So before I say ANYTHING to ANY of you I want to take this time to thank Holly. You've put up with me for the past like week being excited and keeping this secret. You've been awesome so thank you thank you thank you. You have been such a help to settle me down and help with the questions! You're the bestest partner in crime ever and I love you!!!
Now, the guys have been filming their video as of Saturday. Meg and I were talking about it luckily the weather's been just right for the filming and hopefully they're focusing on finishing up instead of enjoying the awesome weather!!! I was trying earlier to figure out what life on a video set would be like for Townsend. It must be pretty cool with people like Trevor Penick and Ashley Angel of O-Town, Smashmouth, LMNT and etc. walking around. Being on a set with hott guys is my ultimate dream haha...I auditioned for The Bachelorette because being surrounded by 25 guys...yeah that'd be nice. But I didn't get the job...something about age. (Haha just kidding...like my mom would be thrilled about being surrounded by 25 guys in a house...sure.) I'm sure the finished product will be amazing. "Pour Some Sugar On Me" is a pure classic with a new punch to it now that the guys have redone it and with the help of Carson Daly's help this fall on MTV's TRL...I'm sure that it'll be great for the guys. Who would've ever thought that the guys would be on MTV this soon?
Yeah okay so part of me is still in denial. I think that's what makes it so enjoyable for me to write these columns every week...I can accept the fact I'm in denial and try to pull myself out of it. I was once asked, "Do you ever proof your columns?" I also believe that's a nice way of saying, "There are so many grammatical and spelling errors." But no, I NEVER go back and read a thing. I write it as it comes to me and won't back track to check anything because then I'd probably be more of a fickle perfectionist than I am already. Plus it wouldn't be as much of an honest column. I'd probably think that something might be a bit too much of a topic to write about or I might think that I'm being too "out there" and non as much of a conservative person. Well, obviously the only thing conservative about me is the way I dress (except when I try things on at Macy's over my clothes...right girls? haha).
I've been excited about the guys entering this level of insanity. It makes me happy lol. As they were entering this level that's when the ceiling moment popped up for me. After a short talk with Holly we entered OUR level of insanity by rounding up what this column's going to be. I wouldn't call it a "supplement" to a fix. In the Club Exclusive Info post i wrote about I said it would replace the column. Instead I figured I'd MAKE it the column. THis whole thing alone is so huge for this club, me especially. It's not often we find someone who's been on MTV, had plaitnum albums, produce songs, and work with hit maker David Foster on a song doing something like this for a club. But if we did get someone like that to do this for the club often it'd be pretty damn cool wouldn't it? Both Holly and I have kept this under wraps because we wanted to prove to ourselves we could pull of a "secret" without a slip of the tounge. I was aching to tell some of my closest of kin about this since they know how much I adore who I interviewed and his group. But I didn't. I'm especially happy that I could prove that to myself. So I'm sorry I couldn't tell some of you but aren't you proud of me anyways?
Ok well after posting on this Mystery Man of mine I was asked the following questions:
1) Are you romantically involved with the Mystery Man?
Answer: Um no considering the fact that he was my idol when i was in grade school that might be wierd unless I was some sort of gold digger or non-jailbait.
2) Is it a Beach Boy?
Answer: No, actually i thought that like half of them died until Amber told me they played last year...so unless it was one heck of a scary show...that must mean they're all alive and well.
3) Is it Hanson?
Answer: No I was never really a fan...sorry guys.
4) Can I have a hint?
Answer: Sure one minus the answers to these questions of course. Here's the hint...or rather riddle I guess you can say, One of the 4 musketeers has kept his vow of the past 10 years (haha that rhymes...cool...). He puts true meaning into the saying of the muskeeteers turned name for as long as he's been in the buisness.
5) Who is it?
Answer: A person I lost touch with, a mentor, an idol, a member of one of my first favorite boy bands. No not NKOTB.
6) Why are you being so secretive (asked by Amber)?
Answer: Because I want to keep a secret from everyone and want to be proud of myself that I could keep a secret. The only person that knows is Holly because she has a right to know and my parents...to explain why I can't sleep at night and I'm formulating questions such as, "What's life been like since?"
