Boyband Rants:
May, June, July 2001 Archive
8th May 2001 - Just a ramblin'...
Konnyanachiwa!
Let's see. What have I been up to? Watched the "For the Fans" video. I liked. Got to see bits of BSB's Millenium tour, which was previous to my interest. Also got my DVD player (regionless! yay! *happy-neko-dance*) and so I watched their "Homecoming: Live in Orlando" video. Also omoshirosou desu. Had a dream the other night where Christina Aguilera and Jon Bon Jovi (dunno why) sang in a club that my mother, sister, and myself were at. They did the duet she originally did with Ricky Martin, "Nobody Wants to be Lonely." I got to take pictures and hang with her a little bit, which was neat. She was nice. I'm simply left wondering why I dreamed that.
Ah, a traumatic moment. I was at work and the radio was playing the Rolling Stones' "I Can't Get No Satisfaction" and a little girl commented "Oh, it's Britney Spears' song." Pain! Pain! I mean, I may be thoroughly hung up on pop acts, but still, that ain't Miss Spears' song! PAIN!!
My current book recommendation is Leslie Silko's Ceremony. Very beautiful, intense book. My current film recommendation is A Knight's Tale. My mother and I went to a free preview, but regrettably there were technical difficulties after the first ~20 minutes. Still, the scene with the jousting crowd singing and clapping along with Queen's "We Will Rock You" was great! I could just SOOO see that happening at a RenFaire. Not to mention Geoffrey Chaucer walking down the middle of the road nude. I wonder if the film is in any way based upon the Knight's Tale section of Chaucer's Canterbury Tales?
For some reason I've gotten into writing poetry and songs. I've never written songs before. It's interesting. I need to relearn musical notation so I can write down the sound as well as the words.
28th May 2001 - I Drive Myself Crazy
Let's see... more slashy goodness: Matthew Time's stories which are seducing me towards 98 Degrees. He also has a page that extends in different but kin areas to my conspiracy theories of name and such.
Got Joe McIntyre's new album. Worlds away better than his last. Won auctions on BSB's very first single from way back when, and the German Brian-shaped single. Now I only need Nick to complete the set. Gotta catch 'em all! :) Wednesday is the Larger Than Life special (TiVo, am SO TiVo'ing it... it's the performance I went to, after all!). I admit to falling behind in watching Making the Band; I've only got the first two episodes from this season. I hold faith that MTV will marathon season two at some point so I'll catch it all then.
Current great moral dilemma (aside from all the trauma stuff in two of my classes and how to deal with essays in two of the others... only two weeks left of school) is whether or not buying the BSB TV Guides would break my self-set rules regarding that addiction. I think it would. In fact, I'm sure of it. But then I think "I hunted down all three issues of Rolling Stone they appeared in, didn't I? And the set will be collector's items someday, won't they?" My dark nature taking over. Self-indulgency. Once I step on that path, forever my destiny will it dominate. I WILL not succumb, I WILL resist. I will also suggest strongly to any of my friends that donations of their old copies to the poor, deluded BSB fan K-chan fund will be greatly appreciated.
Also waiting for *N Sync's next CD, Celebrity. "Dirty Pop" is a fun track... I'm wagering on it having been penned by JC and Justin. It sounds like the two of them. Of course, I may be totally off there. Probably am.Watching MTV's TRL Retirement Home. Well, AJ's shaved his head, D's gotten rid of his extensions and stopped ironing his hair, and Nick's hair's getting long enough to look pretty good again. Either that or I'm just used to it. And Kevin! Kevin with his hair in braids! *meow* *pawpawpaw* Lucky Kristin! (Not me... his Kristin.) Okay, that makes it only Brian who's never gone braids. But he keeps his hair short, so he's not likely to. Well, 'nuff ramblings for now, have stuff to do, essay to write, etcetera. Laters!
30th May 2001 - Worthless Worries
Hmm, well, too late to get the BSB TV Guides. Of course, at the point at which I crumbled (today), they were no longer available except through eBay. Either this is a good thing or a bad thing. I don't know which yet. Let's see... set up to TiVo the BSB special tonight, and got the *N Sync: Making the Video dumped to tape. Not sure if I like the video for "Pop." I was right that Justin had a hand in the song, though it wasn't JC writing with him. I also am not too sure I'm keep on BSB's "More Than That" video, though admittedly I've only seen the tiny version of it available off of their website. I suppose they couldn't maintain the high level of "The Call." I mean, a video with a story... and no lipsyncing or dancing! Practically a mini-movie! Ah well. Shall wait to see what their next vid will be. If they're doing any more off of Black and Blue.
