Details
Track Listing
1. Boys to Men - (remixed version)
2. If It Isn't Love
3. Can You Stand the Rain
4. Count Me Out
5. Little Bit of Love, A (Is All It Takes)
6. Cool It Now
7. Mr. Telephone Man
8. Lost in Love
9. Candy Girl
10. Popcorn Love
11. Is This the End
Album Notes
New Edition: Ricky Bell, Michael Bivins, Bobby Brown, Ronnie De Voe, Johnny Gill, Ralph Tresvant (vocals).
Additional personnel: Spencer Bernard, Jim Demgren, David Eiland, Bob Johnston, Carl Smith, John Steiner, Rick Timas, Maurice Starr (various instruments); Sonny Burke, Sylvester Rivers (piano); Vincent Brantley (keyboards); Randy Waldman (keyboards, synthesizer); Ric Wyatt, Jr., Freddie Perren (synthesizers, drums); Arthur Baker, Carlos Vega (drums); Bashiri Johnson (percussion); Jack Ashford, Frank Heller (tambourine); Jimmy Johnson, Ray Parker, Jr., Jellybean Johnson, Michael Sembello.
Producers include: Jimmy Jam, Terry Lewis, Vincent Brantley, Rick Timas, Richard Rudolph.
Compilation producer: Louil Silas, Jr.
Engineers include: Steve Hodge, Scot Skidmore, Henry Sanicola.
Includes liner notes by Louis Silas, Jr.
Since 1983, New Edition have played an essential role in the founding of a new era in rhythm & soul vocal groups. From their early bubble gum pop music to their more mature hip-hop influenced R&B, the group has survived through many changes, as critics, fans and the entire industry have watched them blossom from "Boys To Men."
At the time of their debut, the Boston quintet's sound bore a striking resemblance to The Jackson 5. The original three members--Ricky Bell, Michael Bivins and Bobby Brown--had pulled in Ronnie DeVoe and eventual lead singer Ralph Tresvant to help them perform in talent competitions. They were spotted at one of these shows by producer/manager Maurice Starr, and never looked back. Their first hit single, "Candy Girl," reiterated parts of the Jacksons' "ABC," and gave New Edition the chance to record a full-length album for tiny Streetwise Records. When the album bore two more smash hits--"Popcorn Love" and "Is This The End?"--they landed a deal with MCA and released their self-titled LP, which featured the singles "Cool It Now" and "Mr. Telephone Man." Following the release of ALL FOR LOVE, which included "Count Me Out" and "A Little Bit Of Love," Bobby Brown went on to pursue what would be a trend-setting solo career, so the group asked D.C.'s Johnny Gill to be the new member. With the addition of Gill's powerful vocals, and with the hit-making machine of Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis producing, New Edition reiterated their strengths on the mature comeback, HEART BREAK.
Since then, Ralph Tresvant and Johnny Gill have gone on to their own successful solo careers, while Bell, Bivins and DeVoe formed the "hip-hop smoothed out on the R&B tip" BBD and broke some trends of their own. GREATEST HITS, VOL. 1 sums up the first half of the tumultuous life of New Edition, before the latter events took place.
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