He was one of those artists whom had huge sales, but was commonly considered cool to hate. He had this stereotypicalified housewife appeal. While I wouldn't want to listen to it continuously, and it did get way overexposed back then, I actually liked a few of his songs. They're sorta pleasant, just like most AC from the '90s was. I sort of miss that sort of music, especially since there tends to be less soft rock artists now (unless you count someone like James Blunt, lol).

In a weird way, he was like a heavily distilled '80s pop/rock artist, which made sense when I found out he actually used to be a hair metal-esque rock singer before making it big with R&B flavored ballads. You can sorta hear that influence on a couple select hits, like "How Can We Be Lovers", but it wasn't typical.

I thought he was okay. He had a hit in late 1993 with "Said I Loved You, But I Lied"...which I could tolerate.

Didn't think of him much besides a sketch on "In Living Color"  :D

I thought he was okay. He had a hit in late 1993 with "Said I Loved You, But I Lied"...which I could tolerate.


Funny, as that's the one I had in mind when I thought about this. I remember that being all over the radio in early '94. It's a pretty song, so it almost tends to give me a peaceful nostalgic feeling when I think back to my life at the time. Again, I wouldn't want every song being like that, but some here and there are good. ;)

I liked his songs.  They were fun and catchy, and when it comes to music, that's all that matters :)

Michael Bolton-I am a not a fan of his music but I think of him as an artist that goes fits in into the 1991-1993 music scene perfectly. I think his contempararies were female artists like Mariah Carey, Celine Dion, and Whitney houston during that time and maybe male artists like Jon Secada or a Peter Cetera but Cetera and Secada I don;t think ever got the recognition from a popularity prespective  or the amount of hate that Bolton got at the time if I can remember correctly. Bolton just faded out in the mid 90's(1995) and his career musically just didn't recover. Meanwhile, A contemparary like Mariah Carey went to experiment to a more hip-hop sound in some of her songs from 1995+ and Dion really never re-ivented herself totally like Carey did but still Dion's records sold while but Bolton's career sank.

Marty- I thought that was kinda of an ironic pun if you will that you said Michael Bolton had a housewives appeal musically since he is engaged or married for that matter to " Desperate Housewives" star Nicolette Sheridan.

Funny, as that's the one I had in mind when I thought about this. I remember that being all over the radio in early '94. It's a pretty song, so it almost tends to give me a peaceful nostalgic feeling when I think back to my life at the time. Again, I wouldn't want every song being like that, but some here and there are good. ;)


Yeah...it was one of the many songs I listened to on the radio in 1994 as well. At the time, I was transitioning from junior high into high school, so that's more or less how I remember it. I've noticed that with various songs, making me think of my life during a certain time period. :)

^ Right on, same with me, although I was only in 6th grade. Even though I had liked music since age 4 or 5, there does start to be a difference when you can personally relate to the lyrics.


Michael Bolton-I am a not a fan of his music but I think of him as an artist that goes fits in into the 1991-1993 music scene perfectly. I think his contempararies were female artists like Mariah Carey, Celine Dion, and Whitney houston during that time and maybe male artists like Jon Secada or a Peter Cetera but Cetera and Secada I don;t think ever got the recognition from a popularity prespective  or the amount of hate that Bolton got at the time if I can remember correctly. Bolton just faded out in the mid 90's(1995) and his career musically just didn't recover. Meanwhile, A contemparary like Mariah Carey went to experiment to a more hip-hop sound in some of her songs from 1995+ and Dion really never re-ivented herself totally like Carey did but still Dion's records sold while but Bolton's career sank.

Marty- I thought that was kinda of an ironic pun if you will that you said Michael Bolton had a housewives appeal musically since he is engaged or married for that matter to " Desperate Housewives" star Nicolette Sheridan.

Yeah, that's pretty accurate. Bolton fits the softer side of the 1992 zeitgeist, and I don't think it would've been as easy for him to transition away from that. I'm not sure I'd even want to imagine him doing hip hop, lol. I also remember Jon Secada and especially liked "If You Go". Lots of older artists also were big AC stars, like Phil Collins, Bryan Adams, Michael Jackson, Rod Stewart etc. just like Cetera was.

P.S. Didn't realize the irony of the housewife comparison now. ;) While I don't think I personally witnessed middle-aged women listening to him myself, I remember him consistantly being referenced that way at the time. If he was that popular, I'm sure his fanbase consisted of many people who secretly listened to him, lol.

He was one of those artists whom had huge sales, but was commonly considered cool to hate. He had this stereotypicalified housewife appeal. While I wouldn't want to listen to it continuously, and it did get way overexposed back then, I actually liked a few of his songs. They're sorta pleasant, just like most AC from the '90s was. I sort of miss that sort of music, especially since there tends to be less soft rock artists now (unless you count someone like James Blunt, lol).

In a weird way, he was like a heavily distilled '80s pop/rock artist, which made sense when I found out he actually used to be a hair metal-esque rock singer before making it big with R&B flavored ballads. You can sorta hear that influence on a couple select hits, like "How Can We Be Lovers", but it wasn't typical.


