“Worldwide tours and number one records! That’s when you know you’ve made it,” states fresh faced 15-year-old Charlie Jones, the youngest member of Stereo Kicks. It’s been five months since Charlie and seven random lads from the UK – Reece, Chris, Casey, Jake, James, Barclay and Tom – were shoved together on last year’s The X Factor, and only two months since they left the competition in fifth place. At present, the infamous eight-piece have neither a record out, nor a record deal, but they’re already ridiculously famous. It’s the boyband effect. “We can’t go anywhere without people coming up to us!” gushes 19 year old Casey, aka Flirty Kick, who recently dyed a streak of his hair white to look more like One Direction heartthrob Zayn Malik.
Of course, the crazed hysteria engulfing Stereo Kicks isn’t anything new: throughout history boybands including The Jackson 5, The Beach Boys, The Monkees, The Beatles, New Kids On The Block, N Sync, Take That, Westlife, Boyzone, Blue and more recently Five Seconds of Summer and One Direction (who were also launched to superstardom on The X Factor) have attracted knicker throwing teenage delirium. The difference between then and now is social media. With direct access to their idols via Twitter and Instagram, it’s little surprise to discover that teen fandom in 2015 has far surpassed plastering posters on your bedroom room, and crying uncontrollably at gigs, to hit an all time high. The length fans will go to meet their heroes has accelerated over time too. Indeed, it was only the other day that one particularly devout One Directioner made tabloid headlines for falling into horse muck while trying to get a selfie with the elusive Harry Styles!
It’s not just the current crop of fresh-faced boys who are taking social media by storm, boybands of generations past are lapping up the attention too, and not just in the name of #TBT. Relighting their fire once more, in 2006 ultimate 90s boyband Take That made a spectacular return to the stage, ten years after they split up. Today, whether it’s young teens or trendy housewives fueling their success, record sales for Gary, Howard, and Mark (the group are now down to three, but who cares?) have never looked better. Their most recent X Factor performance helped earn the band their 12th number one in the Official Chart, pipping solo artists Ed Sheeran and Olly Murs to the post, and proving that three really is the magic number.
90s favorites Backstreet Boys are also riding the comeback train this year with their own documentary, Backstreet Boys: Show ‘Em What You’re Made Of, reinforcing the point that while music genres come and go, boybands will always have a place on our stereos and more importantly in our hearts. Even Brit Pop bad boy Liam Gallagher, who, let’s face it, isn’t known for his generous remarks, can’t fail to be impressed by their enduring appeal. In a recent interview with the BBC, he took his hat off to the 1D boys. “Who’s my biggest competition?” he asked. “One Direction. I’m not into their music, but fair play to them, man, they got lucky! And they’re going for it.”
While One Direction may currently be the most popular band on the planet, the longevity of a boyband’s career means they can never rest on their laurels. Just look at recent boyband casulty JLS as an example. “We’ve seen boybands come and go over the decades,” explains acclaimed music journalist Paul Morely in The Guardian. “Sometimes they’re fresh and fashionable, sometimes an ingratiating abomination. Sometimes they play instruments, write their own songs and feign unshaven mischief; at others, they sit grave and clean-shaven on stools and simper silken ballads, or line up in a row and obediently, if not a little gaily, express their love for life, love and song through the medium of dance. When they seem to have become too obvious, too regimented, too corny, pathetically out of touch, they pop back up again, stronger and more resilient than ever, suggesting that they alone can carry pop music into the future, where it will still in its own way encourage reproduction and therefore continue the cycle.”
So what does the future hold for Stereo Kicks? You only have to scroll through the boy’s shared Instagram account to see that “Stereo Kicks Mania” is already in full force, and spreading like wildfire. Some fan comments are bold and direct: “Can I lick your face?” asks one desperate girl. “Marry me!” pleads another. While others opt for a more poetic, somewhat personal approach, “When you sing my heart melts…”, “I’ll love you forever…” Like a strange sect or religious cult, the rabid passion with which enraptured fans (in this case they call themselves the Stereo Kicks Army, dontcha know) are declaring their undying love for eight boys, who they’ve never met, seems totally crazy (“I’m crying blood!” one desperately cries). Especially when, this time last year, nobody had even heard of them!
Of course, where there are fans there are haters, and in 2015 no boyband is ever safe from the vicious, online world of Twitter trolls. Waging a war of hashtags against the Stereo Kicks Army (there are over 200,000 of them on Twitter) are the disillusioned few who resent all things manufactured and mainstream. It’s a backlash the boys are all too conscious of, and a backlash they’re eager to tackle head on too. After all, despite popular perception, Stereo Kicks don’t want to be just another mindless pop band who rely on selfies and cheesy lyrics to make their fortunes. They want credibility from the pop world too. “We really don’t want to be boring or generic,” confirms Jake, otherwise known as Naughty Kick, with holes the size of Oreo cookies in his ears. “We want to sell cool pop records without being cheesy.”
With talk of teen pregnancies, horse tranquilizers and saucy Snapchats churning up the rumor mill, Stereo Kicks’ image is hardly vanilla. Nor do they want it to be. “We’re not going to censor ourselves,” Jake reveals. Besides, Simon Cowell doesn’t want them to. “A boyband that’s been put together by a manager, and told what to wear, what to say… I hate that,” the music mogul remarked at The X Factor press launch last August, “I’d rather find something much more raw.”
