Brooke Payne

As prepared, you watch the Sean Stockman on On That Note. Welcome everybody to another exciting episode of On That Note. Of course, this is the place where we speak a language we all understand and that is music. All right. I was trying to find a word, right? I think I found one, but I was trying to find a word to describe the actual stature of this man's importance and influence to so many people in the music industry. So bear with me, I get flowers here in the show, all right? His importance and influence to me personally, he's more than a legend, because legend is too small. It's too small to describe, just the size of this important gentleman right here, okay? Real talk. He is a legend maker, actually. Like so, legends beget legends, I guess. And he is a teacher of the virtues of the showman, an unequivocal dab hand of stage, artist development and professionalism and entertainment. His sons, who he raised since they were kids back in Boston, to become the greatest group in music history and some of the most electrifying performers to hit dance moves behind the mic stands, new addition. He placed his blessed hands on others after that, like new kids on the block, Usher Raymond, Boys to Men and so many others. He is one of one. True scholar of the big stage, a man I have the most highest of respect and love for. He is the reason I am who I am today, when it comes to the microphone and performing and stage and all that, he is the reason. I would not be the singer and performer I am, if it wasn't for this man right here, full stop. He is the Kanya Shenty. That means you're the big dog. Because I don't know what you are. Yes, you are the Kanya Shenty. All right, so everybody just remember that. When you see him, recognize him as the Kanya Shenty. No one greater, no one more significant and doing the most with two feet and a vision for greatness. A loving father of many, devout Bostonian through and through and has by far the fliest collection of shell toe adidas I have ever seen in my entire life. This man, like I don't know if you all see the shoes. I've never seen him wear the same shell toes twice. I don't think I have like those. Those are new. Or those are just in the stash like they were hanging around. Ladies and gentlemen, please give it up for Uncle B. Stroh, a.k.a. What's your name, Brooke Wade, Brooke Wade, pain, a.k.a. Brooke Payne. Come on, give it up. I could have went on, but, you know, as I speak, I get a little over clump. So, you know, I get emotional about these things sometimes. I just I kept it. I thought that was my exit. It was so good that I didn't need to sit here anymore. OK, we're done. Oh, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. We got a lot to talk about. How you doing, man? But thank you for all of that. And, you know, I'm here because of you. But for almost, you know, I don't even like doing these things. But you asked him here. I appreciate you. Yes indeed. Matter of fact, to make it even more of an honor, like when I talked about getting some other guys on the podcast, Bistro himself even said, hey, I want to be on it. So I was like, say less. I cannot say no. You know what I'm saying? So thank you. Thank you very much, man. I appreciate it. I know this is a very rare appearance. So one and done. Yeah, one and done, one and done. Cool. So we'll we'll keep it cool. We'll keep it cool. First off, congratulations on having one of the most successful tours rolling in the country, the New Editions Wait tour, starring a new addition, Tony Braxton and some other guys. So congratulations. Yeah, yeah, yeah, those guys. Yeah, whatever's on the jacket is basically the ones that are on the road. Congratulations. Well, thank you. Yeah. Well, congratulations back to you. Thank you. Thank you. Because it takes all of us to have what we have. But it's. It's special. You know, it's first and foremost special because you guys poised to make a new addition on the same stage. I've been waiting for this for a long time. Yeah. And it happens to be now that it came. And then, of course, with Tony, that's just the sweetener of it. But show. And it's being shown by what you said is in the top five and people are coming out for it. And we just did something different. And I love the fact of the energy that is getting from the community of all communities. Yeah. We're making a lot of people happy. And I think that's what I'm getting. The biggest kick out of the fact that. Soon as we started, like. It's different because there's a there's a certain type of. Of energy that comes with. Being. Within the new addition family. It's like. Starting out, especially with tours and shows, there's always like mechanical glitches and and show issues and and so on. And. When you know, you're with family when the audience themselves see it, they might see it, might recognize certain things, but that's not the emphasis. Right. Because your fans are like family. Our fans are like family. Tony's fans are like family. So everybody came to just be a part of the experience. Right. So it was almost like being at a house party. You know, when the DJ used to plug in and to the backyard and sometimes the record might skip or something might glitch or whatever. Who cares? We're all here. That's where the fun is. Yeah. And that is where the fun is. Right. Just experiencing those moments where you can say, yeah, that was it. But look. I'm having a good time. I'm having a great time. Perform with. People who I looked up to. And to share the stage and to see the impact of this tour. There will be tours in the future that will try to duplicate. This. This this energy, but it's it's it's rare to have. This not just a caliber of talent, but the history behind it. We are we are connected in so many ways that it's ridiculous. Tony included. Like we're all just kindred spirits. So again, I'm having a great time. So again, I'm having a good time and for the record, Bistro's demand is also in charge. He put the whole production and whole thing together. So what you see from the lights to the choreography to the clothes, all of those things, he's behind it all. So this man is who he is for a reason. Now, uh, now we're going to get into some interesting stuff. Bistro, because there's some stuff that I'm going to learn that I didn't know about you. So I like to do a segment called we're going to go back way back back into time. All right. So we're going to go back to Boston. It's 10 years old, the 10 year old. Bistro. Right. All right. Paint the picture. What was the music that was being played when you were 10 years old? What inspired you? I picked 10 because that's like the formative years that kind of transition you from being a kid to a young adult. And that's the music that tends to stick with you because you're no longer singing just the ABCs. You're actually ingesting sounds and lyrics and all that other stuff. So take me back. What was being played in your neighborhood that inspired you to want to get into music? 