I never really got into his music...but I always like the song, "How Can We Be Lovers"...I liked the tune.

I never really got into his music...but I always like the song, "How Can We Be Lovers"...I liked the tune.

Yeah, I've heard people who didn't normally like him still enjoyed that song. It was one of his few upbeat ones, it's sorta "lite hair metal-esque". I think he strained his voice too much on the slower ones, which is what I heard people criticize him for back then. Somebody once compared him to Fabio in looks too. ;D

Yeah, I've heard people who didn't normally like him still enjoyed that song. It was one of his few upbeat ones, it's sorta "lite hair metal-esque". I think he strained his voice too much on the slower ones, which is what I heard people criticize him for back then. Somebody once compared him to Fabio in looks too. ;D


I saw him on Oprah a few weeks ago..and he "tried" to sing that song...but he just could NOT hit those high notes...he had to alter the song a bit so that the usual high notes..ended up as much lower notes. :D

I saw him on Oprah a few weeks ago..and he "tried" to sing that song...but he just could NOT hit those high notes...he had to alter the song a bit so that the usual high notes..ended up as much lower notes. :D


LOL, I can picture that. It's ironic because, while most people's voices don't change much over time (after puberty takes off I mean), they do tend to not be able to do the high notes as much when they get older. I hear that Morten Hackett from A-Ha can still do the high note in "Take On Me" pretty well, but I wonder how long that'll last? ;)

LOL, I can picture that. It's ironic because, while most people's voices don't change much over time (after puberty takes off I mean), they do tend to not be able to do the high notes as much when they get older. I hear that Morten Hackett from A-Ha can still do the high note in "Take On Me" pretty well, but I wonder how long that'll last? ;)



Ya, I know what you mean. Some of the older doo wop groups, and oldies groups from the 50's and 60's, that happen to be still together....they tend to have those problems hitting those high notes of the past. :D

The lunch ladies at school liked him...


What did they call that hair-do of his, he's the only one who ever sported that look. It's not funny or anything, it's just that it wasn't even close to looking like an 80s mullet.

The lunch ladies at school liked him...


What did they call that hair-do of his, he's the only one who ever sported that look. It's not funny or anything, it's just that it wasn't even close to looking like an 80s mullet.


it was balding on top...and long in the back. ;D

The ironic thing is, I still have the second half of his "Georgia On My Mind" video recorded off VH1 back in the day.....from a show called Sex Symbols. ;D

The ironic thing is, I still have the second half of his "Georgia On My Mind" video recorded off VH1 back in the day.....from a show called Sex Symbols. ;D


OMG..I think I vaguely remember hearing about that show. :D ;D

OMG..I think I vaguely remember hearing about that show. :D ;D


Yeah, they basically just showed music videos from artists that were considered "sexy" (George Michael's "Freedom '90" was on all the time, and I thought it was boring, lol). Barry White hosted it too, so it was odd seeing Bolton and him in sequence. ;D

Did you ever personally watch it back then, when it had that clear cutout logo? It was very much like a "best of '80s MTV" with some newer AC thrown in.

Yeah, they basically just showed music videos from artists that were considered "sexy" (George Michael's "Freedom '90" was on all the time, and I thought it was boring, lol). Barry White hosted it too, so it was odd seeing Bolton and him in sequence. ;D

Did you ever personally watch it back then, when it had that clear cutout logo? It was very much like a "best of '80s MTV" with some newer AC thrown in.


I used to watch it a lot because my mom would never let me watch MTV. For some reason, back then, VH1 was a milder version of MTV...so she seemed ok with that. ;D

I used to watch it a lot because my mom would never let me watch MTV. For some reason, back then, VH1 was a milder version of MTV...so she seemed ok with that. ;D


Ironically, I was never much into MTV. Back then, they were shifting more towards heavy metal and grunge, and I always liked mainstream pop or at most classic rock. Would you have thought I was a dork back then if you met me (like when I was 9 and you were 14 and I was watching MTV lite)? ;) ;D

One thing I liked was how often older videos were in constant rotation with the new ones. In 1991 or '92, even early '80s stuff was still on alot of the time. My favorite was the Video Rewind blocks, although I always watched the Top 21 Countdowns too.

Yeah, it was pretty much unobjectionable stuff. Was your mom opposed to everything on MTV, or just the more hardcore stuff?

Ironically, I was never much into MTV. Back then, they were shifting more towards heavy metal and grunge, and I always liked mainstream pop or at most classic rock. Would you have thought I was a dork back then if you met me (like when I was 9 and you were 14 and I was watching MTV lite)? ;) ;D

One thing I liked was how often older videos were in constant rotation with the new ones. In 1991 or '92, even early '80s stuff was still on alot of the time. My favorite was the Video Rewind blocks.



