N'Sync and The Backstreet Boys Were Not the First Boy Bands!

N'Sync and The Backstreet Boys Were Not the First Boy Bands!

VH1 Emmy-Nominated Series 'Behind The Music' Puts the Spotlight on R&B Supergroup New Edition in Its Latest Installment Premiering April 28 at 10pm*

Original interviews from Bobby Brown, Michael Bivins, Ralph Tresvant, Johnny Gill and Ricky Bell

NEW YORK, April 26 /PRNewswire/ -- They were the original boy band. But while New Edition was paving the way for some of the biggest bands of the past twenty years, they were plagued by bad business deals, internal strife, and a frustrating struggle for respect.

In this latest installment of VH1's acclaimed original series, "Behind The Music: New Edition," Michael Bivins, Bobby Brown, Ricky Bell, Johnny Gill and Ralph Tresvant sit down for our cameras and share their story of how their undeniable talent lifted them out of the projects and into the hearts of countless teenage girls. Premiering on Thursday, April 28 at 10:00 PM ET*, VH1's "Behind The Music: New Edition" features rare and never-before-seen archival video, film and concert clips and songs, plus exclusive interviews with the artists, their friends and colleagues.

VH1's "Behind the Music: New Edition" begins in the late 1970's in the Roxbury district in Boston, one of the most impoverished and crime-ridden areas in the city when five friends began singing and dancing together as a way to escape the turmoil that surrounded them. They named themselves New Edition and after gaining some local notoriety, attracted the attention of Maurice Starr, a local record producer (and later founder of New Kids on the Block) who was looking for the "next" Jackson Five. Under Starr's guidance, New Edition recorded and released their first single, a perfect pop confection called Candy Girl. The single and subsequent album exploded, sold hundreds of thousands of copies, and sent the boys on a seemingly endless tour around the country. Yet, for all of their hard work, the boys came home to Roxbury -- still broke and living in the projects.

* all times ET/PT

Contacts: Toni Herron/VH1 Vanessa Reyes/MTVN (212) 846-7528 (310) 752-8081

Determined to succeed, New Edition split with Starr, continued to tour the world, and churn out top ten hits like Cool It Now and Mr. Telephone Man. History would repeat itself when they discovered that they had once again signed a record deal that had left them all in debt.

"Behind The Music: New Edition," features exclusive interviews with Bobby, Ralph, Mike, Johnny and Ricky, who candidly discuss how their issues, financial struggles, and inflated egos plagued the group.

LIFE AFTER BOBBY BROWN: "I think that it was a life decision that I wish we didn't make. Because, you know, we didn't have to do that ... and that day let me know how far away we was in Hollywood and how far away we were from Boston." (Michael Bivins)

"When I hear certain things, about Bobby hitting Whitney, or him being, being arrested for this or that, it's like, he's still my friend, you know. I just kind of like pray for him, like I hope everything is alright." (Ricky Bell)

BOBBY ON BOBBY: "I was really high on that tour. I don't know how you all put up with me, I really don't. I don't know how they put up with me. Um, I thank 'em though, I thank you an awful lot." (Bobby Brown)

"Everything was going perfect, man. But I was missing something. I was missing them. More than they know." (Bobby Brown)

GETTING PAID: "Our managers came and we were like, alright, where's that money at? And they showed up with $1.87. We had $1.87 in our bank account for all that blood, sweat and tears." (Michael Bivins)

EGO STRUGGLES: "After shows I'd be isolated in a room by myself. Literally, almost in tears. Having to call my mother. Because I couldn't understand why the fellas was mad at me. It got to a point where it got really out of hand." (Ralph Tresvant)

THE ARRIVAL OF JOHNNY GILL: "There was a huge explosion, I mean, it was, I mean, it got real ugly. Um, Ralph was like 'I didn't want' him, I didn't bring him in here. And I'm not trying to split up my money with, you know, five ways again." (Johnny Gill)

Viewers can log on to VH1.com to watch exclusive interview outtakes from the show. http://www.vh1.com/shows/dyn/behind_the_music/89763/episode.jhtml

"Behind The Music: New Edition" is a production of VH1. George Moll and Justin Sturken are the executive producers.

Source: VH1

CONTACT: Toni Herron/VH1, +1-212-846-7528, or Vanessa Reyes/MTVN, +1-310-752-8081

Web site: http://www.vh1.com/ http://www.vh1.com/shows/dyn/behind_the_music/89763/episode.jhtml

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