Interview from “Big” magazine (UK) Oct. 1998
*In last months issue the magazine asked its readers to send in questions for the boys
Date : Fri. Sept. 4th
Place : Merriweather Pavilion, Columbia, USA (backstage)
We asked you what you wanted to know. And then we asked them!
Congratulations-you’re about to interview the Backstreet Boys…
IF YOU HAD TO MAKE A SPONGE CAKE, WOULD YOU KNOW HOW?
“Nope. But I can cook. My mum taught me how to when we were growing up.
I can cook chicken stir fry with vegetables, my mum’s chilli and several casseroles.
I can cook a mean breakfast-omelette and the works.”
WHAT PARTS OF YOUR BODY MAKE YOU TINGLE ALL OVER WHEN KISSED OR TOUCHED?
“Wow! Uhm…[thinks for a very long time].
My stomach’s kinda sensitive.”
WHY DID YOU TURN DOWN A $100,000 MODELLING CONTRACT WITH VERSACE?
AND WILL YOU CONSIDER A MODELLING CAREER AFTER THE BSBs SPLIT?
“I never turned down a $100,000 contract with Versace-that’s a rumour.
I have a good relationship with Donatella (Versace)-she’s done a lot of things for us.
We saw a show and she asked me if I would like to model the following day.
I said, “Sure I’d love to!” I was flattered.
I’m looking into doing more with her, maybe exclusively for Versace.
But I wouldn’t do it for anyone else. Modelling isn’t something
that I wanna do for a career, but I would like to dabble.”
IF YOU HAD TO INSURE A PART OF YOUR BODY, WHICH WOULD IT BE AND WHY?
“Wow! I guess I could insure my voice, but that’s not really a part of my body.
Probably my hands because of all the production work I wanna do later on.”
NOW THAT YOU’VE ALL STARTED WRITING SONGS, WHERE IS THE MOST UNUSUAL PLACE
THAT YOU'VE HAD AN IDEA FOR A SONG?
“In the loo, under the shower, driving down the road!
A lot of time it’s when I’m driving. Sometimes I sit down in
front of the piano and just play. I’ve just written a song with
an award-winning writer called Jerry Baker. I got on the piano
and played something that I’ve had for a long time-it just
flowed. It’s called Back To Your Heart and it’s gonna be on the next album.”
DO YOU EVER GET FED UP OF TOURING?
“I’m so tired of being on the road that I can’t wait to get back into the studio.
Our success happened in Europe first, so we’re still playing the same music now we’re in the US.
It’s nice because we’re in the and we’re happy to be here and be recognised,
but at the same time we’re tired of playing the same music.”
IF YOU WERE REINCARNATED WHAT WOULD YOU COME BACK AS?
“I’d like to come back as a bird. Something that flies-an eagle.
I love flying. I’ve had flying lessons, as you probably know,
and I’m hoping that some day I’ll be able to buy my own plane.
WHOSE BURBS AND FARTS SMELL THE MOST, AND CAN EACH OF YOU TELL WHO HAS FARTED WHEN YOU'RE TOGETHER?
(question from Shai Hooking, Surrey, UK who should be ashamed!)
“Ha ha ha! Oh yeah. We can all be pretty rotten! That was an interesting question. That girl was called “Shy”? she wasn’t very shy, was she?”
AJ:
YOU’RE AT A CLUB WITH A GIRL WHEN HER EX COMES UP AND STARTS INSULTING HER. WHAT DO YOU DO?
“I would definitely stick up for her, I wouldn’t let her be verbally abused.
Then I would tell her, ‘Hey, ya know what? Let’s just walk!
And we’d just try to walk away. Hopefully he would let her go without starting anything else.”
WHAT DOES YOUR NICKNAME BONE MEAN AND HOW DID YOU GET IT?
SOME SAY IT'S VERY RUDE…
“There are three different interpretations. One is the rude one, one is the way I look (being so skinny),
and one is the way I got it-which was from one of our security guards.
I brought a bunch of beads when we first went to London-they looked like bones and the name stuck.
Sometimes I won’t even answer to the name AJ, I’ll answer to Bone.”
WHAT'S THE TATTOO ON YOUR BACK?
