TORONTO – New Kids on the Block member Joey McIntyre says a recent show to promote their upcoming arena tour wasn’t their “finest moment.”

But he says it’s also not indicative of the upcoming stadium performances that will bring them to Canada in June and July.

At a recent New York concert, band member Jonathan Knight suddenly walked off stage mid-show, never to return.

During a visit to Toronto, Knight admits he’s long battled anxiety issues and that it continues to dog him today.

But he says it’s not as serious as it once was, insisting the New York meltdown had more to do with lack of sleep and problems with his “day job” as a real estate broker. It’s a career he started when he retreated from the limelight after the group disbanded in 1994.

McIntyre, Knight and fellow members Jordan Knight and Danny Wood were in Toronto to promote their new album “10″ and an upcoming tour with Boyz II Men and 98 Degrees. A publicist said fifth member Donnie Wahlberg was tied up with work on his CBS series “Blue Bloods.”

The Canadian Press spoke with McIntyre and Jonathan Knight on Saturday about hangin’ tough on tour, a new album and couch-surfing at the homes of fans.

Is it surreal to be promoting new material and starting an arena tour some 25 years after you started? I think a lot of people doubted you’d be at it this long.

Jonathan Knight: I think it’s doubly surreal for me. Thirty years ago I never thought we’d be back in ’08 and in ’08 I never thought we’d be here in ’13. It’s been a blessing.

The band is getting good reviews for the new album “10,” do you credit that to a newfound confidence and maturity?

Read the full interview at MetroNews.ca.