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End Of The Road, I’ll Make Love To You, On Bended Knee… The list goes on of
classic Boyz II Men songs. Heading to Australia for the Legends tour, THA
DIVA caught up with Nate Morris.
How does it feel to be a part of the most successful R&B group of all time?
Wow! I never really thought of it. I don’t know I been part of it all my
life so it’s tough to look at it that way. But I’m glad to be in it I guess
you could say.
Last year you were resigned to Universal records through Decca, what was the
reason behind signing to a bigger label?
We thought this was the proper time for us to reunite with a proper label,
given that the last projects had been independent. And universal was the last
home that we left and we kinda had a bit of familiarity.
What was the reasoning to doing another album of recovered classics?
We got the idea from a business affiliate that thought it would be a good
idea given the state of the music business in the United States as far as
quality music being put out, and we thought we would go back and grab that
old really strong melodies really good music and see if people you know
understand it.
Holding such a high status within the R&B music genre, do you feel a sense of
responsibility in educating the public about the music, then?
That was one of the reasons why we did this record, to try to get people
understand the music out there. We aren’t really big fans of today’s music,
there are some artists trying to do the right thing by R&B, but for the most
part its not existent.
It’s almost like the fusion between R&B and hip hop has blurred those lines…
Yeah. I mean the people that are doing R&B today are so tainted by hip hop
they don’t know how to create true R&B music.
Although the album features covers it also features your massive hit End Of
The Road with Brian McKnight. What was the reason for including such a
version?
Brian has been a long life friend of ours. He has been around for a long
time. He is like a member of our group in a way. Which is why we chose him.
He is one of those incredible artists that is trying to keep R&B alive. And
we didn’t even pick that song to be on that record, it was kinda some of the
executives at the label. I think they felt that doing Motown hits then End of
the road need to be on there.
Did you ever think 15 years later the song would still be a huge hit?
It’s an interesting song. It’s a global phenomenon that doesn’t happen all
the time, and its one of those songs that none of us could of told you it
would do that in the way that it has.
Out of all the Boyz II Men songs, what would have to be your favourite?
It’s tough to pick one. A lot of songs that have been recorded have never
been released. We try to put 100 per cent into every record, and we are one
of those groups that has a different songs for every occasion, whether
mothers day, a lost loved one or graduation we have those type of songs, it
all depends on the mood.
There are a handful of pure R&B artists coming through today that sight you
as influences. I use Taio Cruz from the UK as an example. What are your
thoughts on having this influential factor on this younger generation?
It’s great. It’s the reason why we do it, we can influence how people
influenced us. In fact we just did a six week run in the UK and he opened for
us, and we heard his music and we know about it and we like it. And I think
that someone like that is trying to carrying on the R&B tradition we just
need more.
Do you feel the idea that it’s about the quality of music has been lost on
marketing?
Now a days it’s about image and how much money you make, or who you sleep
with, or how many times you have been locked up, or how many DUIs you have
had. All the things that aren’t actually as important as the music.
With Motown and also Throwback, they have both been an album of covers. Is
this the direction you will be heading in from now on?
We are definitely going to do some new Boyz II Men music. We wanted to get a
feeler out there to see if people were really involved in the hip hop thing.
Whether they really wanted to see R&B music. The album is close to platinum
so we have some indication that people want to here R&B music so we will be
going back in to do a new album.
You are heading to Oz for the third time. What do you love it about it that
keeps bringing you back here?
Australia, we love the people, we love the audiences, and I’m single so me
personally, I love the women. (laughs)
Sounds like you are ready to move here!
You know what we have all been talking about setting up a holiday home for
the last one almost two years.
Finally once the tour is all over, what is next?
We are going to start a new record, and start from the basics. We are
reaching out for the Babyfaces, the Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, and even thes
and go in and make one of those really, really good Boyz II Men records.
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