Joey McIntyre Dives into 'New Kids On The Block', 'Still Kids' Album, Career & More!

[00:00:00] Joey, I think you for joining me today on Pop Culture Unplugged. It's good to be here, bro.

[00:00:15] Exciting times there, friend. You know, I want to make this interview special. I was telling

[00:00:18] people, you know, I'm from Massachusetts. So are you dedicating this interview to the

[00:00:21] Massachusetts fans? I love it. All the mass holes, all the mass holes. That's right.

[00:00:26] First off, congrats. We have a new album coming up next month. How excited about you all this?

[00:00:32] I'm very excited. I mean, you know, we're very grateful to be able to stay together this long as

[00:00:38] a band and we've had quite a history and we owe it all to the greatest fans and pop music history,

[00:00:45] as we say, because it's a fact. It's been about 10 years since we've done an album,

[00:00:51] but this one feels really good. Essentially, Donnie wrote half of it. I wrote the other half.

[00:00:58] So, you know, and then, you know, the band coming together the way we normally did. But this has,

[00:01:04] it just feels like an extra love, extra extra juice, extra, you know, magic around it. And

[00:01:12] we're excited. You know what? We'll just jump right to the album first and then we'll switch

[00:01:17] around with some of the questions. Still kids, I love the name of it. Does it make you feel like

[00:01:21] you're back in the 1980s there again jumping into the first album? Is that what you're going with?

[00:01:25] With the theme? Yeah. I mean, I think that's what we and the fans do for each other. You know,

[00:01:32] us and the blockheads, we make each other feel young. You know, when they come to a show,

[00:01:37] they can scream and yell and act like teenagers and we do the same thing on stage and get to

[00:01:44] be rock stars and just, you know, just come together. And it's a range of emotions, you know,

[00:01:53] over the years. It feels like family. So, you know, to have this album, it's nice to have new

[00:02:03] music. It's like another soundtrack, this album of where we are now. And there's nothing like

[00:02:09] having an album to kind of just, you know, make friends with, you know. And I love putting on

[00:02:16] an album and listening from beginning to end like back in the day and having it a part of your life.

[00:02:21] And, you know, for me, it's like, oh, it's like finding an album for the summer, you know what

[00:02:26] I mean? A couple of albums that you can just like really get into. So, we're hoping this is a

[00:02:32] good one for people to get into. You mentioned that it's been 10 years now. Whose idea

[00:02:36] was it? It was time to do another one. I'm gonna have to blame Donnie for that one, you know. He

[00:02:43] got on the horse and he was really feeling like he wanted to make some new music. We had a song

[00:02:48] a couple of years ago called Bring Back the Time that really did well for us. And

[00:02:54] I think that just kind of lit his fuse again. And he started cooking and I was a little

[00:03:00] bit late to the game, you know, because, you know, you kind of want to be patient. I was trying to get

[00:03:06] a vibe for the album and eventually I did. And I was just so excited to write a bunch of songs and

[00:03:12] then, you know, have the group, you know, embrace them and jump in. But yeah, it was Donnie's idea.

[00:03:21] How long did it take you guys to put this album together for the new one?

[00:03:25] I mean, we really started cooking in the last year. We were done by the end of last year.

[00:03:33] I mean, you gotta nowadays, you know, vinyl is back. But there's not as many records

[00:03:41] plants. So you have to get in line. So your record has to be done like six months before it's

[00:03:47] actually coming out. So but I would say, you know, the better, you know, the better part of last year

[00:03:57] maybe the end of 20 to most of 23. Is there on the album, is there any specific tracks that hold

[00:04:05] a personal significance to you about the journey that you guys have been through all these years?

[00:04:10] Yeah, there's a lot of them. There's a lot of them. You know, it's fun to, you know, have five guys in a

[00:04:20] group and have, you know, have that sound. I think we just have a sound and, you know, when we get

[00:04:26] on a record, it becomes a new kid's record. I mean, that's pretty cool to have that thing.

[00:04:33] I see what comes to mind is the last song on the record. It's called Stay. Make Me Want to

[00:04:37] End. It has a lot to do about the history and relationships. I mean, the cool thing is music

[00:04:42] can mean a lot of different things to different people, and that's the beauty of it. It sounds

[00:04:48] like a relationship song, a one on one song, but you know, it's easy to think of, you know,

[00:04:55] someone you love, something you love, you know, pulling you back in through the years,

[00:05:00] you know, the ups and downs of a relationship and a dynamic. And then, you know, coming to,

[00:05:09] you know, the realization or just surrendering to the fact that, you know, they're a part of your life

[00:05:14] and they mean a lot to you. And so it's a nice, and the vibe and the orchestration on it

[00:05:22] is, I was hoping it was going to be the closer of the album and it was.

