelations about the boy band that practically invented the genre, at least for white folks. Here are the ten we found most surprising.

10. The New Kids were legit.
Or, at least, they weren't manufactured in the way of so many boy bands that followed, like the Backstreet Boys. With the exception of Joey McIntyre, they were all from Boston's hardscrabble Dorchester neighborhood and all went to the same elementary school. It was Donnie Wahlberg who met producer Maurice Starr and recruited the others -- with, again, the exception of McIntyre, who lived a few neighborhoods over and was found after Starr's aide called around looking for "white kids who could sing and dance."


9. Their backgrounds are genuinely hardscrabble.
All five New Kids were from ginormous, blue-collar families. Joe and Donnie both had eight siblings, Danny had five, and Jonathan and Jordan were part of a family with six biological children and typically as many as six foster kids at any one time.

Interestingly, Donnie's younger brother, Mark Wahlberg, was a member of the group's earliest incarnation, called (bizarrely) Nynuk. But when the Wahlbergs moved to a different neighborhood, Mark fell in with a new crowd. "Mark had new friends in Savin Hill, so he didn't want to be in the studio with me," Donnie tells Van Noy. "He wanted to go out and steal cars with his friends."

8. The New Kids were originally marketed to black audiences.
Starr's previous success was with New Edition, so his connections were in black radio. Plus, the New Kids were urban kids who liked breakdancing, R&B and hip-hop -- and at that point, crossover was still rare.

But their album, made with CBS Records' black division, faltered on black music charts; it was only when a DJ on a pop station in Tampa started playing "Please Don't Go Girl" that anyone realized that white girls might be interested, too.

7. They paid their dues.
Among the New Kids' early shows: retirement homes and, Van Noy writes, "a jail where one of Donnie's brothers was incarcerated at the time." In a desperate attempt to woo the inmates, the boys threw cigarettes into the crowd. Donnie tells Van Noy, "I just knew prisoners loved cigarettes, and I also figured it's the only way we wouldn't get humiliated." It worked.

6. Their first big breakthrough? Harlem's Apollo Theater.
They were petrified to perform in front of the notoriously tough crowd. (As Danny explains to Van Noy, this was not Showtime at the Apollo as we see it on TV; it was an even rowdier night for true amateurs.) But they were a hit: Halfway into the performance, Jon recalls to Van Noy, "They started shouting, 'Go white boys! Go white boys!' It was just like, 'What the hell is happening?"

5. When the New Kids got big, they got really big.
A girl was trampled to death at a concert in South Korea. J. Lo was a backup dancer during their performance at the American Music Awards in 1991. They were also treated to a guest appearance by Public Enemy's Flava Flav.

4. Jonathan Knight pulled the plug.
When the group disbanded in 1994, it was mostly because their fans had grown up and moved on. But it took Jon's departure to hit home the fact it was over. He'd been riddled with anxiety over live performances. And he'd grown tired of hiding his sexuality. Yep, the shy, sensitive one was gay.

In those quaint, pre-Internet years, the band's demise came out in a trickle, not a pop. Many of the New Kids' biggest fans got the news when they received a snail-mail letter from the fan club, refunding their membership and saying thanks.

3. The band reunited 15 years later -- and the fans were still there.
After recording an album in L.A. and first trying their stuff out in a performance at WeHo's House of Blues, the newly reconstituted NKOTB made their triumphant return on the Today Show. The performance, Van Noy reports, drew more fans than a recent performance on the same show by Bruce Springsteen. Among the collaborators assisting with their comeback: A then virtually unknown Lady Gaga, who was brought in as a songwriter ("Big Girl Now") but ended up singing on the track, too.

2. You could meet a New Kid at a Waffle House.
Since their reunion, NKOTB has been touring for nearly four years -- continuing both to draw crowds and soak up the adulation. (The joint tour with the Backstreet Boys, called NKOTBSB, has been particularly successful.)

Now that their fans are full-grown, there's a camaraderie between performers and performees. Frequently, after concerts, Donnie will tweet directly to the followers: "Meet us at the Waffle House," Van Noy reports. As many as 300 fans show up.

Van Noy quotes one admirer: "It turns into a party both inside the restaurant and in the parking lot, with music coming from the parked cars with the windows down and the stereo up. There's music playing inside, and Donnie leading chants such as, 'When I say Waffle, you say House: Waffle! House! Waffle! House!' Donnie has been known to come in with a boom box held over his head with The Block blaring, leading the restaurant in singing 'Full Service' and 'Dirty Dancing.'"

1. Deadheads have nothing on Blockheads.
Perhaps the biggest surprise in Van Noy's book is this: NKOTB have a core of deeply passionate fans, women who aren't just attending these shows ironically as we'd assumed. The self-described Blockheads camp out. They, yes, flood the Waffle House after shows. They snap up tickets for New Kids' cruises -- all 2,700 of them -- within hours of an announcement.

They even travel to see multiple shows in the same tour -- although, as Van Noy concedes, it's an identical setlist from town to town. "The lifestyle element of all of this is more frequently found in the jam-band scene, with bands such as the Grateful Dead and Phish," she writes. "[For NKOTB] fans, this willingness to travel great distances and see multiple shows per summer has more to do with soaking in the atmosphere and excitement than seeing a different show every single night."

So, why? How is it possible that this band is still lighting up big venues four years after they reunited? No matter how "cute" they are, let's face it: The music is mostly forgettable. And no matter how talented, tastes change, or at least they should. Just how many boy bands are still going strong decades later?

But in the dozens of fascinating interviews with super fans that Van Noy records for posterity in this well-researched, smartly organized book, it becomes clear it's not about the music. (It never is.) It's about remembering the way we were -- those junior-high days when so many of us loved nothing more than this band, when you could dream of marrying Jordan Knight and fully believe it really would come true.

Today, of course, you still can't marry Jordan. He's got a wife, and kids. But thanks to the magic of Twitter and the band's enormous accessibility to its fans, you could probably meet him. And you can definitely still scream your heart out when he sings.

