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Date: May 20, 2099
Source:
Submitted By:
Melissa had this to say about Tim Cavanaugh's
SonicNet review:
To Tim Cavanaugh,
I'd like to start by telling you who I am and why I am responding to your
review of the Backstreet Boys new album, Millennium. My name is Melissa
Dennis, I'm 18, a fan of the Backstreet Boys, and an avid reader of Caitlin's
Backstreet.net site. This internet site is the place in which I ran across
your article. I also came upon various responses to your review, all of them
in support of the Backstreet Boys and their music.
Your review of the album Millennium is by far the most critical and harsh
review I have ever read, not only for this album, but for all other albums
as well. I completely understand that critics are supposed to take every
detail of an album and rip it apart into a thousand tiny little pieces,
making sure to criticize every one of those insignifigant details that no one
really cares about. But, I didn't realize that music critics have the right
to criticize the band itself, their amount of talent, and their fans. I
don't know, maybe in my 18 years of being a music fan I've missed something,
but I've never come across an incident such as this one.
You began your review by mentioning a request a fan made on Total Request
Live saying that the boys may have reached a stage in which they are able to
disappoint their fans. Unfortunatley for you, this is where your review
started to go wrong. Disappointing their fans is something the Backstreet
Boys have never done (and based on their success so far, will never do). Who
are you to say they have disappointed their fans? The only way you could
honestly say that is if you were a fan yourself who, now, is not satisfied
with the work the boys have done. But that defiantely does not seem like the
case; for if you were a true fan of the BSB, you certainly wouldn't have any
reason to say you were "disappointed."
Your second mistake in your review of Millennium came when you said that most
fans of the BSB begin to lose interest in the band around age 19. Wrong
again, Mr. Cavanaugh. Yes, many of the fans of the BSB are under the age of
19, but then again, there are just as many adult fans of the BSB as there are
younger ones. In a recent interview with MTV, the Backstreet Boys were asked
how they felt about being on the ADULT CONTEMPORARY charts longer than they
were on the pop charts. Interesting.... I didn't know people under the age
of 19 were considered adults.
You ended the first part of your review by asking if a "B-rok is dead" scam
would soon follow the release of Millennium. This was one of the most
distasteful and apalling things I have ever read. You should have been more
sensitive to the health situation that Brian Litrell went through in the past
year. He could have actually died from a heart condition, and he delayed the
surgery and threatened his life yet again to please the fans. Your
insensitivity about this subject is truly horrifying.
Next, you criticized the fans of the Backstreet Boys. "The band is as lazy
as its fans are devoted." Exactly what are you implying? that the
Backstreet Boys are an extremely hard working group of people? or is it
simply a metaphor meaning the band really doesn't work at all but merely
sings songs written by other people? You see, if the latter statement is
true and you truly are calling the Backstreet Boys lazy, then I assume you
are saying their fans are not devoted to them at all and again referring to
the fact that as fans get older they lose interest in the band and their
music. I have already addressed this issue, and it seemed you had too, but
yet again you refer to one of those insignifigant details like the age of the
fans. Seems your review of the "album" has turned into a critique of the
fans. Strange..... You then go on to say this album is disappointing. Once
again, you already addressed this issue, and so have I.
I woke up this morning singing the words to "Larger Than Life".....hmmm, I
bought the album yesterday, but I heard that song about 2 weeks ago. That
sure seems longer than 3 seconds to me. Oh well. You call the Backstreet
Boys a "G-rated" group. What do you want? Do you want people to go out and
listen to music (if you can call it that) from Marilyn Manson or rap, such as
the new album every radio station in my hometown refuses to play because
there is not a single song on it that does not contain at least one indecent
word? Ok, so maybe the Disney channel is a little cheezy at times, but do
you honestly think violent songs about killing people and doing drugs are
better than songs about families and love? I certainly don't think that
seems right.
"The closing track -- a song called "The Perfect Fan," which sounds like it
should be a come-on to budding stalkers -- is actually a paean to strong
families. Yeecchhh! " How dare you say this??!! This song was written by a
loving son for his mother, to show how much he loves her and how grateful he
is to have her in his life. How can you criticize something like this?
Maybe you're jealous of the relationship Brian Litrell has with his mother
because that certainly seems to be the only sane reason I can come up with as
to why you have a reason to criticize this. Brian is a talented singer and
songwriter and this is his special way of showing his mother how thankful he
is to her.
I'm 18, yes, and I proudly say that I listened to the New Kids on the Block
from day one, and continued to listen to them when they became NKOTB. I
still listen to them now. The comparison between them and the Backstreet
Boys is quite strong and I'm certainly not embarassed to say I listened to
them. So I will also never be embarassed to say I listened to, respected,
and loved every aspect of the Backstreet Boys and their music. It is their
hard work, god-given talent, and dedication to their fans, who are equally
devoted to the band, that makes them the most popular and successful act in
the world today. (And in case you want to find out how I can say that, check
out which band just won 4 world music awards. Looks like I have proof to
support what I say. Facts are much better and have a greater impact than
fiction. Remember that next time you write a review of any album.)
