Derided by "real" music fans, adored by teenage females and gay men, boy bands are a modern cultural – and commercial – phenomenon. TONY CLAYTON-LEAslathers on the hair gel and jumps on the boy bandwagon
BLAME THE MONKEES
THE TERM “boy band” came into currency in the 1990s with the arrival of American pop sensations New Kids On The Block and New Edition, but the trend started way back in 1966 with The Monkees, who were selected from more than 400 contenders who replied to a newspaper ad looking for unknowns to star in a TV series. At least two of the band could play instruments, but this was initially hidden by the programme makers – the first time musicianship was gazumped by image and marketing. After The Monkees — whose quirky US television show was a massive success — manufactured boy bands became the norm in a male-dominated music industry that was rigidly and haughtily divided between rock and pop. On the one hand, there were The Jackson 5 and The Osmonds, two American family bands that boasted a modicum of talent; on the other, there was Edinburgh’s Bay City Rollers, who were molded into the first bona fide teenybopper act of the 1970s.
The progenitors of the popularity of boy bands in the 1980s and 1990s were New Edition, whose slick r’n’b led the way for a rake of even more successful US boy bands such as New Kids On The Block, Boyz II Men, Backstreet Boys and ’N Sync. In the UK, there was Bros, managed by Tom Watkins, who soon added East 17 to his stable of handsome young men. In 1990, Take That was formed and, soon after, Boyzone. As the 1990s continued, Take That and East 17 (and 911, Five and Blue) were usurped by Britpop and indie rock. In the late 1990s, along came Westlife (created by Louis Walsh to replace Boyzone’s diminishing returns), which would become the most successful boy band of the era. After a farewell tour, Westlife will split up this year (although for how long is debatable). Not to worry, though, the boy- band bandwagon continues to roll with JLS, The Wanted and One Direction.
As the saying goes, where there’s muck there’s brass, and where there’s boy bands there’s brass necks aplenty.
THE BOY BAND FORMAT
BOY BANDS aren’t formed, they’re assembled. They may be boys, but they’re very rarely a band – the vast majority of don’t (or aren’t seen to) play instruments, are known primarily for their vocals and choreography, are chosen by record producers and “talent” managers, and are marketed to a mostly pre-teen/teenage female audience.
The marketing is the most important element, with males chosen specifically for their good looks (although having an odd-one-out provides a grounding aspect) and saddled with cookie-cutter personalities (the cute one, the sexy one, the daft one, etc) so as to appeal to the broadest section of young females. Of lesser importance, undoubtedly, is the music, which, for the most part, is tailor-made, homogenised pop. A mixture of catchy pop ditties and lachrymose ballads (these were rarely written by the band members until relatively recently when they began to realise how lucrative songwriting actually was), the music is structured to showcase harmonies and dance routines, some of which are well rehearsed and honed.
Unless the name of the boy band is Take That, this format is strictly adhered to. Unusually for a boy band, Take That had in their midst Gary Barlow, a very talented songwriter (his 1995 hit Back for Goodremains the best example of a perfect fit of song and boy band), as had East 17, with Tony Mortimer.
THE MANAGERS IN CONTROL
LOU PEARLMAN:The manager/impresario behind the creation and success of not just Backstreet Boys but also 'N Sync – both of whom sued him in the US Federal Court for misrepresentation and fraud. Pearlman is currently in prison for having engineered one of the largest and longest-running Ponzi schemes in US history, that embezzled more than $300m.
MAURICE STARR:Unsuccessful 1980s American r'n'b singer/songwriter/producer Starr created not only New Edition (which once featured Bobby Brown, who would go on to marry Whitney Houston) but also New Kids on the Block. Both boy bands were specifically formed to record Starr's songs.
TAM PATON(1938-2009): Scottish-born manager who came up with the idea of the Bay City Rollers dressing in tartan and wearing their trousers at half-mast. Paton was accused by former band members of owing them up to £50m in unpaid royalties. In 1982, he was convicted of gross indecency with teenage boys (he served one year of a three-year jail sentence) and in 2003 was arrested on charges of child sexual abuse, but was later cleared of the allegations.
NIGEL MARTIN-SMITH:Inspired by the success of New Kids on the Block, Manchester casting agent Martin-Smith created Take That, who turned into one of the most successful British bands since The Beatles. In 1995, Martin-Smith was listed by Gay Times as one of the influential gay people in pop music.
LOUIS WALSH:A veteran of the Irish showbiz scene, 59-year-old Walsh is arguably the most successful manager of pop bands. The roll call of acts he has been involved in includes Boyzone, Westlife, Jedward, Ronan Keating, Shayne Ward, Bellefire, Six, Girls Aloud, Samantha Mumba and JLS.
TOM WATKINS:Formerly a designer for Terence Conran, Watkins managed both East 17 and Bros, each of which went on to enjoy huge levels of success in the UK and Europe. He also managed Pet Shop Boys, who are not and have never been a boy band.
THE GOOD, BAD AND GORGEEOOOOUSSS!
THE MONKEES(1966-1970; have sporadically reformed and still perform to this day): Created especially for a television show, which still airs around the world. Their early songs were written by a crack team of tunesmiths, and are pop classics.
BAY CITY ROLLERS(1966-81): Scottish teenybopper band that engendered the worldwide phenomenon known as Rollermania. The arrival of punk rock in 1977 effectively ended their career.
NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK(1984-1994; 2007-present): Created in 1984 by Maurice Starr, the band's 1986 self-titled debut album bombed but by the early 1990s, sales for NKOTB merchandise were estimated at $400 million. (NKOTB and Backstreet Boys tour this year, visiting Dublin and Belfast in April.)
BROS(1986-1992): Managed by Tom Watkins, Bros was composed of twin brothers Matt and Luke Goss, whose razor-cheeked blondeness attracted both straight teenage girls and gay males.
TAKE THAT(1990-1996; 2005-present): Take That started performing in small clubs and schools across the UK and ended up as world beaters. A new album this year will add to the coffers.
911(1995-2000; 2005-present): From '96-'99, this British trio had an impressive run of 10 UK top 10 hits.
'N SYNC(1995-2002): More famous in retrospect, perhaps, because for being the band that introduced Justin Timberlake to the world.
FIVE(1997-2001; 2006-2007): This UK act was another money-making machine. reaching the UK top 10, 11 times in four years, and selling almost seven million records.
BOYZONE(1993-2000; 2007-present): Ireland's first boy band, as fabricated by Louis Walsh, who placed an ad in various newspapers seeking likely candidates for "an Irish Take That". Eighteen top 10 hits in the UK singles charts – job done.
WESTLIFE(1998-2012): Another Irish boy band constructed, Lego-style, by Walsh. Whether you like them or not, you can't dispute their appeal – almost 50 million album sales, and 25 UK top 10 singles (14 of which are number ones). Unusually, America is highly resistant to their charms.
JLS(2008-present): X Factor runners-up with more friends than foes – in 2010 they won a BRIT Award (for some, a definite sign of credibility), while Jay-Z reckons they'll be bigger than 'N Sync.
ONE DIRECTION(2010-present): The latest teen sensation (and another act from the X Factor runners-up pile) features Mullingar poppet Niall Horan. Big things are predicted: they tour America next month with Los Angeles boy band Big Time Rush, and they recently signed a record deal with Columbia.
Here we go again . . .
