This. They kept their humorously simplistic song topics but got rid of their sound, and IMO couldn’t survive losing 50% of their appeal. As far as I’m concerned nothing after Eliminator exists. Even Eliminator sometimes had a little too much synth for my taste.
For a year or two in Junior High they were. Which isn’t surprising- they sing about topics a typical 14 year old boy is obsessed with wrapped in a package that exudes levels of coolness the Fonz could only dream of.
And it might be overanalyzing, but I think I liked them back then because in their videos they never got the girl, they helped someone else get the girl. As I was a perpetual third wheel with low self-esteem and little interest from girls, I both identified with them as well as viewing them as some sort of superheroes of love. Too cool to care about getting ladies for themselves, but always willing to help those in need.
And those beards:
