OK, SO WHOS THE
TOUGHEST IN THE BAND? NICK - AJ
doesnt let things bother him that much, but I guess all of us are tough at times...
BRIAN - Different things affect different people, so I suppose weve all got a
tough side.
HOWIE - We all stand our ground of individuals. We dont let anybody push us
around.
AJ - But I feel in our position, if you dont like what someones saying you
walk away, you dont start a fight. You dont argue, you just be grown up about
it and walk away
ARE YOU TOUGH ENOUGH TO SAY NO TO THINGS
YOUVE BEEN TOLD TO DO IF YOU DONT BELIEVE IN THEM?
HOWIE - I think it depends on the situation. We want to be
successful so we listen to what people are saying, then we weigh it up between ourselves
and if its something that were totally against then well stand up and
say no!
BUT YOU SEEM TO GET ON WITH EVERYBODY - DO
YOU EVER GET CROSS WITH PEOPLE?
BRIAN - Sure, everybody has their bad days. Sometimes you
wake up on the wrong side of the bed and feel like being a grouch, but you try not to let
it affect your life, particularly as our life is our career and our career is our life.
WHAT ABOUT YOU THEN, NICK - DO YOU EVER GET
FED UP OF PEOPLE CALLING YOU THE CUTE ONE?
NICK - (going all sweet and coyly looking up from under
his fringe) No way, I think its great - I love the attention!
BRIAN - Well, you know, hes the youngest, so hes always gonna get that,
but I can promise you he doesnt mind it at all - do you, Frack?
HAVE YOU EVER HAD TO GET A BIT TOUGH WITH
THE FANS?
KEVIN - Well, weve had to stop the show a couple of
times and get everybody to step back and calm down to stop getting people hurt, and
sometimes the fans take articles of your body. Ive had necklaces ripped off, my
earrings ripped out and once I had a ring taken off my finger. It was really sentimental
to me and I was like, Please, whoever took my ring, please give it back to me!
Then our security guy, Randy, made an announcement that if someone gave the ring back
hed give them backstage passes - and fortunately they did!
AJ - Im really shocked, because of all the jangly stuff I wear, nobodys
ever tried to take anything from me, except one time I got a bracelet torn off, but
nobodys ever touched anything else - I just lose stuff on my own!
BRIAN - Weve had lots of hats taken off us walking out of places! I remember
once we were leaving a school in Germany and I was holding my cap on my head and somebody
just grabbed it and started stretching it - I kept holding onto it, then the next thing I
heard it go, cccrrccccchh (huge ripping sound)! I was real mad by that point, so I pulled
it off my head and just threw it! I was like, You want it? I mean, what can
you do? Then another time we were running into a hotel and there was a load girls coming
down the street and this girl jumped right in my way! I couldnt go round her
cause she was dead smack in the way. She went to reach for me to hug me, and I kinda
just picked her up and kept running then set her down again! I didnt want to be
rude, but I was gonna either get hurt, or knock her flying!
NICK - I remember one time I was running into a hotel and this girl actually jumped on
my back! She had her arms round my neck and I just kept running! I got all the way to the
elevator with this girl still hanging off my back, and Randy had to come and literally
pick her off. It was real funny - she just wouldnt let go, and Im there
walking around with her stuck to me!
YOU SEEM A LOT COOLER THESE DAYS...
NICK - Its not so much cool, its just a bit
more mature, because thats whats happening - were all getting older and
more grown up. Me, Im not the same 13 year old I was when we started. Were all
growing up, and our musics growing older, too. The music will change a little bit at
a time, but not too much because things are going great - theyre really good right
now!
DO YOU EVER WORRY THAT AS YOURE MOVING
ON YOURE LEAVING YOUR ORIGINAL FANS BEHIND?
HOWIE - As we get older, our fansll get older too,
but we also hope that well get some new younger fans, and some older ones as well!
Theres a lot of new competition out there, so we have to make sure our look
complements our music and find some way to keep it all fresh.
BUT DO YOU THINK YOUR MUSICS GETTING
TOUGHER?
AJ - Its getting better!
BRIAN - Its a lot more challenging for us! Weve all gotten better at what
we do, and in order to get better you have to challenge yourself to new levels, new
heights, and thats important for us. Tour after tour you tend to grow really quickly
- you dont want to get stuck in the same groove.
