15 minutes with Boyz II Men

Of course, you know that the Boyz II Men –Shawn Stockman, Nathan Morris, Wanya Morris (no relation to Nathan) and Michael McCary – are performing for the first time in Manila on Feb. 14, Valentine’s Day, at The Fort Open Field, with Jag Jeans and Close-up as presenters.

But did you know that...

• The Boyz II Men charted their future Grammy-winning course backstage at a New Edition concert, singing a cappella for New Edition member Michael Bivins who helped the quartet secure its first recording contract with Motown (with their debut album Cooleyhighharmony released in 1992)?

• The Boyz II Men were initially known as the Unique Attraction and the name Boyz II Men, given to them by Bivins, was taken from the title of a New Edition song off the Heartbreak album?

• The Boyz II Men’s One Sweet Day (featuring Mariah Carey) holds the distinction of being the longest-standing single in Billboard history?

I’m sure you didn’t know that Funfare had the pleasure of (exclusively) interviewing Boyz II Men Shawn Stockman for 15 minutes on the phone last week. Shawn was in Florida and I was in good old Cubao. Turning 31, Shawn Patrick Stockman was born on Sept. 26, 1972 in Southeast, Philadelphia. He and the three other Boyz II Men members were friends from way back. They bonded as a quartet while they were in high school. The Boyz II Men are now with a new label, Arista Records, which recently released the boys’ new album, Full Circle.

Here are excerpts from my 15 minutes with Shawn (who spoke on behalf of his three colleagues):

How do you keep the group together, intact all these years?

"How do we keep ourselves together? One way is by mutual respect for each one’s talent. We wouldn’t find the same combination anywhere else or with somebody else. We grew up together so we know a lot of things about each other that nobody else knows.."

Isn’t there any professional jealousy among the four of you?

"Naaah! If ever there is, it’s kept to the minimum. No, I don’t think so...not to the point of breaking us apart. We are able to keep our feelings in check. If things go haywire, we are able to spring back together by just talking, arguing fighting or whatever, do whatever we need to do. And then we continue to work."

Has any member of the group ever contemplated on going solo?

"Not until this point, none so far. Right now, we’re busy promoting our new album (Full Circle). But we all do have that kind of aspiration, maybe in the near future. One of us, two of us or even everyone of us. But even if any of us does, we’ll still keep the group together and continue doing what we’ve always been doing."

You’ve grown from boys to men, together. You started the boy-group trend. How has your music evolved through the years?

"I think it’s not only our music that has evolved but we as people and I think that’s the most important thing – we as people evolving, growing together by sharing the same type of hardships and triumphs. We’ve been able to get over a lot of things that a lot of other artists and other groups haven’t been able to. I think that in itself has been a victory of ours. It has helped us grow and develop into the men that we are now. We’re still young and still learning a lot and still growing. We’re fortunate enough to know more than any 29/30-year-olds."

What do you think about the current crop of boy bands?

"Some are cool, some we don’t like."

Which group(s) do you like and which ones don’t you like?

(Laughs) "We’d rather keep that to ourselves. Anyway, it’s our personal opinion. It’s history repeating itself. There were boy bands in the ’50s, boy bands in the ’60s, boy bands in the ’70s and ’80s and ’90s. There will always be boy bands. It’s a repetition, a cycle of life."

What do you think about the present music scene which is dominated by hip-hop?

"I love hip-hop; I’ve always loved hip-hop. I grew up on hip-hop, doing the early stages of hip-hop. I remember how hip-hop got started, so hip-hop will always be a part of me and the music that we’re doing. I love what the hip-hop guys are doing. Keep it up, guys!"

How does the Boyz II Men sound fit into this scene?

"Well, if you ask the average record executive in the US at this point, it doesn’t really fit very well. Radio is sticking to a format that doesn’t really apply to R&B music. It’s more about hip-hop, back to alternative music or whatever and anything else but R&B music. So, to be honest, it (R&B music) doesn’t really fit as much. But that happens. There are certain genres of music that take precedent over other types. I’m not saying that it will always be that way. Of course, everything will change. One day, the format might focus again on R&B. It’s also a cycle.’

You’re now with a new label, Arista Records. Does that also mean new sound from the Boyz II Men?

"I think so. We’re developing more into the kind of group that we’ve always wanted to be; we’re doing things that we’ve always wanted to do, just like the album we’ve just done."

Why is your new album titled Full Circle?

"Our move to Artista reunites us with the label’s president/CEO Antonio ‘L.A.’ Reid who co-produced our Grammy-winning album End of the Road with Babyface. That’s one of the reasons for the album’s title. We met up again with all the people who started with us from the beginning. We feel like we’re going back to the basics, a rebirth that recaptures the love we had at the start. While recording this album, we tapped into ego-free energy. In fact, the songs on Full Circle capitalize on that energy, allowing us to open our hearts and dig deep to sing songs that bring out the best in us both vocally and emotionally."

What do you think is the best achievement of the Boyz II Men so far?

"I think the best achievement is, apart from the awards, is being together all these years and having the same respect that we have for one another. Other groups didn’t last as long as we have; you see, the common life span of boy bands is five years. We are fortunate enough to last together as a group this long and that in itself is an accomplishment. We know how hard it is for a group like ours to stay together the way we have."

What have the Boyz II Men up to lately?

"We did a New Year’s Eve show in Connecticut and we’re doing a couple of shows in the US before we go to Manila."

It’s your first time to perform in Manila. What can we expect from the Boyz II Men?

"Excitement! It’s our first time so we’re excited to perform before a new crowd. We’re excited to see new things and visit new places – we’re excited to see Manila! We hope that everybody is just as excited as we are."

You’re including your old hit songs in your repertoire, I suppose.

"Oh, yes, we are."

Could you name three of your favorite Boyz II Men songs?

"The three that I like to perform are On Bended Knee, Motownphilly and End of the Road. I like the way the crowd reacts when we play these songs. It’s the kind of reaction that makes the songs sound so new again."

Would you have spare time to go around the city, since it will be your first time here?

"Yeah, we hope so! We hope we’ll have the time. Usually when we’re on a tour, we are not able to go sight-seeing because of time constraints. It’s our first time in Manila so we hope to see the sights. Hopefully, it won’t be our first time."

And now, the clincher: Funfare and the producers of the Boyz II Men concert are running a contest starting this Monday and the next three Mondays. All you have to do is answer a question and send as many entries as you can to: Boyz II Men Live in Manila, Unit 303, Madrigal Building, 6793 Ayala Avenue, Makati City. Or fax them to: 8160014; or e-mail to: [email protected]. Each of the four winners drawn weekly will get a free ticket to the concert; winners’ names will be drawn from the entries with the correct answers. The contest is open to everybody, including those in the provinces.

Here’s this week’s question: NAME FOUR (4) ALBUMS OF THE BOYZ II MEN.