My friend Cindy gave me the book "New Kids On The Block: Five Brothers and a Million Sisters", the authorized biography by Nikki Van Noy. Thanks, Cindy!
I finished reading the book this morning, and I really liked it because it told the story from the guys' points of view, as well as from that of the fans. I wasn't as young as most of the NKOTB fans were when they got big. I'm about their age, less than 5 years older than them, so my experience wasn't like a lot of the other fans whom were going through adolescence at the height of the madness, but I was still obsessed. Many of them looked at NKOTB as the escape from whatever was wrong at school or at home. I was done with college, so I could drive myself to venues and not look as obvious when I was stalking...er...looking forward to running into them somewhere. I bought the teenybopper magazines with money I earned while they used their allowance. It was different, but my level of obsession was just as crazy. They screamed at decibels higher than what many animals can hear, and I had my alto-flavored "whoo!". Oh, Mercedes. Such memories we had, girl. I wonder if you think of me whenever you hear about NKOTB these days, like I think of you, wherever you are.
When NKOTB made their comeback, the fans got to feel young again, scream again, and cry tears of joy again. Now all of us are 20 years older, and the guys are more accessible, and they've gotten to know a lot of their loyal fans.
As I was reading, I thought of Rockapella and how thankful I am that I've been able to talk to them (kinda) at the beginning of my fandom, or at least when I started following them around to different venues. I remember telling Barry once that I hope they never get so big that we don't get to talk to them, and he said that he felt the same way. I'm at the point now (and I'm sure a lot of the diehards are) that I'm confident that even if Rockapella became huge, they'd still remember me and wave from the stage and smile. But NKOTB is such a worldwide phenomenon that I'm amazed at how they remember a lot of their fans and know their stories and have reached the same intimacy that we Rockapella fans have with our guys. It's been a lot more difficult for NKOTB because they were mobbed so much, and I admire how they all still tried to get to know their fans by reaching out to them, before at meet and greets at the malls, and now through Twitter and Facebook and their VIP tickets. (Actually, they interact more with their fans on the social sites more than Rockapella does).
It also interested me that many of the NKOTB fans have gotten to know each other through the years and have become lifelong friends because of the group. That sounds very familiar. I wouldn't know some of my wonderful-est friends today if not for the Pella. Our mutual love for the guys has allowed us to be crazy together, to cry together (in happiness and sorrow), and to have memorable trips that I'll cherish forever. I know that the Rockapella fan community is minuscule as compared to the Blockheads, but the parallels are intriguing to me.
I'll be seeing NKOTB in July, and I'm even thinking of seeing them twice because they've added a show in the area, but I won't go the VIP route, because that kind of money goes toward Rockapella shows. :) I'm excited to see them and Boyz II Men. I'm ambivalent toward 98 Degrees, as I was toward Backstreet Boys, which is why I didn't go to the last tour, but I'm really excited about the B2M thing. I have a much longer wait before I see Rockapella, and it makes me crazy. But at least when I see them, I'll have a better chance at talking to them and spending time with them in my own PellaPusher way. Until then, I'll keep myself preoccupied with my first 5-guy obsession. And at least I'll still get to see my Posse a few times before then, too.
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