Boston Globe: Joey McIntyre in town for Mass. Eye and Ear

The Boston Globe posted an article about Joey being in town.

New Kid on the Block Joey McIntyre doesn’t get back to Boston as much as his kids would like. “They have a lot of cousins here and they love to see each other,” says Joey Mac, who grew up the youngest of nine in Jamaica Plain. (He was last here over the summer to shoot the film “The Heat,” with Sandra Bullock and Melissa McCarthy.) Joey Mac is back now, if only briefly, to attend Tuesday’s gala fund-raiser for Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, a place that’s near and dear to his heart since his 2½-year-old son, Rhys, was born with severe hearing loss. “He’s doing fabulous,” says Joey. “You never want to say you’re out of the woods, but thanks to my wife [Barrett], who’s done all the legwork with the audio/verbal therapist in LA, Rhys is doing great and is in the same school as his older brother and comfortable and learning.” Monday, McIntyre visited Mass. Eye and Ear, joined by Channel 5’s Bianca de la Garza, the gala’s emcee, and Wyc Grousbeck, Celtics principal owner and chairman of the hospital board. “We met some special kids,” says Joey, who’ll be singing at the event with special guest Sweet Honey in the Rock. He also told us that he and fellow New Kids Donnie Wahlberg, Jordan and Jonathan Knight, and Danny Wood are recording a new CD and plan to hit the road again. “We want to keep it fresh — and dignified,” he said, laughing. “We’ve been so fortunate, since [the 2008 comeback], to be doing what we’re doing.” Although scheduling is complicated because everyone’s scattered and Wahlberg has commitments with his CBS show, “Blue Bloods,” McIntyre said it’ll work out.

Joey McIntyre visits Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary

Joey will be attending the Sense-sation! gala to benefit the Curing Kids Fund tonight and he visited the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary yesterday. Here are some photos from their Facebook page and Twitter.

NKOTB News for October 10

Donnie, Jordan and Joey were in the studio this week. They are working with producer and songwriter "iAmData" who has worked with artists such as Diddy, Lil' Wayne, Jason Derulo.  Here is a tweet about it from Donnie:

Just spent 3 days in the studio with @jordanknight and @joeymcintyre but no twitpics? What were we thinking? Will be worth the wait. #focused

A group called "The Collective" performed a cover of the New Kids on the Block song "The Right Stuff" on The X Factor Australia recently. Here is a video of their performance.


Video courtesy of hiptoeknee

Watch Jordan Knight on ET Canada

Jordan was on a recent episode of Entertainment Tonight Canada. Here is the video clip:

 

Video courtesy of yikes77

Jordan Knight's interview with Huffington Post Canada

The Huffington Post Canada talked to Jordan recently. It is part 2 of the KoolKiwis interview (you can read part one here) Below is part 2 the interview.

New Kids On The Block's Jordan Knight On His Canadian Roots, Current Tour And NKOTB's Future

As a kid, Jordan Knight would spend his summers in Canada, hunting for frogs on the beach and hanging out at his grandparents' lake-house. These days, the singer's visits here are more likely to be for tours with New Kids on the Block, sell-out shows with the Backstreet Boys and solo runs like his Live and Still Unfinished tour, currently crossing Canada.

Chatting to HuffPost Canada while preparing to make his debut as a coach for his son's hockey team, the 42-year-old Bostonian filled us in on his childhood memories of Canada, the hurdles he faced making his fifth solo record Unfinished and how fans can get intimate with him -- well, not too intimate (sorry ladies, he's married) -- at morning-after brunches throughout his Canadian tour.

How exciting is it to finally bring your tour to Canada?

It's just good to get to Canada because we have a great fanbase there and people are so polite, nice and grateful. That's always a breath of fresh air.

Your parents are from Canada and you have dual-citizenship -- did you spend much time here growing up?

We used to go up to the Toronto area every summer, every Christmas and for weddings and family events. We'd drive up at least twice a year.

You grew up with a large family, so that must have been quite a road trip!

We took two cars – the van and my father's Toyota pickup. I used to drive with my father because he would let me do the stick-shift. And sometimes he would fall asleep at the wheel, so I'd have to nudge him every once in awhile!

What are your standout memories of your time here?

Just the time with my grandparents and cousins. My grandfather had a cottage that he built by hand on Lake Erie and we used to stay there every summer with my aunts, uncles and cousins. We'd play cards at night, walk along the beach looking for frogs and lizards, and surfboard.

Did you spend most of your time near Toronto?

We were mainly in Dunnville, about an hour away but we would go to Orangeville, Burlington, Kitchener and Toronto itself. Anytime we went to Toronto was like we were going to the big city -- that was a big day!

What are some of your favourite places to visit in Canada?

This tour I'm going to Montreal which is going to be great. It's so beautiful. I also love the atmosphere in Vancouver.

Who's your favourite Canadian artist?

Alanis Morissette. Jagged Little Pill was one of the best albums.

You've got a few solo albums under your belt now. What was the most important thing going into making this one?

I wanted to make sure the quality was great and that you could connect with any song. I think an album should be like a journey – you should feel different emotions as each song goes on and that's what I wanted with Unfinished.

What song are you most proud of?

'Believe'. It's one of the songs that kept me doing the album. Every time I'd hit a snag, I would turn it really loud and it would literally make me believe again, in doing music and staying on course.

What kind of snags?

Scheduling, writer's block, working out deals with producers, finding a distributor. And just believing in myself. Sometimes that's challenging. People look at musicians and think, "They just do it, they have it, what kind of road blocks could they possibly have?" But anytime anybody's doing a project there's self-doubt. You think, "Am I going to get this done? Is it going to be good? Will people like it? Why am I even doing this?' All those questions pop up and you just have to keep going.

What's the best thing about being on stage solo as opposed to as a group? Are there challenges?