10 years old. So I fell into the love of the, the vocal groups, the temptations, the four tops, the dels, and, you know, moving on and getting into the local groups, too, of being home in that time. And I was in the seventies, you know, dealing with the Manhattan's, you know, the Tavares, the Tavares from Medford, Mass, the family of Tavares. I always loved them. And then of course, once I ran across Blue Magic and the first time I seen them was the first time I went to a concert, you know, into a concert with my sister, my oldest sister, Flo, Ron's mom and seeing Blue Magic. The concert. The first time seeing the stage thing in person. I was blown away with that. That's my favorite group from that time. Yeah. And then, you know, afterwards I was staying with her at that time. I think it was a weekend or something. And this course was a nightclub. So I was in the corner. Wasn't like I was sitting out in the world that way and now, but I'm in the corner and I was just watching this and I'm amazed by that. And then the other thing was afterwards I go back to her house and, you know, my sister, they was connected. So I'm in the bedroom and they have all the people like the after parties at her house. Okay. I'm peeking out the door and the same people I just watched at my sister's house. That's great. I didn't even know what to do myself. I'm young. I don't know what to do. I don't know what to say, but all this stuff is running through me. I'm like, I want to do that. That's where I came from. Were you ever in a group yourself? Yes. What was it called? Touch of Blue. Touch of Blue? Okay. How many members? Five. Five. Obviously guys from around the way. Yeah. Were you the lead vocalist? Were you a background vocalist? No. I saw you lead. Okay. I did. Were you tenor falsetto? Tenor falsetto? All that. I couldn't get it no more though. I was about to say, I was about to ask you to hit a couple of high notes, man. I'm like, it won't happen. And the point of it is, you know, I'm in a shower, I keep trying. Okay. But it's gone. Okay. Okay. But yeah, I was in a group and you know, we did the local stuff and had the band and done the same things that I went and seen that day. Yeah. And it was just a point of keeping cats together. That's what even got me into working with kids because I had all of this that I wanted to get out and I couldn't. So then, you know, I'm sparking at that side. Yeah. And you have a stint where a couple of us went out. We're from the lead singer of Planet Patrol. Planet Patrol. Yeah. Never heard about it. Play it out, play it out, play it out, oh yes. Oh, oh, okay. Right, right, right. Different Boston. Different Boston. Yeah. They used to be a group back in the day called the energetics, but they ended up being Planet Patrol. Got you. Now that big super one hit. Then at some point, the lead singer and the other guys broke up. What happened? And we went and filmed in the rest of the group for a short run in Florida. So we had done that, but still connected with all of them. Yeah. And it's a good thing. But yeah, that's it. Is there any footage? No. Any pictures? Any? There's some pictures. There's no footage. No footage. Yeah. Okay. But Kishana, we have pictures at least. We have, you think we can get a couple of those? Thank you. This, you know, I'm sure you probably had like a fly, you know, tuxedo on with the big bow ties. Yes. All right. Well, you know, speaking of groups, I find it, I found it interesting that Philly and Boston always had this interwoven connection historically. Like lots of pivotal, pivotal moments like the Boston Tea Party and the Declaration of Independence, for example, like we're all connecting that way. Sports. One of the biggest rivalries was the the the Sixers and the Celtics back in the bird, yeah, early days. Like we stayed dogging. Yeah, it was it was always an issue whenever Boston would come into town. Like it was always, we always welcome y'all with healthy booze and Yes, indeed. You know what I'm saying? Like so. And even with with the music, obviously a lot of the same, I think motivations going back and forth. One of your inspirations, obviously, that you just discussed. Discuss came from a group and Blue Magix from Philly. And just knowing that and understanding that, I guess, the the the lines of connection were drawn between the two cities because what was going on in Boston was pretty much the same thing that was going on in Philadelphia. Like the Delphonics and the Delves and the Stylistics and the OJs and Howe Melvin and the Blue Notes. All of those guys that that ran the streets of Philadelphia, you would it would be normal to just see walking down the street, a couple of dudes on the corner humming. And that that was kind of like what we just grew up in. Like that's just the ecosystem. Like outside of this new emerging genre of music called hip hop that was bubbling, there was still. And even those two elements, they blend it. Because when you look at like Soul Sonic Forest and all those older hip hop groups, they almost look like doo wop groups. Exactly. And they would kind of do the. And some really sang well and all that other stuff. So that's what they grew up on before they became what they became. Exactly. No doubt. Exactly. This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. May is mental health awareness month. There's a good reminder to check in with yourself. 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Sign up and get 10% off at betterhelp.com slash on that note. That's better. H-E-L-P.com slash on that note. So with that, right? Your ambition to create your own, I guess you could say, blue magic. How did the whole idea of putting together this group called New Edition come about? What did you see in these five kids that you said to yourself, I can work with this and make something special out of these guys? Well, first, like I said, just dealing with kids. Boys Club was right behind the project where I lived. My building was right there. Boys Club was there. And then New Edition over from Roxbury. I lived in South End, just like this distance, community, community, South End, Roxbury, and they have their place. So it started for me around the Boys Club started for me. Like I said, having groups that just couldn't get together. And it started at that point just pulling kids together and doing different groups. There was different groups. So, you know, a girl group I had, there was a group I had called the Transitions. At that time, they were the biggest young group in the community. It wasn't New Edition, it was them first. There's five of them. And they were just incredible, I would say myself. But then there came a spread when I had moved to California. And I was there for a couple of years. And so that group never got what New Edition got exposure on that talent show. But when I came back, I said, like you see in the movie that, you know, I was back and then people wanted to get things going. I wasn't even in mindset at first and to like the movie shows, it's real. When they came to me after the talent show and said they wanted to be in the group. You know, it sounds the actual thing that happened, sound like a script that went in the movie. Right. But it actually happened in these kids and they were just there and pushing each other out to