As I perused the headlines via CNN.com, I was visually informed that one of my most favorite “boy bands” of the 1980s is reuniting for a tour. New Kids on the Block – or NKOTB depending on which part of their singing career you followed them in, has just announced the reunion.
I was brought back to my younger years when I would have given my allowance for a year to attend a New Kids concert. To see Joey McEntyre in person would have been (or so I thought at the time) the most important thing to happen in my life. But, given that I was provided with overprotective parents who did not put concert-attendance on the list of “safe” things for their daughter to do, I was left to sing their swooning ballads and upbeat pop lyrics either in the solitary comfort of my bedroom, or with friends.
Yet, for some reason, I do not find myself getting excited over this newsflash. In fact, I’m slightly annoyed by it and here is my reason: Donnie Wahlberg, although not as prominent as his brother Mark (or Marky Mark, if you knew him in this role), has, to some degree, established himself as a decent actor. To revert to the pop star, boy band image is disturbing to me. I guess for the other ones, it may be serving a midlife crisis need they have to return to the limelight. However, I simply do not see this turning into a successful venture. Those that listened to them in their prime (like me) have moved on, and anyone else may just become confused at their presentation.
Alas, I shall not judge until I hear it (yes, I said hear it, because I will not be spending my hard-earned freelance income on an NKOTB concert ticket) for myself. Who knows, the style may have changed into something my grown up ears can enjoy.