DO YOU THINK ONE DAY YOULL DO THE REAL
HARD, SLAMMING RNB THING?
NICK - We have done totally hard-core RnB
things in the past, but it just didnt suit us!
AJ - We can do it vocally, but its not us
BRIAN - Its just not Backstreet, but saying that, maybe some day it will be, or
maybe someday there wont be any RnB music - maybe therell be some
Rap-PopnB or something!
KEVIN - People constantly put us in the boy band category, but I think we have a
totally unique sound.
A LOT OF NEW BANDS OFTEN COMPARE THEMSELVES
TO YOU...
BRIAN - Well, Ive listened to other songs
thatve come out after us from other groups that were around even before us, and some
of the things I was hearing sounded kinda familiar - you know what Im saying? Not
that were bothered - I mean, its a major compliment!
AJ - Its cool that theyre influenced by us, whether its the vocals,
or the track, or just Backstreet sounds.
NICK - What we do is different from everybody else so they want to take a bit of that,
and thats OK.
SO, HAVE THERE BEEN ANY UNCOOL MOMENTS IN
YOUR CAREER SO FAR?
HOWIE - Erm, some of the European photo-shoots have been a
bit, er, suspect!
NICK - Weve been asked if we were going to put out Backstreet Boy dolls and
were like, Noooo! Thats one thing I dont think wed
ever do - dolls or lunchboxes or stuff like that. Thats not the important thing to
us - what you hear on the CD is the important bit.
AJ - Itd be kinda cool though - you could put Barbie with Brian, or Barbie with
Howie, you know?
BRIAN - You can continue to make things better on a CD, and it can last a long, long
time, but somebodys buy a doll and it can last, like, six months - then theyll
wanna rip its head off and throw it away!
KEVIN - I mean - we sell merchandise, but we dont want to exploit it. We already
have Backstreet Back packs. Theyre great!!
DO YOU RECKON OTHER POP GROUPS ARE SCARED OF
YOU?
HOWIE - I dont think anyones scared of us.
Ive read stuff about other groups looking up to us and thats like,
Wow!. To us it means so much when other artists respect our ability. Its
a small community, the music world, and everyones real close.
AJ - I think we leave a pretty good impression with artists we meet. We make friends
every day and I dont think we come off as anything but real, and I think people
really respect us for that.
HAVE YOU EVER HAD ANY RUN-INS WITH OTHER
ARTISTS?
AJ - Kev literally did run into someone...
BRIAN - Kev was in a club back home one night, the music was pumping, it was very
crowded, he was minding his own business when this guy pokes him in the back, then pokes
him again...
KEVIN - ...pushes...
BRIAN - ...oh, he pushes you? And Kev turns around and says excuse me, then realizes
its Bobby Brown. He was trying to get by but he was being really rude...
KEVIN - He was really rude and pushy, and we exchanged a few words and almost got into
a fight... AJ - Bobby Brown was in Orlando because he had to appear in court, about a guy
hed hit in another club...
KEVIN - Then he walked through with his posse and tried to push me out of the way!
NICK - He knew who Kevin was...
KEVIN - No he didnt - well, I dont think he knew who I was, and it
was just rude whoever I was!
AJ - Id like to have a run-in with Gwen Stefani...
TVH - AJ, youre obsessed!
AJ - I know, Im sick, arent I?
SO COME ON GUYS, DO YOU RECKON YOU COULD
TAKE BOYZONE ON IN A FIGHT?
KEVIN - We could take anybody on - would we win? Oh, yeah!
Hey, are you trying to pick a fight?
TVH - Er, course not!
BRIAN - (in a terrible English accent) Er listen,
Boyzone are nice lads - dont you start nuffin!
NICK - We could take anybody on, no problemo!
AJ - Well take anybody on, vocally, but not physically!
NICK - Next time you see Boyzone, ask then the same question... were not going
to answer til they do - were not starting nothing!
KEVIN - Hey, were nice guys, but if we have to get tough, we will!
HOW DO YOU GET ON WITH THE OTHER TOUGH
AMERICAN ARTISTS, LIKE DRU HILL AND THAT?
AJ - Id really like to meet them because
theyre all the same age as us!