go talk so on and so forth. So the energy they had with them was like they really wanted to do it. Now, if they want to do it on the level I seen it, or just some kids wanted to do it to do talent shows, like they talk about with two different things. Right. You know, so I seen that energy within them. And then I started just working with them and seeing the personalities. Because it's all about the personalities to make a group be strong. Yeah. No different than you guys. You three, everybody has that personality that works. Once I seen that, then it was like, just OK, cool. They have something here. Just got to tune it to what it be, what it needs to be. So, you know, that, you know, then this was even before Ralph and Ron was in. But once they got in, you know, Bob was Bobby from a young age. Sure. That guy you grew up and knew was that guy for real. Right. You know, Mike, same Mike, you know, I had to put him into the one that talked the most back then, you know, because that's what his gift of gab was. So it's just moving people. But I seen the sparks in everybody at the same time to be able to form what it was within forming the performance part of it. Getting that done and then getting them from performing to learn how to be entertainers, right? Because it's a very big difference. Big difference. You go up to a performer routine, do that all day long and still be flat. Right. Right. You know, if you're not entertaining within that, within every move, within every word that you say, within like this, you know, if you didn't have what you have in yourself, you couldn't be able to stand up there and really command that show because you command the show as the emcee. Right. That's no different Iran. Right. Somebody has it better than somebody else. Some other people can go talking to be like, right. Maybe you shouldn't do that. Right. Right. You want to step him up. So that's all it was. Seeing it all when they were young first, first and foremost. And then taking those things that I did see and polish on them. I didn't actually give them the talent that God gave them. Sure. But knowing that to see it, then you help it. You're the best to help them. Yeah, to shape it. Yeah. Now you mentioned. Ron and Ralph wasn't in the group yet when you met. Yeah. The other three. Were they called new addition at the time or? No, they were called new addition until everybody was in the group. OK. Yeah. And we were sitting around. We sit around thinking about names and. We was looking at album covers and things like that. And that's where Tavares came in, because it was Tavares album cover. I looked at it and it just dinged in my head. What it is is all of these groups. This is going to be a new addition of that. And that's where I got the name from. What I love about. Personally, the genes of what new addition is, is. Is I believe. What. Music growth should be new addition represented that exact thing. It was it was a touch of. All of those groups that we aforementioned, the groups of old. The temps tops. Stylistics, blue magic, all those guys, but with more of a modern feel. Like they were doing those same things, but they were doing it with a higher energy. With what was going on with how kids expressed themselves artistically, as far as dance, the music. It was synonymous with the dance steps. And I'm going to tell you, man, you can see once I understood that blue magic was your influence, you can actually see it. Now, I want everybody to on their own time, a B. Any new addition video, especially when they were younger. And blue magic, say one of my favorites. Videos was on on Soul Train. When they were doing sideshow. Side show. And the way they were. Hitting that. Being the Marionette. You know what I mean? That whole thing and that whole understanding of. How to. Just paint the picture through the routines. It was it was so incredible. And I get it now, just seeing the formations and how everything went. Now, how. Who was the hard head as far as like the practicing and who was the roughest one? Like we were and it's all love, by the way, guys, this is all in fun. We're family, so we could talk like this. So it's nobody ousted anybody like that. We're brothers, so we could talk like this. But who was the hard head? Who was the one that took the longest to put to get to step? Like each person, like who was who in the group? I know Ron was like, he's the catalyst. Like Ron, Ron, like you teach him to step, Ron, or do it just like you? Yeah, this is true. Who was who? That's true. I would say back in the day before Johnny came in the group, I think Bob would have been the one not that Bob was ever hard getting the step. Bob always wanted to do his own step with Fender step. So that was always a fight. No, don't go that way. But I feel it. Right. I don't care. Right. Don't go that way. Well, like you said, Ron. I'm going to leave that there. Yeah, yeah. Yeah. Like you said, Ron will always get Ralph's. Ralph's mind kind of works a little like my mind, because you know, Ralph would get a he'll come in rehearsal and miss rehearsals, but come in to rehearsal because, you know, he's wanting to get the video out, shooting the video, so it's already in the morning comes and then you'll, you know, see what the guy's doing and he's good. He's good to go. Right. Rick, Rick works hard at making sure it's right. You know, Mike is a point guard. So he's always trying to lead. When I say lead is because his a lot of times his steps. Oh, what's the word? Anticipate it. Like, yeah, he'll do the step before the steps should come. Nate. Yeah. 100%. Everybody has that. But the hardest to ever work with was Johnny. And why is that? Well, because they made a decision to bring Johnny in. They told me that I never had seen Johnny do stuff. And then you can tell by a person I can, you know, if you're going to be able to get something and then this is a style that everybody in the group has. They've been living it since they kids. They've been doing talent shows a couple of years before they was even seen. You know, so that was they were already in there. That didn't put someone new in that really started off with two left feet. Right. Johnny. Kenny had two left feet worse than Johnny, the baby face. OK, OK. I worked with the deal. Right. Oh, OK. He probably going to kill me, but he got the top level. Right. OK. He's better now. Right. Much better. So but Johnny was really it was really hard. Yeah, Johnny was something new to him and then how to get in and be able to get in and get that tight with it. It took a while when they first told me, I was like, what do y'all want me to do with that? What do you want me to do with that? And then when I seen him and I had the first time giving him a couple of steps, I was like, yeah, it's going to take some work in his defense, though. Like the group cultures different from solo culture. Exactly. And when you're in a group and you've been in a group since the beginning, you kind of understand formation, you understand hands and feet and head and the whole thing. Johnny's always been a soloist, at least from what I know. I don't know if he's ever been in a group outside