“A dragon. Some people think that’s it’s a snake but it’s not.
It represents the Year of the Dragon, when I was born.
But I’d been born in the Year of the Chicken I wouldn’t have got a chicken on my shoulder!”
IF YOU COULD BE ANYONE ELSE IN THE BAND WHO WOULD YOU BE?
“I would have to say Howie, so I could have long hair-natural long hair and not braids.
Howie has really stuck with his hair-through the bad stage and everything-and now it looks cool.”
ARE THESE DAYS WHEN YOU WOULD GIVE UP YOUR SUCCESS FOR A LITTLE PEACE AND PRIVACY?
“I do want to go home when I’m out here for two or three weeks,
but when I’m home for a week I’m bored and I want to go on the road.
I mean, what do you do? You go to a club, go shopping.
Being on the tour is just so exciting. I wanna be on the road as much as I can.”
WHAT DO YOU ORDER AT McDonalds?
“A double quarter pounder with cheese value meal, super size coke, no ice.
Every time.”
NICK:
IF YOU WERE REINCARNATED WHAT WOULD YOU COME BACK AS?
“As a big shark-one that eats people. Ha ha! Does that sound nasty?
I’m in one of those moods. You have be before you go on stage.
I’m all fired up. And also, it might be because of all the crabs around here.
The crew have been smashing crab shells and eating the meat for dinner.
It kinda looks like a shark has been in here!”
HOW DID BEEING BULLIED STOP YOU FROM DEALING WITH NEW PEOPLE?
“It hurt me at first and it was very difficult meeting anyone new for a while.
I used to get very nervous about that. But I started fighting back and
became more confident in myself.
I’d say anyone who is currently being bullied that if I got over it then anyone can.
It’s hard but try and be brave.”
IF YOU WERE A Beanie Baby, WHAT WOULD YOU BE AND WHY?
“Aha! Speaking of Beanie Babies, I’m looking for Bronty or the Royal Blue Peanut.
So I guess I’d be one of those guys because they’re pretty rare and precious-like me! Ha ha!”
DO YOU HAVE HAIRY UNDERARMS?
“Yes! Well, you know I am officially an adult now!
So if I didn’t have hairy underarms by now I might be getting a little bit worried about my development!
I draw the line at showing anybody though!”
ARE YOU GOING TO MAKE YOUR COMIC BOOK INTO A MOVIE?
“It’s still up in the air. I’d really like to, so maybe.
Nothing official has happened yet because we’ve just been so crazy with the tour.
We’ve been doing this for three months now, and it’s done so well that we’ve extended it.
After this we’re gonna have a little rest,
do the new album and hopefully start on our huge world tour!
So maybe somewhere in that time I’ll be able to find a minute
to think about that comic book.”
YOU'VE GOT A REPUTATION FOR BEING NICK NICE.
DOES THIS ANNOY YOU AND WOULD YOU LIKE TO BE SEEN AS MEAN AND MOODY OCCASIONALLY?
“See, I didn’t know that I had that reputation!
I’m sure the guys and my mom wouldn’t call me Nick Nice!
I can be pretty mean and moody when I wake up!”
IS IT TRUE THAT ON MALAYSIAN RADIO YOU SAID THAT YOU THOUGHT YOUR ASIAN FANS WERE STUPID AND UGLY?
“No, I did not say that. That was a set-up by someone. I’m not happy about that at all.
I was framed and I’m very, very angry about it.
I’d never say something like that because our Malaysian fans are cool and loyal.
I’d like to thank them for their support over the years, they’ve been the best.”
WHY DON'T YOU BARE YOUR FIT BODY WHEN THE REST OF THE GUYS DO?
“Ahem, no comment to that one I’m afraid.
I like to keep something for myself.”
ARE YOU GOING TO GO SOLO NEXT?
“We have too much to do for any of us to even consider going solo.
Our schedules are booked, like years in advance.
I haven’t got any plans to go solo next year,
we’re having too much fun as a band and we’ve still got loads more to achieve.”
HOWIE:
IT WAS YOUR BITHDAY IN AUGUST.
WHAT DID THE OTHER GUYS GET YOU AND WHY?