[00:05:27] How much would you say has like the group changed in their style of music from the beginning to now

[00:05:34] with all these albums you've done?

[00:05:36] Well, I think essentially, you know, we started as an R&B pop group, you know, and I think

[00:05:46] over the years we have grown and stretched and tried different things, maybe a little bit more

[00:05:54] of a hip hop vibe, maybe, you know, we've been working with these producers, DK Music from

[00:06:04] Denmark actually, you know, over the years and they have that kind of Euro pop sound.

[00:06:09] This kind of, you know, encompasses all of that, but really I think mostly leans back on that

[00:06:17] R&B pop thing that we were raised on.

[00:06:20] For like, what do you think was like the challenge or the reward with this album, you think?

[00:06:27] Well, the challenge is obvious. I mean, for me particularly to write music,

[00:06:33] you know, for your band, you know, for guys that you look up to and that are important to you

[00:06:40] and you're kind of putting your heart out on the line. And then, you know, calling them up

[00:06:46] and say, hey, have a listen. What do you think? And oh, by the way, will you sing this part?

[00:06:53] That could be tricky. Also, the challenge of us like not just showing up at a studio every day

[00:06:58] and going at it because we have these big lives, everybody's up to their own thing

[00:07:03] in four different cities. And so that could be tricky. That could be tricky as well.

[00:07:09] That's challenging. And the reward is just sticking with it and ending up with an album

[00:07:17] that we're very proud of and we're excited to share.

[00:07:21] Any pressure because you said you wrote half the album, Donny wrote the other half of the

[00:07:24] album. Any pressure going into this as you as a writer too?

[00:07:30] No, I think the pressure is just, you know,

[00:07:35] was in this room. You know, the room I'm in now is where I wrote it with my writing partner,

[00:07:43] Sean Thomas. And you know, I think what's cool about it is and the idea of it and the way

[00:07:53] we wrote it, you know, the songs really go together. So it's, you can't, the goal is that

[00:08:01] first of all, it's not about who's writing it. I'm grateful for the experience because it's a

[00:08:05] joyful experience and anything worthwhile isn't easy, you know? So, but you want them to be seamless,

[00:08:13] you know? So hopefully nobody knows what I wrote and what Donny wrote. You know what I mean?

[00:08:20] It's seamless. As far as like, no, I gotta answer you that because I'm just at a place

[00:08:30] where I'm writing music and it just feels true. I mean, there is a vulnerability about it, but

[00:08:37] you know, originality is important. So, you know, I'd rather risk some originality

[00:08:46] and miss on other things, you know? So that might be different though down the line. I might

[00:08:55] be crushed in about six months. So, we'll check it. Come on. You mentioned that you know,

[00:09:01] that they have a big history and everything. You started at the young age about 12, right?

[00:09:06] Yeah. If you could go back in time and tell yourself something at the 12-year-old joy,

[00:09:11] what would you say to him about the journey you've gone through and any advice? Have you

[00:09:16] thought about that? I mean, my son is 16 right now and he's a phenomenal musician. I mean, he really,

[00:09:29] he's got more talent at 16 than I might ever have. And I'm not just trying to be self-deprecating or,

[00:09:38] you know, he's done the work, you know? And, you know, at that age, I felt like I was shot

[00:09:46] out of a cannon and I've been catching up ever since, you know? And in some ways that's okay. I mean,

[00:09:52] I just turned 50 but I feel like I'm 25, you know, in a lot of ways and I appreciate that. And life

[00:10:01] is short but I think life, you know, affords us a lot of opportunities. So, I'm glad of that.

[00:10:07] And so, I would tell my kid self like, hang in there, you know? Don't feel so desperate that,

[00:10:16] you know, every opportunity is the thing, you know? Opportunities come and go. You win some,

[00:10:24] you lose some but the joy and the reward is in the work and in the learning and then taking

[00:10:33] what you learn and building something with that. You mentioned your son everything. My wife went to

[00:10:40] your concert in Fenway, it was like two, three years ago when you pulled him on stage. Yeah.

[00:10:44] And she loved that. Well, how was that experience like pulling your own son on the stage?

