Liquid dreams.

Back in 2000, the formula for a boy band seemed pretty clear-cut. Find a group of diverse young men, different enough from each other so that they’d have broad market appeal, ensure they could sing passably in a group setting and provide them overly-sweet songs about love, girls, more love, heartbreak, and love again. It was with this template that the band O-Town came to be.

The formula, it would seem, hasn’t changed so much. But O-Town sure has.

I’ve been reminded of O-Town in recent days because I just saw a commercial on MTV for an upcoming new series called There and Back. I stared long and hard and the blond guy in the commercial, who stands on a street corner strumming a guitar, before figuring out, from MTV’s non-verbal cues, who he was – Ashley Angel, late of O-Town. Seems the blondie is no longer topping the charts and it attempting a comeback. And I think that’s probably putting it nicely – MTV’s web site says Ashley’s got no money, no home of his own and a pregnant girlfriend (notable, because she’s not longtime gal-pal Shelly from the original Making the Band – gasp!).

Knowing that Ashley’s well-being now rests on the shoulders of young ladies like me, those of us who were in his target demographic way back when, I did a quick Internet search to locate some O-Town goodies available for purchase. Although part of me expected to see Ashley himself hawking his classic O-Town memorabilia, based on how MTV has characterized his situation (although this doesn’t appear to be the case), I was able to locate the following items available for purchase, a symbolic way to demonstrate your faith his return to the music world:

· April 2001 issue of YM Magazine, autographed by the entire band. $9.99. A bargain, considering you not only get to show your loyalty to Ashley, but also the rest of the remains of O-Town.

· “Warning: Ashley Parker Angel – may cause uncontrollable excitement in humans” key chain. $8.50. Certainly won’t for dogs. My puppy is next to me right now, sleeping through this entire posting. Yawn.

· Black and white pillowcase with Ashley’s picture and the phrase “Cover me with dreams.” $17.50. Um, slightly creepy – will refrain from further comment and leave open to your own interpretation.

· “It’s an Ashley Angel thing…you wouldn’t understand” t-shirt. $18.50. Somehow, I think I would, but apparently, if these t-shirts are actually available, I may be in the minority.

As true fans will know, it’s all or nothing.