There are challenges because when I'm with the New Kids there are five of us putting in the work and you can take a break. When Donnie's singing 'Cover Girl' I just have to do the steps and smile! So there's more of a burden to carry the show which is challenging, but also very fulfilling and satisfying. I get a strong sense of doing my own thing and being in control. What I don't get is the brotherly love and that great feeling when you're working as a team and getting on stage with friends you really admire.

What do you still want to do?

I'd like to stay on the same path – continue working with New Kids and also doing music on my own. And maybe in the future, help someone else along who I believe in.

Speaking of helping people, you always wanted to be a counsellor, right?

When I was younger and people asked what I wanted to be I would say doctor or counsellor. I don't talk a lot -- I'm more of a listener, so I could see myself in that role.

Maybe you could counsel all the new boy bands out there...

Yes!

NKOTB have just announced their fan cruise for next May; what else is in store?

We're in the process of recording music. We want to have music and new routines ready for our next tour next year.

You've also been touring with the Backstreet Boys. Is that collaboration over?

For now, but hopefully not forever. That tour was a highlight in my career. Fans tell me they're having withdrawals from the concert and I do, too. I definitely have a new appreciation for the Backstreet Boys. Sometimes you hear groups singing in passing and you're like, "Whatever," but then you get to know them and see their talents, charm and the way they move people.

How does it feel to be getting a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame?

It's great to be recognized in that way and in that town. Even people who make it don't make it onto the Walk of Fame. It makes you feel appreciated.

So what can fans expect from the "Live and Still Unfinished" show?

I have an amazing band from Boston who really bring the songs to life, the choreography is great and I also play a bunch of songs on the piano. It'll be the last shows I do of Live and Unfinished, so it'll be bittersweet. After that, if I go anywhere I'll revamp the show or have new music. I definitely plan on taking it internationally, but for North America it'll be the last of this show.

And fans can also buy tickets for brunches and dinners with you?

Yes, the brunches are a big hit. It's usually the morning after the show and I go table-to-table talking to fans. With the New Kids we have to accommodate so many fans during a heavy schedule so it's tough to be relaxed and have a conversation. I have more time when I'm solo. The pace isn't as hectic so I have more breathing room to hang out, sit down and chat.

Jordan's Live and Still Unfinished tour kicked off in Ottawa on 3rd October. Check out www.jordanknight.com for more info.

10/13: Halifax, NS
10/14: Moncton, NB
10/16: Edmonton, AB
10/18: Calgary, AB
10/20: Vancouver, BC
10/21: Victoria, BC

Jordan Knight's interview with Gay Calgary

Jordan recently talked with Gay Calgary magazine about touring with the Backstreet Boys, Cover Me Canada, working with Lady Gaga, dealing with homophobia and more. Download the magazine issue here. Jordan's interview starts on page 14.

Listen to Jordan Knight on 680News

Jordan recently recorded an interview with 680News.  He talks about judging TV talent shows, persevering with his career, performing, what to expect for the new NKOTB album and more.

Click here to listen! (Right click and select save as...)

Listen to Joey McIntyre and Nikki Van Noy on WBUR

Joey McIntyre and Nikki Van Noy were interviewed by WBUR in Boston.

Click here to listen!

NKOTB News for October 4

Jordan was recently interviewed by the Toronto Sun. Check it out here.

New Kids are back in the starting blocks.

Mere months after polishing off an international tour with Backstreet Boys, the Bostonians are already at work on their first new record since their 2008 comeback disc, says Jordan Knight.

“We’re doing an album now,” the 42-year-old vocalist confirms. “We’ll be touring with it next year. It’s exciting; the last album we did was four years ago. It’s going to be great for the fans — but it’s going to be really great for us because we’ll be re-energized with new music, new videos, new dance moves, a new stage act. It’ll be new, new, new.”

That reinvention may extend to their sound, he says, claiming NKOTB would even be willing to try their hand at dubstep — though a mashup with genre superstar Skrillex might not be in the offing. “Who?” Knight asks. “See? I’m showing my age there. But we do like to mix our classic sound with whatever is going today so it’s very relevant. We like to keep on top of the trends.”

But before moving forward with bandmates Joey McIntyre, Donnie Wahlberg, Danny Wood and his older brother Jonathan, Knight has to take care of some unfinished business: Touring Canadian theatres with his own band in support of his 2011 solo album — titled Unfinished, appropriately enough. While driving in the slow lane outside Boston, he chatted about being secretly Canadian, life as a middle-aged heartthrob and stretching on the Lido Deck.

You just finished the NKOTBSB tour in June and you’re touring again. Are you broke or a workaholic?

Yeah, what’s wrong with me? I think I’m a workaholic. Really, the thing is that I didn’t get to do my solo tour and sing my new music in Canada. I did about 20 cities in the States and I got a lot of requests to go to Canada. So I felt the need and the desire to top it off with a Canadian run.

It seems there’s a strong connection between New Kids and Canada. You started your 2008 comeback tour here. Why the love?

Well, both my parents are from Canada. I’m actually a dual citizen. I definitely have Canadian roots. I mean, I definitely consider myself an American because I was raised down here, but every Christmas I would go to my grandparents’ house at Dunville, Ont., and every summer we’d spend time on Lake Erie. We were always heading up to Canada. So there’s definitely a connection.

What’s the difference between Americans and Canadians?

I’ve always thought of Canadians as salt of the earth people. All my relatives, you could just feel the Canadian essence when we would go visit. They were just good people. Not that I’m saying Americans are bad people — at all. I just feel comfortable around Canadians. They’re more polite. That’s for sure.

How do you feel about touring theatres with your solo band instead of touring arenas with New Kids?

I look at it as a special thing. I don’t look at it as a downgrade. It’s just a different setting. It’s cool to be in a smaller setting with hardcore fans. They get to have a more closeup view, and I get to be more off the cuff, instead of having a set show in an arena where every song has to be a smash. I get to sit at the keyboard and sing songs of mine I wouldn’t be able to do at a big show. I can take my time, I can do whatever I want: Make a joke, have a laugh, bring someone onstage. It’s more of an in-the-moment experience.

