New Edition: Brotherhood (The All Six Tour)

Quotes From Our Friends New Edition…

“What’s beautiful about New Edition is that all the components that make New Edition are real…the bad boy; the model; the smooth criminal; the chilly homeboy rapper; the round-the-way B boy; the ladies’ man and the crooner, the one that can go in there and go to church on you. All these components are naturally here. …We put ourselves together,” – Ralph Tresvant

“We’re brothers and the fact that we built this from the ground up and we can see the excitement on our fans’ faces when we’re on stage or when we’re out at the mall. They look forward to seeing us as a collective. They always ask about the group and when is the next time we’re performing in their city or when is the new album coming out. It’s a constant reminder that this thing we created is something that people cherish and that’s what keeps us coming together.” – Michael Bivins

“We always wanted to put on a great show, so for years before we even did our first talent show all we did was rehearse. It was always about the show. Going on stage hitting the choreography, singing the harmonies, deciding who’s going to sing lead on which songs and having the fans scream. That was always the motivation for us.” – Ricky Bell

“A little edge is good but sometimes you need that break, you want that feel-good music that takes you back. A lot of R&B acts are straddling the fence between singer and rapper, so we help to bring that balance.” – Ronnie DeVoe

“Let me just say that we have the best fans on the planet and that’s another thing that keeps us coming back to the table, coupled with the fact that we love what we do. A lot of people are not able to make a living doing what they love and we’re able to do that because the fans constantly motivate us to get back on that horse and give the people what they want.” – Ricky Bell

“I think the sound today is totally different than the sound of yesterday. I think everything is really more rap-influenced as opposed to R&B-influenced. There’s a certain sound on the radio that — we’re just going through a phase of, you know, you could close your eyes and all of the records kind of feel the same. So, I think we’re following the songs more so than the artists these days. Whereas yesterday, you used to follow the artist then get into their music.“ – Michael Bivins

The Interview

Besides being on a “grander” scale, how does the All Six Tour either differ and/or compare to previous NEW EDITION shows/tours?

On this tour, we have a lot of bells and whistles in the show that will really surprise the fans. We have all had a great career together and individually, so you will get to see all of that on stage. The show will take fans through what we have done together, individually, and as BBD.

The All Six Tour clocks in at nearly 2 1/2 hours — And although I’m not at liberty to put my own age out there like that, let’s say we are all pretty much close to the same bracket (LOL!) — How in the world do you all keep up that non-stop energy and constant cardio workouts with those impeccable dance steps night after grueling night?

We get a lot of energy from our fans. Watching the crowd react to our dance moves and singing, gives us a big adrenaline rush. Year after year, we keep coming back out because we want to feel that energy from our fans. They are the ones that keep us going and inspire us to give 110% every night!

Honestly, what was it then that prompted you all to take so much time off from actually recording new music as a unit?

We wanted to pursue our own solo projects and take our time. We didn’t want to put out albums just for the sake of putting them out. We wanted it to be organic, not forced.

Now Mr. Brown, as of late you have really been “flexin'” your entrepreneurial skills with this new line of BBQ sauces and spices — Please tell me about your new venture? And, how exactly did you get involved in this type of business in the first place?

I learned to cook a long time ago. When I was younger and on punishment, that was my punishment, where I had to stay in the kitchen with my mother and actually learn how to cook. This is not something that is new to me; it’s been a part of my life for a long time.

I definitely wanna take the time out to commend you all for “keepin’ it 2gether” throughout thick and thin, through both the good as well as the bad times — So tell me, how have you all been able to do that, being that most musical groups, especially ones of your caliber, can not seem to manage a feat of this magnitude?

We have a brotherhood where no one put us together, we put ourselves together. We love performing together and we have those brotherly moments, but we have a great leader, choreographer, manager and godfather; Mr. Brooke Payne, who reminds us that these little things aren’t important and we focus on the big picture.

Longevity, what do you all attribute yours to? Thus far, what has been the key to Ronnie, Bobby, Ricky, Mike, Ralph and Johnny’s longstanding success?

We have kept our core audience, but we are also expanding. We spend all our time on the road and interacting with fans, so they know us well and keep coming back to hear their favorite songs.

Is there anything I left out or failed to ask that you all would like to mention at this point in time?

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By: Todd Davis

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