of his family and church, but. Yeah, not a group like that. Not a group like that. Like that singing group, being in a singing group is an actual culture. It's a lifestyle. That is completely different from being able to just grab a mic and do your own thing, because your mind has to change. Like it's no longer about just you. Exactly. Yeah, you have to literally lock in. Yeah, you might have your moments to shine, but you got to fall back and you have to be on point with the rest of your guys and not look like the oddball out. Yeah, it's not that he didn't get there. Is that it was rough getting it. Yeah. But, you know, of course, everyone knows he's there now. He's in it. He's he's part of it. He lives it. He's got the style of it. So it all works out. But actually, the rough, that was the roughest. We can all tell it's all good. But it's when Johnny locked in that first day. What was it like when you like saw him dance for the first time? So he walks in the door. There it is. Man, a few words. I I I my first thing is I didn't believe it. I didn't believe that. That it could be done when I first seen it. I was like, I thought everybody was crazy. What are you all doing? I know it's vocals. But when you got to place them into that. Yeah, I was like, I couldn't see it. I couldn't I didn't believe it. I couldn't see it when everybody wanted it. So we got to it. We're going to get back to Johnny, but a shout out to J.G. But actually really pulling it out, pulling it off and and being. Unlock step with other guys that has been doing it all day life. Like so if anything is a testament to his hard work and his his desire to want to lock in. So but let's go back. How did. New addition get their first deal. Was it through Mares star? And the challenge to Mares star. And it was with three wise records. OK. Yeah, from Mares. I already had his thing going on with that. And I was part of the talent show that they was in. OK, that they the winner would get that record. They actually came in second with everybody knows they didn't win. But they was undeniable. Yeah. So that's how that started. Yeah. So the sign was Street Wise, which you guys recorded the first album. First single was popcorn love, right? Candy Candy Girl, excuse me, Candy Girl. And then I remember I'm just going back to my childhood because I remember seeing the video of Candy Girl. And I remember girls around my way on my block and on Belmart Terrace in Southwest Philly was going absolutely apeshit crazy. Over these kids and me being a young, young upstart. Like these these things, you know, they just got like just listed. Like, yeah, yeah, yeah. The one guy kind of sounds like the younger Michael Jackson. And then, you know, that whole thing, that was the whole. I guess you say overall opinion and just hearing about when you guys would come to Philadelphia and the local radio stations, WDAS at the time would would be, you know, maybe at a record signing or, you know, a show or whatever like that. And these crazy kids are going like bananas, like just out of control. And I'm like, like, who are these kids? You know, I was saying like, because one, I was I was young. I couldn't I didn't have the money to buy records. So I would just listen to you guys and, you know, listen to the guys on the radio and stuff like that. I was like, yeah, they're pretty cool. You know, they the harmonies were there and the whole nine yards. Like I have fan favorites that I used to listen to a lot like whispers in bed and and oh, man, a little bit of love. Like that was like all over this all over the place. Now, running around the country with these kids. What was it like making sure that they stayed? Kids because outside of the industry being what it is, a lot, a lot of things in demand for the kids to do. But how did you keep hold to keep the reins on them and make sure that they they stayed who they were? Well, you know, they were kids, like you said, the first thing. And the second thing, they all have parents, you know, and that pays a big role. You know, when you have kids going out and the parents want to know what's going on with their kids. They did a lot of New York first promotion wise. When the song first came out, they were in clubs, nightclubs. You know, some places they were on the stage from tables. Yeah. You know, and all of that kind of stuff. And, you know, one of the things for me was to always at that time, they still was in school. So it was always to make sure whatever we did, we can only do if we were able to get them back home for school. Yeah. You know, so that was even a demand of me. Remember, we are all new to the business. Yeah. Not only them, myself, my partner Travis at the time, we're new for here. But, you know, I had more of the street savvy than Travis had. So you couldn't bullshit me from a different club. Right. But anyway, my thing was always to make sure they got home and they'd be on stage at one o'clock in the morning. When we'd be in the car driving back and, you know, they'd have to go to school. Of course, they didn't want to go to school, they kids. Right. But nobody asked you to be what you're trying to be. And what you're trying to be takes that you got to keep this going at the same time. So that was the mindset. Yeah. Now, working with Maurice, you guys doing what you're doing. Maurice also found some other kids. That was lived somewhere else in Boston. New kids on the block. And you were involved with them as well. Right. How did that happen? Did Maurice come to you and say, hey, I want you to work with these these other guys too? What was that conversation like, like to to see five white kids that are somewhat similar to your boys wanting to do the same thing? How did how did you take that in as far as like just that that whole idea? That was the creative side of me. That's what that was. Yeah. Because when you audition and putting stuff together, that's the there's different sides to me, but that's the creative side. So that's my piece when I'm creating something. And then to have that come, I'm like, OK, let me see if I can create that over here. Because I had the need to feed my creating side. So it was nothing but that. OK, let me go see what I could do. Same thing I got with them and seeing a couple of Johnny's and he said at first, you know, but they also like Johnny, like you said, they had that spirit in them that they wanted to do that. And then I tried to keep that not straight on a new addition thing, but give a little different flavor for it. And then I had to, you know, get to artist development with them to who's going to step out, who does what and the whole just same gamut of it. And it came out to be successful. Yeah. And we love those guys. Yeah. Yeah. Nothing against that. Absolutely. We love that. We all represent the city. They represent us. We represent them. Yeah. We represent them. We represent you all. Like this, that's where the true community is. And to come off your question, to go back to something with the tour. I think the tour difference with other people who may build the tour. A lot of people come on tour and it's already friction. Yeah. I want to