And raw they are. Having already shaken off their squeaky clean, pop image in the tabloids, the boys now want to shake off the dreaded X Factor ”reject” label too. But this doesn’t mean they don’t desperately want a record deal with Simon Cowell’s mega label Syco, they absolutely do. And The X Factor Live Tour 2015, which kicks off in February, is their chance to get it. ”We love going on stage,” confirms Casey. “We can’t wait. It’s always over in a flash, though…” Whether Stereo Kicks go down in history as this generation’s equivalent to Bay City Rollers (#SimonSignStereoKicks is already trending on Twitter) remains to be seen, but for now, memorize their faces and learn their names for #boyband mania is here to stay.
James Graham, aka Diva Kick, 18
Who is your favorite boyband? Boyz II Men! I grew up listening to them, they wipe the floor with everyone else!
What’s your all-time favorite song? It’s between MJ, Man In the Mirror and John Legend, Ordinary People. Both those songs are untouchable. You don’t get better.
What song do you play when you’re sad? Chris Medina, What Are Words. Barclay introduced me to it while we were in The X Factor house and explained the story behind it. It’s amazing – I’d definitely recommend it.
What song gets you on the dancefloor? BILLIE JEAN! Whenever I’ve just hopped out of the shower I dance to it. I know every dance move at every point of the song. Is that sad?
What song makes you smile? Maroon 5, Sunday Morning. It’s very chilled
What’s the greatest love song of all time? Stevie Wonder, Lately. It’s my mum and dad’s song.
Reece Bibby aka Northern Kick, 16
Who is your favorite boyband? I don’t tend to listen to boybands, more just musical groups like AM. But if I were to name a boyband I’d say One Direction because they are just killing it at the minute.
What’s your all time favorite song? The Enemy, We Live and Die In These Towns. It’s not very well known but the lyrics are amazing and in my opinion it’s a masterpiece.
What song do you play when you’re sad? The Verve, The Drugs Don’t Work. It makes me cry.
What song gets you on the dancefloor? Anything by Disclosure, I have a soft spot for Latch.
What song makes you smile? Kodaline, All I want. His voice is so good, and it’s about love and stuff, so it’s a happy one.
What’s the greatest love song of all time? John Legend, Ordinary People, it’s definitely a first dance song and the lyrics are quality.
Barclay, aka Charming Kick, 19
Who is your favorite boyband? One Direction, they are a true inspiration with all the things they’ve achieved.
What’s your favorite song of all time? Elvis Presley’s take on Unchained Melody is truly unbelievable. The passion with which he sings it is like nothing I’ve ever heard before.
What song gets you on the dancefloor? When I was little I was obsessed with dancing around the house to Eric Prydz, Call On Me so if it comes on I can’t help busting a move!
What song makes you smile? Tony Christy, Amarillo, it remains an unbelievable classic!
What’s the greatest love song of all time? Oasis, Wonderwall is an absolute banger and will be for centuries to come. If you listen to the lyrics I think you can connect with it in a ‘love’ sort of manner.
Jake Sims, aka Naughty Kick, 20
What’s your all-time favorite song? Eminem, Sing For The Moment, I love Eminem, I can really relate to the lyrics.
What song makes you smile? R. Kelly, Ignition (Remix) or Miley Cyrus Party in The U.S.A.
What’s the greatest love song of all time? Ed Sheeran, Thinking Out Loud, it’s amazingly written!
Casey Johnson, aka Flirty Kick, 19
What’s your all time favorite song? All American Rejects, Gives You Hell.
What song makes you smile? Queen, Somebody To Love, it reminds me of when we performed with them on The X Factor – it was the best experience ever!
What’s the greatest love song of all time? Elton John, Don’t Let The Sun Go Down On Me
Charlie Jones, aka Baby Kick, 15
What’s your favorite song of all time? Snow Patrol, Run. This song was the start of Stereo Kicks and means so much to me.
What song do you play when you’re sad? Say Something is the perfect song to listen to when I’m upset and when I’m feeling down.
What song gets you on the dancefloor? Mark Ronson and Bruno Mars, Uptown Funk. I don’t know what it is but it possesses me and makes me dance.
What song makes you smile? Great Big World, A Cheer Up, it’s a song for four year olds, but it makes me so happy; my inner toddler comes out.
What’s the greatest love song of all time? When I Was Your Man. I love this song and Bruno Mars is one of my favorite artists, he really makes you think about the words throughout.
Tom Mann aka Sporty Kick, 21
Who is your favorite boyband? Sorry to be boring… but it’s One Direction! They’re iconic and everything that a boyband should be. They’re the biggest thing since The Beatles, they’ve built an empire!
What’s your all time favorite song? Run, Snow Patrol was always an amazing song. I always used to sing it on SingStar as a kid but, ever since The X Factor‘s bootcamp, it has meant so much to me.
What song do you play when you’re sad? Sara Bareilles, Gravity , one of the best songs ever written! If this song doesn’t reach out and touch your soul then you have no heart!
What song makes you smile? I recently re-discovered Dancing In The Moonlight. Whatever happened to Toploader?
What’s the greatest love song of all time? Daniel Bedingfield, If You’re Not The One. Another forgotten classic!
Credits
Text Tish Weinstock
Photography Harry Carr
Styling Bojana Kozarevic
Hair Louis Ghewy at The Book Agency using TIGI Catwalk.
Make-up Ann Sofie Costa using M.A.C.
Photography assistance Philibert de Cours Saint-Gervasy.
Styling assistance Tiffany Baron, Sian O’Donnell.
Make-up assistance Rebecca Davenport.