New Kid plays solo show

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Joey McIntyre, known to millions as a member of the recently reunited pop group New Kids On The Block, said the decision to make his newly released solo EP "Here We Go Again" wasn't endorsed by everyone he knew.

But he decided not to let that deter him from returning to a solo career that had stalled after he enjoyed million-selling success with his 1998 solo debut album, "Stay The Same."

"As I was on the road with the New Kids (last year), I was getting itchy. I wanted to start writing," McIntyre explained in a December phone interview. "I guess I get that itch every few years, and I get mad. I hear all the nos — 'No, don't do it because of this,' and 'Don't do it because of that' and 'The business is so crazy now. Why would you want to spend your time doing that when it's so tough to sell records?' and 'No, no, no, no.' So because of all that no, I had to kick back... I had to make music that had to drown out all of those nos. That's basically what I did."

In fact, McIntyre said the EP and its title song essentially serve as a response to those who doubt him or his abilities.

"I think the essence of the record, and the first single, 'Here We Go Again,' it's about keeping up the fight and staying in the game," he said. "There are ups and downs, and it's not always going to go your way. But show business is a funny game, and you've got to hang in there. For whatever reason, I'm still standing and I still want to make music, and that's what the song is all about is going for it."

McIntyre indeed is a veteran of the music business wars at this point. He of course started his career in New Kids On The Block. Joined by fellow vocalists Donnie Wahlberg, Danny Wood and brothers Jordan and Jonathan Knight, the group's bouncy pop sound established a blueprint for virtually every teen act that followed.

The New Kids hit paydirt with its second CD, the 1988 release, "Hangin' Tough." It featured the hit singles "Please Don't Go Girl" and "You Got It (The Right Stuff)" and eventually topped "Billboard" magazine's album chart. A third album, 1990s "Step By Step," took the New Kids over the top, as the group became arguably the most popular act on the planet.

But after that album, the group renamed itself NKOTB and released the commercially disappointing 1994 CD, "Face The Music." By the next year, the group — having sold some 80 million copies of its albums — split up.

The various members went on to tackle various projects. Wahlberg enjoyed the most visibility, launching a successful acting career that included roles in such high-profile movies as "Ransom" and "The Sixth Sense."

McIntyre also fared reasonably well. He started a solo music career with the "Stay The Same" album, whose title track became a hit single. He retained some of that popularity with the 2001 album "Meet Joe Mac," but his 2004 CD, "8:09" and 2006 collection of cover songs, "Talk To Me," failed to connect.

Then toward the end of 2007, the New Kids decided to reunite to make a new CD, "The Block" and then in fall 2008 return to the road for what turned into a highly successful, yearlong tour.

When the tour wrapped up last summer, McIntyre wasted little time getting started on "Here We Go Again."

The musical direction that emerged is notably different than the sweet pop of "Stay The Same" and other McIntyre solo albums. Songs such as the title track and "Forget About It," have a notably edgier dance-pop sound.

"It's raw, it's uptempo," McIntyre said. "There's a lot of four on the floor, guitar driven (songs), but pop, still pop."

McIntyre is introducing the "Here We Go Again" songs with a short five-city tour this month, including a stop at the Paradise Rock Club in Boston on Thursday.

"I'm going to be playing some of my favorites and a couple of hits of my own," he said. "Then I'll mix in some New Kids stuff and maybe a cover or two. But I just want it to be big and in your face and kick some butt."

As for the New Kids, McIntyre said there are no firm plans except to perform on the group's second in what might become on ongoing series of annual cruises for fans. The cruise is set to launch from Miami on May 10.

"I would say to the New Kids fans to keep your eyes open maybe, but whatever it is, we want it to be special," he said. "What we were able to do this last year (with the tour and "The Block" CD) was really cool. So we just want to keep that all very special."

Joey McIntyre with DJ Costa

When: Thursday, Jan. 14, doors open at