For Jonas Brothers, the last year has been all whirlwind, all the time. Yet somehow, on the road to becoming a pop culture phenomenon, the trio never broke a sweat – other than on the stage, giving their all, and living their dream. If anything, Jonas Brothers have embodied the calm within the storm. And since the release of their 2007 self-titled platinum CD, Kevin, Joe and Nick have used their time wisely. As they prove on their new Hollywood Records CD, "A Little Bit Longer," Jonas Brothers have grown exponentially as songwriters, musicians and recording artists.
"The lyrical content has gotten more in-depth," says Nick Jonas of the new album. "It's about who we are as people and our personal lives, things we've gone through in the past 12 months." That year was about much more than simply handling a media frenzy with grace and humor. The brothers also took stock of themselves. In the new album's 12 songs – all written by Jonas Brothers – they put their feelings on the line, while still rocking the house as only they can.
Produced by John Fields (with Jon Lind and Kevin Jonas, Sr., serving as executive producers), "A Little Bit Longer" covers much musical and emotional ground, kicking off with the joyful jam "BB Good." Says Joe of the track, "It's a big sing-along song, and it's fun." The funky and danceable debut single, "Burnin' Up," keeps the party going, with Big Rob, the brothers' hefty security guard, rapping midtrack. "It's about this girl," adds Joe. "Maybe she's at a party, and you feel that immediate connection. You both know it's there."
Though relentlessly upbeat, most songs on "A Little Bit Longer" explore star-crossed standoffs and missed romantic opportunities. Songs like "Shelf," the hard-rocking "Pushin' Me Away" and "One Man Show" survey love's unequal playing field, bad break-ups and the defiant isolation that follows. "'Shelf' is one my favorite songs on the record," says Nick. "Basically, it's about a girl that has a gallery of hearts."
Other songs take a light-hearted look at the craziness of fame and fortune. "Video Girl" paints a portrait of the shallow wannabees dotting the entertainment landscape (" Move to L.A., got no talent/Not even like you won a Miss Teen pageant"), while "Lovebug" starts out as sweet-tempered acoustic love song before ending up a crashing Queen-like rocker.
Of course, the brothers made sure the album breathes. The power ballad "Sorry" features classic JB harmonies and an eternal message of forgiveness. But the song that will have people talking is "A Little Bit Longer," Nick's stunning account of his struggle with diabetes. With strings underscoring a plaintive piano/vocal, he sings about his battle ("A little bit longer and I'll be fine/Waitin' on a cure/But none of them are sure"). Recalls Nick, "I was having one of those days where I was discouraged. So I went into this empty hotel ballroom and wrote this song." Adds brother Kevin, "Nick sings this song every night and it brings people to tears. It's amazing."
Considering the impact Jonas Brothers have had on music and culture recently, maybe it's not so amazing. In the past 12 months, Jonas Brothers made headlines and created hysteria with sold out concerts from coast to coast; the Gibson Amphitheater in Los Angeles was the fastest sold out show in the venue’s history. Jonas Brothers also sold out 3 shows at New York’s Madison Square Garden. They rung in the New Year performing live in New York's Times Square on Dick Clark's New Year's Rocking Eve, collected their RIAA-platinum plaques on "The Ellen DeGeneres Show," sang from a White House balcony as guests of the President at the annual Easter Egg Roll, and even played on the hit shows "Dancing With the Stars" and the season finale of "American Idol."
Their appeal is growing by leaps and bounds internationally as well. Jonas Brothers have seven platinum and gold certified records outside the US, as well as a sold out European tour, and sold out 80,000 seat stadium shows in Latin America.
Sure, they had a blast with all of it. But bottom line: The Wycoff, N.J., natives are musical soul brothers every bit as much as they are blood brothers. For them, it has always been about the music.
Their first performances came years ago, in the family basement, when the three – usually led by Nick – would mount their own impromptu concerts. Encouraged by their always-supportive parents, they started getting commercial gigs, with Nick landing roles in Broadway musicals like "Les Miserables," "Beauty and the Beast," “A Christmas Carol – The Musical,” and “Annie Get Your Gun.” Joe auditioned, too, and landed a part in "La Boheme." In 2005, the trio finally signed their first label deal, but it took a second time around, signing with Hollywood Records in 2006, for all the pieces of the puzzle to fit.
