The New Kids on the Block couldn’t hang tough. But 10 years later, as the Backstreet Boys want it that way and *N Sync drive themselves crazy, a group of Boston University students are looking for “Just 1 Chance.”
Trying to ride the wave of boy band success, three BU juniors have started a group they hope to model after their successful counterparts. Looking for two more members to complete the five-member boy band formula, they are tentatively planning to hold auditions the week after Spring Break.
“Mainly we want to see their attitude and what kind of skills they have,” said member Martin Lee, a junior in the School of Management. “[They have to] be able to sing and move. ... We don’t know exact details, we’re seeing how they carry themselves.”
While the boys don’t have a clear picture of exactly what they are looking for, they are very aware of the basic boy band make-up.
“Boy bands have the five,” Lee said. “The cute one, the shy one, the rebel, the heartthrob, et cetera.”
“We’re looking for the clean-cut good looking guy,” said member Zach Dubey, a junior in the College of Arts and Sciences. “Something that would attract attention to our group, but no specific criteria.”
The idea for the group came up after the boys’ fraternity, Kappa Sigma, was planning to put on a benefit concert.
“We thought it would be cool to set up our own thing,” Dubey said. “And maybe write our own song and do a couple of covers. We came up with the idea to perform there and get publicity for the event.”
While the fraternity has yet to set a date for the concert, Lee said the idea initially was that of the third member, Trevor Morrison, a College of Communication junior.
“It was Trevor’s idea,” Lee said. “He came up to me at beginning of semester and said he wanted to do this. At first I thought he was joking around.”
Disbelief was the initial reaction to the group by most students, the boys said.
“They love it,” Dubey said. “None of them believe that anyone would do that. It’s BU, and no one is too radical. Everyone’s been like ‘go for it, even if you guys suck at least you try it once.’”
With a large amount of support behind them, the boys are geared up to complete the band and get some experience under their belts.
Lee has some experience on the piano and Dubey has played the violin, so aside from their natural vocal skills, the band doesn’t have any musical training.
“We haven’t had any formal training and we haven’t been in bands,” Lee said. “[We’re] all good at singing. We’ve sung in the shower and made some karaoke tapes before. We’re looking to add other people who could support our voices. No formal training or band experience [is needed.]”
Regardless, the boys are confident they can fill the boy band standards of the New Kids on the Block and today’s sensations like the Backstreet Boys and *N Sync.
Outfits are a key part of the band’s identity. Lee described the three staple costumes of a boy band they are working to create. He said there are the jumpsuit outfits, the denim outfits and the futuristic outfits. While their threads are being assembled, the boys have started rough practice sessions.
“We’ve started preliminary outlines of practicing,” Lee said. “*N Sync’s ‘It’s gonna be me’ — an energetic type song — and the love ballad tentatively called ‘Frat boy in love.’ That is the first song co-written by myself and Trevor. It’s very rough. We don’t want to be doing covers, so maybe a little at the beginning and move on from there.”
“We don’t really want to be an exact duplicate of any other boy band out there,” Dubey said. “But the groups out there are selling millions of records, [so we are going to] try to see what they are doing right.”
In all, the boys are looking to have a good time with their new venture.
“We’re tying to take initiative and go out there and represent our school,” Lee said. “It’s something that’s not really been done before in this context. Either way you look at it, it’s new and that’s what we’re trying to do.”
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