be better than this person. They should get that. They shouldn't get this. Yada, yada. Opposed to coming on tour, trying to come on tour as a family, because you're moving around. We move around the road with 165 people. Yeah. Daily. Yeah. So the only way it works is to be able to have everyone know that we're family. And it's one show and one team. Yeah. So that's the thing that most people miss. And that's the thing that why things don't go across as smooth, because it's all the back tone stuff that's going on. They don't realize it's showing on stage. Right. With this. Right. What shows on stage is that y'all are all having fun. Yeah. How can you have the audience get the fun if it doesn't flow from you? That's right. Just had to go back to that. No, for sure. And I only frame that question because a lot of people will probably wonder the same thing. But let it be known and let it be on record that those guys, new kids, new addition, boys to men, we're all family. We love those guys so much. And we're literal friends. Like this isn't like anything that is contrived or anything like that. We love those brothers. So just for the record and letting y'all know. Let me put some for the record, too. Now I did this New York Times interview. Because of my child over there. And, you know, the interview was really a great interview, but there was one part that bothered me when they said that new kids on the block were a copycat act. Right. For some farmers, those weren't my words. And secondly, they are their own act. They really are. You know, so I don't want people to ever think that none of us feel that way. It is room for everybody out here. That's right. And that's what's working. No, that's that's a great point because a lot of people would probably say the same thing about my guys. They're just a derivative of new addition, that whole thing. And so I get that. And it's an unfair comparison. It is. Considering the considering the success of all three groups, like we've established our own lane and our own identities within. But it doesn't mean that we weren't inspired by each other or by new addition, which again, the greatest group in my opinion in history, there's no other group that's done what new addition is done, whether white or black. So. Let's let's also keep it funky. You know, that's that's the truth. So, but to be inspired by another group, I mean, the Beatles were inspired by Motown acts. How about that? So are we going to say that the Beatles were a derivative of the temptations Jackson's, right? They would never say that. Mm hmm. They didn't say it here. Right. So knock it off. Yeah. You know what I'm saying? Like, you know, immediately, immediately. So all right, let's go back to the boys though. The group was doing amazing selling records, contract tickets. Then the guys hit a wall, man. Like Barris Ford got kicked out. Right. For whatever the reason is it was what it was. And then it was for. What were you going through in your mind during this transition? That the show still goes on. That's always my take on it. You know, if that is what it is, you keep moving, you keep moving for your fan base. You keep moving for your legacy. You know, everything else will bring itself back together. And that's what we did with the four. Did you still. Correspond with Bob even during those moments? Did you guys still talk? Oh, yeah. Yeah. It wasn't not a thing where, you know, that was done. Maybe at the very beginning of it. But, you know, that's still your brother or still your family. And you still hoping and praying for what he done and look what he done. Yeah. Yeah. He did OK. Yeah, that's all God. He did OK. He did. I did. Yeah, he did. He did all right. He did. He did. And. Well, shaky, but yeah, came out there and blew everybody out the water. Yeah, he did. Yeah, he did. He did one of the true Kings of R&B music. All right. So during that transition, you still made hit records. Yeah. You still did your thing, but then going back to the idea of bringing in another member. Why Johnny is my question? I think the main thing was to cross over from the well said bubblegum sound into them coming into a more adult song. Right. And Johnny was brought in the fold as they were notes by Mike. That was Mike's idea, you know, of the met prior. And we've seen Johnny in several shows and stuff like that, but just his sound in the field of, you know, Mike, Mike has that eye for that. Yeah. You know, so that's what was needed. It fit perfectly for that crossover. Yeah. And you guys get in. Work out to semantics and create, in my opinion, one of the greatest R&B albums ever crafted by human hands. Any heartbreak that really changed. As you just mentioned, the sound and the perception of the group once being little kids, you guys transition into maturity perfectly from the album cover suits to just the dance moves. Everybody grown up, got little mustaches, the whole nine yards. Mm hmm. I heard that during the production of the album, you told Jam and Lewis to add certain textures to the music. So you could add your choreography flare. And actually, Jimmy told the story like the, for example, the very famous legendary song, If It Isn't Love and the dance routines that is just as famous or if not more so than the song itself. Like they said that they wouldn't have thought of that. Adding those those those elements to the song, if you didn't tell them to. Again, being. Choreography being a very integral part of new addition was that your whole idea through every record? Was it some things you wanted like craft to be more smooth? Was was how how deep were you into the production side as far as like tapping on Jam and Lewis' shoulder and say, hey, can you add this or that out there? And the biggest thing was that song because before that song, they were, you know, doing all the other stuff and all of stuff. So I'm good. I knew I could deal with it. But I needed something that had those elements. Like there's one song, right? Despite a Tiviris. Madam Butterfly, you ever heard it? I don't think so. I might have. Yeah. That song has so many different rhythmic things that go on with it. And still to this day, I hear and I want to choreograph. I want to, you know, I'm saying that kind of thing. And I wasn't getting that at that time. And that's when I told them that. And another thing is I don't go in the studio when they're building music because I don't want to have the repetition in my head of something. And, you know, I wait, you know, tell them that and I wait to OK, it's sent to me and different things. And when that song came after I talked to Jam, about it, they put all that in there. That just gave me I was so excited. Yeah. And of course, I work and of course, people don't know that. But a routine is seen in my head before I give it from beginning to end. Wow. I see what it is. Who's doing what when it's going different stuff? It's all there. So a lot of times with them, I would teach, OK, these three, because I know they're doing one thing that I teach the other two or the other three something else. And then put them together to see if they're going bumping in. Because that's fun