Melissa Dennis
Stacy Day blasted Tim Cavanaugh with this:
Mr. Tim Cavanaugh,
I am just writing to express my opinions about the review that was done for the new album "Millennium" by
the Backstreet Boys. I was very disappointed by how the Boys were trashed in almost every aspect of what
they do as entertainers. I happen to think the Backstreet Boys are a very talented group. For their lyrics,
vocals, clothing and everything about them to be insulted is just insane. It seemed to me like the Boys
were being criticized for not fitting into the "boy band" or "bad boy" stereotype, however I'd like to point at
that they never asked to be placed in these categories. They are who they are. They never tried to be the
NKOTB and never claimed to be bad boys. AJ's "phat tatoos" are simply an expression of who he is as an individual.
The BSB never said the name "backstreet" was chosen to symbolize any "rough and tumble" persona, so what is wrong
with being a group of nice "G-rated" singers? Other groups aren't criticized for being "G-rated" you say the
Backstreet Boys are no Hanson, well Hanson isn't exactly hardcore either! And while the Boys may have unwillingly
fallen into the "boy band" category due to the fact that many of their fans are young girls, this was not by their
choice. The Backstreet Boys have said all along that they wanted people of all ages to enjoy their music. And
people of all ages do, I know boys and girls, men and women from the ages of 13-40 and even 85 who enjoy listening
to BSB. I would also like to say that you need to at least choose an angle and stick with it if you are going
to criticize them. Either criticize them for being a here today gone tomorrow boy band that we will be ashamed
of in 20 years, or criticize them for being boring. It just doesn't make sense to do both! If their lyrics were
boring and none of the lines would stick in a person's mind for more than 3 seconds, why would teenagers like them?
And if you are going to make fun of them because teenagers like them then don't bring up deep, heartfelt song like
"The Perfect Fan" which shows they are trying to grow beyond merely being another boy band. What in the world is
wrong with writing a song about the appreciation one feels toward their mother anyway? I never heard anyone make
fun of Boyz II Men when they sang "A Song for Mama." I also don't see where you get off calling them lazy, generic
or undistinguished. A lazy group would not spend month after month touring when one of the members needs heart
surgery! These guys continued because their fans love them and they had an obligation to those fans.
And if by "generic and undistinguished" you mean they are like the other "boy bands" you need to be corrected.
The other bands came AFTER the BSB, so if they are similar it is because those groups are generic and undistinguished,
and also too lazy to come up with their own ideas! You also need to get your facts straight, the boys weren't
put together by some group of managers, they got together on their own and went looking for management. If the
Backstreet Boys are such a joke then why do they have numerous hit singles? Why did their album sell soooo
many copies? Why did Rolling Stone choose them for the cover of a special issue? And how did they manage to
set an MTV record for getting the most number of people to Time Square to see a group? They did all these things
because they are five VERY TALENTED singers and songwriters. They happen to be good looking as well, this does not
mean they have no talent. The Boys lyrics, vocals, clothing, dancing, and each of them individually continues to
grow and get better.
Those of us who are true fans will not be ashamed if the BSB aren't popular in 20 years.
However, I'd be willing to wager that 20 years from now you will be the one who is embarrassed by what you wrote
when they are still at the top of the charts.
Sincerely,
Stacy Day
Caitlin Bergmann wrote Tim Cavanaugh to say:
Mr. Cavanaugh,
I just thought I'd drop you a little note after reading your music
review for the Backstreet Boys forthcoming album, Millennium.
The one thing that I'm impressed with is your great ability in the use of big
compound sentences and the ever-so-irritating satire throughout your review.
I'm sure the youth of America appreciated it as well.
Never have I been so ENRAGED after reading a critics review of a
piece of an artists work. You truly have made your point evident that you
despise everything that the Backstreet Boys worked to achieve. Whether you
are willing to recognize this or stay the ignorant individual you are, I care
not. However, as a Beatles aficionado, I did get a kick out of your statement,
"Can a "B-Rok is dead" scam and an ill-advised experimental album be far
behind?"
I thought it was humorous considering that maybe a good 25% of the people who
read your review will understand it's reference. As you may or may not care
to know, this isn't the first time I've sprung to comment on someone's poor
review of the Backstreet Boys. I've actually had my letters come to the
attention of such publications as New York Newsday, so it's not as though I'm
wasting my time.