“NOTHING! Zilch!
We had our after-party at a club, so all the guys were with me to celebrate,
but the little runts didn’t give me nothing!
But it’s hard for us to get each other gifts cos we’re always on the road.”
A GIRL YOU'RE SEEING IS EXCITING, INTELLIGENT AND CARING,
BUT SHE IS A BIT ON THE CHUPPY SIDE.
DO YOU KEEP SEEING HER COS IT'S ABOUT PERSONALITY NOT LOOKS
OR DUMB HER COS SHE'D NOT YOUR TYPE?
“If I really cared about this person I don’t think looks-weight wise or whatever-would matter.
Beauty is within the person.”
WHO IS THE FUNNIEST BSB TO HAVE AN ARGUMENT WITH?
“AJ cos he stutters. He goes, ‘Da-da-da-da-don’t say that!
and just cracks up. You ca always tell when he’s saying
something that isn’t true cos he’ll stutter.”
HAVE YOU EVER HAD ANYTHING PRECIOUS STOLEN?
“One time when in was going over to England, I had a bag full of stuff stolen.
My clothes, a bunch of shoes, a lot of my jewellery
-like that cross my mother gave me
-a watch that was a personal gift from my manager and an earring I really cherished.
Losing sentimental stuff really hurts. It’s not the price,
it’s the feelings that go with it.”
DO YOU SING SONGS LIKE I’ll Never Break Your Heart BECAUSE YOU WANT TO ATTRACT MORE FANS OR BECAUSE YOU CARE ABOUT YOUR FANS?
“That song is a love ballad which is trying to gain a person’s love.
We do try to gain the love of our fans. Every place I go at the end of every show,
I always say, ‘Hey the Backstreet Boys will never break your heart’.
We want them to know that we’re not planning to just come
and go like some other boyfriend may do -or some other group.
We care about our fans.”
BRIAN:
WILL YOU RECENT HEART OP. RESTRICT YOU DANCE MOVES ON STAGE?
IF SO, WILL THIS CAUSE THE BAND TO SPLIT?
“No, absolutely not! I feel great now!”
NOW YOU'VE CONQUERED THE US, WHAT OTHER AMBITIONS DO YOU HAVE?
“The main thing is just for us to enjoy what we’re doing and to make better music.
I’ve just completed a couple of new songs which, hopefully, will wind up on the next record.
I’d love for us all to be able to take a break sometime soon,
but on the other hand we’re looking forward to touring and seeing our friends in the UK.”
WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO CALL YOUR CHILDREN?
“That’s like a different life time, so I haven’t thought about that.
My dad’s name is Harold so I guess I kind of like Harry for a boy, but I’m not certain.”
WHAT'S THE MOST EMBARASSING THING YOU'VE EVER DONE, EITHER BEFORE GOING ON STAGE OR AFTER?
“The US tour is the show we had in the UK and we’ve done it so many times that we don’t usually mess up.
But I used to get my shirt caught on the equipment,
or slip on a wire or stand too close to a pyrotechnic effect!”
NEAR THE END OF Backstreet’s Back, WHY ARE YOU SITTING ON THE FLOOR LOOKING AROUND WHILE THE OTHERS ARE IN MID-DANCE?
“That was sooo funny-I fell over! I just totally slipped and sat there on my butt looking stunned!
And the director left it in the vid! I just laugh my head off every time I see it!”
YOU HAVE A GREAT SONG CALLED 10 000 Promises.
WHAT IS THE BIGGEST PROMISE YOU MADE ,BUT DIDN'T KEEP?
“It’s really Kevin’s song so you should ask him. For me, I don’t tend to break promises.
Except when I was a kid and I broke some little ones, you know like everyone does.
I was always like, ‘Yeah, mom, I promise I did my homework and I promise I’ll tidy my room.
Yeah right!”
WHY ARE THE GIRLS IN YOUR VIDEOS SO PERFECT WITH LONG LEGS AND TINY WAISTS?
“I can’t really explain this one because often we don’t get involved in the casting of the videos.
With the ‘Everybody’ vid it was important to get people who could do the dance
routine over and over again so I guess you need to be pretty fit.”