With the August 2007 release of their Hollywood debut, nothing more stood in their way. Their premiere single, "S.O.S.," quickly hit #1 on iTunes. In most cities on their "Look Me In The Eyes" headline tour, concerts sold out in minutes. They shot their own reality TV series, "Jonas Brothers – Living the Dream." The brothers recently starred in the Disney Channel original movie, "Camp Rock," which averaged 8.9 million viewers and was the network’s most-watched non-sequel movie ever. Jonas Brothers debuted their “Burnin’ Up” video following the debut of Camp Rock on Disney Channel (with a repeat the following night on ABC) to over 12.5 million television viewers, and over a million views on YouTube. The “Burnin’ Up” video immediately shot to # 1 on iTunes. Coming up, Jonas Brothers have their own Disney Channel comedy series this fall, titled "J.O.N.A.S."
Up first, though, the release of "A Little Bit Longer and the brothers' 50-date "Burnin' Up" North American tour. “A Little Bit Longer” will be released in the CDVU+ format, which is made from 100% recyclable materials. The disc features exclusive video performances and interviews, 60 printable photos, complete album lyrics, and downloadable graphics. It may seem like a tall order to take on so much, but so far, Jonas Brothers have hit it out of the park every single at bat. Not hard to do when you're young, talented and enjoying every minute of life. "We wake up every morning excited," Kevin says, "because we get to do what we love.''
The Jonas Brothers Band actually started as a side project of Nick Jonas, who had already been discovered at the age of 6 while singing in a barber shop. He met with a professional manager and began performing inJonas Brothers Band
In 2005, the Brothers were signed to Columbia records after Steve Greenberg (Columbia's President) decided that, while he enjoyed Nick's voice, the three would be better as a group. The group considered naming themselves "Sons of Jonas" but later settled on Jonas Brothers. Their first single, "Mandy" was released in December of 2005. The group began touring regularly and writing and performing music for various TV shows as well as their own upcoming albums.
In 2007, the Jonas Brothers signed with Hollywood
Not only are they great musicians, but the Brothers are also involved in several other projects, inlcuding J.O.N.A.S. (Junior Operatives Networking as Spies) for the Disney Channel, a series called Jonas Brothers: Living the Dream, and recording "Band on a Bus" which shows footage of the Brothers recording their third album, "A Little Bit Longer".
The three Jonas Brothers - Nick, Joe, and Kevin, all wear purity rings on their left-hand ring finger and promises to stay pure until marriage. They all started wearing it when their parents, Denise and Kevin, Sr., asked them if they wanted to. The brothers were interviewed by Details Magazine and Joe quoted that they are "promises to ourselves and to God that we'll stay pure 'till marriage". Nick had stated that "it's [purity rings] pretty awesome" and the rings are "just one of our ways of kind of like being different than everybody else out there". several Broadway shows including Beauty and the Beast, Les Miserables, A Christmas Carol, Annie Get Your Gun, and The Sound of Music. In 2003, Nick's first single "Joy to the World (A Christmas Prayer)" blew away Christian radio fans and made it to the top of the adult charts. Records, where they released their second Self-Titled album in August. Within two weeks, the album reached the top 5 on the Billboard Hot 200, putting the brothers in a great position for success. The Jonas Brothers have since been on several tours and have several more scheduled for 2008.
Ask the Jonas Brothers who they’re hoping to turn into fans with their new self-titled CD and they won’t say “everybody.” But that’s precisely what they’ll mean. “We’re aiming for people our age,” says 18-year-old Joe. “But we also wanna get kids younger than us,” adds 14-year-old Nick. “And older people, too,” 19-year-old Kevin pipes up.
The highly anticipated follow-up to the New Jersey siblings’ 2006 debut—which featured the TRL hit “Mandy”—The Jonas Brothers is sure to make good on the band’s goal: It’s a high-energy pop-punk disc overflowing with insanely catchy hooks, muscular guitar fuzz and mature songwriting that reveals just how much growing up the boys have done since we last heard from them.
