A begginers guide to craving.

Craven - "cowardly, mean spirited" - Well...... I can't help but think the dictionary got it half right.

Me, like most people into the boy band side of the music industry, i watched the documentary on the One Direction fans last night. My 1st thought was feeling sorry for these girls. For a start they've made themselves look mentally unstable and worst of all they're making a rod for their own backs. What band is going to want to meet their fans when they realise they are a bunch of nutters who believe they are in a relationship with one of the members?

Back in our day we didn't get braces on our teeth because we wanted something in common with one of the members, we actually spent our time studying airport arrivals and departures timetables, booking hotels and flights, ringing the record companies and filling our petrol tanks in case a gig or appearance came up. These girls are spending more time obsessing, and sadly, believing that they will get married to a boy band member and live happily ever after. In our day the bands actually used to sleep with the fans, I should know as I was one of them. Wouldn't happen now days as security is way too tight.

I quit the band thing in 2007. I grew up, but that doesn't mean that I regret anything from the past. It was one of the best times of my life. Admittedly I did some things most fans didn't but still, it was great.

There are about 60 girls from all over the UK, and some from around the world, that I still speak to nearly 10 years on. Craving is a bit dog eat dog. Trust no one. Even your best friend at the time can turn in an instant and put the crave first!

Below is a list of things that will help a craven of today.

1. Research all the TV studio locations and tube maps for directions on how to get to each one without having to worry about it nearer the time.

2. Know your flight information. Scan arrival and departure times at airports to get the best of an airport crave.

3. Take your time to get to know the tour manager, even if this takes away from the crave, it will pay off at a later date when you need information that most fans won't get.

4. Learn to drive. A lot of fan miss opportunities when they don't. When in a prev travelling from gig to gigs most bands stop at a service station. A golden opportunity to get the crave.

5. Know the fan hierarchy structure for your band. It is a little bit like mean girls. There will be the cool Asians, the art freaks and the girls everyone is jealous of..... THE PLASTICS but in the craving world otherwise known as the ORIGINALS.

6. Apply for every studio audience ticket going for the off chance that you might get one of the shows for your group.

7. Don't bother waiting outside TV studios in London, chances are the band just wanna fuck off home or they have somewhere else to be! Don't be naïve enough to think that's the only thing they have planned that day!

8. DO a whole tour and stay in the bands hotels. This I guarantee will be the best time of your life and it is also where you will get the best crave. Research your hotels thoroughly! You don't wanna be getting it wrong!

9. If you're not on 1st name terms with the band, or haven't been there since the first single as one of the originals then don't bother wasting your time as you'll just be another, soon to be forgotten, face in the crowd.

10. Make friends with the papperazzi outside events you go to. They are a key source in giving out valuable information regarding the bands.

And lastly know the difference between a fan, a craven and the crave!

Remember we didn't have the internet in our day. It was all down to hard work and good friendships!