7) Are you AND Holly conducting this interview?
Answer: I am but have constantly kept in touch with Holly about the entire situation. I've had her proof questions and have asked for her help in editing them or pulling or adding questions to this interview so Holly was a BIG help. Plus on top of all of that she managed to put up with me being the hugest dork alive being excited and stuff.
So who is this mystery man? Who is this guy I keep under wraps? What is his name? What group is he from? Can I get a drum roll please? *Crickets* Ok i see how it's going to be...the man i'm interviewing is.........see now i don't know if want to tell you, i've been on such a roll on keeping this secret that i'm really proud of myself. Maybe I should just ramble until i slip! Haha no that wouldn't be right...that could last forever. Ok Holly and I are pleased to present to you an interview with Tony. Who's Tony you might ask? Of course only a few of us will be able to remember this since well me compared to a lot of the Townsend fans today is "old." But for those of you who CAN remember the day when music vidoes had no green screen and just had raw talent? You'll remember seeing Tony on MTV with his group in a video called, "I Swear." Tony and the guys are also known as All-4-One which sings songs we all have heard such as "She's Got Skillz" (Also of which is used on the Starburst commercial), "I Can Love You Like That," and the remake of the hit song by the Bee Gees "I Just Wanna Be Your Everything."
Now, the hype has somewhat settled I hope. For me it hasn't. If you have been Holly the past week or so you'll know how excited I was in doing this interview. If you've read my columns you'll know that I absolutely adore All-4-One and all of their works since "I Swear" since then collecting every album they put out. For you regular readers of this column I've broughten up All-4-One lots and lots of times and how much I love their music and idolize them. This interview had to be perfect for me. For a while I was debating on who I should interview, Josh Keaton? A Local Record Executive? A old jazz musician? A Beatle? (Haha yeah right...I have ties but I don't have knots.) But I didn't want to interview anyone more than Tony of All-4- One. He's established, he knows what the heck he's doing that's for sure, and he's seen the sun rise before any of the other boy bands had waken up. And on top of that, his stint isn't over, he's been doing this forever! If anyone knows what he's doing it's him.
So do you think that Tony is weirded out by boybands? Do you think he hates boy bands? What does he think of the people declared as "Divas" on MTV? What's All-4-One been up to? What pearls of wisdom does he have to offer Townsend? What were the trials and tribulations of All-4-One? Actually I don't know I never asked. HAHA JUST KIDDING! I asked all those questions and then some. For me this was probably the most exciting thing I've done in my entire life since I've idolized All-4-One for as long as I can remember being able to spell "Cat." They were so damn cool when Nirvana seemed like the hottest thing and now they're still really cool and still cranking out albums. They've given the term "shelf life" a whole new meaning surviving the changes in times and technology!
I emailed Tony a round of questions. I gave him a list and told him that I would love for him to answer them as completely as he could but I also gave him the right to NOT answer a question that he felt he shouldn't or didn't want to answer, no questions asked. But he answered them all to the fullest and to me was the most knowledgable things I've heard in show buisness yet. Tony as a person is such a well rounded guy. When he says things or sings them I believe him, he never says anything too far fetched or untrue. He means every word of it from the bottom of his heart. When I decided to interview him I wasn't sure where to go and where not to go in this interview. Was there something too personal? Was there something not right? But I put all my questions in and all of them came out answered. On top of that, he wasn't late to respond. Despite all the fanmail, emails and buisness to take care of since the release of their latest album, he took 24 hours to sit through all my questions and answer them. They're interesting and hearfelt. I know that what he says would be truthful, not just because he's an idol of mine, but also because in every album they put their feelings, emotion, and thought into their songs, whether it's about a girl they're in love with (IE: "I Can Love You Like That"-And the Music Speaks), a girl they'll marry (IE: "So Much In Love" off All-4-One), or their faith in God (IE: "We Dedicate"-And the Music Speaks, "Time To Go Home"-On and On, "Blessed"-A41). When I was thinking of the questions I almost got sidetracked and wanted to straight up interview him about his life, but for the past 10 years, music has been his life as well as the life of three other guys. In some groups, you might think that egos run huge and every guy wants to do more than the other. We as Townsend fans know that it isn't true with the guys. All the guys have a special flavor and talent to add to the group to make the guys who they are, the same goes for All-4-One.
