Way back in 1990, when the New Kids on the Block were the hottest thing since sliced bread, NBC decided to counter NKOTB’s own cartoon with a live-action show featuring five guys who sang and danced. The name? The Guys Next Door (get it? New Kids on the Block…Guys Next…oh, never mind). Anyway, these five young men were really more of a cross between the New Kids and the Monkees, as their eponymous TV show (nestled in between “Saved By the Bell” and “Saturday Night Videos”) contained comedy sketches in addition to clips of the guys singing.
Anyway, the Guys also put out an album. Unfortunately, no one bought it. Apparently no one watched the TV show either, since it was cancelled after only one season. Damn Zack and Slater!
Their one hit was a pretty (if sappy and simply written) ballad called “I’ve Been Waiting for You”. I remember this song being #1 on Z-100’s Top 9 at 9 countdown for friggin’ ever, but the success among teen girls (and, OK, a couple of teen guys) didn’t translate into much. “Waiting” topped out at unlucky #41 (geez, that’s gotta be worse than having a #2 single).
The video is what would become standard boy band fare just 6 or 7 years later. Watch out for the funny ending though. Wonder whatever became of these dudes anyway?
