If you're not aware, we here at True Genius Requires Insanity have a bit of a love affair going with popular music. We love pop music so much that we throw a quarterly party that celebrates 50 years of it, FRIENDS at DC's Wonderland Ballroom. Intrinsic to the development of my love of pop music was New Kids on the Block. In 1989, I discovered the single "Hanging Tough." Just like the entire rest of the known universe, I became a fan. I may have only been their only eleven year old black male fan, but there I was nonetheless. I followed the New Kids from "Hanging Tough" to the ever tough and in retrospect cringe worthy remix of "Friends," and even supported Donnie's lil bro Marky Mark, finding "You Gotta Believe" and "Wildside" much better singles than "Good Vibrations." My NKOTB love continues on to the Jordan Knight solo era, as his "Give It To You" stands up against anything N'Sync or the Backstreet Boys released in the same era. The legendary boy band is a timeless piece of pop culture's edifice and is deserving of all praise.
Now, all grown up and in their late 30s, the group is once again on the touring circuit. Yeah, Donnie's an actor, Joey's got facial hair, Jonathan's a real estate broker, Danny sells private jets and I definitely went to a Jordan Knight concert at Arlington's State Theatre in 2005 and have an album of him covering NKOTB tracks as muzak ballads on my iPOD. In these economic times of gloom for the recording industry, there are viable solutions for mature pop acts, as people are always more apt to want to dance with the girl they know is a good time than the new girl at the party.
Take a second and enjoy the video linked above, and reminisce about what was probably a better time in life, and certainly a better time in music. Enjoy!
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