Jordan Knight interviewed by the London Free Press

Jordan was recently interviewed by the London Free Press. Check out the interview below.

New Kids on the Block leader Jordan Knight isn't shy about stating his opinion when it comes to the new crop of boy bands out there – including One Direction.

His main issue? They have two left feet.

"They don't dance," the 44-year-old singer laments. "I just don't get it. To put on a really good show there has to be some kind of cool choreography."

When we mention that we've seen 1D in concert (before you cringe, children were present), and that they seemingly substitute their lack of dance prowess with a time-filling couch banter segment in the middle of the show (seriously), chatting about their favourite hobbies and things to eat, he takes it one step further.

“I think these groups are getting hit records first because they are coming off these hot TV shows and then they have to get a stage act together,” Knight retorts. “By then it's kind of too late. Then they just end up on stage just singing their songs and not really knowing the art of putting on a show."

Boy band beefs aside, Knight has paired up with another recognizable face – Backstreet Boys singer Nick Carter, for the aptly named side project and album of the same name, Nick & Knight.

Knight, who is currently on tour with Carter in support of their collaborative debut, chatted down the line from Montreal about the trek, being in the studio with a Backstreet Boy, his love for hockey, and a possible NKOTB reunion in 2015 (the band were recently awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame).

How is the tour going so far?

It's going really well. The news is spreading amongst our individual fan bases that it's a fun show... I think some of our individual hardcore fans were a little hesitant with how it would it gel together, and now a lot of them are coming back for multiple shows. Nick and I just have good chemistry on stage. We don't try to outdo each other, we just try to make the show fun and have a good time.

Have you always enjoyed performing in front of Canadian fans?

Canada has always been a great place for the Backstreet Boys and the New Kids on the Block as well as me solo-wise. We get a lot of support here... it definitely feels like our second home.

Is it tougher leaving the family behind these days?

It is tough... I get really homesick. It's really tough for a few days out on the road leading up to the day when you're going to leave home. My kids are both in school so they have to stay home, and of course, my wife has to stay with them. It's a bittersweet experience. The more you're away the more you really miss them and cherish them.

A lot of tracks on the record, including the single One More Time, seem to be a mix of several different styles. Was this a conscious decision?

No. We just wanted to make sure the songs were good... that you could feel the song, regardless of the genre. One More Time it has a pop-rock almost Maroon 5-ish feel. And there's a song called Paper on the album that has a very urban Drake-ish type of feel. You usually don't hear albums with that kind of diversity and that range.

What qualities does Nick Carter bring to the studio?

Nick is great at melodies. He can come up with a catchy melody very quickly and he sings R&B really well...

Are you friends with him outside of the music business?

We're buddies, but we don't hang out. It's hard to even have really good pals in Boston where I live because if I’m not touring, I'm home with my family. Even with the New Kids, we're great friends, but we don't hang out a lot – we just keep it separate.

There's a lyric in the track Deja Vu that says "Fell in love three times like a hat trick." Who's the hockey fan?

That would be me. I'm an assistant coach for my son Dante's hockey team. I grew up playing hockey. My parents are Canadian... my dad played hockey and he took us (with his brother and NKOTB member Jonathan) to the rink early on, when we were five, six years old.

What are your plans for 2015? Is there a NKOTB reunion in the cards?

We will be announcing some new adventures that will be going on in the New Year.