New Kids on the Block: Five Brothers and a Million Sisters [Hardcover]

Nikki Van Noy (Author)

Book Description

Release date: October 2, 2012

Jordan, Jon, Joe, Donnie, and Danny. They set the bar for every boy band that followed and changed the course of pop music forever. In the 1980s, for millions of young girls around the world, they were gods. But behind the scenes, they were just kids. In this authorized biography of the band, the New Kids tell it all to rock journalist Nikki Van Noy.

From makeshift stages in Boston clubs to soldout shows at Madison Square Garden, through winning American Music Awards and selling 80 million records, the New Kids on the Block (NKOTB) were a rite of passage and a touchstone of youthful memories. Scoring platinum albums, and with a series of sold-out international tours, NKOTB blazed through North and South America, Europe, Australia, and Asia, leaving throngs of screaming teen and tween girls in their wake. But after a few heady years, the guys (and their fans) grew up, and moved on. The New Kids disbanded in 1994 and, for nearly fifteen years, there was every reason to believe that the NKOTB phenomenon was over once and for all.

But then an unexpected thing happened. The band (and their fans) got a second chance to relive their youth when NKOTB reunited in 2008. And they realized that this band has something special—an unbreakable bond with their fans and with each other that has only strengthened with the passage of time. Today, fans both old and new celebrate the band’s triumphant comeback with sold-out concerts, cruises, and top-selling albums. And this time, Jordan, Jon, Joe, Donnie, and Danny are enjoying it all right alongside them. An intimate, all-access backstage pass to everything New Kids on the Block, from their meteoric rise to fame

Nikki Van Noy talks directly to those loyal fans, as well as to all five band members and their families, weaving their stories together in this no-holds-barred chronicle. With frankness and honesty, each New Kid recalls nearly thirty years of experience with the group, both on and off the stage. Like a time machine, this book will take you right back—giving you an inside look at the New Kids like you’ve never seen them before.

An intimate, all-access backstage pass to everything New Kids on the Block, from their meteoric rise to fame in the 1980s to the band’s breakup in the 1990s— and their triumphant comeback today

“We’re siting there, and all of a sudden Jordan said, ‘You know we’re gonna be famous, right? We’re gonna be famous.’ And he was right.” —Joe

“All that stuf f we never experienced in college, we experienced on the road, just the five of us.” —Jon

“There’s just no words to describe it. I guess the only thing similar is a Super Bowl quarterback winning it for his hometown.” —Danny

“It’s amazing. It’s almost like going through life and then geting another chance at life, knowing what you know now.” —Jordan

“My dad said, ‘I’ll tell you what—if you ever make it big and you come home and you’ve changed, I’m gonna kick your ass.’ That always rang in my head.” —Donnie

Editorial Reviews

Review

“Van Noy takes what seems like a clichéd pop story—New Kids meteoric rise and equally swift collapse—and turns it into something special, a fascinating tale that will delight the band’s large fan base as well as enlighten its harsh critics.” (Publishers Weekly)

“The story of how five boys from Boston rose from nothing to become unlikely international recording stars in the late 1980s … there is true profundity in the stories of accomplished adult women who, during their formative years, fell in love with five flickering images on TV screens and never let go.” (Kirkus Reviews)

“In the dozens of fascinating interviews with super fans that Van Noy records for posterity in this well-researched, smartly organized book, it becomes clear it's not about the music. (It never is.) It's about remembering the way we were -- those junior-high days when so many of us loved nothing more than this band, when you could dream of marrying Jordan Knight and fully believe it really would come true.” (LA Weekly)

“What distinguishes 'Five Brothers' from similar biographies is Van Noy’s inclusion of the voices of dozens of NKOTB fans both in the story itself — commenting on events from a fan’s perspective — and sharing personal tales of kindnesses shown by the band members at the end of each chapter. … If you didn’t think NKOTB had the right stuff in the ’80s, “Five Brothers” won’t change your mind, but it does a decent job of explaining what those million sisters continue to scream about.” (The Boston Globe)

“This new book offers readers an intimate all access, backstage pass to NKOTB including their incredible rise in the 1980s, the group’s tumble during the following decade and, of course, the triumphant rebirth… a highly readable story.” (Tucson Citizen)

“The book deftly shows the sense of community the group has with its fans, the genuine love and affection both sides feel, and how five young boys from Boston became a cultural phenomenon. Fans of the group will want to get this inside look into their life on and off the road.” (Graffiti Magazine)

About the Author

Nikki Van Noy is the author of So Much to Say, a biography of the Dave Matthews Band. She works as a writer and editor in Boston, Massachusetts.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 288 pages
• Publisher: Touchstone; Original edition (October 2, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 145166785X
• ISBN-13: 978-1451667851
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.4 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (69 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #76,452 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Nikki Van Noy is a freelance writer and editor based in Boston, MA. She is the author of the forthcoming NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK: FIVE BROTHERS AND A MILLION SISTERS (October 2, 2012) and SO MUCH TO SAY: DAVE MATTHEWS BAND--20 YEARS ON THE ROAD (2011), both published by Touchstone. The New Kids book web site is www.nkotbandus.com; Nikki's web site is www.nikkivannoy.com.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

20 of 24 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars Wanted more NKOTB & less on the fans October 14, 2012

By CarolinaBlue23

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

While I did enjoy the book I have to say that I finished the last chapter feeling like I wanted to know more. The book does give personal accounts of the group's rise and fall from the band members point of view and their family members but that's where the story ends. The rest of the book is filled with personal fan stories that are nice but somewhat unnecessary. I found myself skipping over portions of the fan stories in favor of reading about the band rather than the impact they had on certain individuals.

