It wasn't until the late 80s that I started really listening to rock n roll music. It started when I heard Need U Tonight by INXS for the first time. It sounded fairly close to disco, or at least soul music. So that was why it caught my attention, but for a while, it was really the only modern song I was sure I liked. But it made me listen more to other rock n roll songs as well. By 1990, my interest in modern rock n roll music hit it's peak. That was also the year that I actually saw an INXS video for the first time ever. It was Need U Tonight/Mediate. The first thing that hit me was that INXS was a bunch of white guys!! It was shocking because Need U Tonight sounded like soul music!!! So I was thinking INXS was going to be somewhat like the Temptations!! LOL!! The next thing that hit me was how adorable the lead singer was! In those days, I was attracted to his hair and the way he tossed it around in the videos. Nothing compares to hair! (to quote a song I once heard as a skit mocking the Sinead O'connor song Nothing Compares 2 U). The last thing that hit me was the man standing at the end of the Mediate song holding the cards had a terrific set of buns!!!! When he turned to walk away I saw them and they were gorgeous!!!! Made me melt! I knew that wasn't the lead singer, I didn't know who it was back then. But I liked him!!! I've always had a weakness for men's buns!! This is what I remember most about seeing that video for the first time:
I also had quite a big crush on Richard Marx. The funny thing was, at that time, I'd heard Too Late to Say Goodbye by Rich Marx and then heard No Myth by Michael Penn. I hadn't seen either video or singers yet. But I have a habit of making pictures in my mind of what the singers look like. The funny thing about that was I pictured Michael Penn to look like what Richard Marx really looks like and I pictured Richard Marx to look like what Michael Penn really looks like! IF that makes any sense!!! I had no idea that Michael Penn was really related to Sean Penn, otherwise the ideas I had before seeing them might have been reversed.
Michael Penn
Here is Rich Marx today, a pathetic shell of his former self:
Roxette was probably my utmost favorite band at that time. I had a huge crush on Per Gessle!! He is the band's leading guitarist and co-singer. He had something of a sexy voice. I remember when their album for Joyride came out, and I was at the record store the following day to purchase that album. I also asked the clerk if I could take home one of the promo-posters that was hanging in their store. CD stores don't do that anymore! But back then, they did. So the young lady goes into their back storage room and comes out with one of the posters, and I take it home and hang it up immediately. I kept that poster at a level where I could kiss Per Gessle any time I wanted to. hehe! He was such a handsome man! And talented too!! But that was my taste back then...
Roxette in 1989.
This is what they look like today:
To me, Per Gessle in this picture reminds me of:
Not that that's a bad thing, mind you!! He still looks great!! But my interest in Roxette was doomed to extinction as INXS became the masters of my affections! To quote Roxette on one of their own songs describing how I feel about them now, "It must have been love, but it's over now."
Oh yes, one more thing, the last group I was into was----brace yourselves---- New Kids on the Block!! Yes, I fell into the abyss of fanhood for this destined-to-go-nowhere group. Like I said, I was a kooky kid! But one person stood out in that group, as you can see in this pic:
NKOTB in 1990.
It was Jordan Knight. I had a major crush on him. This group is now making a comeback and to tell you the truth, Jordan still looks quite good!!
Jordan today
I wouldn't mind falling in love with him again. But just HIM!! None of the other band members ever appealed to me!!! But who knows how popular this band will become now? Most of their fans are grown like me. Who knows if kiddie-pop still appeals to them. It does nothing for me anymore.
Out of all these bands, INXS is now my overall favorite. I like these bands, but I don't like any band to the extent that I love INXS. And no one else in musical history is as handsome as the fabulous Tim Farriss!!!