Entertainment Weekly - February 24 - March 3, 2017

FEBRUARY 24/MARCH 3, 2017 EW.COM 63

NICKAt the time I was having serious fam-

ily issues. All the money was tearing my

family apart. I was using. I was drinking. I

remember being on the road doing some

solo touring and feeling empty. I told my

manager, “I want to come back to the

group.” That’s when it started back up again.

KEVINWhen we finally started making

the record, none of us knew how we were

going to fit back into pop.

NICKThe label didn’t know what to do

with us. But we ended up really lucky with a

song called “Incomplete” that didn’t even

sound like us. People liked the song for what

it was, not for the people who were singing.

BRIAN They probably thought we were

Nickelback.

KEVIN It was a top 20 single [on the Hot

100]...and fans were calling in toTRL

requesting our next two singles. The head

of our music marketing [department] told

us, “MTV said they’re not going to play it.

MTV dictates to the audience what is hip

and cool.” That was disheartening.

HOWIEWe weren’t able to do things on the

level we used to. Kevin took it the hardest.

KEVINWe were on tour when Johnny

was like, “We need to start talking about

the next record.” I was like, “Whoa, hold

up! I don’t know if I’m ready.” Between

Black & BlueandNever Gone, I got to do the

musicalChicago on Broadway and in the

West End in London. I wanted to explore

the actor side of myself. At the same time,

my wife and I wanted to start a family. The

guys were like, “Well, we’re going to do a

record.” So I said, “I give you my blessing,

but I’m out.”

The group would release two albums without

Richardson: 2007’sUnbreakable, which con-

tinued the sound ofNever Gone, and 2009’s

This Is Us, which marked a return to their

dance-pop roots. In 2010, they announced a

joint tour with New Kids on the Block.

KEVINHowie and I would see each other

while they were doing their next two records.

He said, “We’re thinking about doing a joint

tour with New Kids, do you think you might

be interested?” I was like, “I don’t know if

that’s the right timing.” But when I saw the

press for it, I was like, “Man, am I missing

out?” I called up the guys and said, “When-

ever you’re ready, I want to come back.”

BRIAN Timewise, it happened to be our

20th anniversary [approaching], and we

were like, “That’s perfect!”

Richardson permanently rejoined the group

in 2012. The reunited fivesome released

their next album,In a World Like This, the fol-

lowing year. Not long after, discussions of a

Las Vegas residency began.

AJ Celine [Dion] was obviously the start

for pop music [residencies], but Britney

really paved the way for our generation.

We’ve had to downsize the production over

the years, but when you’re doing Vegas,

you’ve got to go balls to the wall. I would

compare this show to aMillennium-type

show. People are going to lose their minds.

KEVIN It’s also nice for our lifestyle. We’re

all fathers now. When you’re in and out of

hotels every other day, that takes a toll on

you. And we’re not 22 years old anymore.

HOWIE When people ask how we’ve stayed

together this long, I always say that it seri-

ously feels like a second marriage.

AJ It’s our first marriage!

HOWIE You’re right—our wives are our

second marriage. And like all marriages,

you have to work at it.

AJAt the end of the day, we’re still hav-

ing fun.X

( From far left )

Performing with New Kids

on the Block at the 2010

American Music Awards;

Max Martin presenting

the group with a star on

the Hollywood Walk of

Fame in 2013

READY FOR THEIR CLOSE-UP
The quintet were EW cover stars
MICHAEL TRAN/FILMMAGIC (2)twice, in 1998 (left) and 1999