Tonight one of my coworkers told me that she heard on the radio an announcement that BSB are breaking up after this tour is over. It set me into an ambivalent state of internal panic while I tried to rationalize that I hadn't heard this anywhere, until I remembered that she told me this same rumor several weeks ago. So I think her source is unfounded. At least I hope so. How would I deal with them breaking up? I mean, they've been together for eight years and the Beatles only lasted, what, ten? I suppose I'd hurt. And go into one of those depressions that sets me listening to Black and Blue for a week solid on repeat. I'd try to figure out why, try to understand, and, I suppose, support them in their individual efforts. I'd hope they were still friends, still brothers, even if they were no longer a group. Aagh, moral questions that I shouldn't be wrestling with at half past one in the morning. For now I'll shunt myself off to bed and think about that final Buddhism essay and keep faith in Kev's saying BSB aren't sprinters, rather that they're in the race for the long distance run. Bad paraphrase, but I know what I mean even if no one else does.
And why is "I" always capitalized? Is Western culture so self-important? Why Christian names come first as opposed to the cultures where family name comes first? Anyhow. Me. Bed. Now. Zzzz....
24th July 2001 - I Say "N", You Say "Sync"!
Whoaaaaaa... FINALLY have 'Net access back and am updating this during the wee hours of what is technically the twenty-fifth, but as I haven't gone to sleep yet, never mind that minor technical detail. Just me and Dreyer's Dreamery Galactic Chocolate Swirl. I was, of course, at the *N Sync concert up at the Rose Bowl this evening. I arrived late (missing five of the six opening acts, though I did see Samantha Mumba) and had floor seats, though they were relatively towards the back. After that they did about ten minutes of ads (explaining how they managed to pay for those rumored 80 trucks' worth of equipment), among which was a preview for Lance and Joey's upcoming movie On The Line. Then about twenty minutes of classic rock music, during which point I bugged out to buy myself a program and a t-shirt. I came back to a "history lesson" on *N Sync, and then the show started.
But let me backtrack. Did I mention the FLEET of limos at the concert? There must've been upwards of two hundred all parked together. My reaction was "Hmm, those stretch SUVs are getting longer every day. One, two, three, four, five, six? Six windows?! Does someone have an ego problem?" Then there was the guy in line wearing the NKOTB Hangin' Tough Tour t-shirt....
The set list is taken from my notes, and it was dark enough that I was scribbling one line over another, so they may very well be a bit out of order. *N Sync of course started out with "Pop." They didn't start out on the main stage, mind you. They started out on the platform with five dancers on the main stage in hooded monk's robes as distractions. Then they popped out of this crystal pyramid on the platform. I think I know when they got there... heck, I think I even saw them coming in. Big black box labelled "Production" being wheeled through the audience. Then came "Tearin' Up My Heart" and "God Must Have Spent A Little More Time On You." For that last they were on a set of raised platforms; nice staging. Also for one of the early numbers the center section of the big big video screen folded down and they came down its back on a platform. Fun stage tricks! Next came a costume change and during that, a little slide show on the big screen by cowboy-clad Lance and Chris of their journey to find "Pop." They visited California, stayed overnight with the Munsters, were introduced to TV, then came to an *N Sync concert and decided that must be pop. ^^;;;;; Then, woohoo, "Space Cowboy"! They sailed from the top of the main stage to the platform on wires, dressed in color-accented cowboy gear (Joey=purple, Chris=red, Justin=green, Lance=blue, JC=mauve?) Plus they had mechanical bulls to ride. Whee~! Chris did a little bit on the stage (strip tease out of his flying harness!) and then they went into "The Two of Us" followed by a black and white silent film called "There Once Was a Flower," featuring Justin. Cue another costume change (into early 1900s gear, and my did they look nice in it!) and the song "Gone." That was broadcast on the screens in the format of an old film... sepia tone, flickering lines across the screen and all. Very nicely done. Next was "It's Gonna Be Me" and the giant toys! JC got to spray the audience with a water gun and Lance had silly string in either hand. They also used the stage's flat slides first here. Lance and Joey introduced the band next and then the group did "Up Against The Wall" with the use of a few velcro walls and the velcro sewn to the backs of their costumes. Then came another video (JC trying to talk on the phone with his materialistic girlfriend, only to be constantly interrupted by phone calls from the others... erm, please tell me Chris wasn't driving? I also liked Joey's bit. ^^) That was the setup for "Celebrity," after which they wandered back to the platform. I could not HEAR the next song for the girl standing across the aisle from me shrieking "I love you, Joey!" at the top of her lungs. Never mind that we were too far away for him to have heard: she was doing so even later when he wasn't on stage. I contemplated homicide more than once. I mean, why on God's green Earth would anyone go to a concert to hear the music?! She was even screaming this while Joey was reading a letter out loud. Then came a song on which Chris sang lead, and a group song (this section to be filled in later when I've had time to cross reference the lyrical fragments I did manage to hear despite that cowboy-hatted twit). These were followed back on the main stage by "No Strings Attached." Then came a comic book thing featuring "Mobius 8," a creature searching for music. *N Sync became a video game to the tune of "The Game Is Over." They won against Mobius 8, of course. Then, finally, "Bye Bye Bye" closed out the evening. Exited the stadium along with the masses, bought a poster and a second t-shirt (I liked both designs), and waited quite a while before being free of the parking lot and heading back home. Typing up this report first thing, and then planning to crash. Will report later on what I've been up to and correct the mistakes in this report. Sleeping now. 'Night all.
