Been a little while, huh? It probably would have been longer, but my Twitter feed decided to explode today over that fact that it's been 9 years since Big Time Rush came into existence. I felt like sharing my story since I had never really heard of them until after the show was already off the air.
I've shared this before, but I first discovered Heffron Drive on Spotify. I like to check out the recommendations Spotify gives, and somehow I had found them. This was back in 2014. I loved their music and was immediately a huge fan.
It took quite the little while before I noticed that Spotify kept repeatedly telling me I would also like Big Time Rush. I couldn't figure out why in the world that was recommended or how it was related.
Eventually, I clicked on the link to check them out. That's when I figured out why it kept being recommended. I looked at the picture and was like, "Holy shit, that's Kendall from Heffron Drive! No wonder it kept telling me to check this group out."
And I liked their music. I'm not ashamed to admit I enjoy a good boy band. Windows Down is a jam. Nothing Even Matters, No Idea, and Stuck are some of my favorites. But at that point I still had no clue that there had also been a television show.
I'm slow, Friends. I know.
Back in July of 2015, Heffron Drive was coming to Webster Hall in New York City. I was stoked and was absolutely going to go. I decided to ask my niece if she wanted to go with me since she was up visiting for the summer. (She lives in Texas.) I asked my brother first if it would be okay to take his kid to NYC for a concert. He's the one who told me she would be super excited because she loved Big Time Rush and watched it all of the time.
Even then, at the ripe old age of 12, Lili (my niece) was game for any kind of concert. She had never heard of Heffron Drive, but when I told her it was Kendall from Big Time Rush she was absolutely down for it. She listened to their music non-stop up until the concert and learned all the lyrics by heart. I thought she was going to swoon when I told her we had Meet & Greet tickets.
Some revelations came out in the middle of the night while riding the train back home after the concert. She was freaking giddy, and only then did she tell me that Kendall had always been her favorite. That he was perfect. I told her that I had never actually seen the show, just listened to them on Spotify. She was horrified and decided that she needed to rectify that situation as soon as possible.
And that would be how, about a week later, I first saw Big Time Rush. She had taken it upon herself to start recording all of the episodes at my parents' house.
Did she start us at the first episode so I could figure out what the hell was going on? No.
Did she even bother to start at the beginning of an episode? No.
She was already cued up and mid episode when I got to my parents' house, watching the episodes with her little brother. It's one of the few shows that they will both agree to watch to this very day.
(The kidlets stay with my parents when they come to visit. They wouldn't even be awake when I have to leave in the morning, so they only stay with me on the weekends if I don't have to work.)
The episode? Big Time Fever. For those familiar with the show, you can imagine the interesting conversation that this particular episode brought about. If you have never seen it, you really should. Go watch it right now, or the rest of this is not going to make any damn sense to you whatsoever.
She started me at the point where they were already in the recording studio. I immediately asked, "Why is that dude orange?"
Lili: That's James. He's not orange, he's mangerine. And it's from his tanning spray. And that's Gustavo, their manager. He seems like a jerk but he really likes them.
I got more information as the episode went on and I kept asking questions.
Lili: That's Carlos. He's crazy and always wears a helmet. Normally he's not like this. That's Logan. He's Kendall best friend and super smart.
Me: I thought you said they were all best friends?
Lili: They are. But, Logan's like his best best friend.
Me: Sure.
*a bit further into the episode*
Me: Lil, what channel did you say this normally comes on?
Lili: Nickelodeon. Why?
Me: I'm pretty sure that dude is high.
Lili: Logan?! Oh, no! He just used the magic bongos that Guitar Dude gave him.
Sure. Magic bongos. We'll go with that.
Me: So what's wrong with Kendall then?
And I almost got my head bitten off for daring to ask such a question.
Lili: Nothing! He's perfect. *sigh* He's the leader of the group, and he's going to fix everything. Normally Logan is his second in command and would help him.
And he did, and everyone was back to normal by the end of the episode.
So then we had a little discussion before I let her roll right into the next episode.
Me: So who are your favorite characters?
Lili: Kendall, duh. And no one else is allowed to like him.
Damn, girl!
Austin (my nephew): I like Carlos and James! They're funny and crazy!
That devolved into an argument about the proper way to do jazz hands like James does in front of his face, as Lili declared Austin was doing it wrong when he attempted to do it.
Me: Then I guess Logan will be my favorite.
Austin: You could like James or Carlos too, Aunt Tammy. I would share them with you.
Lili: Yeah. I'm not sharing. Kendall is mine.
Me: Thank you, Austin. I'm cool with Logan. Dude is hilarious - reminded me of my friends in college who also enjoyed the bongos.
Lili: Do you think he's cute though?
Austin: Ewww
Me: He's definitely cute, Lil. No worries about that.
And then, because I am incapable of leaving things in a peaceful state...
Me: Logan is the best!
Austin: Yeah! I like Logan, too. And James and Carlos.
Lili: What?! How can you say that? You love Heffron Drive! You just got to meet Kendall!
Me: All true, but you just assigned me Logan as my favorite, so I'm all in now. Besides, I think you might actually hurt me if I said I liked Kendall at all beyond his music.
Lili: Well...I wouldn't hurt you too bad. *smirk*
And then I got to listen to her read me fun facts about Kendall for the rest of the summer. And I mean, I would get to my parents' to visit after work and be greeted with things like, "Did you know sunflowers are Kendall's favorite flower?" Not hello, or how was work. She would tell me random facts she had found that day about Kendall as soon as I walked in the door.
And every summer when the kidlets come up to visit for a month, we spend quality time bonding and rewatching old episodes of Big Time Rush. The only real problem to come out of it so far was a brief period when Austin got a little too into the concept of a "pre-truth".
I got to see Heffron Drive in concert again since that summer. Sadly, Lili was back in Texas already by that time, but they signed autographs for her and they are proudly hanging on her bedroom wall. I have not gotten to see Logan Henderson in concert yet, but I hope I will get to do so one day. I feel like it's my duty as the sole member of Team Logan in this family. Plus, I'm pretty sure Lili would freak the hell out if I managed to meet him, which would be fun. It's good to have goals.
So, I was a little late to the party on the whole Big Time Rush thing, Friends. I hope I can be forgiven for having overlooked their awesomeness for so long. They inadvertently helped create this cool bond between me and my niece and nephew, and for that I will always be grateful.