Does being a heartthrob make it tougher to be taken seriously when you’re in your 40s and trying to get people to listen to your music?

Nah. I think the fans can enjoy the music I make and see me as a heartthrob. It just comes with the package. But I don’t feel like I’m going out there and living off my image of when I was 18 years old. I put a lot of pride into my work and that’s why I’m still doing it. And I believe they feel that.

It could be worse: You could be a former heartthrob.

Yeah. That would just be sad. I don’t think I’d be on the road if that was the case. Then again, I probably would. I love it too much to let that stop me.

Speaking of getting older, how are you holding up? Is it getting tougher to keep up with the physical demands of your show?

There’s a lot of stretching, I gotta tell you. But I’ve always been big on stretching. Fans know me as someone who likes to stretch. Actually, on one of our (concert) cruises, I did a stretch class on the Lido Deck. The whole ship was watching me do yoga moves. And on Twitter, there was a time when I would walk fans through stretches every morning. I guess it’s pretty weird.

Charity Buzz has an auction for an opportunity to be the guest of Donnie's on the set of Blue Bloods. The proceeds from this auction benefit The Felix Organization (which provides inspiring opportunities and new experiences to enrich the lives of children who are growing up in the foster care system). You can place your bid here.


Here is a photo from Jordan's first show in Canada last night. 

Joey took his son Griffin to see Justin Bieber and here a photo that Joey shared of them.

Here are some photos of Donnie with Jenny McCarthy, Andy Cohen (and even Lumpy) from when he was on Watch What Happens Live. 

Watch Jordan Knight on CTV Morning Live

Watch Jordan Knight stopped by CTV Morning Live this morning! Here is the video:


Video courtesy of CTVOttawaMorningLive

Update about Jordan's Moncton show

Here is an update about Jordan's Moncton Show on Sunday October 14th from Jordan's website.

As some of you may have heard, unfortunately we have to cancel the Moncton Show on Sunday October 14th due to some issues with getting our equipment to Edmonton. I know, this stinks, BUT that will not stop Jordan from coming to see his fans!! 

So.....Instead, on Sunday October 14th we are planning an exciting Meet + Greet with Jordan, including him performing a couple of songs on Piano!! We will also do some cool Giveaways, Q&A, and Games!! 

And YES, we will be offering a VIP Dinner package including time with JK and 1 on 1 Pictures!! 

We will be going on sale this Saturday with pricing and location to be announced then!
We are going to issue a refund to everyone who bought tickets to the Moncton Show at The Capital Theater, and hope you will join us at our NEW Event!!

Listen to Jordan Knight on Variety 104

Jordan recently did an interview with Variety 104. Here is the audio:

Watch Donnie Wahlberg on CBS This Morning

Donnie Wahlberg was on CBS This Morning and here is the video:

 

Video courtesy of Yikes77

Boston's Finest debuts on TNT on Feb. 27

According to Variety.com, "Boston's Finest," (formerly "Boston Blue") from exec producer Donnie Wahlberg will debut on Feb. 27. The show centers on the gang unit of the city's police department.

Watch on Donnie Wahlberg on "Watch What Happens Live"

Here are some clips of Donnie Wahlberg on "Watch What Happens Live". He answers a bunch of rapid fire questions about NKOTB members, his most embarrassing on-stage moment and more.

Video courtesy of notanumberkd

Transcript of Nikki Van Noy's chat with the Boston Globe

Here is the transcript of Nikki Van Noy's chat with the Boston Globe:


2:30
Boston.com A&E: Hi readers! Welcome to our chat with biographer Nikki Van Noy! Nikki's authorized biography of New Kids on the Block was released today and she will be joining us to answer your questions about her book and the boys! Welcome, Nikki!

2:31
Nikki Van Noy: Great to be here!

2:32
Boston.com A&E: Nikki -- do you think you can give our readers a little background on how you researched your book? And how you became a NKOTB fan?

2:33
Nikki Van Noy: Yes, it was extremely difficult to narrow down fan submissions for inclusion in the book. Ultimately, we included about 100 fans in the book. This was a very small percentage of what we actually received, unfortunately. SO much good stuff.

2:33
Comment From Guest
Did you find it hard to narrow down what fan submissions to include in the book?

2:33
Comment From sweetie
Hi Nikki HUGE THANK YOU for your book :) and i wanted to ask...how can u order it if im in Ukraine?

2:34
Nikki Van Noy: I don't believe the book is in bookstores in the Ukraine yet, however it should be available on various international Amazon sites.

2:34
Comment From Guest
Nikki- How awesome was it to be able to spend 1 on 1 time with each of the guys ?

2:35
Nikki Van Noy: It was very awesome to spend one on one time with the guys. I can't stress enough how normal and grounded they are. It was actually almost impossible to remember that I was with someone who wasn't a "regular Joe" after the first 30 seconds or so of each interview.

2:35
Comment From Lisa
What was the most surprising thing you discovered during your time working on this book? Thanks, can't wait for my copy to arrive!

2:37
Nikki Van Noy: Thanks, Lisa! I think the most surprising thing to me was how little they had to say about that early 90s period when they were at the height of their fame. From what I learned, it seems as though their favorite moments came in the earlier days and during the reunion. When everything was going at hyperspeed circa Magic Summer, I think it was difficult for them to take in.

2:38
Comment From Guest
did you yourself have a favorite boy coming into the book?

2:38
Comment From Bonnie
OK Nikki - 'Fess up - who was your favorite then, and who is now?

2:39
Nikki Van Noy: Back in the day, I started as a Jordan girl then, at some point, switched over to Joe. Writing the book, I was very, very fickle. My favorite was always the last guy I interviewed. Too hard to choose! ;)

2:39
Comment From Annie
What is your all time favorite song? If you can pick just one.

2:40
Nikki Van Noy: Please Don't Go Girl.

2:40
Comment From Guest
You've written other books and articles on musical people. How did you find the New Kids fans different from other fan groups? And do you think the band interacts more intimately with their fans that other groups do?