25th July 2001 - "For *N Sync By Any Other Name Would Still Be... New Kids On The Block."
Subject being a line from Sound and Fury's Romeo and Juliet: The First Draft. And I have to admit the similarities. Last night's concert ended with them climbing into cages and disappearing from within them, which is exactly how the NKOTB concert I went to oh so long ago ended. On the way out to the parking lot a group of people I was walking nearby spotted one of the cages being loaded into a truck, asked to touch it, was allowed, and screamed in delight. Amusing stuff. My view of the concert overall was that it was loud, flashy, and they certainly know how to put on a show. They also rather delighted in doing all the fun things they could with the stage. It was very different than Backstreet's show. I liked it. Ern, I liked both, but I liked this one too. Does that make sensee? It made me like the album better than I did from the radio premiere the other night. The album has some good songs. It also has Chris' thank yous. Crazy Spice earns his nickname again. I like Chris. Let's see, I still haven't been able to find those two songs. The Chris-lead one has the lyric fragment "what am I supposed to do" and the other has "what do I got to do" and ends with "crazy... crazy... crazy...." This is bugging me because I should know them! So if anyone can name those songs for me, I'll be grateful. Overall, I think the concert could've done with less opening acts and more *N Sync. Their time onstage seemed so short....
In other news, I had my lovely boyfriend with me for two whole weeks, went to an anime convention, my friends and I won some prizes for our costumes, and I'm taking a screenwriting class. Boybands-related, I dragged my boyfriend up to Universal Citywalk to a signing by Joey McIntyre of his new album. Finally got to meet him. He was nice, polite, impersonal. So now I have two signed CDs. Ooh. Ahh. I also had a dream wherein I was watching NKOTB perform at a mall and I got the three J's autographs. Then for some reason I turned around and there was Justin Timberlake, back in the earlier days of *N Sync when his curls were platinum. Is it just me or is everyone on *N Sync going with darker hair these days? Lance's is dark brown for that movie of his. No, wait, JC's gone lighter than previously. And JC's hair looked nice, so very nice, at the concert. It was almost curly the way he'd styled it. Not Justin-curls, either, nice loose ones. meow....
I am semi-determined that I need to get some friends who are into the same kind of music that I am. Currently I only have Zahara, who is Spanish and living in Japan at the moment, so kind of physically inaccessible either way. But I don't want screaming annoying people either. So I must search carefully. Or convert some of my current friends. Because it would be nice to have someone to go to a concert with. Anyhow, I'm out of words so I'm outta here. Later!
26th July 2001 - Something To Talk About.
Well, off of the candy fluff hype that's a concert high, and down to reality again. As the song begins, "this is a very serious message, so all of you, please listen." A.J. in rehab. Everyone else on the planet seems to have said their say about it, why shouldn't my two cents be pitched into the communal pot? I laud Backstreet for coming forth about it. I haven't seen any of the broadcasts where they spoke about the subject, but I hear tell they were very emotional about it. As they have a right to be. This is a serious thing, and if A.J. has problems to the point where he feels he needs help dealing with them, he has nothing but my sympathies and support. I had hoped that the rumors were false, but apparently they have roots in truth. If only all others can be false.... I wish him and the others nothing but the best and the speediest in getting things solid again. My love, guys.
The other topic I'm addressing is that in a recent interview Joey McIntyre addressed the rumors that plagued NKOTB that Jordan Knight was gay. Essentially he said "they had the wrong New Kid." (The full interview's available at SixthNewKid.) So this is basically an admittance that one of the 'Kids is gay. Since it's not Jordan, and Danny and Donnie are married and have children, that means it's either Jon or Joey himself. I don't care which one. In fact, I don't care if anyone is gay. I do however wonder if this was any factor at all in their breakup. Oh, not that I think they broke up because one of them was gay, but maybe keeping it secret was an added pressure. It also makes a bit more sense of the 'Kids classic dislike of prejudice. So I suppose that it means they must've all known all along and been okay with it. The rumor mill also has it that at least one member of a current major American boy band is gay. Again, don't know which one or even which band. Again, don't care. It still rills me, though, that this is a society where public figures can't come out because of feared reprecussions which are, sadly, probably accurate. Remember a few years back when the Bible Belt in the USA set out against Disney for giving same-sex partners legal benefits? America is a small-minded country, still very Puritanical. So despite the fact that homosexuality is now a semi-acceptable topic (look at Ellen, and now Will and Grace), it's still not okay to admit that you are. It's sad. And it hurts. May I have the strength to someday raise a family free of such prejudices, and add a little bit to a more tolerant future. Later, y'all.