[00:10:48] Oh, it was phenomenal. And yeah, he started, I mean, on that one, I think, he was playing

[00:10:53] the grand piano and really leading us in the song. And, you know, that takes

[00:10:58] Scots and that takes talent. And yeah, it's been thrilling. It's been thrilling to have him aboard

[00:11:06] and he's becoming his own artist now, you know? And forging his own path. So, it's a little bit

[00:11:13] different but when he was younger, yeah, we could just pull him up there and it was gorgeous and

[00:11:18] cute but now it feels a little bit different, you know? Yeah. You never know. You might

[00:11:24] do a song with him eventually someday or even write something with him. If I'm lucky,

[00:11:28] if I'm lucky, yeah. There you go. I want to go back a little bit in time too. I was doing some

[00:11:33] more research on everything too. I read somewhere that your mother wanted you to be a priest. Is

[00:11:37] that true? Yeah, I know. Isn't that great? You know, she's a good Catholic woman, a staunch Catholic.

[00:11:46] Her father was almost a priest, was in like the seminary for eight years. So,

[00:11:51] she would say it in jest, you know? Because she was a funny, animated lady and she made a lot of

[00:12:00] people laugh. So, and you know, thanks to the Catholic Church I am here because they kept

[00:12:08] going. They had nine kids and I was number nine so they were practicing Catholics but

[00:12:14] that never had any legs maybe in a priest.

[00:12:20] So, what do you think would have happened if you'd ever made it to like entertainment

[00:12:23] industry if you chose a different path? Where do you think you'll be this day? Any idea?

[00:12:26] Well, I grew up in musical theater, community theater and I loved it. It was a lot of fun.

[00:12:38] I loved the process. I loved the community of it. It was super fun. So, you know,

[00:12:46] I probably would have stayed with that. I was a pretty good student. I think maybe teacher,

[00:12:52] some sort of a teacher. I don't know how far I would have went, you know, professionally.

[00:13:01] I don't think I would have said, oh, let me give it a shot and go to New York or something

[00:13:06] like that in musical theater. I don't know. I'm not so sure. I mentioned earlier too,

[00:13:11] you joined the band at a young age. Also, I did read a couple of interviews that there was a

[00:13:17] couple times in your point of your career you thought about just walking away from that.

[00:13:20] Is that true? The group? Yeah. Like right before when you first started joining them

[00:13:26] because you were the youngest. I was the youngest. It wasn't easy. You know, they were

[00:13:32] at the time, you know, they were 15 and 16, which is a big difference between that and a 12-year-old.

[00:13:43] Right. So I didn't really fit in. It wasn't great. They weren't the sweetest guys in the world at

[00:13:52] the time. You know what I mean? That kind of thing. So it was a weird thing. It wasn't like we were

[00:14:02] together as a band and then we went off and making records and doing shows. There was a lot of gray

[00:14:10] area. I think my instincts were like, this isn't fun. I want to do something else. I just

[00:14:17] want to be a kid. And as the story goes, Donny kind of talked me back. I think officially I did say

[00:14:23] I'm done. And then he gave me a call and maybe he didn't take no for an answer, but he sweet talked

[00:14:32] to me and you know, he was genuine. And I hung in there. But being in a band is tough, man.

[00:14:40] You know, it's like that's why so many bands don't make it. You know, it's really such a

[00:14:45] commitment to hang in there and balance what's important to you as an individual

[00:14:52] and also sacrificing for the group, for the greater good. So it's tricky and it's still tricky to this

[00:14:59] day. But that's what makes it such a gift as well.

[00:15:08] After like in the 90s and really 2000, we had all these other boy bands that came out.

[00:15:12] Like, I'm sure you've had a chance to meet some of them. What's like one key advice that you've

[00:15:17] given them? If they ask you for any advice? No, they don't. I mean, they've already, yeah. I mean,

[00:15:24] the thing is, you can't say anything. You can't say really anything to anybody. Right? I mean,

[00:15:30] you know, it's like, we got to learn on our own. It's nice to have that camaraderie

[00:15:41] for like a fellow guy in a boy band to know that we went through the same thing. And you have some

[00:15:50] laughs, then you kind of roll your eyes. But like, you know, it was never like, oh, we did this.

[00:15:56] Did you ever try this? Like, no, it just doesn't roll that way. It's more of just like this,

[00:16:01] this brotherhood, you know, this unspoken solidarity. And yeah, you got to kind of

[00:16:10] cut your teeth on your own. Any plans to see you back on Broadway? I was told to ask you this.

[00:16:17] Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. There's a couple of opportunities. I'm involved in a show called

[00:16:24] Drag the Musical that's going to New York and great show, great music, great storyline.