Talk about something for everyone: In “S.O.S.” they attack a fierce dance-rock groove, while in “Hello Beautiful” they go soulful and acoustic. “Games” rides a laidback reggae groove the Police would envy, then switches gears into a zippy Ramones-style rave-up. “Hollywood” pairs a tricky funk beat with divebombing guitar lines,” and “When You Look Me in the Eyes” builds to a power-ballad crescendo. In “Goodnight and Goodbye,” the album’s most ambitious cut, they combine Warped Tour-style punk with musical-theatre trimmings inspired by Nick’s years on Broadway in Les Misérables and Beauty and the Beast. Throughout the album, the boys reflect on a variety of emotional hardships without losing their grip on the positive vibe that underpins all their music.
Remarkably eclectic yet bound together by the brothers’ trademark harmony vocals, the CD is the natural result of the wild times the Jonases have experienced lately. After spending much of 2006 supporting their debut on the road with tween-scene heavyweights such as Jesse McCartney, the Veronicas and Aly & AJ, the brothers found themselves reaching a new audience earlier this year when the Disney Channel put the band’s “Year 3000” video into heavy rotation. “As soon as that happened, the song entered the Top 10 on iTunes and our MySpace comments doubled,” Kevin marvels. “It was almost impossible to keep up with the new friend requests!”
It didn’t get any easier: The band’s profile continued to rise over the next few months thanks to appearances on Radio Disney and the Meet the Robinsons soundtrack, where the Jonases remade Kim Wilde’s “Kids in America” as “Kids of the Future.”
Eager to provide their quickly expanding fanbase with new music, the band entered L.A.’s Seedy Underbelly studio in February with producer John Fields, whose work on Switchfoot’s The Beautiful Letdown had made the boys huge fans of his. “John lives rock music,” Joe says of the producer, who’s also worked with Rooney and Pink. “We always thought it would be so cool to work with him.”
They worked quickly, recording the album from beginning to end in a mere 21 days, a feat they accomplished in part because they knew the material so well: Where their debut featured work by a handful of professional songwriters, The Jonas Brothers only contains songs penned by the Jonas Brothers themselves, with occasional assists by pals like Bleu (“That’s Just the Way We Roll”), P.J. Bianco (“When You Look Me in the Eyes”) and the boys’ own backing band (“Games”). “As brothers, we just know how to work together,” Nick explains.
“When we signed to Hollywood,” Kevin remembers, “we told the label, ‘Hey, we have some demos of songs we’ve been writing for the past year and a half.’ We thought it’d be so funny to just record those songs for the album to see what we could get away with. But those turned out to be the songs on the record!”
The brothers say their writing reveals a lifetime of influences—everything from My Chemical Romance to the Backstreet Boys to Weird Al Yankovic (with whom the band recently shared the stage at New Jersey’s Bamboozle festival). Still, what you really hear on The Jonas Brothers is the sound of three young musicians finding their own voice—their own distinctive blend of Nick’s way with an R&B vocal, Joe’s love of danceable beats and Kevin’s obsession with guitar solos.
“This album is so us,” says Joe. “The first one was us kind of coming into what the Jonas Brothers could be,” Kevin adds. “Whereas this one really shows off where we’re at right now.” The youngest Jonas but perhaps the wisest, Nick concludes thus: “We love what we’re doing and we want to do it for a while.”
About Kevin Jonas Full Name: Paul Kevin Jonas II
Date of Birth: November 5th, 1987
Age: 20
Place of Birth: Teaneck, New Jersey
Height: 5'9"
Star Sign: Scorpio
Chinese Horoscope Sign: Rabbit
Parents: Kevin (Sr.) and Denise Jonas
Siblings: Joe, Nick, and Frankie Jonas
Hobbies: Playing guitar and bowling
Instruments: Guitar
Favorite Food: Sushi
Favorite Color: Green
Favorite Ice Cream: Rocky Road
Favorite Sport: Pole Vaulting Kevin Jonas Facts:
Kevin is the oldest brother and son.
Kevin plays lead guitar for the "Jonas Brothers".
Kevin has graduated school (was home-schooled), but he’s not going to college yet.
Kevin last attended school his sophomore year of high school.
Kevin doesn’t have a favorite pizza topping, he likes plain cheese.
His favorite foods are Sushi and Italian foods.
When Kevin goes to Starbucks he orders a Mocha frappuccino (when it’s hot outside) or a Chai latte: extra chai, no water and with skim milk.
