New edition: group celebrates 20 years of making music together with new CD, 'One Love'

Jet, Nov 15, 2004 by Margena A. Christian

They have grown from boys to men right before our very eyes. They have witnessed the good, the bad and the ugly sides of the music industry, and through it all, New Edition (NE) has proven that it can stand the rain. The group has weathered the storm and remains strong, making music together for 20 years.

This week NE, comprised of Ralph Tresvant, Mike Bivins, Ricky Bell, Ronnie DeVoe and Johnny Gill, releases the new CD One Love. Hot2Nite is the project's first single.

Hip hop music mogul Sean "P. Diddy" Combs is a big fan of the group. Last year he signed them to his Bad Boy Record label.

"Fans can expect to hear a mesh between New Edition and the Bad Boy bangin' sound Puffy is known for," says Ronnie of One Love. "There is classic New Edition on there because we made it a point to let Diddy know that we had to represent who we are."

The group's last album was 1996's Home Again, which reunited them with original member Bobby Brown. The group, including Bobby, also toured that year.

The extended absence between projects was due to business matters, the group explains.

"We've never been able to capitalize on selling records," says Ralph. "In between albums, it seems like we've been always trying to get to the right deal. We've been under the same deal since we started. We just got out of it when we signed with Puffy."

During their time away, Ralph and Johnny have toured the country performing in urban theatre productions. Johnny also found success as a member of LSG, a group that featured Gerald Levert and Keith Sweat. Mike headed Biv 10 Entertainment with artists such as 702, Subway and ABC. Ricky released a solo album and toured, while Ronnie earned his real estate license.

The group was formed in the early '80s by Brooke Payne, their longtime manager. Original members included Ralph, Ronnie, Bobby, Ricky and Mike. Growing up in the Orchard Park housing projects in Boston, they modeled themselves after the Jackson Five.

"We looked up to the Jacksons," says Mike. "We always understood what their level of success was. For some reason we've always been still striving to be on that level as a group. I want people to look at us and say, 'the Temptations, the Jacksons, New Edition.'"

Never missing a heat, they were matching outfits and performed tightly choreographed dance routines all the while singing in perfect harmony. They immediately captured the attention of producer Maurice Starr, who signed them to his Streetwise record label.

The group's first album was 1983's Candy Girl. Songs from that project included the title track, Is This The End, Popcorn Love, Jealous Girl and She Gives Me A Bang. The 14-year-olds were offered a deal with MCA Records and parted ways with Start, who then modeled a White boy group after NE, New Kids On The Block. Since that time NE ushered in the era of other modern-day boy groups like Boyz II Men (who got its name from the NE song Boys To Men and was discovered by Mike Bivins), N'Sync, Backstreet and 98 Degrees.

"We've inspired a lot of groups in the music industry," says Ralph. "But we are overlooked. The size of New Edition and the things we've accomplished isn't always mentioned. Groups we've inspired are mentioned in music history, but we're not. It's kind of crazy. We've accomplished things as a group and as individuals and we've been keeping this going for so long, which is pretty rare. I'd like to see our accomplishments recognized."

By 1985, NE had recorded four albums and had a string of hit songs: Cool It Now, Mr. Telephone Man, My Secret, Lost In Love, A Little Bit Of Love, Count Me Out, With You All The Way and Give Love On Christmas Day.

But something was wrong. Though the fellas had one monster hit after another, they had nothing to show for their hard work. "Our first two albums," recalls Ricky, "we were still living in the projects. We would get right off the tour bus and go back. That's for real."

The group didn't understand the severity of the production deal they signed with MCA Records. It didn't work in their favor. They were finally able to break away from MCA just last year.

Though NE has a catalog of hit songs, after 20 years of performing, the group makes no money from any of its classic tunes. Their money comes from touring.

"Our path was kind of already written and it was meant for us to go through the things that we've been through," says Mike. "I guess the card that we were dealt is a hard pill to swallow, but at the same time like my morn says, 'Wisdom is everything and knowledge and information is golden? Those are the three things that we do have after all of that."

Major changes took place for NE by the mid-'80s. Bobby Brown, a standout performer in the group best known for his lead on Mr. Telephone Man, decided to leave in 1986 for a solo career:

Baritone singer Johnny Gill, a Washington, D.C., native with a rich, soulful sound well beyond his years, was chosen as the new member in 1987. At 19 and no longer boys but men, the group wanted its sound to reflect more maturity.