During the peak years of Boyz II Men in the mid-1990s, the wildly popular singing group’s members say they were working so hard that they missed out on a lot of things. As Nathan Morris put it, “A lot of it was a blur, which really sucks. All we wanted to do was focus on being the best singers we could possibly be. I don’t think there was a day that something wasn’t going on. We were kind of like robots.”
Fortunately with the level of fame the group amassed and the respect they earned, the group has been able to take a hiatus and return to the scene at a relatively leisurely pace (compared to times past). But tonight is one of those rare opportunities when the group returns to the stage, just in time to help set the holiday mood with a much anticipated performance at Motor City Casino’s SoundBoard live entertainment venue.
We caught up with the guys before he performance and asked about where they’ve been and where they are heading next.
What keeps Boyz II Men together? Clearly you are all individually talented singers and songwriters but you keep coming back to this group. Why?
We have been performing together and creating music together for 23 years and we’ve developed an amazing chemistry. Each one of brings something different to the table- we all want each other to shine, and we know that, working together, the sum can be greater than the parts. At the end of the day that’s why you perform in a group- because you elevate each other and the result is going to be bigger and more nuanced because you’ve combined your talents and our unique gifts.
What do you think made Boyz II Men successful?
It really comes down to a core philosophy- as artists, we are committed to making timeless music, we are willing to work hard, and everything we do is for the fans. That’s how we’ve always approached our careers and I think the industry and the fans have responded to that. We don’t take success for granted, and I think that has absolutely contributed to our success.
What have been some of the challenges involved with sustaining longevity in the music industry? Is it more difficult to stay on top in today’s industry than it was when you started?
Learning to evolve and adapt. We have been in the music industry for over two decades and to say that things have changed dramatically would be an understatement. But we have had great longevity as a group because we’ve been able to evolve along with the industry – and because we have never compromised on quality or artistic vision.
When I think of Boyz II Men, I would classify you as an R&B group in the same vein of the Temptations, Four Tops, Delfonics…..but there doesn’t seem to be anymore groups out here like that so I have to ask you about boy bands. What do you think about the current boy bands in terms of content, stage presence, work ethic, etc? I personally feel like a lot of boy bands are getting away with murder! They don’t write, barely sing, many don’t connect with the audience. They’re just cute and packaged well.
One concern we have with current mainstream music in general is that emphasis is so much on one hit single now, with a good beat– rather than a complete, cohesive album with quality lyrics andmelodies. We’ve always been about making music that withstands the test of time- and that includes universal lyrics that resonate with fans. We want to make great songs and great albums- not just throwaway singles. We don’t compromise or just go with what’s popular because we know that our fans deserve quality music.
I saw the interview you guys did with The Breakfast Club and I was surprised by how candid and open you all were. In fact I came away from that interview liking you guys even more. I think one of the things that I found interesting was that the image for the Motown Philly video did not come from you guys. Was there ever a time that maybe the management or label didn’t want you all to release a certain song, perform at a particular venue, or maybe do a certain video but you did it anyway and how did it work out?
We became famous at a very young age and there was definitely a learning curve for us. It is easy to get pigeonholed in the industry as only one thing: One genre; one style. But we’re artists and we’re human beings part of that is growing and changing and trying new things. We recently picked up guitars and we’ve been experimenting with adding more of a rock-pop sound on our latest album Collide, which came out last month with our label, BMG. So we are careful to work only with creative partners who respect our sound and our vision- as well as our right to keep evolving.
What was the most sound advice each one of you have received about fame, money, or relationships?
If you stay true to what you believe in, and if you’re creating something great and authentic, your fans will stick with you no matter how much other things change.
Who inspires you now?
We are music lovers in a very broad sense and we listen to a wide variety of artists- from classic R&B to heavy metal to pop. Our iPods have everything from Nirvana to the Deftones to Megan Trainor to Jason DeRulo, One Direction, and Jhene Aiko. We all have kids so we are always listening to the pop radio that they listen to in addition to the old school soul and R&B we grew up on.
Boyz to Do you guys have any special affinity or connection to Detroit?
Absolutely. We have performed in Detroit a number of times and we always love the fans and the energy there. As the birthplace of Motown, Detroit is such a historic city from a music standpoint. The first record label we ever signed with was Motown.
What can we look forward to from Boyz II Men in the next 5yrs?
Well we just released our album Collide last month which is available now on iTunes and wherever music is sold. And we also have a residency at the Mirage Hotel and Casino, which was just extended through 2015. All Vegas dates and tour dates are on our website, www.boyziimen.com. And beyond that we will continue touring and making music, so fans will definitely keep seeing more of Boyz II Men.
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