I thought East 17 were great at their peak, way past it now but Mortimer's song writing and Harvey;s vocals went well together and make good tunes, New Kids is just a name, it doesn't have to mean what it means.
Actually East 17 had other good songs, Deep, Thunder, It's Alright, Let It Rain, House of Love, If You Ever. There's a reason why East 17 were more popular outside UK than Take That, their music had a different edge and was more suited to a worldwide audience.
So their name is New Kids on the Block? Big deal. It's just a name. I actually think it's a great band name, especially back in the day.
It is the original line-u, the same 5 guys that made it in the 90s are the same 5 guys now, why change the name then?
Anyway, whatever East 17 had is long gone, they shouldn't make music again.