Reuniting with the ’80s and ’90s boy-band New Kids on Block after a 14-year break to do an album and yearlong world tour, Joey McIntyre says, made him feel — well, like a kid again.
McIntyre says he was so motivated, he found himself in a recording studio two days after New Kids’ last show in July, writing solo music for the first time in more than five years.
The result is “Here We Go Again,” a seven-song EP, released Dec. 8, that not only continues the smooth vocals that made McIntyre the New Kids a heart throb, but also moves McIntyre, at 38, into edgy electronica on the title song and other musical genres.
McIntyre also is back on the road, on a brief five-date, weeklong tour that on Jan. 15 brings him to The Note in West Chester.
Since the New Kids originally split, McIntyre, has six solo discs. Like “Here We Go Again,” they were independently produced, but found an audience — the most successful, 1999’s “Stay The Same,” hit Billboard’s Top 50.
He spoke about his career in a recent telephone interview to advance his West Chester show.
Only five dates so far on the tour. Are you going to add more, or is it going to be just a short tour?
“Well, I’m going to navigate through some other stuff on my schedule, but I didn’t want that to stop me from just making it happen and getting out there. I think I’m going to do a West Coast swing in February, late February, and then eventually want to get down south. But there’s a few other things on my schedule, so that’s why it’s starting with five right now.”
And they’re all in the Northeast, I see.
“Yeah, I mean, that’s definitely where I’m from and kind of the stronghold, so it’s going to be nice to start there.”
And your EP dropped last month on iTunes. Why did you decide to do an EP instead of a full album?
“Well, I think the No. 1 reason might be patience with me, which I don’t have a lot of. And I just loved what we were doing, I loved the music we were making, I was excited to get it out there. I think definitely it’s a reflection of how creatively, when you’re making a record and you’re getting in there – and I was lucky enough to find the right collaborators -- and we’re writing this music and it’s so exciting. And then you do six or seven songs when you’re making a record, and then you eventually kind of hit a wall a little bit. And then you can drag out the album process for another six month and you start adding filler – which I don’t think I’ve ever really done, and no one’s going to admit to adding filler to their album. But you want to have the best songs. And you want it to have that same cohesive energy. And I liked working with the same collaborators, it was fun doing that.
“And I think it’s definitely a reflection of today’s market place. I mean, people are just buying one or two songs. And that wasn’t my drive, but in it sort of like, in retrospect, kind of a cool fit.” (continued)
JOEY MCINTYRE, 7 p.m. Jan. 15, The Note, 142 E. Market St., West Chester; Tickets $26.50 advance, $28 day of show, On sale 10 a.m. Dec. 5; www.thenotewc.com, www.joeymcintyre.com.
Is there a label connected to it?
“No, no. I’m independent. I’m actually close to doing something up in Canada with someone, but right now I’m doing it independently, it’s on iTunes and I have a special Mac Pac 3000 on my Web site that I’m releasing. That’s the only way you can get the actual CD. So it’s something that I’m doing on my own. And I’ve always made my records – this is like my fourth or fifth studio album – I’ve always made my records on my own to have that creative freedom, and then have been picked up by majors or other independent labels. But so far, I think, I’m lucky enough to have some fans out there, I can kind of build the story. And then if I find the right fit, then great. But I just kind of wanted to be the driving force behind everything.”
How did it come about that “Here We Go Again” was the first single?
“Well, it was between that and a song called ‘Out of Nothing at All.’ Normally I pick the best overall song, melody, the whole thing. And I think ‘Here We Go Again’ is a great song. But there’s always been songs on my album where one would stick out. And I was like, ‘No, I can’t that, that’s too out there. And this time I said, ‘You know what? I want to kick the door down, I want high energy, I want to kind of say really where I’m coming from. And to me, that was ‘Here We Go Again.’ And to me, it’s the most impactful – one of the most impactful songs. And then, with the idea for the video, and the video I made, I think was really cool and really exciting. That’s on my Web site. It’s cool, it’s just in your face and I think I made the right decision and I’m excited about it.”
I will admit it’s certainly different from the stuff I heard from you in the past. And where did that vibe come from –sort of that electronica stuff?
