
I never had this enormous band phase. I'm telling you. It's true. I don't know how it's possible. I remember I drew pictures of the Spice girls in pre-school, but I really didn't understand anything much about being a real fan. I loved the Spice girls lollipops. I never had THE shoes though (my Finnish teacher though they were shoes for disabled people). Anyway. I couldn't believe my ears when i learnt in my media course that everything about the bands has been planned. It's a conspirasy. Why? I guess I was the only one in Jerusalem who hadn't thought of it. Obviously it's fake, but why? Why would anyone want to harm us. We were just innosent children! Anyway here are the five phases of the POPmaterialisticstupidness:
1. "What are you nuts? Everyone knows them!!???"(Well first the members were found by a newspaper ad or something. They know from the start that it's fake...) The band suddenly appears everywhere. Record companies have bought every space for them. Lots of fan nonsence apper. If you want to be in, you need to listen to the music, since it's the new alternative choise! Have you ever noticed that the members of the band are actually a more important thing than the music... HA! The create an image. "Something for everyone" is their motto. Since some pre-teens are having a phase where they fall in love with idols.. I can't believe they've actually payed some shrinks to think about stuff like that.
2.How to become a real block-headMoney money money. Really weird fan clubs have rules and if you really really are a true fan, you need to do what you're asked.
Quotes from the New Kids On The Block magazine
(Our teacher gave us copies: NKOTB Magazine Special . Frida Förlaget. Stockholm 1991, p.20-21):
RULES:
- If you want to dress like a real fan, you'll invest on a true Boston street look.
- Don't put too much make up. The boys value naturality. (wow. the parents will really fall for that one)
- A real Block head doesn't really need wall paper, because her/his room is covered with New-Kids posters and pictures. If your parents will put new wallpaper in your room, you will ofcourse put the pictures back (carefully)
- YOU HAVE TO KNOW THEIR MUSIC. It would be best if you'd know the lyrics by heart. Always sing whenever you hear their music.
QUOTES FROM FANS(from my teachers research in 1991)
- There are some really stupid guys in our class. They think that New Kids suck. They only listen to Guns'nRoses even though that Axl is ugly and not as lovely as Jordan Knight for example. Or Jon or Joe or Danny or Donnie
- I have every cd and magazine except one and then my Mum has ordered stuff that were advertised in the magazines. People say that I'm the best fan. There are couple of girs that aren't really fans, but they say they are so that we would hang out with them, but we wont since they don't love New kids enough
3. swarmThis is the part where teenage girls colonize a hotel where a boy band is staying. Fans of different bands argue. The managers are careful and try to see when the bands popularite will start to decrease. Some "individual" ex-fans start to look for a newer sound...
4. "Did you hear that they might break up?"The big bosses start to see that people are not interested in the fan nonsences anymore. They actually start a gossip about the band breaking up. It's all false. (I ALWAYS NEW IT WASN'T GERYS FAULT THAT THE SPICE GIRLS BROKE UP) All the loyal fans think it's their fault and they start to buy more fan material so that they could stop the horrible thing from happening. Managers are happy. Their masterplan is workind.. The bands start making films, appearing on tv-shows. It's all because the record company wants to see if someone of the members has potential to be a individual popstar...
5.Mommy. It's overrr... :(The phenomenon has ended as planned. (YES YES AS PLANNED. Gah). Every product is sold out. After couple of years they sell some useless stuff and if people seem interested, there might be a comeback...
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA materialism