(originally posted 25th November 2011)
So in the past couple of years I have seen the new-age teenagers go teary-eyed, drooling over such artists like the Jonas Brothers, Justin Bieber and most recently One Direction, and I can’t help but wonder what the hell these kids are thinking fussing over them?! What is so damn freaking special? I don’t see it. This is just one side of my thinking.
On the other side of this thought and on closer inspection I realise just how much I’ve had in common with the teenage girls of today because back in my time of the 1990s I was them, I did the whole obsession thing, drooled, bought a ton of magazines, decorated my walls with posters (maybe adored is a better description)….etc. I WAS one. In this lifetime I usually refer to it as my ‘teeny bopper’ days; which it was, and I’m not embarrassed by it, I am really proud of my growing up in that generation.
The music industry experts back in those times hated the new era, it was what they sometimes called ‘manufactured pop’ or whatever terms they used, and I hated it. I hated that these ‘so called’ experts were talking down about other people in the same business. After all the music business was changing as it always had, be it from the 1950s to 60s, 70s and so on and as a business it must change with the times.
In my time of the 1990s it was all about the girl bands and the boy bands, me though hated the girls bands, I am all for the guys. Oh yeah, yeah for sure!
First band I’d really come across at the time was New Kids On The Block, of course, they were the coolest thing ever, sing, and dance and they were super damn hot too. I can’t remember who I used to like the best because it is so long ago and having them part time in the business now, (and may I just say, despite being older they are still looking pretty damn fine!) I still don’t remember. However, if I had to pick one at the moment I’d say it is probably between Joey and Jordan. Somehow I have this feeling it was one of them two, and going a bit further I have this sneaky suspicion it might have been Jordan. Of course I am not as much into them now as I was back then as a young one but certainly it brings back good old memories. I recall listening to the songs off the albums and dancing to them in the middle and around the house. I knew the words inside and out… and I had this one gigantic poster of them too. I wasn’t sure what ever happened to that poster…probably lost in between all the times we moved house but a very old home video locked away has preserved that poster in history for me.
As the NKOTB craze started to die down a little in the 90s up came the modern-day version known to us as the Backstreet Boys (and there was plenty of people making fun of the name over the years), and everything New Kids could do these guys did in a lot better, a lot better and certainly being cute helped. Originally my favourite of the band was Nick, how could it not be? He was, and is still the youngest, and I have to say my weakness was always the blonde hair and blue eyes and he was such a kid!! However I soon moved onto Brok aka Brian, mainly because my sister liked him then too. It wasn’t just through her though, he too was always like a big kid having fun, running around madly, always smiling and such a cheek he’s just adorable, and he’s been a great dad to his little son Bailey (who by the way recently turned 9!). I learnt all their songs off by heart, I had so many posters and collected everything I could get my hands on. It was through this stage where a lot of my other habits started. I’d really taken to writing fan fics seriously at this point and yes I had written by very first BSB fic at this time. Sadly the story never lasted and got lost though it would have been interesting to see if it had ever developed.
The growth of the BSB through the middle years of the 1990s soon led to the arrival, of what would be their main competitors in *NSYNC. If people thought BSB as the modern-day version to NKOTB then with *NSYNC, they were viewed to some as the flashy type, seen as the one to take BSB crown away and become the new kings, and their arrival also brought a huge divide between teenage fans. A whole hoard of teenage hype came with them and during this time a high number of BSB fans decided to ‘swap sides’ and hang out with the enemy. This then lead to a lot of debate, fierce battles especially online over who really was better.
During those times you were only allowed to pick just ONE boy band it was not considered good to side both it was always one or the other; and this in truth was not one of my favourite times. Since *NSYNC were the ‘cool’ kids I went with them whenever anybody asked me, but in saying that I would never say anything negative about BSB, I couldn’t, even when others did it because for me they were equal. I always supported both and while I did give *NSYNC a bit more favour it was impossible to not still love BSB. When *NSYNC was around, again all I did obsessing about them didn’t defer too much to how it was with BSB and NKOTB; the main difference was in the fan fics which had now taken on some serious shape and direction, there was approximately 10-20 fan fics about them, sometimes BSB featured it in as well from time to time, and I had made it my absolute mission that whenever they were on TV no matter what show (and we showed it here or NZ when I was living over there) I had to record it and watch, the posters amounted to some crazy amounts especially when added to the ones I had already collected. Also during this time is when I started developing the last name thing.
It worked simply by adopting one’s favourite member and taking on their last names. It is pretty funny now even embarrassing even but this was a growing trend, if there are other fans like myself, they have probably done this; and I bet even done that pretend virtual marriage thing right? Yes I admit I have done that, not often, intact I only did it twice! LOL.
From *NSYNC my personal favourite was Lance. Now remember what I said about Nick and that whole blonde thing? Same situation here, and this pretty much lasted since the start. I still say the same even now long after they finished up. There was a small period of time when I really grew to love JC too, though it really didn’t last very long. Justin had his moments but was never really my type.
All right so that’s part of the story, coming up soon will be second part where I’ll talk about Westlife, Otown, 98 Degrees, Hanson, 5ive and Blue.
Legion of Thunder Creations 