So, New Kids on the Block and Backstreet Boys are joining their boy band powers to tour across the world this summer. Future headline: Women from 20-60 suffer a mass state of hysteria after boy band bliss.
Anyway, while it isn't for the boys to perform their past hits, you know they had to record a huge collaboration.
So, now we have NKOTBSB's "Don't Turn Out The Lights", a pop song about savouring the moments before getting down and dirty in the night. Nothing spectacular or earth-shattering here, folks.
But, I'm just thinking with 9 people singing, what's the point? I can't tell who is what and what is who. Except for Nick. I'd recognize that nasally voice anywhere.
- the copious amounts of weed
+ 4 cute bandmates
- a lot of skin pigmentation
=
So, we're time travelling to the 90s and having New Kids On The Block and the Backstreet Boys (sans Kevin) are joining forces for a massive tour next summer, certain to tickle the loins of women from the age of 20-50. Talk about a guaranteed cash grab!
They performed a really cool medley of their hits last night at the American Music Awards. Was it me, or did they sound...bad? I mean, if you're a boy band that prides its vocal abilities, it kinda doesn't look good when all your notes are just a bit flat. Given this was their live debut, I'll give them a pass this time around.
But, their choreography is spot on!
When I was younger, probably around 13 through high school, I was heavily into alternative rock music. But, every now and then, a catchy pop song or dance track would be a hit and I would love it. But, I'd keep quiet about it.
See, at the time I didn't know I was gay. (WHAAAAA?!?!?!) But, I also didn't want to risk being perceived as gay for liking Madonna or a new song by Janet or a really Euro sounding song by Ace of Base.
In high school, if you were a GUY, you listened to hard music. Hip hop, traditional R&B, or straight ahead rock. There was no real room for a guy to admit to liking the Backstreet Boys or Culture Beat's "Mr. Vain". Somehow, the ginos were able to get away with liking dance music while they were tooling around with their cars. But, since I wasn't white, I couldn't quite pass for a gino.
I admit that my memory is very, very faulty. Thus, I cannot recall if there was a specific incident of me begin teased for liking a particular song. All I know is there was a feeling that I had of keeping my guilty pleasures under wraps. Therefore, my binder was covered with lyrics by the Smashing Pumpkins (who, in hindsight, is pretty gay) and my locker had pictures of whoever was the cool alternative band of the moment.
For shame, my love for Madonna was my big gay secret. Though, to this day, I could never figure out how Notorious B.I.G's hit "Mo Money Mo Problems" was acceptable among my straight peers, considering the sample was Diana Ross' "I'm Coming Out"...
The point of this post, though, is that I find it very interesting that today, many urban acts are now basing their sound on the same Euro dance beats that I secretly liked as a teen. Usher, Black Eyed Peas, Flo Rida, even Eminem, are drawing on dance elements for their new sound.
So, the music that I enjoyed every now and then as a teen, but kept hidden for fear of being teased in high school, is now the music that is openly embraced and enjoyed by the masses.
The macho hip hop world that intimidated me as a teen is coming out of the closet, so to speak.
And on the flipside, we have openly gay rapper Cazwell, becoming a bit of a cult phenomenon for marrying solid hip hop beats and rhymes with very homosexual content.
I wonder what my 15-year-old self would have to say about this. Something tells me he'd breathe a sigh of relief. And maybe he'd include a picture of Madonna among his locker collage.