The book cover states that the book is an authorized biography. How can you write a biography on a group but not interview more of the key players involved? There's no attempt by the author speak with Maurice Starr, Mary Alford, Peter Work, or any of the (former) executives at CBS/Sony like Larkin Arnold. How come Robo, Biscuit, Don Inner, Johnny Wright or John Dukakis weren't interviewed? Not having the perspectives of non-band members within the book made the story feel incomplete to me. Yes, NKOTB were the "fighters" in the war as Donnie used to say back in the day but you can't have fighters without a general, major, captain or lieutenant helping to run the show.

I felt like the book perpetrated the group's media created sugary laced, squeaky clean image by touching on subjects like the "in-fighting" amongst the group members or the growing discontentment they had with producer Maurice Starr but the author never really got below the surface to reveal the real, honest-to-goodness story of what REALLY happened during that wild, crazy ride.

Just some of the things I would would have liked the author to explore:

- What it was really like for the group to be trapped by mega stardom

- What it was really like on the inside & what went on during all the in-fighting within the group and also between the group and Maurice Starr

- What family struggles did the band members have has a result of becoming wealthy & (presumably) having to take care of their families

- Whether or not Jon's sexuality had any affect on the band, was he forced to hide it from the public

- More exploration of what it was like to have fame & then lose it all during the hiatus; Jordan's alcoholism & other unspoken low points for the band

- NKOTB's impact on future generations of "boy bands" and how they helped shaped the sound and look for groups like Nsync, BSB, 1 Direction & JLS.

- Race & NKOTB: Here was the first white group in history managed & produced by two African-American men. Here was a group of lower middle class white boys who were causing middle class American white girls to view Black males with less fear just because the group traveled and worked with them. Also, the affect that it had on the media & the guys experience within the industry.

- Sex, drugs and Rock-n-Roll. We've all heard the party line of "just say no" but let's get real. We're talking about the late 80s & 90s. Did the group do drugs or were they tempted? We all KNOW there was sex going on. How could their NOT be with women throwing themselves on the group at every turn? Not saying that the book had to be tawdry or that everything had to be told but what was really going on when behind the scenes when I was busy collecting all those posters and snuggling up to my Jordan doll while falling asleep under my NKOTB comforter would've made for a more interesting read.

I would have liked for the book to have explored the phenomenon of NKOTB more as well and focused a little less on the fans. As fans, we ALL have individual stories of what it was like to be a fan. Each one of us believes that the group helped us in special ways but is that a story that really needs to be told in print? Yes, as Blockheads, we are a powerful bunch but we already knew that! We knew it way back when we were 10 years old and we know it now in our mid-30s & early 40s. We never needed corporate America to tell us that because WE were the ones who told THEM it. I'm not sure all of that needed to be included in a book.

Even still, I'm glad that Nikki Van Noy gave us a book in the first place. I never thought we'd get anything official beyond Our Story after all these years. The book was a good start in terms of telling the real story of NKOTB but in no way is it a complete narration. In fact, I'd say (IMO) it's more of a tribute to the fans rather than a true biography of the group.

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Revealing, heartwarming and sincere October 4, 2012

By L. Michelle Price

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

I was expecting this to be another recap book describing things I already knew about the group I have loved for more than 23 years. What I got was a compelling stories full of tid-bits that even I, a die-hard fan of NKOTB, didn't know. I loved the sincerity and honesty in this book and in these 5 guys. It touched my heart and showed me, yet again, why I love these guys and am proud to call myself a fan. Nikki Van Noy did a great job of capturing heartfelt moments, fantastic quotes and amazing fan stories. I would highly recommend this book to any Blockhead.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful

2.0 out of 5 stars Save your money January 6, 2013

By DollG

Format:Kindle Edition

I was excited when I heard about this book, however I was disappointed when I read it.
For starters it's poorly written, I felt like I was reading a easy read book for preteens, not one for adults. The story told about how the group came to be, is one the average NKOTB fan already knows, there was nothing new.
The fans stories (mainly the same few over and over again) were boring, and some of their memories don't really sync up to the timeline of what was going on with NKOTB.
For this to be an authorized biography I was hoping for more "meat" not fluff. We are adults now, we can handle the true stories and dirt that happened. We know there was sex and drugs... But we only know the speculation and rumors behind those, I was hoping this would get into some of that. I also thought it would have chapters on each of the guys about what they were up to between the group breaking up and getting back together. We know Jordan & Joe had popularity as solo artist and Donnie started acting, Jon did real estate, and Danny produced music & worked at a private plane co, but what else?
It really lacks the substance that makes a biography a biography.