Danny Wood Articles

Danny Wood Articles/Interviews
Danny News Page

New Album - Coming Home released on April 5, 2008.

6/6/03 info courtesy of angel50696
Hanging Tough

Former New Kid Danny Wood is still making music, now as a solo artist.

By SERENA KAPPES

There was a time when playing sold-out stadiums was commonplace for former New Kid on the Block Danny Wood. But though he's playing to small clubs nowadays, the singer-songwriter doesn't mind: "It's my feelings and emotions that I have to get across to people now and it's very fulfilling," he says. "It doesn't matter if there's 10 people listening to me." Wood, 34, is especially proud because the songs he's singing are his own. He is touring behind his upcoming debut solo album, Second Face, scheduled for a July 29 release. But he almost didn't get the chance. "Just about every major label passed on it," he explains. "People had very positive things to say about the record, but no one wanted to put the money where their mouth was." That changed in November, when Wood signed a deal with the independent label Empire Musicwerks. "I know I won't get lost in the shuffle," he says about being a big fish in a small pond. Being a solo artist is a new step for the musician, who has spent much of his post-New Kids days writing and producing for other artists, including erstwhile bandmates Joey McIntyre and Jordan Knight. All this comes after a period when Wood wasn't making music at all. In 1997, his mother, Elizabeth, was stricken with breast cancer; she succumbed to the disease in September 1999. At the same time, Wood was going through a protractive custody battle with his ex-girlfriend, Boston hairdresser Elise Stepherson, for his son Daniel, now 10. Wood ultimately won custody two months after his mom's death. "I was going through a tough time â€” I was not sleeping well, having convulsions in my sleep. Just a lot of stuff," he explains. "It was tough mentally and physically." But it was that time in his life that fueled the writing for the acoustic rock-fueled Second Face, which Wood also co-produced. "After that, I had a lot to say, that's where a lot of this record comes from," he says.

A native of Dorchester, Mass., Wood, the middle of six children, got his musical start as a ninth-grader at Boston's Copley High School. At the suggestion of best friend Donnie Wahlberg, he auditioned for record entrepreneur Maurice Starr, who was putting together the nascent pop group New Kids on the Block. "(Donnie) kept trying to tell me, 'I know you can sing â€” you used to sing in the choir at school,' " he recalls. "That's how it came about." But Wood, who later turned down college scholarships to schools including Boston University to remain with the group, could never have predicted the fame that he and bandmates Wahlberg, McIntyre, and Jordan and Jonathan Knight would find. "We would've been happy with $250 in our pocket and a new scooter â€” that would have been enough for us," he says with a laugh. Instead, they sold more than 55 million albums, including their multiplatinum 1988 smash album Hangin' Tough, and become teen idols. "I learned so much," Wood says of his time with the group. "I would never change anything that happened." But by 1994, the group's sales began to plummet and things fell apart. "We just knew there was no place else to go for us. It was just definitely time to call it quits." Today, Wood remains close with the other New Kids, especially Wahlberg. "I talk to Donnie all the time," he says. Married to singer-songwriter Patricia Alfaro, 31, since 1997, the Miami-based Wood is also dad to four kids: son Daniel; daughter Vega, 4, from his relationship with Alfaro; daughter Chance, 5, whom he and Alfaro adopted from Russia; and stepson Anthony, 11, from Alfaro's previous marriage. "It's a modern-day Brady Bunch," he says. "They all look completely different but they're all incredible kids." As for the future, Wood â€” who has also ventured into acting in independent films â€” has a simple goal: "I just really hope that I can get to do another album and make a living off of doing it," he says

5/12/03 info courtesy of knightryder
Link to new article
http://www.sptimes.com/2003/05/08/Floridian/American_idyll.shtml

3/03/03 This is my interview with Danny! Enjoy!

NKOTBMansion.com Interview
Hi Danny and Welcome to NKOTBMansion.com!

1. With the up coming release of "Second Face", what would you say was your biggest achievement on this album?
Getting someone to believe it was worth putting out.

2. What is the inspiration of the of "Second Face"?
my whole life.

3. What are your dreams and aspirations for the future?
To continue to make great music.

4. What side of you do we see in this next album?
Every side.

5. Will you continue to pursue your acting career?
Yes, but it is secondary to my music..

6. If there was a NKOTB reunion tour would you be apart of it?
Absolutely.

7. Do you ever talk to any of the other NKOTB members about your music, and if so do they give you input on your work?
I talk to all of them, they have not been involved with this record.

8. Room Full of Smoke Vol.2 was just released, what has been the fan reaction to your album?
Everyone loves it, not one negative comment.

9. Are you planning a tour for the "Second Face" cd?
Yes, there will be dates starting in april.

10. If there is a tour will Pete Masitti be touring with you?
He will do some of the shows.

11. What has been your greatest achievement in life?
My kids.

12. What was the most humorous moment in NKOTB?
There are so many, just being on the bus with everyone on the first tour.

13. If your children wanted to go into the industry, would you encourage them or not?
I would encourage them in what ever they decide to do.

14. If they did, what would be your best advice to them?
Creatively do what is in your soul.

15. Back in 2000 at the NKOTB Convention you mentioned that you were going to write a book about you experiences trying to gain full custody of your son Danny Jr., are you still considering doing that?
No.

16. In the music industry which side do you like doing the best, the production/ writing side of music or the performance side?
Performing.

17. Do you fear that your fame will have a negative impact on your children when you returns to the spotlight?
Never.

18. Growing up, who would you say was your role model?
No one.

19. Right now, which is more important acting or singing?
Singing.

20. Which on would you prefer to do, acting or singing?
Singing.

21. Have you had a chance to visit www.nkotbmansion.com and if yes what do you think about it?
I think it is a great site.

22. What do you want to say to the fans that have been supporting you all these years?
I hope with this record I give something back to you.

23. What do you want to say to all the new fans that you have picked up over time?
The ride is just beginning.

24. Fans want me to ask, what is your favorite color, type of music, and food?
I like all types of music, I don’t have a favorite color, Italian food.

25. What would be your message to young people still in school?
Make sure you graduate and go to college.

2/07/03 info courtesy of knightryder
Danny Question and Answers from the fans!

-What kind of music are you into nowadays?
All the old stuff and journey, u2, chilli peppers, bealtes.
-How does your sound now compare to your sound when you were a New Kid?
There is no comparision, they are completely different.
-Do you mind having the group mentioned everytime your name is mentioned?
No, none of us will do anything bigger than the new kids.
-Your first single will be "When the Lights go out". Tell me about that song.
It is about an interracial relationship.
-How did u meet Pete Masitti and will he be touring with you?
He will do some dates with me and we met thru a mutual friend.
-Do you already have band members picked out? Besides you as lead singer, what other instruments will we be seeing at your shows?
I am doing it now.2 guitarist, bassist, drummer.
-Will you do a club tour or hook up as an opening act?
Club tour
-How does it feel knowing that you still have fans that you had as a New Kid?
I love it ,you guys are the best.
-Will the newest "Room Full of Smoke" be like the last one? Instrumental with tight beats?
Yes,but there are more vocals on this one.
-How did you come up with the name Room Full of Smoke?
It was a song I did with another rapper.
-What is the song "Molly" about?
A girl I knew.
-Do you have a favorite song on your this upcoming cd?
I have allot of favorites.that is kind of like asking which is your favorite kids? All of them.
-Will the cd be sold in stores or just on your site?
Stores and online.
-What made you decided to get with Empire Music Werks? What kind of company are they? Indies?
I had a meeting with the president and we hit it off. They are a small label with the best distribution.bmg
-What should fans expect when your website comes back? The last one was very popular because there were things on it for the fans to do. Can we expect the same kind of fun?
All the same stuff.more pictures.chatroom.also dannywood.com
-Now that you are doing your own thing, will you continue to produce for others or is that on hold?
It is on hold for now.
-When you make a song, do you have the music first and let that inspire you to write, or do you come up with lyrics first, and then find the music to fit your song?
It happens all different ways,it always comes from a feeling first.
-Finally, do you have something you want to say to your fans?
In 2 or 3 weeks Room Full of Smoke Volume 2 will be available only for the die hard damage production website visitors. So stay tuned.

