NKOTB – The Right Stuff

I recently read an email that made my heart skip a beat. New Kids on the Block and Backstreet Boys were reuniting for a concert event. My mind immediately went back to high school…

It’s 1990, my hair is up in a scrunchie, my bobby socks are slouched perfectly around my calves. I slip on some Brenda Walsh Red lipstick and I’m ready. My best friend Rena and I were about to attend the concert of our lives. I had a major crush on Joey, always loved the baby faced boys. She had it bad for Jordan Knight. This argument would hash itself out all the time until our friend Shira would vote for us (but, don’t remember who would win!).

My first concert experience was a secret. My parents would never have allowed me to go, especially on a school night. I told them a story about sleeping at Rena’s to study for a Math test. They bought it. I stuffed my best outfit of jeans and a black bodysuit into my backpack and off I went for the best night of my life.

New Kids on The Block represented such an innocent time for teenage girls. All the pretty boy bands I grew up listening to (and dreaming about) were just young, overall wearing, pubescent boys and a few older brothers coming together to sing to a bunch of screaming young things. While I’m sure they had their share of sexual encounters as popular and adorable as they were, I never looked at them as anything more than the adorable boys next door that could sing.

Justin Beiber’s crotch grabbing, Miley Cyrus pole dancing and some disgusting song I recently heard about a lollipop (don’t get me started on that one!) are ruining the innocence the late 80s and 90s introduced.

Music has changed, as expected it should. But, as the world becomes more sexually overt, so do our tiny young musicians. Even little Willow Smith is whipping her hair back and forth with an attitude and look well beyond her 9 years of age.

Now that NKOTB and Back Street Boys are reuniting for this concert I think back to that wonderful night of my life where I was wild and free just for listening and dancing, nothing more. I thought about attending and reliving this night but then I looked at their photos. Goodness, these are boys to men (sorry had to stick that reference in there) and they look – OLD. These are dads, husbands, men with careers outside of music and the overalled baby faced Joey is now a daddy to 2 and looks good for his age, but the crush is over.

I guess it’s time to grow up. Realize that the 90’s have been over for quite some time now. Pull on my mom jeans metaphorically (I’ll never wear those!) and push the slouch socks to the back of my drawer…Maybe tonight I’ll dream about Brandon – or will it be Dylan?