“Well, I think initially it came from attitude. I wanted to … there was a lot to say. I had a lot of angst and I just wanted to go for it. And making music – I’ve been doing it a long time and it’s very easy to go, ‘You know what? I made enough music, the New Kids – this thing was great. Let me sit back. But this was something that – I heard all these no’s: ‘No, don’t do it, don’t do it. You’re crazy, don’t waste your time. The music business is crazy now.” And I think to drown out all those no’s, I had to really say something and feel something. And the music had to kind of reflect where I was coming from.
“ And I think, that being said, I also hooked up with a great production team – guys that wanted to get to another level, and wanted to do stuff that is kind of weird and quirky and you want to push the envelope. So all that together. As far as that kind of Autotune-y, I sang that first chorus, I did it once, I just had this idea. They were like, ‘Well, lay it down.’ And I grabbed a mic and I was so close that it distorted – but it sounded cool, even before the Autotune went on there. And then they put a little Autotune, just to kind of add some more attitude. So the distortion and the Autotune makes it sound different. We put a little spin on it.”
The lyrics – did you write them, and are they autobiographical?
“Yeah. Yeah, I wrote. We all – the four of us, there’s three other guys and me – did 25 percent splits down the line. Not to say that just does the lyrics and one guy does the music. But I came in with the ideas and they were great in kind of facilitating that message. But me and Drew Ryan Scott were sort of what you call the top-line guys with the melody and the lyrics, and certainly he was right there with me. But the message and where I was coming from is definitely where I am. And so, yeah, ‘Here We Go Again’ is about staying in the fight and going for it again and it’s definitely autobiographical.”
The other song I was able to hear was ‘Forget About It,’ and I think that more typically showcases your voice, which I think is good – I think that’s a good track, too.
“Thanks. Yeah, I think we wanted to make music that’s so good, that kind of in some ways wrote itself. You know, you didn’t want to force anything because if you force things, it just sounds that way and feels that way. And I’ve never been one to sing something that didn’t feel right. So we’re definitely excited about the whole record.”
Did you say you basically started writing after the New Kids tour was over, or were you writing during that?
“No, it was right after. I came off the tour and then two days later I was in the studio working with these guys and we hit it off, and it was fund. It was fun to do. And I think New Kids was amazing and we’re just so grateful for the opportunity and did a lot of performing and it just inspired me – it gave me a lot to say and so I’m saying it.”
So that really was the driving force being your putting out your first disc in nine years?
“I think so, I think so. I think, lyrically, ‘Just when I thought I was out they pulled me back in’ on ‘Here We Go Again.’ You know, just when I thought I was sort of maybe chilling out a little bit and getting away from it, I’m like pulled back in. And I think also being one of five and being part of the team is awesome – I love it. But you also want to do things your own way. You also want to not have to account for anybody else, and you want to step up and say what you want to say. And I think that was part of what propelled me into wanting to write some stuff.”
Now, you guys are going to perform on cruise in May. Do you have any other plans beyond that?
“I think we got some plans. I would definitely say ‘Stay tuned.’ Whatever we do, we want to make it special. I mean, were doing the Toys for Tots fund-raiser on Dec. 20 at the House of Blues in Boston and then we got the cruise planned. But we had such a special time the last year and a half or so that we want to keep everything special. We certainly don’t want to overdo it. So we think of ways to make it special, and it’s fun that way.”
None of the other guys have recent solo music, do they?
“I think Donnie’s working on stuff. Donnie had put out a song that – I don’t know if he really worked it much in the United States, but up in Canada I think it’s signed up there and I think Jordan’s working on music. Danny released something that was dedicated to his mom, who passed away from breast cancer and he did it for breast cancer research; it was a fund-raiser thing. We’re all creative; we all like to make music and so we’re all doing it.”
Totally different subject: Did I read correctly that you have another baby boy?
“Yeah … it’s pretty cool – my son just turned 2. God love him, he just took a header yesterday and his tooth went through his bottom lip. We had to take him to the hospital, and there’s nothing like having to hold your son down while he gets stitches. Two years old – you know what I mean? It’s like, oh man, the … worst.
“And he’s pretty much fine. As it’s going on, he’s too young, they can’t put him out, so they got to give him the Novocain and the needles – ewww, it was crazy. It’s over, but it was definitely a milestone for me and my wife, for sure.”
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