9/16/02 thanks to DansTGIFGurl@aol.com from TheOneWithTheNKOTBFans@yahoogroups.com
Are Justin & Nick Ready To Go Solo? Ex-NKOTB, New Edition Members Weigh In
Joey McIntyre, Johnny Gill offer secrets for success.
By Corey Moss

For every Joey McIntyre and Jordan Knight, there is a D-Fuse.
If you've never heard of the now-defunct solo venture from their fellow New Kid on the Block Danny Wood, that's proof enough that no matter how famous your boy band is, a solo career is never guaranteed.
So with 'NSYNC's Justin Timberlake (see "Dirty South Pop: Timberlake Teams Up With Bubba Sparxxx"), Backtreet Boys' Nick Carter (see "Nick Carter Has Plenty Of Songs, Few Guests For Solo Album") and 98 Degrees' Nick Lachey (see "98 Degrees' Nick Lachey Following In Footsteps Of Justin T., Nick C.") all releasing albums this fall, the pop world is wondering who will be "Larger Than Life" and who will go "Bye, Bye, Bye."
We asked a few former boy band stars who've enjoyed solo success to lend advice to the next crop, and while ex-Menudo crooner Ricky Martin was too busy with his own album to help, others stepped up to the task.
"Get in the gym, eat right, get your sleep and go full speed," instructed Johnny Gill, whose 1990 self-titled solo album went platinum after he made a name for himself with New Edition. "When you're on the stage with your group, there are five different people to look at, but when you have to carry the whole show, all the pressure's on you."
While all of Gill's New Edition partners were successful outside of the group â€” Bobby Brown and Ralph Tresvant as solo artists and Ricky Bell, Michael Bivins and Ronnie DeVoe as Bell Biv DeVoe â€” other recent groups haven't been as lucky.
McIntyre and Knight hit the charts with comebacks in 1999, but their sales figures were nothing compared to New Kids'. And, of course, there was D-Fuse. While Robbie Williams' solo career made many Americans forget about Take That, none of the other British boy bands have produced stars in the States.
While McIntyre believes that staying out of the spotlight between NKOTB and releasing Stay the Same helped him, he thinks it might hurt Nick Carter.
"Justin's hitting the ground running, and Nick's been away for a while," McIntyre explained. "It's only been a year, but it's going to be harder for him. The segue wasn't as quick. Justin's done some stuff to make his segue a little bit easier. He has aligned a lot of people in his corner. He's really not missing a beat. Business-wise, it's a smart move."
McIntyre said the key is to stick with what you know best. In other words, Timberlake shouldn't do a hip-hop record. (Perhaps Korn bassist Fieldy should have followed that advice for his Fieldy's Dreams hip-hop flop.)
"Nick might say 'I'm doing rock' and Justin might say 'It's more R&B,' but it's pop no matter how you slice it," McIntyre said. "They'll always be pop acts. They can't be marketed any other way."
On the other hand, don't force the music out.
"You gotta do what you want to do," McIntyre said. "If you're doing something for the sake of someone else, you're going to be miserable. You gotta do the music you like."
Or, as boy band engineer Lou Pearlman put it, "Sing what you enjoy!"
Pearlman, who was instrumental in launching 'NSYNC and the Backstreet Boys, also noted the importance of staying loyal to your fans, but said the music is the most important thing. "Great songs will lead to great success," he said.
Going solo is a grand tradition in popular music, with everyone from the Beatles to the Fugees seeing members break off one by one to be the center of attention. This year alone, members of pop groups (Destiny's Child, Lucy Pearl), rock groups (Blink-182, Korn) and rap groups (St. Lunatics, the LOX) have temporarily left to head their own projects.
"It's real cool to do it, because it allows you do your own thing and have that space to be creative and continue to grow," Gill explained.
Solo projects inevitably spark rumors of breakups, and in some cases the groups never do rejoin. Gill believes going solo can actually benefit the group.
"When you get to breathe and have your space and time and be creative, you come back with a new attitude and appreciating working with the other guys," he said. "And when you have that enthusiasm, the public feels it."
Still, he doesn't recommend it unless the artist is fully prepared.
"I tell you, it's real lonely, no matter how many bodies you put up there to try to substitute for the guys you're used having stand next to you," he said. "It's a really weird feeling."
This report is from MTV News