to be right. Yeah, you're a little sadistic. Well, we're going to get into that, too. Right. Because let me tell you something. No, I'm afraid I'm awake. I'm awake. I'm going to get into that minutiae later. But all right. So you you got the the steps and everything together. What was your most enjoyable routine? You've done a lot and you've done a lot of routines for a lot of people. What is probably the most intricate routine you've ever come up with? That you were like when it was done, you was like, yo, I did that. Like that's crazy right there. I have opinions. I have I have some. But what was yours? And and what did it take to get that vision of that routine to fruition? It's two for me. The number one would not be as deep as most people think, but it's the feel of the class of it. And that's with you all the way. Hmm. I love that's my number one. I've never seen that. Yeah. Nice, slow, ballad, sweet movement. To mm hmm. Yeah. And then the second one would be, you know, my kind of girl. Hmm. I love just the the intro. The one thing when everybody slides, it's like a flower. Crazy. Crazy. That gets me still to this day. Yeah, it's pretty. It's pretty epic. Yeah. Yeah. My my personal first off with you all the way. Is that somewhere we could is that on video that we could watch possibly? Is that on YouTube or something? Like it's somewhere doesn't really show all the pieces of it. But it's something I think I have. OK, I would love to see that. My personal opinion, my personal favorite. And I was watching last night when y'all won our senior and y'all had the black and white. Well, square outfits, that whole thing. And the raw base thing. Not a soul train. Right. See, I'm a I'm a fan, obviously. So but that was dope, too. But your own or senior and y'all doing crucial, obviously. And it's a part where but first off, you got to understand new addition, like and how they piece things together that if you catch it, it would be a great photo. Right. Right. They'll do something. Then they'll pause like Ralph, Ronnie and Johnny will be this way. Ricky and Mike will be this way. So when you catch it. And you click like you see the formation. Right. Right. You know, he's he's a master at that. My favorite part, though, is where the cowbell think, think, think, think. And you see Johnny, Ronnie and Ralph doing the think, think, think. Right. And Ricky and Mike. And they disappear behind behind them. Like then you just see three down to when they spin and they do it again. Think, think, think. And then Ricky and Mike reappear. Y'all got to watch that. That's like one of the fly. Like when I saw that, I was like, these dudes is clowning right now. I was like, yo, they are straight clowning. Or like, why? Can I ask that? Why? Like, why that? What, what, what was the. When I see stuff like you say, what, what, when I see stuff like that, I even see and go, what the hell is that? They can. I really do. Because, you know, to put together thing, I know exactly what you're talking about, and, you know, it's just like I said, it's all in my head. And then I will put it together. That's one of those things you're going to do this thing, going to slide in here, you know, and it's a picture that I'm seeing. But then when I see him do it, I have the same reaction as a fan would have. That's fly. I sometimes be like, who's the cat that did that? But that was cold. Like that's that's one of the. Like, again, y'all have done a lot of things. But just that right there just blew me away because. I'm kind of symmetrical, too, when I see certain things and certain, you know, shapes take place. And seeing that, I get excited because I like, I would have never thought of that. And that was fucking genius, the way that he like, like that, like, you know, it's it's the genius that I'm all inspired by just seeing what you did with those five guys and it was never the same. Like every routine is like its own identity. It's part of the production. Like it's part of the stage. And that's what I try to build up. You haven't seen kickback. No, no, back when when they were. When they were kids, they were part of the Lost in Love tour. And they had the castle and the slide that came down. We're saying this part because this is probably the most amazing part. It's the most simple spot. But they had the slide and Ricky was on the side here. And this was when it was for them. Ron and Mike and Ralph, they came down a slide. They go down on their knee and one knee is up. Right. And they're sitting there with one knee up and then they're like this. Rick runs across the stage. It dies into their house. And they put their feet out and they roll him down. That was crazy. See, but is all of this like documented, though? Like is this is their footage that we can see? Like it wasn't doing all that right. Right. Right. That's the crazy. Somebody got to have some. Hey, anybody that's watching this, if you happen to have like one of those big ass camcorders or something that you might like take to back in the day, because that's how we used to do it before there was phones. We had John's, you put on your shoulder. If anybody got any of those tapes, let us know. Yeah. Like the choreography is the sixth member. Yeah. Or the seventh member or eighth member, I hope you want to put it. But it's it's just as much an identity as the guys themselves. And we look for that as fans. We look to see, OK, what are these dudes going to do next? Even. Seeing how you formulated the introduction record going out tonight and seeing that come together. And just again, the the symmetrics behind it all, like and just watching it happen in real time. Me and my guys were like, this is see how they just just do that. All right, cool. Do it. Dint, dint, dint. And it's over and you sitting there like. They are mean, like just still. Inspired. Watching these guys after four decades, like it never gets old. Yeah, but you guys are up there on that one with them. Like is everyone killing that? We had to contribute. And and that was part of, again, I wouldn't be who I am if it wasn't for you. You instilled that same fire in us that you instilled that you put into the guys. So it just went from one. Group to another, like and we took that in. We took it personal. And even now today, if we did a show with somebody else, some other group, like you taught us that the goal is to kill. Period. Point blank, leave no prisoners, leave it all out on stage and perform your ass off. Yeah. You you owe that to the people coming to see you. And we feel it. Yeah. Like we feel the difference. Just like you said earlier, like there's a difference between doing little talent shows and being actual performers. And you taught us that. Yeah. Yeah. Well, well, with all the success of Heartbreak, the tour is amazing. I never saw it because I was poor and I couldn't I couldn't afford any tickets. So I think I got you have that the Heartbreak show. The whole the whole thing. I'm gonna need that. So that's another thing. But anyway, so we the Heartbreak tour is going on. But then. The compartmentalization started. Johnny went solo. And then, you know, Bobby was so he went back