Back in early 2004, when I was four, my dad often played Cross Road in his car while driving me to the kindergarten. I just became hooked for a reason I'm still somewhat unaware. Especially Prayer hit me like a heavy-weight boxer, although I couldn't understand any of the lyrics. I immediately loved Saturday Night, Always, Wanted, Bad Name and Bad Medicine as well. By August/September '04 all the BJ albums my dad owned (Cross Road, Keep The Faith, These Days, Crush and Bounce) had already found their way to my ever-growing record collection.

And then came the box set. I got it as a present from my dad...

I still remember hearing WAYD, Radio, TIB, IGAR, LMS and the demos of Saturday Night, Always and Prayer for the first time - as a five-year-old. Damn, was it a neat to hear all those gems - even back then, I knew the tracks were mostly unreleased.

My dad bought me HAND immediately after it came out in September '05. After hearing the album for the first time, my reaction was "meh" - back then I thought Who Says almost ruined the whole record - but it quickly started to grow on me and nowadays I consider it as the best post-'95 BJ album.

By the time LH came out, I was a diehard already, and then came the day I saw the boys live for the first time.

Helsinki, 16.6.2008. One of the best concerts I've ever been to, and miles better than the '11 gig (I was there, too). Although I was only eight years old back then, I swear I had an orgasm during Richie's solo on Always. I still remember singing my heart out on Prayer. Bloody hell, I miss the LH tour...

I remember being extremely frustrated about not having the opportunity of seeing the boys at the Ratina Stadium in Tampere '13 due to school-based schedule issues. However, after seeing the YouTube videos of the gig, I'm not disappointed of missing it at all, as Jon sounded absolutely horrendous there.

I think that's enough of these stories for now... I don't want you to get bored to death.