Jordan on Access Hollywood, March 8, 2003

Access Hollywood: After New Edition, producer Maurice Starr created another teen sensation, New Kids on the Block, sort of the NSync of their day. The guys had a string of hits in 1988 as New Kids mania swept the nation. New Kids on the Block, the original princes of pop, the teen boy band with R&B flavored sound and dance moves broke through the music scene in 1988 with their album "Hangin' Tough". That year would see them go from an opening act for pop princess Tiffany, who helped pave their way to success, to stars of their own right. Donnie Wahlberg, brothers Jordan and Jonathan Knight, Danny Wood and Joe McIntyre had finally arrived.

Joe: Hangin Tough is the one that put us on the map

Jordan: Going on the road, girls yelling and screaming, making money... it was awesome.

AH: Please Don't Go Girl was the group's first hit, reaching #10 on the chart in 1988, fame and fans soon followed

Jordan: In the early days there were tons of dolls being thrown up on stage, you know panties, and once in while bras.

AH: Fan Frenzy became an everyday thing as the guys told the Today Show in a 1989 interview..

(clip of today show) Donnie and Jordan say fans sneak up in their hotels dressed as maids

AH: At the height of their fame the New Kids were the nation's highest paid performers earning $115 million dollars in one year. But they never became rock star bad boys.

Jordan: We would have parties, we never really into drugs though. We liked to party in different cities with girls and stuff like that.

AH: After releasing 6 albums and selling 16 million albums, the New Kids phenomenon eventually ran its course. The group parted after one last tour in 1994.

(clip of Give it to you video)

AH: Today Jordan is still singing and his second solo CD will be released this year. His brother Jonathan remains retired from the business, Danny also has a second solo album due out in April, Joe is releasing his forth solo CD this summer and acting on Fox's Boston Public, Donnie also has the acting bug, his current gig is NBC's Boomtown.

Donnie: I don't necessarily miss all that stuff, it was fun and I enjoyed myself, and touring was a wonderful experience, but I don't know if I'm going to be a huge super star.