Older, but still the perfect fan
Source: Baltimore Sun
Essay: Hey, if the Backstreet Boys' music is what you call bubble-gum pop, give this proud admirer a Valu-pack any day.
By Lori Sears
Sun Staff
I never set out to become a Backstreet Boys fan. Believe me. It's a lonely place to be.
Sure, there are millions upon millions of fans out there. But all of them happen to be young girls between the ages of 7 and 13. Except, uh, me.
I'll be 31 in a few days. And let me tell you, it's not easy being an adult fan of a teenybopper boy band.
Not only am I mocked by each and every friend my own age, but I'm also shunned by young children. Young Backstreet Boys fans don't want me in their circle. I'm, like, way too old. And the non-Backstreet Boys fans (who sway instead to their competition: 'N Sync, 98 Degrees, O-Town) think I am so totally behind the times.
Like, whatever. Maybe I'm not cool. That's no shocker. But for me, these Boys are worth the shame I've had to endure.
When I first heard the pop-flavored "As Long As You Love Me" in 1998, I was hooked. Smooth, harmonious voices were wrapped around a terrific melody and simple chorus. I loved it. I bought it. And soon I discovered other gems on their self-titled first album.
Then I embarked on a mission to share the joy of the Backstreet Boys' sound with the people around me. No such luck.
Much to my disappointment, everyone I knew simply dismissed them as just more bubble-gum pop, just another group the kids liked - even though they'd never given the music much of a listen.
When the Boys' second album, "Millennium," was released in 1999 and spawned the mammoth single "I Want It That Way," I was sure the naysayers would see the light. Wrong again.
So, pretty much on my own, I fell head over heels for each Backstreet Boys song, always keeping my secret passion to myself.
Theirs has become the music in my car, on my headphones, in my home. Once, I ventured out to see them in concert at the MCI Center during their "Millennium" tour. But I went in disguise: with a pal and her 6-year-old daughter. It was an ideal cover. Only my pal knew I was more excited to be there than her daughter was.
At the show, I danced in my nosebleed seat, sang along and bought a souvenir T-shirt. The swarm of screeching pre-pubescent girls around me detracted from the experience a bit, but overall, I loved it.
But why, you ask. It's simple. For me, it all boils down to the music. It's not about the lyrics and the tales of lost love and the unrequited love and oh, so much love. It's the songwriting.
The Boys have been fortunate to have the songwriting powerhouse Max Martin (who co-wrote 'N Sync's "Tearin' Up My Heart," Celine Dion's "That's the Way It Is," Bon Jovi's "It's My Life," Britney Spears' "Oops! ... I Did It Again,") pen (or co-pen) the vast majority of their hits. Martin's Midas touch is undoubtedly the force behind the group's success. Well, that and the use of five attractive young men.
But my draw was simply the music. The lively, infectious tunes and the alluring, sugary ballads were really all it took. I'd never seen a photo. I didn't need to. These guys had the pipes and gave zest to well-crafted songs.
Their latest album, "Black and Blue," is their strongest yet. Max Martin's writing is prominent again, ensuring top-notch singles. And this time, the Boys themselves have co-written a few of the songs, including "The Answer to Our Life," proving they're more than just voices in pretty packages. Their singing is first-class, offering intensity, heart and soul.
So as the Boys head to the Nissan Pavilion tonight to promote their latest album, "Black and Blue," I'll again be in the crowd - among the teenyboppers and their obliging moms.
And I bet I won't be the only adult there secretly digging the show.
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