Glory and the “crazy boy band rules” to get there

The Paramount+ platform has put it on the air “Larger Than Life: The Rise of the Boy Bands”, a documentary that analyses, delves into and explains the world of boy bands (Read here)

The protagonists of the documentary are many of the most acclaimed youth groups such as Backstreet Boys, NSYNC And New Edition and others whose members, now that their success has become historicised, remember that period, apparently golden but behind which there was a whole set of rules whose rules ranged from how to maintain their physical appearance to the activities they carried out off stage, such as drinking, smoking or riding a motorbike.

Through the documentary, members of “former boy bands” are peeling back some of the rules they had to follow to project an immaculate image while performing in the world’s biggest bands aimed at younger people and beyond.

“You have to remember that boy bands have a family audience,” said NSYNC star Lance Bass. His bandmate Chris Kirkpatrick later added: “And because of that, there were some crazy rules for boy bands.”

Bass explained that record labels and management often warned them against doing certain things by referencing other groups. “They always had these comparison stories like, ‘In New Kids on the Block, Donnie Wahlberg did this,’” he recalled. “And so you knew they were telling you not to do it.”

The warnings often concerned their physical appearance. “They said, ‘Hey! Trim your mustache. Hold on to your youth,” said New Edition’s Michael Bivins. Backstreet Boys member AJ McLean added: “We can’t be “Fatstreet”. It’s not nice,” he said, playing on the band’s name and physical appearance.

The performers, now grown up, recall that they were also warned about their off-stage activities. “Never have a drink in your hand or a cigarette,” Bass said. Kirkpatrick continued, “No one can ride a motorcycle. Boom! I bought a motorcycle and took it on tour with me.”

And above all: no significant people. “No girlfriends,” Bivins said, “because that would take away the fan’s dream.”

Directed by Tamra Davis (“Crossroads,” “Billy Madison”), “Larger Than Life” tells the story of boy bands with a little help from stars like Bass, Kirkpatrick, McLean, Bivins, Donny Osmond of The Osmonds, Nick Lachey of 98 Degrees, brothers Hanson and Vernon and Hoshi of Seventeen.

The film also explores the lasting impact of bands like the Beatles, Jackson 5, One Direction and the Jonas Brothers with the help of some of their biggest fans.

Larger Than Life is streaming today on Paramount+.