2:41
Nikki Van Noy: I know that I'm doing publicity for this book, so it may sound a bit trite, but it's 100% true that I have never seen any group come anywhere near being as intimately attached to and genuinely appreciative of their fans as the New Kids. They know fans' names, they tell anecdotes about the fans, they do things behind the scenes for the fans. It's impressive, to say the least.

2:42
Comment From Tammy
which guy was the easiest to talk to ?

2:44
Nikki Van Noy: Mmmm--that's a hard question, Tammy. I can't say that any of them weren't easy to talk to, they're all just different as with any group of five people. To give you a run-down, Donnie was much more zen than I would've expected. Joe is as witty as you would expect. Jordan is much more mellow, but has a very poignant way of expressing himself. Jon is such a warm person--you could talk to him for hours easily. And Danny is very honest and insightful.

2:44
Comment From Guest
Did any of the guys share any unknown secrets that you had to cut from the book, but we really SHOULD know?!? Please share...

2:46
Nikki Van Noy: No, nothing that you SHOULD know. ;) Just kidding. I think anything that could be seen as a "secret" is mentioned in the book ... but New Kids fans already know pretty much everything there is to know about them. I don't think there are really any shocking revelations, just perhaps a different slant on what you've heard over the years.

2:47
Comment From Melissa
Did they believe they would be successful this time around? ~Donnie 4-Eva~ :)

2:48
Nikki Van Noy: They worked very, very hard, but, no--they didn't know what to expect. I think, in terms of the magnitude and longevity of their comeback, it's been just as surprising to a lot of them as it has been to others.

2:48
Comment From Bonnie
Do you still have unanswered questions? As in, what didn't you ask that you wish you had or would still like to know?

2:50
Nikki Van Noy: That's a good question, Bonnie. To be honest, I think we covered pretty much everything I wanted/needed to know. The interview part of this went on for over three months and I had multiple sessions with each guy, all pretty extended. To give you an idea of how much material I got, the transcript for a single interview with Donnie ran 50 pages. And there were multiple interviews.

2:50
Comment From Amy
Hello from Texas! Thanks for putting together such a wonderful biography! I've learned some interesting tidbits about the guys! What are some things that you learned about the guys that might have surprised you?

2:52
Nikki Van Noy: I was absolutely floored at how hand-on they are. That is very, very atypical from a group of their magnitude and, also, something I think that most people are unaware of about them. In the book, Donnie talks about working on creating a banner they hung at their Fenway show. There are many, many more examples like this that are pretty mind-boggling to me.

2:53
Boston.com A&E: A quick question from the peanut gallery! About how much time did you spend with the guys researching the book?

2:55
Nikki Van Noy: The book took one year to the day from the time I had the idea to when I finished the final draft of the manuscript. It was a very rapid-paced year that was divided into two parts: 1) the fans and 2) the band. I spent from about March to August interviewing/collecting stories from fans and gaining an understanding of the culture. I spent August through December interviewing the guys. I wrote the book in splices as I was researching.

2:56
Comment From Debbie
Nikki, any info you can share about the new album - any hints? ;-)

2:56
Nikki Van Noy: Sorry! I don't have any inside scoop on that. The book was actually finished before they began. I do know they were excited about getting started on it, though!

2:57
Comment From Kim
Hi Nikki, can we purchase the book at stores in Ontario, Canada or can we only order it online so far?

2:57
Nikki Van Noy: Hi, Kim. The book should be available at bookstores throughout Canada as of today!

2:58
Comment From KK
Ordered the kindle version, but there aren't any pictures. Are there any ebook versions that include the pics, or are they just in the print version?

2:58
Comment From Kim
K, great :) I guess i just have to be patient, there's none in my area yet. Thank you, can't wait to get my hands on a copy to read it.

3:00
Nikki Van Noy: KK, my editor is looking into this right now so that I can get you a definitive answer. If I don't find out by the time the chat is over, I'll post the answer on Twitter @nkotbandus.

3:01
Comment From Tammy
are you planning on doing a part 2 to this book?

3:02
Nikki Van Noy: There's no doubt that there's certainly more to this story to be told as their career progresses further. Also, I ultimately had so much more information than I was able to include in this book due to space constraints. Which is to say, there's certainly room for more to be told at some point in the future ...

3:02
Comment From Aurelia
Will the book be later published in different languages? I'm lucky to be pretty fluent in English but curious for fellow French BHs

3:04
Nikki Van Noy: Hi Aurelia. The answer to that is that we don't have an answer yet. At this point, no translations are planned, but that could change. I'll definitely keep everyone informed if and when foreign translations are printed.

3:04
Comment From Guest
Regarding Tammy's question on planning part 2 to this book...any chance of doing an unedited version of the pages of transcripts??? I would absolutely LOVE a Q/A type format to the inside scoop.

3:06
Nikki Van Noy: I'll definitely keep that in mind and try to brainstorm some different ways of getting some of that "bonus" info out there. Most of the topics are included in the book, it's just that you have five versions of every scenario, so it became a matter of picking and choosing. Hard decisions!

3:06
Comment From LeeAnn
was any family members interviewed ?

3:07
Nikki Van Noy: Yes! Joe's dad; Jordan and Jon's mom; and Donnie's mom are all included. They were just as interesting to interview as the guys themselves.

3:07
Boston.com A&E: We have to ask, Nikki, were any Boston/Dorchester spots name-dropped during the interviews? Any favorite hangouts, restaurants, etc?

3:09
Nikki Van Noy: Bob the Chef's came up in several interviews, though I don't know that it's actually in the book. There is a ton about Trotter Elementary and the guys experience there. Dorchester and JP in general are all over the book. Boston is essentially the sixth character.

3:09
Nikki Van Noy: Just got an answer regarding the e-reader pictures question from my editor ...

3:10
Comment From Tammy
Did Danny give you any health tips ?

3:10
Nikki Van Noy: The photo insert should be included in ALL e-book editions of the book, in the middle of the text (just as it is in the hard copy edition).