Kevin doesn’t like bananas, he can’t even stand the smell of them. Actually, Kevin is "allergic" to all fruits.
Kevin has his driver’s license and owns a black-on-black Jeep.
Kevin gets annoyed when other people try to tell him how to drive.
Kevin’s bad habit is that he tends to leave clothes everywhere.
Confidence is the first thing that Kevin notices in a girl.
Kevin doesn’t like to wear a shirt more than twice.
If there ever was a movie about his life, Kevin would want Paul Wall to play him.
Kevin has unopened "Star Wars" figurines up in his family’s attic.
Kevin’s most ticklish spot is his right side.
Believe it or not, Kevin has skateboarding skills. He skateboarded in school once, after the school was closed and locked up for the night.
Kevin can juggle and he can play ping-pong pretty well.
Kevin’s favorite sport is pole-vaulting. He did it on his school’s track team and he said that it helped him make friends.
Kevin is addicted to watching music videos in the morning while he eats his breakfast.
Kevin can not go to sleep unless his bed is made first.
If Kevin weren't a musician, he would be an astronaut.
Kevin's first name is actually Paul. Kevin is his middle name.
About Joe Jonas
Full Name: Joseph Adam Jonas
Date of Birth: August 15th, 1989
Age: 18
Place of Birth: Casa Grande, Arizona
Height: 5'10"
Star Sign: Leo
Chinese Horoscope Sign: Snake
Parents: Kevin (Sr.) and Denise Jonas
Siblings: Kevin (Jr.), Nick, and Frankie Jonas
Hobbies: Making movies, jogging and working out
Instruments: Guitar, piano, percussion, tambourine
Favorite Food: Chicken cutlet sandwich w/ mayo
Favorite Color: Blue
Jonas Brothers ContestDJ Danger
Favorite Ice Cream: Chocolate Marshmallow
Favorite Sport: Wiffel Ball
Joe Jonas Facts:
1. Joe’s favorite pizza topping is BBQ chicken.
2. Joe’s favorite junk food snacks are mint and creme oreos.
3. Joe has three brothers named Kevin, Nick, and Frankie.
4. Joe’s favorite animal is a monkey.
5. Joe’s favorite Baby Bottle Pop flavor is strawberry.
6. Joe is homeschooled.
7. His favorite musician is Freddie Mercury.
8. Joe prefers tea over coffee.
9. Joe’s favorite cartoon character is Rocko from Rocko’s Modern Life.
10. Joe’s favorite ice cream topping is hot fudge.
11. If Joe were to leave the music world today and get a new profession, he would want to be a person who works at a zoo.
12. Joe’s major influences in music are Johnny Lang and a band called Thirsty Merc.
13. Joe would like to perform at The Hollywood Bowl and at Giants Stadium.
14. Joe’s favorite fast food place is In and Out Burger.
15. Joe’s favorite word is Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious.
16. If Joe could be any animal in the world, he’d be a fierce lion.
17. If Joe could trade in his brothers for any other celebrities, he’d trade Kevin for Shakira and Nick for Beyonce.
18. Joe’s horoscope sign is Leo.
19. Joe prefers texting a girl than calling her.
20. Joe is Christian.
21. Faith is very important throughout Joe’s family.
22. Out of all the Jonas Brothers, Joe is the biggest ladies man.
23. Joe flirts with girls by giving them hugs and little nudges. And to let a girl know he likes them right away, he compliments her and smiles a lot.
24. His favorite board game is Monopoly.
25. His favorite holiday is Christmas.
26. Joe’s not afraid to let a girl know that he likes her.
27. Joe doesn’t really like coffee, but he does like some drinks at Starbucks. He likes their Strawberries and Creme Frappuccino and the Passion Tea Lemonade.
