Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, June 23, 1995 TAG: 9506230038
SECTION: EXTRA PAGE: 1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: MARK MORRISON STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Their debut album, ``Cooleyhighharmony,'' sold nearly 8 million copies. Then a song they recorded for the miserable Eddie Murphy movie ``Boomerang'' became one of the biggest singles of all time, breaking records set by none other than Elvis Presley.
Next, their second album, appropriately titled ``II,'' became the first Motown album to debut at No. 1 on Billboard magazine's pop album chart since Stevie Wonder's ``Songs in the Key of Life'' in 1976. So far, it has sold more than 6 million copies.
Finally, their first single from ``II,'' ``I'll Make Love To You,'' after spending three months atop the pop charts, was bumped from the spot by their second single from ``II,'' ``One Bended Knee.'' Only Elvis and the Beatles can boast the same.
The Beatles, Elvis, Stevie Wonder?
For anyone who might dismiss Boyz II Men as just another bubblegum flash-in-the-pan, don't believe it. This four-member vocal group from Philadelphia, playing the Roanoke Civic Center coliseum Monday night, is for real.
And if the numbers aren't enough, just listen to the teen screams Boyz II Men solicit - or, better yet, listen to the silky smooth harmonies they create - every time they open their mouths to sing.
From the beginning, it has been those harmonies that have separated the Boyz from the men.
In 1989, when the four of them were classmates at Philadelphia's High School of the Creative and Performing Arts, it was their harmonies that impressed Michael Bivins of Bell Biv DeVoe. The future Boyz managed to sneak backstage at a Bell Biv DeVoe concert and surprised Bivins with an impromptu a cappella number.
He immediately signed them to a production deal.
From there, Boyz II Men have revived the popularity of vocal groups and soulful ballads again, as evidenced by the volume of imitators they have spawned, including Color Me Badd, All-4-One, Shai, Jodeci and Silk.
Their sound has been dubbed ``doo-hop,'' a combination of slick hip-hop production values and Philly street corner doo-wop, with lyrics that convey sensitivity and a certain puppy-love romance.
Their image is similarly wholesome.
The singers have been described as ``sweet guys with good intentions,'' and the image seems to hold true. All of them - now in their early 20s - come across as polite, religious guys who present a united front with only the differences in their voices separating them.
There has never been talk of big egos or solo careers among the group, which includes Nathan Morris and Wanya Morris (no relation), Michael McCary and Shawn Stockman.
And for a change, they also appeal to both black and white audiences alike, just as their Motown forefathers - The Four Tops, The Miracles and The Temptations - once did. This is a singularly heartening accomplishment, given today's otherwise dismally divided music culture.
It is to their credit that they have recorded the Beatles' ``Yesterday'' and The Five Satins' ``In the Still of the Night'' as successfully as less crossover-minded material like ``Motownphilly'' and ``Uhh Ahh.''
Some of their other well-known songs are: ``Under Pressure,'' ``Water Runs Dry,'' ``Thank You,'' ``It's Hard to Say Goodbye to Yesterday'' and ``End of the Road.''
The current concert tour is their first as a headlining act in America By most accounts, although they might not yet by in a league with Stevie Wonder, Elvis or The Beatles, the Boyz are holding their own. Reviews have been favorable and the numbers . . .
Well, most of their shows have been sellouts.
Boyz II Men: Monday at 7:30 p.m. in the Roanoke Civic Center coliseum with Montell Jordan and Mary J. Blige. Tickets $27.50 through box office (981-1201), Ticketmaster or charge-by-phone (343-8100). Mark Morrison's review will appear in Wednesday's Extra section.
by CNB