3:11
Nikki Van Noy: Danny didn't give any specific health tips, but he did talk at length about how inspiring fans' lifestyle changes and weight loss stories are to him and how they, in turn, motivate him.

3:12
Comment From Guest
Have you personally been to any of their recent concerts or on a cruise? Would you have considered yourself a BH before the book? Do you consider yourself a BH now?

3:13
Nikki Van Noy: The 2011 cruise was actually the first NKOTB event I went to as I was writing the book. It was incredible--I've never seen anything like it, both in terms of the excitement and how much the New Kids and the fans were interacting. I went to a lot of shows on the NKOTBSB tour, both in the US and Canada.

3:14
Comment From Elmira
Being an NKOTB fan yourself, was it hard to interview the guys? I know that I wouldn't be able to say a word if one of them was right there in front of me.

3:16
Nikki Van Noy: In all honesty, I was a huge NKOTB fan growing up, but had only been following their reunion from a distance. Luckily, I've had a lot of interview experience leading up to this and they're so easy-going that it wasn't intimidating. Also, I bet you'd be surprised, Elmira--they're easy to talk to. :)

3:16
Comment From sweetie
why his father wasn't interviewed? :(

3:20
Boston.com A&E: Readers, we have time for one last quick question for Nikki before we have to let her go!

3:22
Comment From Guest
No question, but a HUGE Thank You!!! I am looking forward to reading this!!! Very Much APPRECIATED!!!

3:22
Comment From LeeAnn
Thank you for the Q&A

3:23
Nikki Van Noy: Thanks so much for the kind words! And thanks to everyone for participating--it was great to be able to share a little bit more about this experience!

3:23
Boston.com A&E: Thank you, Nikki! And thank you NKOTB fans!

Nikki Van Noy interview with NECN

NECN interviewed Nikki Van Noy, author of "New Kids on the Block: Five Brothers and a Million Sisters" to talk about the new NKOTB book being released today.

Update: Video has been deleted, does anyone have it saved?

Jordan Knight interviewed by the Toronto Sun

The Toronto Sun interviewed Jordan recently and he talks about the upcoming NKOTB album.

New Kids on the Block readying some new music

New Kids are back in the starting blocks.

Mere months after polishing off an international tour with Backstreet Boys, the Bostonians are already at work on their first new record since their 2008 comeback disc, says Jordan Knight.

“We’re doing an album now,” the 42-year-old vocalist confirms. “We’ll be touring with it next year. It’s exciting; the last album we did was four years ago. It’s going to be great for the fans — but it’s going to be really great for us because we’ll be re-energized with new music, new videos, new dance moves, a new stage act. It’ll be new, new, new.”

That reinvention may extend to their sound, he says, claiming NKOTB would even be willing to try their hand at dubstep — though a mashup with genre superstar Skrillex might not be in the offing. “Who?” Knight asks. “See? I’m showing my age there. But we do like to mix our classic sound with whatever is going today so it’s very relevant. We like to keep on top of the trends.”

But before moving forward with bandmates Joey McIntyre, Donnie Wahlberg, Danny Wood and his older brother Jonathan, Knight has to take care of some unfinished business: Touring Canadian theatres with his own band in support of his 2011 solo album — titled Unfinished, appropriately enough. While driving in the slow lane outside Boston, he chatted about being secretly Canadian, life as a middle-aged heartthrob and stretching on the Lido Deck.

You just finished the NKOTBSB tour in June and you’re touring again. Are you broke or a workaholic?

Yeah, what’s wrong with me? I think I’m a workaholic. Really, the thing is that I didn’t get to do my solo tour and sing my new music in Canada. I did about 20 cities in the States and I got a lot of requests to go to Canada. So I felt the need and the desire to top it off with a Canadian run.

It seems there’s a strong connection between New Kids and Canada. You started your 2008 comeback tour here. Why the love?

Well, both my parents are from Canada. I’m actually a dual citizen. I definitely have Canadian roots. I mean, I definitely consider myself an American because I was raised down here, but every Christmas I would go to my grandparents’ house at Dunville, Ont., and every summer we’d spend time on Lake Erie. We were always heading up to Canada. So there’s definitely a connection.

What’s the difference between Americans and Canadians?

I’ve always thought of Canadians as salt of the earth people. All my relatives, you could just feel the Canadian essence when we would go visit. They were just good people. Not that I’m saying Americans are bad people — at all. I just feel comfortable around Canadians. They’re more polite. That’s for sure.

How do you feel about touring theatres with your solo band instead of touring arenas with New Kids?

I look at it as a special thing. I don’t look at it as a downgrade. It’s just a different setting. It’s cool to be in a smaller setting with hardcore fans. They get to have a more closeup view, and I get to be more off the cuff, instead of having a set show in an arena where every song has to be a smash. I get to sit at the keyboard and sing songs of mine I wouldn’t be able to do at a big show. I can take my time, I can do whatever I want: Make a joke, have a laugh, bring someone onstage. It’s more of an in-the-moment experience.

Does being a heartthrob make it tougher to be taken seriously when you’re in your 40s and trying to get people to listen to your music?

Nah. I think the fans can enjoy the music I make and see me as a heartthrob. It just comes with the package. But I don’t feel like I’m going out there and living off my image of when I was 18 years old. I put a lot of pride into my work and that’s why I’m still doing it. And I believe they feel that.

It could be worse: You could be a former heartthrob.

Yeah. That would just be sad. I don’t think I’d be on the road if that was the case. Then again, I probably would. I love it too much to let that stop me.

Speaking of getting older, how are you holding up? Is it getting tougher to keep up with the physical demands of your show?

There’s a lot of stretching, I gotta tell you. But I’ve always been big on stretching. Fans know me as someone who likes to stretch. Actually, on one of our (concert) cruises, I did a stretch class on the Lido Deck. The whole ship was watching me do yoga moves. And on Twitter, there was a time when I would walk fans through stretches every morning. I guess it’s pretty weird.