The following were the questions:
Name: Tony Borowiak
Years of experience as an artist:Almost 10
Years of experience in the music buisness:Almost 10
Your record labels over those years:Blitzz, Atlantic ,Discretion , AMC
Where you currently reside:We are currently on AMC and AFO records obviosly AFO is our record company.
First question is important and mandatory...
WHATS UP TONY?!: Im just Chillin
2-How's All-4-One?
Answer: We are doing great we just got off of a Cruise ship doing a
gig on it it was a blast.
3-What's life been like as a member?
Answer: Life as a member has been great we are best friends and we
all like the same things so it has been 9 years of fun.
4-How has your perception of music buisness changed since your first
album?
Answer: Truthfully I hate the buisness part. It is all about the
money which isn't as much fun as it could be. You always have to
watch your back.
5-What's the hardest thing about being in a group with 3 other guys?
Answer: I think the hardest thing is trying to decide where to eat.
6-What has it been like for you to see groups like O-Town, Backstreet
Boys, *NSync, and 98 Degrees emerge since "I Swear"? Do you ever get
wierded out?
Answer: No I actually like those groups. We have always said there is
room for all.
7-What is the most important thing you have learned about the
entertainment buisness?
Answer: Get a good lawyer one you trust and really trust nobody. I
hate to say it but that is the way it is.
8-What's the hardest thing about being an entertainer and in the
public eye?
Answer: You always have to watch what you say and do but for us that
is not hard what you see is what you get.
9-When you look at the long road you've come down, what's the one
most vital thing, person, or experience you couldn't have done
without?
Answer: That is hard I think all the good and bad had to happen that
is what makes character.
10-What do you feel is the biggest misconception about groups today?
Answer: Probably the fact that everyone in the buisness are extremley
rich well that just isn't the case.
11-Do you think that being one of the most important the pioneers of
groups has affected the way the entertainment buisness works and
molds groups to be today?
Answer: Well I don't know how much we pioneered but I know when I
swear was out a few record companies had told the President of Blitzz
that they were going to try and copy us. That was pretty cool.
12-What do you think is the most important foundation All-4-One has
that has kept you going for a decade?
Answer: Well the way we were raised, our friendship, And our faith in
God.
13-If you could do it all differently, what do you think you would've
done?
Answer: We would have got a great lawyer to begin with and probably
had a bit more control over the operation.
14-What has happened behind the scenes that has played an important
role in All-4-One's road to fame?
Answer: Not to much behind the scene like I said what you see is what
you get.
15-When you look at "boy bands" on MTV, see their music videos or
hear the new singles on the radio, what do you think?
Answer: I think good for them they made it the record buisness isn't
as easy to get into as most people think.
16-How do you feel about "boy bands" in general? What do and don't
you like?
Answer: I like them actually right now NSYNC is my favorite. I like
that they don't take it all to serious but they are professonal and
fun.
17-All-4-One has always had a big following, has there ever been a
time where you felt that you were asked to emulate someone you
weren't to satisfy people? And if so, what did you do?
Answer: in the begining the record company wasn't sure what type of
music we were going to do and they thought Hard R&B was the way we
were going to go so they were trying to make us tougher than we are.
They figured real quick to just let us be what we are.
18-Delious did his solo thing with Jordan Hill a few years ago, did
it strain the group's dynamics?
Answer: No not really we all were on that song but David Foster
thought it would be weird having all of us on the song so he just put
Delious on it. Then not to long after that Boys 2 Men and Mariah did
a song together and we said see David it could have worked with all
of us. And solo projects can help the group it has the potential to
widen our fan base.
19-You have easily grown with the times, styles and trends of the
times in order to make your music appeal to everyone, what is the key
to making the transitions so easily?
Answer: Jamie does alot of our producing with a great bunch of people
and with all of them it just works.
