Kendall Schmidt is still bad at hockey, but his voice remains in top form.
Luckily for the Big Time Rush member, that’s all he needs as the pop band successfully reunited last year for a tour nearly a decade after calling it quits.
“Since getting back together, we’d like to take this thing as far as we can go,” said the singer and guitarist, calling from Holmdel, New Jersey. “Funny enough, I don’t think there’s anything for us to prove.”
For those non-Generation Z folks, BTR enjoys the most meta of meta existences.
Beginning in 2009 as an overnight sensation, the scripted Nickelodeon TV show of the same name focused on the Hollywood adventures of four hockey players from Minnesota after they were selected to form a boy band.
Along the way, you’ll never guess what happened to Schmidt, James Maslow, Logan Henderson and Carlos PenaVega. It turns out if you play a boy band on TV to a bunch of tweeners, they’ll not only buy the gag but also the music — including one platinum and two gold albums.
While the group didn’t experience monster radio success, its audience proved to be loyal. The same girls who were screaming in 2012 at the show’s songs matured into adults in their early 20s looking for a nostalgic night out.
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Luckily for Schmidt and his bandmates, the group’s songs were memorable. More importantly for the foursome, along the way they convinced both television and music producers to let them take a stab at songwriting.
“From the very beginning, we had the itch,” he said. “I had already been writing songs for my own little band that had a Myspace back in the day. I wrote my first couple of songs when I was 15 or 16.
“That being said, I was in a major project with two giant companies behind it, so I think it took a little time to give us a shot. The good thing is we all really respect the art of songwriting. It’s a very important thing for us.”
One of the BTR songwriting credits Schmidt is most proud of is “Cover Girl” from 2011’s “Elevate.”
“Something about it connected to the audience,” he said. “At that time when we were touring, our crowd was primarily teens.
“I think the song connected with girls in the audience (who appreciated the) idea you don’t have to live up to sort of artificial standards.”
After last year’s successful reunion, which included a show at Blossom Music Center in Cuyahoga falls, Big Time Rush took advantage of the momentum. The outfit recently put out the album “Another Life.”
“It was a lot of work and is a huge piece of my heart,” said Schmidt, noting his favorites include classic boy band ballad “Ask You Tonight” and the crazy-sounding “Work for It.”
The band returns to Blossom Music Center on July 17.
“I think there are still people who don’t know BTR is back,” he said. “So, clearly, there is more work to be done.”
Big Time Rush
When: 7 p.m. July 17.
Where: Blossom Music Center, 1145 W. Steels Corners Road, Cuyahoga Falls.
Tickets: $29 to $360.
Info: Livenation.com.