solo. And, you know, Bobby was already doing his thing. And Ronnie, Ricky and Mike found their identity, started doing their thing. And Ralph started doing his thing. Did that freak you out a bit? Like, well, no. No, because I was part of all those things. So it didn't do that. It gave what they needed at that time for the entities to be able to go do their own identity. You know, it may not have kept going without that breathing room. You know, that breathing room is what make makes them the number one super group. Yeah. Because nobody else has done it successfully. They've never broken up. That whole thing, like I said, gave them room for when, you know, it's getting to that point, you know, you can get in and have those things like that. What are we doing next? I don't feel like doing I'm living life. You got to be out of power. I want to have my thing going. That worked out perfectly for the whole movement of the group and their legacy. So I never was afraid of it. That was the whole intention. Yeah, let's go get it. You know what I'm saying? It's different things that, of course, you have the things on it. Well, you know, Johnny's doing his thing, Roe did his thing. You have the other three. They don't know what they're doing. And Jam comes up with the idea of them doing something. You know, but everything, like I said, happens for a reason. Everything is God's choice on how this flows. Some of it is not sit down. And what are we going to do? And everybody's planning that it just flowed that way that made it work. And has it still working now? Be sure that was a big risk because, you know, some of that could have gone terribly wrong. You know what I'm saying? Like, like one one artist may not have not gone platinum or fell flat or anything. That was an awful big risk. But everybody took it and everybody won. Yeah. So you could say about it now. Right. It was a big risk then, but now you have to point where it won. Yeah. And it could have not won, but it won. Amen. And you bring up an interesting point because. Being in a group is like being in a marriage. And even a husband and wife need a break from each other from time to time. And that's what a lot of people specifically the public because the public will once public opinion starts bubbling, then it becomes a whole other animal. Yeah. But knowing. The the dynamics of the group better than anybody and knowing what they needed to continue being a group. Sometimes means. Temporary separation from each other. Yeah. And a lot of people don't understand that a lot of people don't understand that. Like. Even with my guys, like, you know, we love each other. But when we're home, we're home. Everybody's living their life. Everybody's doing their thing. And we respect that. Yeah. And we respect that space away from each other. So when we do bring it back together, it's it's a it's an energy again. Yeah, coming back with the same love. Because because of the respect of that, you know, and that's what that done for everybody would, like I said, without that, it may not be here today. I believe that that's what, you know, kept it moving and has everybody even stronger, like you say, because you get that space and then when it's time to come in and you lock in, you know, the love locks in first and then you lock into the world. Yeah. Honest question. What do you think of us when you saw us? When I first saw you, same, same shit. I was like, what am I doing with this? Why does everybody why does everybody keep bringing me this? No, it wasn't Sean with two left feet. It was a mic. Yeah. Yeah. McCary. Yeah. It was a mic. But you know, all the stories of the left feet and all that. We overcome that we got there, but you know, it was time and effort. And then I think the passion. You know, up getting there and you guys already had it vocally. So, you know, that was the easy part of it, you know, coming with you guys. You had something to deliver and, you know, I tried to taper it with that being first, you know, I'm saying not the choreography being first. The choreography fell second to the vocals. Right. And that's what made that important for this group. Yes. Yes. Yes. Like, I agree. Like we our strong suit was always our voices. But we wanted to dance too. Yeah, you did. And we wanted to figure out how to implement those same intricacies of new addition, the only the way that we could. Yeah. And that was part of the fun. I mentioned earlier in the interview that Brooke is sadistic and it's true. And here's how he's such. Brooke would have a cassette tape of say Motown Philly. It would be like, remember, you would have those tapes would be like 90 minutes, 120 minutes, whatever. Brooke would have 120 minute tape of the same song. Played over and over and over and over again. Right. So he would just hit play. Do the routine. We'd have like 30 seconds. Soon as the song plays again, we have to play it. We have to do the routine again. Yeah. Soon as the song stops, 30 seconds. Song plays again. We have to do it all over again. Now here's the funny part. There was one time where Brooke had to cassette playing. He kind of left the room. So we're going, we're like probably six times in. So Nate goes, man, fuck this shit, man, I'm tired. You know what I'm saying? We're Brooke. You know what I'm saying? As you look out, Brooke was on a flight. Brooke left. So we sitting there doing a routine six, seven times, whatever. We thought he was going out making the phone, whatever. He was on a plane. Did you finish the tape? Hell no, we finished the tape. Absolutely not. Absolutely not. Like we probably did it maybe two more times. All right, man, rehearsal is over, man. Like this dude is bugging. Here's nothing he used to do because it is true. We had this bad at first. We do the routine and Brooke was like, you know, y'all don't look like y'all happy. Like what's what's with the mean faces? Like, you know, like doing the routine is like, there was wrong with y'all. So he would have us sitting in a mirror and smile for 15 minutes. Just smile. And what would you say? We give you a criticism like that's not big enough smile. And no, no, he would just kind of, he would just be sitting like this. But for long periods of time, him, he did that. Why was that important to you, Brooke? He can answer that because part of entertaining is being jovial, being happy. Like it's not supposed to look like work because the truth is it isn't. It's a blessing to do what we do. It's a privilege to do what we do. Yes, there's work, hard work put into it. But ultimately, it's a blessing to be amongst other like minded individuals perform for thousands of people. That is not to be taken lightly. It is not to be squandered. And that was Brooks lesson in his way of making that statement. You should be privileged. You should be happy that you're on a stage performing for thousands of people being seen by millions, whether on television or whatever. That love you. That love you. So. Yeah, that was a that was a hard lesson. And we hated it at first because we didn't get it at first, but we get it now. Thirty five years into the to the business. Like, you know, like we're still