What is it about NKOTB that has kept my interest in them all these years?

The reason why I am doing this blog post is because of a conversation I had with my son last weekend… It was a cute little conversation which actually got me pondering … …

It all started last Saturday. I wasn’t feeling well (sucks to be sick over the weekend, by the way). Took the kids out for brunch with the hubs then went home. My kids tucked me in to bed, and decided to remain in the room to make sure I rested while my hubs played on his computer beside me, also making sure I would rest.

Since my desk and computer faces my bed, I could watch what my kids were doing on my computer. Most kids would start playing games and such but not mine. They entertained me while I was in bed by playing New Kids on the Block videos on YouTube. After a couple of songs, my daughter left the room to do her own things. My son stayed back. He continued sitting at my desk, worked on his homework and continued to choose different NKOTB videos for me … …

My son commented, “I don’t like NKOTB. I am only doing this for you mummy, because I love you and I know you love NKOTB.” -  My husband would be proud of him. But it’s a macho thing, no boy or man would ever admit they are a closet NKOTB fan.

That was not it …… my son continued by asking me this one question which got me pondering ……

He asked, “What is it with you and NKOTB, mummy?”

My reply was simple. I said, “I have enjoyed NKOTB since I was about your age. Maybe a little older. It is just like how you enjoy Transformers…”

He nodded to show me he understood. He saw the similarities.

That was it for him. His question had been answered. But it didn’t end there for me.  I asked myself, “What is it about NKOTB that has kept my interest in them all these years? 25 years to be exact!”

Like any girl who came of age in the early 90s, I was totally in love with NKOTB. I knew all their songs, full names, birthdates, etc etc! I was utterly convinced I was going to marry Donnie Wahlberg until I started having a crush on Jordan Knight too.

But it was those dreams that kept me going and kept my little mind then active. I wouldn’t say I had a rough childhood… … there are other kids worse off than I was. I was a happy child (mostly). I was most happy when I spent days at my granny’s house because I was surrounded by my grandparents, aunty and uncles who spoilt me rotten. I was most happy when I was around my mum who shared the love for NKOTB with me.

Whenever my mum could afford, she would buy NKOTB memorabilia for me. My aunt and uncles would do the same. I had everything from pens, to water bottles, sweaters, pillow cases, posters, books, dolls!

Even with all that, a part of me still felt lost and lonely. I still feel that way, even when I was surrounded by people I know who loved me to pieces. I guess I was just made different by the mighty one above. Or maybe since I was around 10, I already knew what was in store for me in my later years? Who knows really? I still can’t figure it out…. But I just deal with it now.

… I won’t get into all that … but NKOTB (and Elvis) music kept me happy and in my own little world. A world with lots of smiles and happiness. I enjoyed that. That possibly also kept me out of trouble … until I hit the nasty teenage years. But we shall not get in to that too.

Till today, I feel really happy listening to their songs and watching their concerts. It’s easier these days with what’s out there over the internet. Of course I am more mature now, I know I can never marry Donnie or Jordan as I am married too. But I have naughtier and dirtier thoughts when I watch them…. but lets not get in to that too… haha

I will never forget how happy they kept me. …How excited I was to get a new memorabilia…. How over the moon I was to attend their concert in Singapore in 1992 even though I had seats so far away from the stage.

I swore I would get to Boston no matter what it took me and I would hunt the boys down. Of course it never happened back in the day ... and then they disbanded (1994). When that happened, I was heart broken but I got over it quickly as I was also 15 years old and started dating. Yet, I always kept their songs on my playlist and listening to it still put a smile on my face.

Little did I know I would meet my husband online and move to Massachusetts, to a little town just an hour away from Boston. Yet when it happened, hunting the boys down did not cross my mind once as I was busy being an adult, busy working with my new husband to survive and make ends meet and create a new life for us. I was finally out of the control of my father. I was happy even though my husband and I struggled the first two years. But hard work paid off. We finally were comfortable, bought our first home together and had kids.

In 2007, I met this lady by the name of Carol on MySpace. Somehow she knew I was a NKOTB fan (possibly by my NKOTB stuff I posted on there), and she asked if I would like to go for the Jordan Knight solo concert? WHAT? When? Where?? Of course I want to go!! Carol lives 45 minutes away from me and she did’t drive. Jordan Knight will be about 1.5 hours away from where we lived but I am game!! We made t-shirts and posters and headed to Topsfield fair. We went for the 2pm and 7pm concert and met him after both shows. Not to mention front row for both shows and the fact he noticed us and acknowledged us during both shows. He was a darling. I couldn’t believe after all these years, I finally got to meet a New Kid!!

The next year, my family and I left USA and moved back to Singapore. A move I would have postponed if only I knew NKOTB would be getting back together for a reunion that would last 8 years now.

I was heart broken (yet again) when the reunion happened and when they performed at venues that was close to where I lived when I was in America. I was envious of the millions of women who got to meet them.

Finally, in 2012, they would perform in Asia. Jakarta and Manila. My wonderful husband got me Ultimate tickets to both shows and I got to meet the boys both times! 

I even got a NKOTB related tattoo…lyrics from my favourite song, “I’ll Be loving You Forever”. I got to show it to them and had both Donnie and Jordan touch it and Jordan singing the song to me!

With the amount of ‘moolah’ ($$) I spent for traveling and the VIP tickets, I even got a write up (full page) in the newspaper!

Anyway, I think I have gotten carried away with this post so I say it again, ‘what makes NKOTB so special to me?’. ‘Why after all these years, I am still crazy over them?’

I guess I have to say the main reason is because the New Kids were legit. Or, at least, they weren’t manufactured in the way of so many other boy bands that followed.

It’s really difficult to explain why I love these guys and why I have loved them all these years. But something ought to be said about a band who reunited 15 years later and still have their fans there! Just how many boy bands are still going strong decades later?

Despite having been doing this for more than 30 years, NKOTB continues to prove to us that underneath those shirts, their abs are hangin’ tough.

The average of the ladies at an NKOTB concert is usually a little higher than at a One Direction concert, but the screams and sing-a-long choruses of the women in the crowd… you wouldn’t have known the difference.

New Kids on The Block continues to blow our minds….

Even us Blockheads put the Directioners devotes to shame!!

So technically this blog post has gone a different direction and instead I was simply just fan girling about my favourite band; NKOTB. But it’s enough to tell you how much I love them and how they never fail to make me happy.

But seriously, I could have gotten pregnant many time just after watching Donnie and Jordan!

I much rather watch them then Magic Mike any day….ok, I lied…. I want to watch both!