20-Back in the day there weren't such thing as internet groups,
websites, and technology based fan media like there is today, your
fan club was based on mail in letters until the birth of the
internet, we survived on mail-in letters to the fanmail address on
the CD or cassette tape sleeve. What made all your fans so cohesive?
Answer: We still get snail mail and we get alot of emails I think a
fan will find out how to get a hold of you no matter what.
21-If a group were to redo an All-4-One song, what would you want it
to be and why, and would you change any of it?
Answer: Im not sure I love most of the songs and would be flattered
what ever they did.
22-What have you noticed about teenage girls now compared to the
teenage girls at your first concert?
Answer: The girls now are more bold but they both are fun. The
teenage girls from before grew up with us and now we hope a new wave
of teens grow up with us.
23-When you all sit down in the studio to lay down a track or write a
song, is it more important to base songs on your own personal
experience or a general topic?
Answer: Most of the time personal experience will take over but you
never know what takes over your subconsious.
24-What advice could you give any group, band, or person trying to
make it in the buisness today?
Answer: Get you education first and get people you trust to work with
you. But still watch the people you trust.
25-In your own words describe what all these years in the music
buisness has done to the person you and how you think of it.
Answer: I don't think we changed much. We stayed pretty level headed
through it all.
26-If you and the group are the music Gods what are your 10
commandments?
Answer: Well I don't know about that. I would say treat people with
respect the whole Diva thing only works for a few people and the ones
on MTV's Divas most of them are not divas.
27-What is one mistake you've made over the years you will never
repeat?
Answer: Not getting into writing songs until the last few albums.
28-After all this time what's it like for you to look back and all
you've done and STILL get fanmail? (Like from me lol.)
Answer: I think its great we have seen and been places that I would
never had thought I would see and we have met so many people that I
never would have been possible.
Ok you've answered the questions....but two more and they're a bit of an essay or "brief answer" if you will.
Message to your fans:Hey thanks for Making us what we are and I hope that we continue to make music you love.
Message to Townsend: Good luck guys don't take everything to serious enjoy yourselves and try to video tape what you do.
In the end of the interview he thanked me, I'm sorry no, I should be thanking him, I asked him nearly 30 questions and he answered them promptly and professionally. None of this "I'll answer the questions when I'm ready," or "Whenever I get around to it." How can someone be so level headed after all this? He's probably restored my faith in the music buisness and the people that are in it for so long. This was probably one of the hugest and most exciting things for me, like you don't even know...unless your Holly, this was so exciting for me, I felt like a kid again because of the fact All-4- One brings so many memories to me. So Tony, if you're reading this, thank you, thank you so much. I can't even put into words how much this interview meant to me and I'm so glad to have met you, you and the guys to this very day have remained one of the most important factors in my love of music and people. Thank you for sharing your knowledge and time with us!
Now, a plug for All-4-One, you can buy their latest CD A41 at your local records store as well as all their past albums: All-4-One, And the Music Speaks, On and On, and the All-4-One Christmas Album. The song featuring Delious on the Jordan Hill album that was talked about in this interview may also be found in your local record store as well. I HIGHLY reccomend All-4-One for ANYONE who enjoys good music. If you like Townsend, Boyz II Men, BSB, NSync, O-Town, or 98 Degrees you'll enjoy listening to All-4-One. If you're not a fan you'll become one by their music. They bring the innocence of love back to music and I mean it. You can find their albums online also at www.cdnow.com or www.amazon.com.
So what can I say to the closing of this column? I'm still the biggest All-4-One fan in the world, I absolutely love Tony (da bomb baby, da bomb!), I can be such a dork when anything involves my idols, and Tony's awesome (as is the rest of All-4-One). And also, this interview has offered me more insight into the buisness of entertainment. Everything that Tony answered brought more knowledge to me on how the dynamics of a competely different world works. Hopefully all of you aspiring performers take the most of this interview to heart, to knowledge, and to your inspiration to be the best performer you can be but most importantly, the best person you can be.
Stay Safe & Stay You
Love Always,
Kristen
Townsendette_Kristen@yahoo.com
xoxoxo