28. To be funny, when people ask about his purity ring he says that he’s married!
29. Out of his brothers, he is the loudest and the laziest.
30. He got his tambourine from Guitar Center.
31. His acoustic guitar is called the Black Pearl.
32. He once drove the tour bus and almost crashed it.
33. Joe has a white video iPod.
34. Joe’s most prized possession is his hair.
35. He loves running and soccer.
36. He uses Right Guard and Old Spice deodorants.
37. He is easily scared.
38. Joe has a Razor(cellphone) and sidekick and his ringtone is “That’s How I Beat Shaq” by Aaron Carter.
39. Joe uses a flat-iron and Evada Control Paste in his hair.
40. Joe listens to Beethoven before going to bed sometimes.
41. Joe’s Chinese Horoscope sign is a Snake.
42. On YouTube, Joe sometimes poses as DJ Danger.
43. Like his brothers Nick and Kevin, Joe wears a purity ring.
44. The Jonas Brothers’ song “Mandy”, is actually about a ex-girlfriend and best friend of Joe.
45. His favorite song is “Only Hope” by Switchfoot.
46. Joe’s favorite food is chicken cutlet sandwich with mayonnaise.
47. His favorite TV show is Boy Meets World.
48. Before being in the Jonas Brothers, he was back up vocalists with Kevin.
49. His favorite drink is orange Gatorade.
50. Along with his brothers, Joe had been part of the church choir.
51. He and the rest of the ‘Jonas Brothers’ are spokespeople for “Baby Bottle Pops”.
52. Favorite Actor is Jim Carrey.
53. Some of his favorite bands are Switchfoot and Copeland. He also loves the band, Team Hilario.
54. Favorite Actress is Natalie Portman.
55. According to his brothers, Joe takes forever in the shower, takes forever to get ready and the asks how he looks about four times.
56. His height is 5′10″ (1.78 m).
57. Joe has black hair and brown eyes.
58. Joe’s favorite ice cream flavor is Chocolate Marshmallow.
59. His favorite movies are Dumb and Dumber, Finding Neverland, and Four Feathers.
60. His favorite sport is Wiffle Ball.
61. Joe once dated Amanda Michalka. They met while the Jonas Brothers were on tour with Aly and AJ.
62. His mom’s name is Denise Jonas and his dad’s name is Kevin Jonas Sr.
63. When Joe was younger, he was very attached to his Barney Bank. And once his mom decided to get rid of it so she gave it to her friend to throw away, but Joe caught her and was like “Why do you have my Barney?”
64. Joe plays the keyboard, guitar, piano, and percussion (tambourine).
65. Some of Joe’s hobbies include jogging, working out and making movies.
66. His favorite color is blue.
67. Joe is in a band called the Jonas Brothers with two of his brothers.
68. Joe’s bad habit is biting his nails.
69. His favorite candy is Twix and Tootsie Rolls.
About Nick Jonas
Full Name: Nicholas Jerry Jonas
Birthday: September 16, 1992
Birthplace: Dallas, TX
Height: 5' 8"
Age: 15
Hobbies: music, song writing, baseball, collecting baseball cards, tennis
Favorite Color: blue
Favorite Food: steak
Favorite Sandwhich: Italian Hero
Favorite Pizza Topping: Cheese
Favorite Drink: Coke
Favorite Candy: Sweetarts
Favorite Ice Cream: Cotton Candy
Favorite Fast Food: In & Out Burger
Favorite Song: "Superstition" by Stevie Wonder
Favorite Band: Switchfoot
Favorite Actor: Matt Long
Favorite Actress: Keri Lynn Pratt
Favorite Movie: Finding Neverland
Favorite Sport: Baseball
Favorite Baseball Player: Derek Jeter
Nick Jonas Facts:
# His favorite superhero is Spiderman.
# His favorite season is spring.
# Nick likes mint-chip flavored gelati.
# Song writing is Nick’s way of letting his feelings out.
# Nick naturally has brown hair and brown eyes.
# The subject Nick likes the least is math.
# Nick would rather text a girl than call her.
# He doesn’t mind being called “the one with the curly hair”.
# Nick is Christian.
# His toothbrush is yellow.
# According to Kevin, Nick can’t stand it if someone wears his socks, he flips out and its “funny”.
# Faith is very important to his entire family.
# Nick’s purity ring has ‘Poned’ inscribed on it which means ‘to be let down or disappointed’.
# He was discovered in a barbershop while getting his haircut.
# Once lost his purity ring and got a new one made at Disney World.
# His nickname is Nick J.
# Some people say “Nick J is off the chain.”
# His favorite drink is 7-11’s Slurpees.
# His favorite sandwich is an Italian Hero.
# His favorite fast food restaurant is McDonald’s.
# His favorite movie is Finding Neverland.
# His favorite song is “Superstition” by Stevie Wonder.
# Nick has an iPod Nano.
# He hates it when a girl is afraid to eat in front of him.
# He loves Red Bull (an energy drink).
# His most prized possession is his golf set.
# He can breakdance.
# When Nick was in the Broadway play Beauty and The Beast, he played Chip.
# He has a sidekick (cellphone) and he got it decorated.
# Nick can juggle.
# Nick’s cologne is Abercrombie.
# Nick wrote the song “S.O.S.” based on a past experience.
# The thing Nick must have in the studio is Hershey’s chocolate.
# Like Kevin and Joe Jonas, Nick wears a purity ring.
# Nick’s favorite song to play in concert is “Year 3000.”
# He once missed a family vacation to be in a Broadway play.
# Nick was originally going to have a solo album but when the record company heard about his brothers (Joe and Kevin’s) musical talent they formed the band “the Jonas Brothers”.
# His Chinese horoscope sign is the monkey.
# His favorite ice cream is cotton candy.
# His favorite actors are Matt Long and Keri Lynn Pratt from Jack and Bobby.
# His favorite sport is baseball.
# Nick’s favorite baseball team is the New York Yankees.
# He and his brothers (Jonas Brothers) are spokespeople for “Baby Bottle Pops”.
# Nick keeps his closet surprisingly clean.
# Nick loves Green Tea Frappuccinos.
# Nick’s favorite candy is Sweet Tarts and gummy worms.
# If he were a crayon he says he would be the color, Royal Blue.
# His favorite cereal is Cheerios.
# His favorite singer is Stevie Wonder and his favorite band is Switchfoot.
# His most ticklish spot is his feet.
# His favorite food is steak.
# He is the youngest member of his band, The Jonas Brothers.
# Nick wrote the song Please Be Mine. This was when the idea of Kevin and Joe [Jonas] joining Nick with his record deal came up.
# Nick plays the guitar, drums and keyboard.
# Some of his hobbies includes playing baseball, collecting baseball cards, tennis, songwriting and music.
# Nick enjoys watching Lost and the Sports Center on ESPN.
# Nick’s favorite color is blue.
# Nick has three brothers, Kevin, Joe and Frankie.
# Nick has Type 1 Diabetes. He was diaganosed in 2005 while he was out on tour.
# Nick’s most prized possession is an Olympic Gold Medal.
# Nick’s celebrity crush is Miley Cyrus, and once dated her in summer of 2006.
# His hidden talent is playing the drums.
# The first thing Nick notices in a girl is her eyes.
# As of 2007, Nick is 5′6″ (1.68 m).
# There is a code on the dog tag; which identifies Nick. This is so that if he ever gets into any sort of accident, and needs to be taken to the hospital, they know that he has diabetes. This way, they know not to give him certain medications that can be harmful to his body because of diabetes. When they put the code into the computer at the hospital, they get Nick’s medical history. Everyone with Type 1 Diabetes gets one of these, and it is their choice whether they are going to wear it or not.
# Kevin said that Nick could drink up to 30 cans of Diet Coke in a day and still want more.
# The Jonas Brothers also have music videos for “Mandy” and “Baby Bottle Pop” theme.
# (In mandy, Nick almost gets hit by a car) There are 3 “Episodes” of mandy!
# Nick said in a live chat, that he hates spiders.
# Nick thinks Jordan Pruitt is pretty.
# Nick’s iPhone ringtone is the James Bond 007 theme song
About Frankie Jonas (Not in the band)
Frankie Jonas's full name is Franklin Nathaniel Jonas. Frankie Jonas is the youngest Jonas brother! Frankie B-day is September 28, 2000. He has his own band called ''Webline.''His favorite Jonas Brothers song is ''That's Just The Way We Roll.''He has tons of fan websites.His nicknames are: Frank The Tank, Little Yoda & The Bonus Jonas.
Frankie might be to young to be in the band right now(He's only 7!), but nick is already super-impressed by his songwriting skills.''I was singing this song and he started doing a riff over it so I was like, 'Good Frank!'. He was like ''Yeah, I got a problem though. Whenever I try to sing rock music, I end up singing sad music.'' Nick explains. Frankie Jonas is an awesome little brothers and we as in the whole jonas family meaning JB fans and the Jonas Brothers are looking forward to his music in the future!