Jordan Knight tour dates:

Oct. 3 | Ottawa | Centrepointe Theatre

Oct. 4 | Toronto | Guvernment

Oct. 5 | Montreal | Metropolis

Oct. 13 | Halifax | Casino Nova Scotia

Oct. 14 | Moncton | Capitol Theatre

Oct. 16 | Edmonton | Citadel Theatre

Oct. 18 | Calgary | MacEwan Hall

Oct. 20 | Vancouver | Venue

Oct. 21 | Victoria | McPherson Theatre

Nikki Van Noy's interview with NKOTB News

The book "New Kids on the Block: Five Brothers and a Million Sisters" will be released tomorrow! Nikki Van Noy, the author the book will be doing a chat tomorrow 2:30 PM ET on the Boston Globe website. In the mean time, and NKOTBNews.com has asked Nikki a few questions as well and here are her answers!

What made you decide to write a book about the New Kids on the Block?
First of all, I find bands who have a real back-and-forth relationship with their fans fascinating. The New Kids are especially fascinating to me because this quality is usually found in the jam band category, rather than in the pop music genre. More generally, I just love their story--it reminds me of a great sports story, with the hard work, determination, luck, and overcoming of unlikely odds. 

How familiar were you with the history of NKOTB before you set out to write this book?
I was a fan back in the day, so there was certainly some stuff I remembered from my youth. I casually followed news of their reunion and had a general feel for what was going on, but definitely had to bring myself up to speed. 

What was it like to interview the members of the New Kids for this book?
Everyone talks about how accessible and grounded they are, but you still never know exactly what to expect in this sort of situation. Turns out "everyone" was right--time and time again, I was floored by how grounded and normal they are. They're also very honest about both the good and the bad stuff, which always makes for the best interviews. Genuine is the best word to describe them. They couldn't have been easier or more fun to work with. 

What was the most difficult thing about writing this book?
Wrangling information. As an author, if you're going to have a problem, having too much information is definitely the problem you want to have. However, it is still a problem. The book was supposed to be 75,000 words. When I finished (with all of the information I could take out already whittled down), I was at 125,000 words. We ended up meeting in the middle at about 95,000 words. This story spans such a long amount of time, and you have five viewpoints to begin with--not to mention all of the fans and peripheral figures tied to the story who contributed. Compiling all of this in an efficient way that remained true to the story was daunting, to say the least.

What was the best thing about writing this book?
Just getting to immerse myself in something that makes so many people so happy was wonderful. For a year, it was my job to listen to everyone's happy memories. Can't ask for a better job than that! 

During the process of writing the book, was there anything that you were really surprised about?
I was surprised by how hands on the guys are with pretty much every little detail of every little thing they do. It's rare to find that sort of commitment at this level in the music industry. 

What is your favorite New Kids song?
Back in the day it was "Please Don't Go Girl." Today, "Twisted." 

What is your favorite performance by the New Kids?
Seeing them at Fenway was phenomenal--cold, but phenomenal.

Thank you Nikki for taking the time to talk with NKOTBNews.com! Check out the updated media section of NikkiVanNoy.com and NKOTBandUS.com for more information. Follow Nikki on Twitter at @NKOTBandUS

Nikki will also be doing a Q&A and book signing on December 19, 2012 at 7:00 PM at The Avid Reader in Sacramento, CA.

Here are some links to recent news and media about the book:

HuffPost Celebrity:
New Kids On The Block Biography Chronicles Boy Band's Rise, Fall And Comeback

The Hollywood Reporter: 
New Kids on the Block: 8 Things to Know About New Biography

The Boston Globe: 
New Kids on the Block: Their early Boston days

More NKOTB News October 1

Jonathan attended the Barry's Bootcamp Tribeca Studio Grand Opening. The photo above is from the event (courtesy of Getty Images).

Blue Bloods did well in the ratings for its season premiere last Friday night.  According to Gather.com it had about 11 million viewers.

In case you missed it earlier, Jordan said in a recent interview with OMG Canada that "The new album will be out maybe in March. It's classic New Kids, but we always like to put a couple twists and turns in our music and make sure we have those stand-out songs that catch people by surprise."

And stay tuned to nkotbnews.com because I will be posting special interview soon!

Listen to Jordan Knight on 101.7 The One

Jordan was interviewed on 101.7 The One. He talks about his Old Navy commercial, the NKOTB cruise and more.

Update: Interview has been deleted, does anyone have it saved?

8 Things to know about NKOTB biography

The Hollywood Reporter posted a new article about the NKOTB book called 8 Things to Know About New Biography.

The boy band, whose bio hits stores Tuesday, was initially marketed to a surprising audience, wrote "Hangin' Tough" with a sports team in mind and employed a future "American Idol" judge as a backup dancer.

Attention Blockheads: The authorized biography of New Kids on the Block hits bookstores Tuesday.'
The book, titled New Kids on the Block: Five Brothers and a Million Sisters, traces the Boston-based boy band's rise to become arguably the biggest recording act of the late '80s/early 90s to their breakup a few years later to their reunion in 2008 and their joining forces with Backstreet Boys for a wildly successful summer 2011 tour.

Author Nikki Van Noy interviews all five members of NKOTB -- Donnie Wahlberg, brothers Jordan and Jon Knight, Joe McIntyre and Danny Wood -- along with several fans, although songwriter-producer Maurice Starr, who created NKOTB but later parted ways with the group, isn't quoted here. The bio retails for $25.

Here are eight things revealed in the 256-page tome.
1. Because of their R&B sound, NKOTB was initially promoted to black radio stations.
According to the book, a "great misconception" about the group is that record label execs created the group to fill a void in the marketplace for young white girls. But, as Jordan Knight says, the strategy simply arose because of Starr's connections in the black market." "Even when we went to CBS, we were in the black division," he adds. "No one ever thought, 'Um, these kids are white. Maybe white kids would like 'em too."

2. The turning point for the group came when Randy Kabrich, a DJ at Q105 in Tampa, Fla., discovered "Please Don't Go Girl."
The song went on to become the station's No. 1 most requested at the time, which prompted the record label to change its marketing strategy to begin targeting pop radio.

