Oh So Natural

The sight of girls weeping and pulling their hair while keeling over uncontrollably before the stage during a boy band gig is not a new thing in the music scene. No doubt, Elvis during his time could rouse a swooning fit from the million or so young women who frequented his live concerts. But definitely, it was the British pop-rock sensation The Beatles (these Brits got the idea of putting up a band from Buddy Holly and the Crickets), that made the fainting phenomenon hip, not to mention it created a mark that defined their generation.

Even after The Beatles, boy bands never really faded from the entertainment landscape (nor did the fainting spells). The Osmond Brothers, the cutesy toothsy fivesome, arrived way before Menudo got a big chunk of the boy band pie. Of course, who can forget Motown’s version, Jackson 5?

Then the ‘90s came with the heart-rending cuts from New Kids on the Block, and sure enough, the number of boy bands grew from this point on, breeding the likes of Backstreet Boys, *Nsync, and now Natural.

It was this phenomenon, plus the prospects of good income, that got the attention of aviation businessman Lou Pearlman to temporarily leave his lear jet business to get into the recording industry.

"I love aviation," he discloses. "Consequently, I started a plane renting business. We started with helicopters and then went into airplanes. We even offered blimps and other airships. We had McDonald’s, Budweiser, Sea World, and Met Life as big airship clients in advertising, among others. We also leased airplanes to some rock and roll people. As such we started chartering flights not only for Simon and Garfunkel, but we did it for Michael Jackson and the Jackson 5, Paul McCartney and the wings, Madonna, Genesis and many other big groups."

However, there came a point when Lou and his group were flying New Kids on the Block. And quite surprised, he inquired: "Who are the New Kids on the Block? How can they afford one of our planes?" Later he learned that the group had done $200 million in record sales and $800 million in touring and merchandise sales. That’s a billion dollars in revenues. "I finally told myself that I was in the wrong business."

For that reason, Lou sought out a friend whom he believed would be able to assist him in a new business venture.

"I relocated from New York in 1991 to Orlando. So in 1992 I came out with the idea that I would form an all-boys band. Or maybe try and start a record company. I didn’t think anything was going to happen until I tried it. My friend went out auditioning some boys in 1992. And we found some kids who could sing and dance. By 1993, we had a complete line-up."

Notwithstanding the pool of talented, good-looking boys, still there’s always one that poses as the weakest link. "Five of them," Lou says "were able to sing and dance very nicely. But one of the boys was a little weak. His name is Charles Edwards."

Lou discloses that taking Charles off the group was something he did not like, but was necessary at that point. Lou saw the potential in him but was never really sure of his ability to sing. "Another boy wanted to do some solo songwriting instead. So we replaced these boys and I said to Charles: "If you ever get better at singing, come back. Maybe after a year or so and maybe I could do something for you." And then I brought in Kevin Richardson and his cousin Brian Litrell. And we got the group together and we had to come up with a name for the group. And lo and behold, we were sitting one day in TGI Fridays near my office and across the street was a market called Back Street market. I said: ‘How about Backstreet Boys?’ And everybody said, ‘That sounds like a nice name.’ So we called them the Backstreet Boys."

Despite the looks and the talent, Lou found out early on in the business that marketing the boys was not as easy as he thought it would be. Lou tried to promote them in the United States but no major record label would take them.

"We went to everybody," he blurts out. "We brought them to schools; we brought them all around. And people said, ‘Close your checkbook. Save your money. It will never work. New Kids on the Block happened already.’"

Disappointed doesn’t come close to what Lou felt then. He was also getting nervous because of the investment.

"I had tutors teach them as we traveled. I already paid for guardians and hotels and we had a band that played background for them. These guys were singing and dancing and putting on a lot of good shows. It was very expensive."

"After traveling so much, we got people to notice the boys," he said. "And we finally found a company that would take a chance. And they joined us as a partner in doing it – Samba Records which used to be Jive Records.

The songs Quit Playing Games (With My Heart) became the song that broke the charts. All this time, Charles Edwards was contemplating on rejoining the group. "Then he came back to me. Remember, one of the boys I originally mentioned? He said ‘I brought a friend of mine. How do I sing now?’ He sounded much better and his friend was Chris Copatrick and Chris befriended another boy named Justin Timberlake. By this time, the Backstreet Boys phenomenon has reached fever pitch."

But those were the good ol’ days with the Backstreet Boys. Now, Lou is managing Natural, another boy band. Asked if the phenomenon would ever end, Lou could only smile: "As long as there are young girls who love to be romantic, boy bands will always be a hit."