(I'm missing a bit of the beginning of this interview. If
anyone has it, please E-Mail me with the beginning!)
Shawn Stockman thinks for a split second.
That's all it takes for him to answer the question. Our
goal is to collectively gain the popularity and as much
notoriety as the Beatles did," he says. Everyone knows
them. Even if you don't listen to their music you know the
group."
That is the quest of Boyz II Men. It's members have reached just
about every plateau in the music business.
But Stockman contends they are not celebrities and strive
to gain worldide name recongnition.
"I don't consider myself a celebrity. That's a word I
would use for folks like Michael Jackson or Prince."
The four bachelors are married to their work, each a
craftsman in his own right. Their efforts have resulted in
four Grammy Awards. They won two Grammys last year in the
categories of Best R&B Band, Duo, or Group, and Best R&B
album. That was for the group's debut album
Cooleyhighharmony.
This year the group won two Grammys in the category of Best
R&B Band, Duo, or Group, and also for Best R&B Song of the
Year. The winning tune is "I'll Make Love to You." The
group's current album is II.
Boyz II Men also won three American Music Awards this year in the
categoies of Favorite Pop/Rock single, Favorite Soul/R&B
Band, Duo, or Group, and Favorite Soul/R&B Single. The hit
tune is "I'll Make Love to You," which was written by
Babyface.
Plus the group won two Soul Train Music Awards this year in
the categories of R&B Record of the Year, and R&B Album of
the Year.
The recording of "I'll Make Love to You" tied a Whitney
Houston song as remaining number one on Billboard's charts
for 14 consecutive weeks. The group prevented itself from
breaking the record because it's second hit tune off the II
album, "On Bended Knee," knocked their previous hit from
the number-one spot on the chart.
"Thank You," the third hit tune from the album, was written
and produced by Boyz II Men. By now their fans should be hearing
"Water Runs Dry," played over airwaves. It's another
Babyface tune. Those accomplishments are a long way from
the group's humble beginnings growning up in the
Philadelphia area. The group was formed in 1989 when four
fledging quartet members sneaked backstage to meet Michael
Bivins of New Edition and Bell Biv Devoe fame. He was
hosting a talent show at the Convention Center in
Philadelphia.
The group confronted Bivins after the show and asked to
sing for him. Although they were nervous, they also were
smart. The amateur quaartet sang "Can You Stand the Rain,"
a tune recorded by Bivins and members of New Edition.
Stockman, Nathan Morris, Wanya Morris, and Michael McCary
sang a capella.
And those same voices, which probably were cracking a bit
from the members' nervousness, have gone on to crack record books. "One of our goals in our career is to break out and do all types of music, if possible. We love all types of music. It spawn from a very young age, and all the things we used to listen to when we grew up.
"We were exposed to all forms of music we listened to at home; classical music, jazz, folk music. So we've grown to love music overall, and respect it.
"We would love to, maybe one day if it's possible, do a gospel album. Or maye a country album or a classical album. We just love music."
The music of Boyz II Men hinges on a main theme: love. "We sing music that we feel."
And members are involved in every aspect of the music they record. For instance, they contributed to seven of the 13 songs on the current album. And they've made a commitment to one another.
Stockman says they have no intentions of starting solo acts. "That's not what we went into the business for. We wanted to be a group, and that was our main focus, and will always be our main focus."
The group's sound, of sorts, is patterned after many popular groups that preceded them such as the Temptations, Four Tops, and Isley Bothers. "We were influnenced by their music, their style, how they used to dress; down to their moves and the way they used to sing.
"The list goes on and on. We're inspired by a lot of those groups of the past. And some of the groups of the contemporary era such as New Edition and Take 6; groups like that that we listen to and pattern ourselves behind."
It results in widespread fan appeal. Stockman says he looks into their audience and sees children, mothers, grandmothers, and grandfathers. "We call our music music for the people, and we try not to categorize ourselves. If you catergoize yourself you can't grow."
Boyz II Men records on the Motown Label, and is managed by Southpaw Management. "Our main objective is to just make music and to create it where the whole world can appreciate it, and listen to it. And, so far, it's been pretty good.
"That's what we're here for. The awards are great, but the music is most important."
Besides living their dream as one of the hottest groups around, Stockman says members of Boyz II Men aspire to branch into television and movies. They don't have anything on paper to pursue at the moment, but ideas are canking in their heads. "Some of us want to go back to school and continue out educations," Stockman says, adding he wants to major in a field he knoes nothing about. The knowledge will be used, no doubt, to broaden his knowledge and enhance his career.
"We've matured a lot. We've learned a lot. We've experienced a great deal."
For example, the group made its first major purchase in March when it bought a facility in a Philadelphia suburb to open its own recording studio. It's called Stonecreek. "It's in the beginning stages right now," Stockman says at Ebony Man press time. "It will be a fully functional 48-track studio."
They may not get a lot of time to relax, but they try to squeeze in a little R&R whenever possible. "I like Sega and Super Nintendo," Stokman says, with a laugh.
He says Nathan Morris enjoys working with his hands. "He likes to go home and fix things around the house. He's a craftsman.
"A lot of people don't know this about Wanya, but he's a really good artist. He's amazing. He's so good at it. He has an imagination like crazy."
But there is no wild imagination, or unexplainable reason why Boyz II Men is successful. Stockman praises a higher power.
"The Lord has had His hand in basically our lives from the day we were born. And we try to keep Him there.
"That's how we explain it," he replies, when asked how the group has remained on top. "He has blessed us with our meeting together, because we didn't have to meet. He brought us together and He saw that common ground in each of us to bring us together and form this group. And He blessed us with the dreams that we had. All of us."
Boyz II Men should be on tour until late December with the group Subway and artist Brandy.