I'm just as much of a dork as you are...hahaaha..I was listening to New Kids On The Block at that time! :D ;D

I'm just as much of a dork as you are...hahaaha..I was listening to New Kids On The Block at that time! :D ;D



;D

That's not dorky. Even then, I was vaguely jealous of them because of all the girls who liked 'em, lol. While I wasn't a major fan of their music, it was okay (to this day "I'll Be Loving You Forever" is a guilty pleasure). Was it dorky for a 9-year old of 1991 to listen to Phil Collins, Foreigner, Paula Abdul and Eddie Money? At the very most rebellous/heaviest, some latter-day Aerosmith.

;D

That's not dorky. Even then, I was vaguely jealous of them because of all the girls who liked 'em, lol. While I wasn't a major fan of their music, it was okay (to this day "I'll Be Loving You Forever" is a guilty pleasure). Was it dorky for a 9-year old of 1991 to listen to Phil Collins, Foreigner, Paula Abdul and Eddie Money? At the very most rebellous/heaviest, some latter-day Aerosmith.


nah, that's not dorky..I think it's kinda cool. 8)

Yeah, I've heard people who didn't normally like him still enjoyed that song. It was one of his few upbeat ones, it's sorta "lite hair metal-esque". I think he strained his voice too much on the slower ones, which is what I heard people criticize him for back then. Somebody once compared him to Fabio in looks too. ;D
Yeah true Bolton did look like Fabio a little bit but the comparsion was probably made before Bolton cut off his long locks.

He wasn't that all that great.

nah, that's not dorky..I think it's kinda cool. 8)


:)

I guess while you were into The New Kids, for me it was "King of Wishful Thinking", "Second Chance", "Opposites Attract" and "Another Day in Paradise". Of course, I'm talking about then-new music, and not stuff from some years before which we might've been listening to as well. However, despite my roots in "1984ish" stuff, I also equally liked Red Hot Chili Peppers, and even Nirvana a little bit, even if I couldn't relate to the anger of the grunge lyrics really.

I guess I'm oddly diverse in alot of ways, lol.

P.S. I guess in a residual sense, I liked Paula the way you liked Jordan and Donny, so maybe we weren't that different even then. :D

:)

I guess while you were into The New Kids, for me it was "King of Wishful Thinking", "Second Chance", "Opposites Attract" and "Another Day in Paradise". Of course, I'm talking about then-new music, and not stuff from some years before which we might've been listening to as well. However, despite my roots in "1984ish" stuff, I also equally liked Red Hot Chili Peppers, and even Nirvana a little bit, even if I couldn't relate to the anger of the grunge lyrics really.

I guess I'm oddly diverse in alot of ways, lol.

P.S. I guess in a residual sense, I liked Paula the way you liked Jordan and Donny, so maybe we weren't that different even then. :D



ya know..I never did get into the grunge thing (I never lived Nirvana or Red Hot Chili Peppers, etc)....while everyone was listening to that..I was still very much into The Pet Shop Boys, New Order...stuff like that.

ya know..I never did get into the grunge thing (I never lived Nirvana or Red Hot Chili Peppers, etc)....while everyone was listening to that..I was still very much into The Pet Shop Boys, New Order...stuff like that.


It's weird, because I'm totally on the fence with it. Some of it was noise to me, and I never became a huge fan, although I never really hated it either. After the real '90s got going (late 1991+), my favorite music was the more pop and ballad-type stuff. Of course, I also stuck with listening to my '80s stuff too.

Oddly I think a lot of his success was due to the comediens who had made fun of him themselves. For a while after "How am I supposed to live without you" he seemed to disappear. Then when he became a staple of early 90's comedy he started reappearing on the charts. That at least how I remeber it any way.

;D

That's not dorky. Even then, I was vaguely jealous of them because of all the girls who liked 'em, lol. While I wasn't a major fan of their music, it was okay (to this day "I'll Be Loving You Forever" is a guilty pleasure). Was it dorky for a 9-year old of 1991 to listen to Phil Collins, Foreigner, Paula Abdul and Eddie Money? At the very most rebellous/heaviest, some latter-day Aerosmith.

Not at all. I turned 11 in 1991 and listened to similar artists at the time...but not very much.

I wasn't into popular music until I was around 13 in the later 1990's  :D

Though most of my older relatives were into alternative and hip hop...and also a few into New Kids (which I remember in cartoon form...along with Hammerman)  ::) :P

Didn't think of him much besides a sketch on "In Living Color"  :D


I can still see it in my mind's eye..."When a man needs a big hit."  :)

I feel sorry for him. I mean, there was nothing wrong with his name until he was about 12 years old and that no-talent ass clown became famous and started winning Grammys.

http://www.luminomagazine.com/2004.03/spotlight/officespace/images/bolton/bolton1.jpg

^Do you mean Bolton himself or his career? ;) I'm sure when HE was 12, his name was unknown to everyone but his family and friends, lol. He was in his 30s in the 1988/'89-1994 time when his soft rock/R&Bish pop was on the charts. But I think he was around for quite awhile before then (in his hair metal phase).

I feel sorry for him. I mean, there was nothing wrong with his name until he was about 12 years old and that no-talent ass clown became famous and started winning Grammys.

http://www.luminomagazine.com/2004.03/spotlight/officespace/images/bolton/bolton1.jpg



hahaha...Office Space was such a great movie! :D ;D