I feel both the need and obligation to respond to Dallas Smoke’s letter, (Paper reviews unpopular music” SN 11/28). Let me start by quickly defending the CDs that did not please Smoke. First of all, I am not by any means a fan of Marilyn Manson, but he does at least write his own music. As for Blink-182, they could release a CD with one song lasting a minute and still display more talent than the Backstreet Boys could ever hope for.

Maybe you should have considered the reasons why The State News chose not to review the Backstreet Boys? Could it be that every time you turn on the television, you see Carson Daly ranting about another boy band with a million screaming girls around him? I can’t remember the last time I turned on MTV and did not see something about the Backstreet Boys or ’N Sync within two minutes. Maybe everyone’s sick of it.

Or could it be that the Backstreet Boys fan base is not much more than girls ages 17 and under? I worked at Breslin Student Events Center and unfortunately had to bear through the Backstreet Boys concert last year, which may have been the most emotionally scarring moment of my life.

I don’t hate boy bands, I just feel you need help. We’ve all been through this before, only then they were called New Kids on the Block. Have you met one person who is not embarrassed to admit that they listened to them? Probably not. And one day, you’ll wake up and hope this was all just one really bad dream.

James Egan
communications junior