TV HITS - DECEMBER 1994
From the music room of a Philadelphia High School to sell-out Aussie tours, Boyz II Men have definitely come a long way.
Boyz II Men can definitely do no wrong. Hot on the heels of their No.1 single "I'll Make Love To You" and Top 5 album "II", the fab Philly four have just wowed Aussie fans with their amazing live concerts. But things weren't always so easy.
"We were shaking in our shoes because we were so scared of what people would think of us," remembers Shawn "Slim" Stockman of the early days. "We're successful these days, but we also think about the fact that our popularity may not last forever, so we appreciate it."
Shawn's not wrong there. Apart from dedicating several songs to family and friends, Boyz II Men haven't forgotten their home-town of Philadelphia, in America's North-East. "It's been a big influence on our lives," says Mike "Bass" McCary. "We try to make sure we do our videos and photo shoots there 'cause the fans want to be a part of the group, and we want them to be a part of where we live and where we're from."
"Yeah," agrees the baby of the group, 21-year-old Wanya "Squirt" Morris. "We wanna always stay in touch with the people. We want the people to be able to get to know us, touch us...we don't wanna seem to big for anyone."
The Boyz II Men story began in September, 1998 at South Philadelphia's High School of Creative and Performing Arts. Under the guidance of their singing teacher, David King, they followed eldest member Nate "Alex Vanderpool" Morris' vision of becoming music stars and formed the group Unique Attraction. Unhappy with this name, they soon took on the moniker Boyz II Men, as a tribute to a song by their favourite group, New Edition, the classic '80s band featuring Bobby Brown, Ralph Tresvant and Bell Biv DeVoe.
"We were group members before we were friends," says Shawn. "At first, we argues every day. If it wasn't about trivial things or girls, it was about something else." Thankfully, the Boyz soon became brothers, and landed their recording contract with legendary soul label, Motown.
The guys credit former manager Michael Bivins (of Bell Biv DeVoe) with discovering them. "When Biv came up with the idea of our image, he took it from a character on a soap opera called Alex Vanderpool," says Nate. "Alex dressed, basically, like we do, you know, the Ivy League collegiate look. So we took Alex Vanderpool and built sub-characters around him, you know, Slim, Bass, Squirt, that type of stuff. We just rolled with it and America took to it and we ain't letting it go!"
And as for that now-infamous cane that Mike "Bass" McCary carries with him everywhere... no, he doesn't have a dodgy leg. It's a fashion accessory! "The cane came about because I'm a very, very clumsy person," he reveals. "I fall over everything. In the early days, I used to play a lot of basketball and I messed up my ankles. It became a fashion statement through the years because everyone was like, 'Look at this cool brother walking down the street with a cane!' I wasn't trying to be cool, I was trying to be careful and not be laughed at. So it stuck because you know you're not going to fall over with a third leg!"
Image aside, Boyz II Men have a lot going for them. In the space of three years and three albums ("Cooleyhighharmony", "Christmas Interpretations" and "II") they've managed to sell over 10 million units and spend months at the top of the World's charts. Perhaps their most flattering achievement as master of a capella R&B is the stack of soul imitators their sound has spawned recently. "It's like in the '50s or '60s" admits Shawn. "That kind of singing is coming back again. A lot of those new group that are coming out aren't just doing it for the sake of doing it - they can really sing."
"You know, dreams are something that don't always come true for everyone," adds Nate. "Having it come true to this magnitude makes you forget about the money. All it is, is doing something you enjoy doing which many people don't get to do. Every night you go on stage, the fans just reward you for what you do."
And if reaction by Australian fans is anything to go by, Boyz II Men will definitely be around for a long time.
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