doing this at a level, all of us are doing this at a level that most artists dream of. Say what you want. But the guys I'm torn with as far as I'm concerned, is a standard. This is the gold standard right here. Like this you want to the goal is is to grow old in this. Yeah. And you can only do that with a repertoire and a catalog that spans and transcends time. That's why it's an honor for me to be on this tour, because these guys have songs that will live way longer than us. That's the beauty of this thing. And that's the beauty of being in this in this business at this level. I'm proud to be a part of this. This historic moment in music, not just black music, but music. Music. Like we're not we're not just R&B. Like you can't sell one hundred and sixty million records. By just being an R&B group or R&B artists. Yeah. We touch people. Well, I mean, in that case, as of March twenty twenty six, New Edition is leading the fandom for the twenty twenty six rock and roll. Let's see that. And that's another thing like. To know that you're on the the cusp. Of being immortalized in one of the most respected institutions in music. Is that a feather in your cap that you've always wanted? Was this is just something that. You always envisioned for your guys. I'm not a feather in my cap because I look at things like that. But it's always been on my bucket list. That they should have that. That's where my insight was after, you know, getting the star. You know, which we all got that. But getting this one right here. That means something. Like you said, that's the industry into our peers. That's the tip. You want to be there. So some of my bucket list, I'm praying that we get there. Yeah, me too. And that's that's that. You guys deserve it. I. Brooke is also nicknamed as the seventh member. As you've. Gleaned on this interview alone, like his his. There would be no new addition without him. Honestly, there wouldn't be a lot of people without him. And what I mean by that is. The the prowess that we developed. I'm not saying that these artists wouldn't be successful, but I think it would have been a harder road. Travel if you didn't exist. I know in our lives. And I want to give a shout out to to Biv. For again, being that visionary. Visionary of having that foresight. Right. Of knowing how to put certain pieces together from you to Colo Roundtree, Mayrest in peace, the Marvin Macintyre to so many people that. Were very. Very instrumental in our development. So. I'm a say man. Your. Contribution will be studied in colleges. I'm going to put that out there. That's that's that's going to happen. There's no way that people. Will not be able to will not will understand. The journey of. The culture of the singing group. Without studying you. Like. Period point blank. Like you are just. I'm just saying. It's real though. Like that you're just as. Is lined in line with the temps, the tops. Barry Gordy's vision to things like you you stand on that. That that Mount Rushmore. As a matter of fact. You. Gordy. As far as like developing groups trying to think. Charlie. Who's that Charlie Atkins. One more because you need for for a Mount Rushmore. Atkins, Payne Gordy. Keith Beaton. Keith Keith Beaton from Blue Magic. He done all the choreography. Then I have to add another one because you got to go with Nicholas from the whispers. May he rest in peace. Yes, both of them. Shout out to Nicholas. Yes. Yes. Yes. Incredible. You know the whispers 100% blue magic incredible whispers with all that. Yes, and I've actually seen them too. I would take my mother to the to the Robert Robert Dell East. You know, Philly. And it would be the whispers Barry White. The OJs. And man that we have a time like my mother loved seeing those shows and me being the student. Being an industry we kind of watch shows different. We don't really watch it to enjoy it really much. Like we're kind of looking at everything. And that was but that was one of the very few where I enjoyed it and I watched it as a student. So yeah, shout out to the whispers. The whispers rocked it like so. Okay. You already answered the question, but just for the continuity to show your top five favorite singing groups. Singing groups. Shit. Boys. I mean, I'm going old first. Yeah. I would say blue magic, of course. Of course. I would say the temptations. The whispers. The stylistics. We'll have more than five. All right, go ahead. Good. Do you think you can have 30? I don't care. Like just. And the old J's. So those are my five from the old school. OJ's was five. Yeah. So then I would go from the next class would be of course new addition boys to men. I like silk. Silk. Yeah. Yeah. Shout out to silk. I like the. Hell yeah. Um, then any G there performances, all of that. Mm hmm. Silk. I like to like, um, Jagged edge. Mm hmm. They're a little different. Yeah. Um, you know, Corvia wise, I did do a mashup with them. Yes. With them in 112. Right. In 112. Yeah. And, uh, I got them to dance on that. I saw that. They look good. Yeah. That was good. So I got an M with 112. Okay. Yeah. That's, that's a good list. Glad I was part of it. Oh shit. Yeah. All right. Bistro. Yes. What's your favorite restaurant? Well, my favorite restaurant would be first stations. Not a bad choice. Is there cross stations in Atlanta? Nope. No, just in LA, right? In San Francisco. San Francisco. Okay. That's the original one. Okay. Yeah. Yeah. Right. That's right. That's right. Okay. All right. So. You're in cross stations. You're having yourself a meal. What's your favorite dish? The crab. The crab. And the collard noodles. I think that's everybody's favorite. Yeah. The noodles is fire. Okay. All right. Cool. So, all right. So you're having some crab and some noodles and enjoying yourself and you look at the entryway and incomes. A 10 year old Brooke Payne. He's been looking for you. He's been looking for me. He's been, yeah. He's been trying to get some understanding of what is to come for his life as an adult. So he sits across from you and he orders himself a ginger ale because he's too young to drink. And he's sitting waiting. What would the older Brooke Payne tell the younger Brooke Payne? Wow, so nice to eat. You should probably pre gave me that. That's the whole point of the show. So you took all kind of pieces of the puzzle and then left me here. Take your time. So everyone knows this is why I don't do these. But it's okay. It's okay. We're his family. You take take as much time as you like. It's not about time. It's really about getting the most honest answer and response from that question. Because that's a big deal. Like with everything that you learn. What would you inform this younger Brooke Payne or what to look forward to? I would first tell him to always stay humble. I think that leads into all of the things for you to treat people right. For you to be treated right. If you're staying humble with your thoughts and what you're trying to go build with yourself. Can't get a big head. You got to be humble. That's what I was saying. Stay humble. There it is. And on that note, folks, can you please give it up for the legend or more than a legend? Mr. Brooke Payne. Y'all come on.