KEVIN - Our manager was telling us Teddy Riley of Blackstreet wanted us to tour with
them here in the States - a Blackstreet versus Backstreet tour, not as like in a fight,
but as a promotional thing...
AJ - Itd be the street tour!
DO YOU ALL LOOK OUT FOR EACH OTHER?
AJ - Weve already had to look out for each other in
the past - we always look out for each other!
NICK - Oh Kev, can I tell them about that time in the truck - it was so damn cool! OK,
when we first got in the group there was these kids in the neighbourhood that I
didnt like. This one time I was riding in the back of Kevins truck and they
were driving behind us. We turned off and I mouthed something and they saw me, so they
started making hand gestures to Kevin who was driving, and he saw them in the mirror. He
stopped the truck cause he didnt see what I did, put it in reverse and got out
and had a real go at them - man, I got in so much trouble when he found out I started the
whole thing!
HOWIE - Nick, I cant believe you... was Kev mad?
BRIAN - And Nick was like, only four foot tall at the time!
AJ - I was in the car with them, so Kevin knew he could get away with it cause
he was with me, see!
NICK - But thats what little brothers are supposed to do to big brothers,
isnt it?
AJS JUST HAD HIS FIRST VERY TOUGH
TATTOO, SO WHAT ABOUT THE REST OF YOU?
KEVIN - Maybe someday...
NICK - Id like to get one when I turn 21!
AJ - I always said when we were established everywhere that Id do it, but now I
want more!
NICK - Id like to get the sun tattooed on my back!
AJ - Now I want my nickname, and I really like the Dru Hill symbol with the little
dragon. I also want to get my eyebrow pierced. Three tattoos and my eyebrow pierced -
thatd be cool!
NICK - Hey, lets all get BSB tattoos!
A huge conversation then takes place about tattoos,
particularly Keith Boyzones, which AJ is impressed by...
KEVIN - ...but I dont like the idea of having one
forever. Itd be nice if you could have one just for a year or two.
APART FROM YOURSELVES, WHOS A COOL
PERSON TO BE SEEN OUT AND ABOUT WITH?
KEVIN - Arnold Schwarzenegger - we met him at a Planet
Hollywood party and he was REAL cool!
HOWIE - Cindy Crawford!
KEVIN - We also hung out with Aerosmith - that was cool!
NICK - AJd like to hang out with Teddy Riley!
AJ - You see how I threw my voice a little bit there without even moving my lips!
Then they turn the tables and get really tough...
AJ - OK, so Allison, who do you thinks cool to hang
out with?
TVH - Bruce Willis, definitely! I met
him at a Planet Hollywood party, too. He was really cool.
BRIAN - What about Will Smith - Whats he like?
TVH - Really nice - hes mad, he
just laughs constantly!
NICK - So what do you say about us when people ask what
were like? (all in dodgy English accents again) I bet you say, Man,
theyre stupid!
KEVIN - God, theyre a bunch of 10 year olds.
AJ - Theyre really wimpy... And on and on they go - talk about
ganging up!
HEY, ENOUGH OF THIS ALREADY, HAVE YOU LOT
EVER BEEN IN A FIGHT?
NICK - Im the one who gets in fights the most.
Ive been in a fight with Howie and AJ and...
KEVIN - Nicks funny when hes angry - he just starts swinging. (Kev does an
impression of Nick wimpily flailing his arms around!)
SO COME ON THEN, OWN UP - IS THERE A TOUGH
SIDE TO BACKSTREET BOYS?
KEVIN - Honestly, if we have to be tough then we will, and
once we go its over! But you know how some people get upset real easy and some are
real laid back, but when they do get upset you better watch out? Well, were like
that, but it takes a lot to get us angry!
NICK - OK, if we were dogs, let me give you the definition of what wed be.
Brian, hes a pitbull, AJs a Great Dane, Howies kinda sweet and yappy so
hes just like a little chihauhau, Kevins a rottweiler, and me? Im a
Scottish terrier!
SO, DO WE RECKON THEYRE OLD TOUGH
NUTS, THEN? NAH, THEYRE A BUNCH OF PUSSYCATS - JUST DONT TELL THEM I TOLD YOU
THAT...
*TVH |