Throughout a career that has spanned three decades, sold more than 40 million records and scored hit after chart-topping hit, New Edition helped pave the way for boy bands to come. Now comprised of Ralph Tresvant, Johnny Gill, Michael Bivins, Ronnie DeVoe and Ricky Bell, the group continues to pioneer a unique style of music in spite of line-up changes, solo successes, and debt from a failed record deal.
Before a movie is released about their life in 2009, in 2007 Bell gave an interview about their start and why the group still performs as New Edition.
What is it that continues to reunite New Edition after all these years?
BELL: When we first got together as a group, creatively we had a lot of goals but we always felt there is something we haven't done or never had the budget or the production backing to do. New Edition is our bread and butter. We could still make a living on the road individually, it's just a matter of needing each other and showing the world what New Edition is all about.
You guys basically started the boy band craze that took over the late '80s and spanned over 20 years, but when groups like New Kids on the Block, Backstreet and 'N Sync came out, did you all ever feel slighted by their attention?
BELL: Definitely. Just being on that Michael Jackson and Janet Jackson level - we never got that. This "biz" is a marketing and promotional game you gotta play and if you don't play right, you'll get lost. We kind of blame ourselves because when we first got in the business whenever we received advice we didn't always take it. We never had the best lawyers or anyone who protected us from debt.
Starting New Edition under the age 15, is there anything you know now about the biz that you wished you could've changed early in your career?
BELL: In hindsight, if I had to do it all over again, I would ask the questions we needed to know to survive as New Edition. When we started, we would do tours and get dropped off in the projects. Then, not knowing what questions to ask, we were five boys from the projects that had everything ripped off.
Since you all have enjoyed solo success and broken off into groups such as Bell Biv DeVoe, were there ever any rivalries among you all?
BELL: We had all the fights and arguments you can possibly have in a group. We stayed in hotels where it was three-to-two in a room and pillow fights turned into real fights. Today we have nothing left to fight about that's more important than the big picture. We've gone through that.
When you were a part of BBD, it was hit after hit with songs like "Poison." Did you always know New Edition would resurface?
BELL: It was always in the plan to come back together. New Edition has always been our baby.