[00:16:31] And then also a show called The Wanderer that is very close to going to Broadway

[00:16:39] so we'll see. It's kind of in the stars. I mean, Broadway is like, there's so many shows trying

[00:16:46] to get in, but those two shows have a great, great shot at getting in. So funny enough,

[00:16:52] at the same time, you know, that there's a few balls in the air.

[00:16:58] I wrote this down. I didn't want to forget to say to you,

[00:17:01] the McCarthy's was one of my favorite sitcoms. I don't know what happened after one season

[00:17:05] though. I was disappointed with that. It was a good show.

[00:17:10] It was a great show. It was a funny time. You know, TV was really changing. It was a Thursday night.

[00:17:17] They wanted big, big. Now we were still doing like 10 million, which would be like over the moon

[00:17:22] right now. But you know, it's a tough business. So they expectations were high,

[00:17:30] but it was a blast to do. Would you ever jump on a sitcom again if you could?

[00:17:35] Oh, it's the best schedule in the world. I'm throwing around a few ideas because I want to

[00:17:41] maybe start something and, you know, it takes time, you know, to build, but absolutely for sure.

[00:17:50] You know, this is I got a couple of fan questions for you too, if you don't mind. Like

[00:17:53] what are the McCarthy's? What are the McIntyre's do on Saturday night?

[00:17:57] What do you do on a Saturday night when you're not working?

[00:18:00] Well, my three kids and my wife and we got a dog and then we have a cat that just found us.

[00:18:08] And like it's like we took her in and she's amazing. And I, you know, never knew I'd

[00:18:14] have a cat because I'm allergic. So I'm trying to deal with that. But

[00:18:20] we love being together. You know what I mean? We have, we love our house and we love hanging

[00:18:24] out. We might watch a movie and Santa Claus brought a ping pong table this past year and

[00:18:33] just hanging out. We live in LA and as I say that the weather out here is,

[00:18:38] it's embarrassing. It's so good. It's embarrassing. So we soak it up and take some walks and

[00:18:48] my wife was just talking about, we keep hearing about this amazing taco truck

[00:18:52] that's like down the street. And I was like, we should do that some Saturday. We'll do,

[00:18:56] we'll do tacos. You know what I mean? So stuff like that, not, you know, not incredibly

[00:19:02] exciting, but that kind of stuff. You mentioned the weather that you don't want to know what's

[00:19:06] going on today in Mass. Have you raised 40s in April? I know. I know. You don't miss that,

[00:19:13] do you? No, not really. It feels quaint and romantic from back here. There you go. So

[00:19:21] we got the new album next month and everything. When's the tour starting? I saw there's a tour.

[00:19:24] You guys are going to be right around the corner for me. You're going to be in

[00:19:27] Hartford soon, I saw. Yeah. It starts June 12th, I think, in Ohio and it goes for

[00:19:37] you know about two, two and a half months. So it's going to be great. I mean, we're excited.

[00:19:43] It's a magic summer tour, which was what we did in 1990. So it's sort of a reimagining

[00:19:49] of that. And you know, as we do, we get very nostalgic, but mix it together with some good

[00:19:56] music and new music that we love. And you know, our fans, you know, our audience is like a show.

[00:20:03] They're like the sixth man, you know what I mean? So it's a good time. No Fenway stop this year,

[00:20:08] huh? No Fenway, just Great Woods, the old Great Woods. Yeah. I don't know what the hell they

[00:20:13] call it now, but yeah. Is there a plan for Fenway eventually again? You know, I'm sure there is.

[00:20:20] I mean, it's such a special place. You know, we don't throw that around. The fact that we played

[00:20:25] it three times already is just staggering. So yeah, I'd like to think that we'll play it again.

[00:20:33] Amazing. Joey, is there anything else you want to tell the fans before we end this

[00:20:36] interview or anything for the Mass Holes like you mentioned earlier? Yeah. Yeah. No, I mean

[00:20:41] Boston and New England has been so good to us, supported us. You know, it's been so happy for

[00:20:48] us over the years and that means everything to us and we appreciate it. And to all your listeners

[00:20:54] and followers around the world, you know, the same as well. And we're excited about the tours,

[00:21:00] excited about the new album. Go out and get it May 17th. It'll be worth your time.

[00:21:06] Amazing. Joey, I want to thank you all for giving me a few minutes today. Let's get

[00:21:09] you back on soon. Sounds good, buddy. So yeah.