3. The Hangin' Tough album was recorded in less-than-ideal conditions.
The recording for group's second album was done in a makeshift studio in Starr's perennially under-construction home. The temporary studio had no vocal room, and there was plastic on the windows to try to drown out the sounds from outside. "If you solo the tracks on Hangin' Tough," says Jordan Knight, "you'll hear babies crying, you'll hear sirens, you'll hear a lotta stuff in the background."

4. The song "Hangin' Tough" was written with NBA's Boston Celtics in mind.
"We literally set out to do a song that could be a theme song for the Celtics," Wahlberg says. "That was the idea: blatantly trying to sound like Queen's 'We Will Rock You.'"

5. Jordan Knight isn't really a huge Batman fan.
In the video for 1989's "I'll Be Loving You (Forever)," the singer is seen wearing a Batman T-shirt. But it wasn't one of his own; he actually wore it simply because "the stylist brought it, and i just gravitated toward that shirt. I like the colors, it was cool and young, and so I wore it." But soon after the video began airing, fans began sending him Batman T-shirts, so then he started wearing those, which continued to fuel the idea that he was a Batman fan. "Honestly, when the [1989] Batman movie came out, I actually feel asleep in the theater because I didn't like it," he admits.

6. The Step by Step album wasn't what the group had in mind for their Hangin' Tough follow-up.
NKOTB wanted more input in the songwriting and production process, but the group members say they actually had less input, with Starr doing most of the creative work. Although Wahlberg considers it a better album than Hangin' Tough, "it needed just a little more grit," he says. Wahlberg actually wanted to incorporate some of the rappers the New Kids were fans of: "The crossover music that everyone does today. I wanted to do it then."

7. Jonathan Knight left the group in 1994 not just because of his panic attacks and anxiety, a commonly held belief.
The singer, who was inadventently outed by former tourmate Tiffany in 2011, says that hiding his sexuality also became tiring. "I was so run down," he says. "I had just been in a couple relationships with guys, and nobody knew. I knew I didn't want to be confined anymore. I think I was dealing with my inner demons."

8. Jennifer Lopez once was a backup dancer for the group.
The future actress/singer/American Idol judge -- a then-unknown backup dancer -- performed with NKOTB at the 1991's American Music Awards. The performance marked a departure from the prevous year's AMAs -- where the group believed they had played it too "safe" -- with an "in-your-face" version of the remixed "Games."

Jordan Knight talks about new NKOTB album and more in interview withOMG Canada

Jordan was interviewed by OMG Canada. He talks about his Canadian roots and says the new NKOTB album should be out in March!


Some of the more dedicated New Kids on the Block fans might know the shoe size, childhood pet, and preferred breakfast cereal of the band's five members, but only the truest Jordan Knight die-hards know that the suave singer is actually a Canadian citizen!


It's true. Despite being born in Boston, Massachusetts, both he and his brother Jonathan have close ties to Canada. Omg! Canada talked to Jordan about it while he was in Toronto to prepare for a cross-Canada tour this month for his latest solo album, "Unfinished."


What is your family connection to Canada?
My parents are Canadian, and all of my extended family is Canadian. They're both from Ontario. My mom's from Dunnville -- have you heard of Dunnville? It's a small town, by Lake Erie. And my father's from Meaford. That's north. They met at McMaster University and moved to the States in their late 20s. My sisters were born in Canada, and all my brothers were born in the U.S.


When would you visit your family in Ontario?
I have fond memories of Christmases at my grandparents' house and spending the summers at Lake Erie at my grandparents' cottage. My grandfather built his cottage with his own two hands; it's pretty impressive. I kind of have a strong Canadian identity.


What would you do during these visits?
In the winters we would go sledding; that was always fun. We'd go into Toronto once, and that was always a big deal. I'm from the city, but every time I'd come to Canada it would be country living, so we'd make the trek into the city and that was always a big day. Mini-golfing. Being on Lake Erie, we had these cheap Styrofoam surfboards and that was always fun, riding the waves back to the beach. We would walk down paths and collect salamanders and frogs -- of course, we'd set them free. At my cousin's house, it was a farm, before we went swimming we'd have to go down to the main road, set up a stand, and sell corn. And on the way down to the road, there was a little bridge, and in the stream below is where we would fish and dig for worms.


Did you still see your Canadian family during your NKOTB days?
Every once in a while, but we would usually make stops in Canada. New Kids on the Block have a big following here, so we would always do shows here and my family would come. It has always been work since we started, it wasn't as leisurely for sure … It feels great [to be back in Canada]. Canada has always welcomed me and welcomes the New Kids with open arms.


What was your experience as a judge on 'Cover Me Canada'?
I did a show called "Cover Me Canada" last year; that was a lot of fun. It was the first reality show that I was a judge on. I had a hard time being harsh or judging people, because I know what it's like being onstage. You're going to make mistakes, but you don't want to be discouraged. You're already telling yourself how bad you messed up, you don't want somebody else pointing it out. So, you don't want to be cruel, you want to support them, but you don't want to be the Paula Abdul type and keep saying, "Oh yeah, that's great. Keep going, blah blah blah." So it was challenging to do that, but it was a lot of fun, too.


Being too nice -- that's kind of a Canadian trait.
Maybe that's why I'm so nice, because I'm Canadian! No, but that's actually one of the things I love about Canada and my family. Every time we would come up to Canada -- we were from the inner city of Boston and we had attitude and egos and everything else -- our cousins would look at us and just laugh. 'You guys are so full of yourselves.' That's what I loved about my family, that they were so down to earth and pleasant to be around. They're good, good people, the salt of the earth.


So what's next for you, after your Canadian tour of 'Unfinished' in October?
New Kids On the Block are making a new album, so we'll be in the studio and getting a tour ready for next year, and we'll definitely be in Canada, I know that. The new album will be out maybe in March. It's classic New Kids, but we always like to put a couple twists and turns in our music and make sure we have those stand-out songs that catch people by surprise.