I thought that you had a lot of gall to say,
"It's also worth noting that, even by teen-idol standards of harmlessness,
the Backstreet Boys come off as a fairly G-rated bunch. BSB tries to bring a
kind of televised grittiness to their image, what with A.J.'s phat tattoos
and the group's rough-and-tumble name (for reasons that are not entirely
clear, "back streets" have traditionally been considered more urban and real
than "front streets"; in any event, the boys are from Orlando). But until the
inevitable addiction narratives and date rape scandals come out to herald the
decline of their careers, these fellows can't even muster the disembodied
faux-riskiness of Ricky Martin or the New Kids."
(a) Whether AJ has tattoos or not is inconsequential. Have you ever heard of
individualism?! It didn't seem to bother anyone that Melanie "Sporty Spice"
Chislom had tattoos and could do back-handsprings at the same time.
(b) "The group's rough-and-tumble name..." Oh, that one gave me a good laugh.
You think for a person who as a JOB reviews music, they'd do their homework
on their subjects before commenting. Just to enlighten you, they got the name
"Backstreet Boys" from Orlando's Backstreet Market, a local hangout/shopping
area for teenagers and affixed "Boys" to it. Wow, what a hard concept to
understand. Us teenagers seem to get it, why can't you? and finally
(c) "But until the inevitable addiction narratives...." I had to reread that
several times to make sure the text in front of me was actually there. I'm
shocked as to the extent you went to bash these five artists you know
absolutely nothing about as artists or otherwise. To associate date rape and
drug addictions with this band is completely uncalled for and ludicrous.
In conclusion, I'd just like to make sure you're aware that you are
one of the few critics who gave Millennium a poor review. I suggest that you
climb down from your pedestal and lend an ear to your fellow peers. Hey, it
couldn't hurt.
Sincerely,
Caitlin Bergmann, Age 17, NY
Holly wrote the "Mr Yahoo/SonicNet" critic to say:
"Excuse me, but who do you think you are? Are you so bitter that you have to
unleash all your hatred on the Backstreet Boys? Those boys are really
talented and the new album is wonderful. They deserve to be recognized for
their hard work and dedication. Who are you (a low-class critic with no
taste ) to be be putting down anybody, much less a group that has proved and
continues proving everyday that they are one of the most talented groups
around. Also, your opinion on the song "The Perfect Fan" is a little bit
strange (as is your whole review). Maybe you don't have a close relationship
to your mother or maybe you never had one. That's the only conclusion I came
up with, after you dissed the song saying "The closing track -- a song called
"The Perfect Fan," which sounds like it should be a come-on to budding
stalkers -- is actually a paean to strong families. Yeecchhh! ". Yeech??
When has being a close family ever made anyone say "yeech"? Oh yeah, I
forgot. To no-talent critics, like yourself, being a close family probably
isn't your thing.
Amber Fox had this to say about the Yahoo!/SonicNet review:
Tim Cavanaugh,
Well, I just read your review of the BSB's new album, MILLENNIUM, and I have a few things to say about it.
Perhaps you don't know this, but all of BSB's fans are not 12 year old idiots. Most are quite intelligent
and we are smart enough to know that it's extremely idiotic to criticize a genre of music that isn't even
geared to you. You are not the demographic that the BSB is shooting for. And as for your comparison of the
BSB to Hanson: Sure they don't write the majority of their songs. But at least the songs they do write don't
have lyrics that are as trite and pointless as those that Hanson writes. What the hell does a 13 year old boy
from Oklahoma know about LOVE?! You, sir, are just an egotistical, jealous freak who had a preconceived idea
about the BSB before you even listened to the album. Maybe Yahoo! should try to get a less biased reviewer next
time.
Amber Fox - Rocky Mount, North Carolina
Karina was really mad when she wrote:
Hey WHOEVER you are!
Who do YOU think YOU are to judge and try to bring down
the Backstreet Boys???? You do NOT concentrate your energies to singing,
dancing, interviews and TV shows! If you think that by bringing down
other people you will make yourself look better, well REALITY CHECK
HERE: it ISN'T! You are just a poor soul who is mad at the world and
takes his anger out on everybody in the music business.
Even if you try to bring down the Backstreet Boys you'll never succeed,
'cuz the fans will always be there to support them and to love them. I'm
sorry to break this to you, but if you listen to the lyrics you'll find
that they actually mean something and that this something is positive
contrary to NKOTB who were lipsyncing most of the time. The BSB are real
and I'd rather listen to them than to listen to a desperate guy like
Marilyn Manson who sings about death and killing himself most of the
time. I'd rather surround myself with positive thinking than to bring
negative energies wherever I go.
And as for the song "The perfect fan" well it is dedicated to the
mothers, but I suppose that with what's left of your intelligence, if
any, you wouldn't understand that. Plus, I don't know if you ever saw
the Boys in concert but you would see that they are talented, really
talented. And to finish this, I'd like to tell you that I will NEVER be
embarassed to love and listen to the Backstreet Boys cuz you know what?
We, as fans, KEEP THE BACKSTREET PRIDE ALIVE!!!!!!
Karina
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