TOP OF THE POPS MAGAZINE ARTICLE

October 1998

Backstreet's Back

It seems ages since our fave boys were here, but they're back this month with their tour! We snuggled up to find out the gossip...

So how does it feel to have finally made it in America, guys?

Brian: Well, we've had a really good run fo the last two and a half years, travelling around the world having success in each place little by little. It hasn't happened overnight, and you know, it's like the last stop, coming home. I think it means a lot to anybody to be successful in their own country, just 'cos all yuor friends and family who've been there supporting you for so long can finally see what it's all about - that's a great feeling!

Howie, your sister's just starting a music career. How's that going?

Howie: It's cool. We're all trying to help her in any way we can, even if it's just by introducing her to the right people. But I've co-written her first song with her and I may even sing on it as well. We all like to lend a hand to other artists, especially family, like Aaron and that - it's all one big happy family for us.

Now people back home are seeing how successful you are, are any of your friends really jealous?

Kevin: Nah, not at all. They're all very excited about it. They're very supportive and they're behind us 100 per cent. Our family and friends have seen us go through all he work we've done in the five years that we've been together. It's a dream coming true for all of us right now.

Nick, have you finished your schooling yet?

Nick: No, I've still got a while to go on my high school education. It's not fair now that AJ's graduated - I'm the only one left who still has to study, and it's really hard when the others are all hanging out and partying and stuff and I have to work. But I guess it'll be worth it in the end.

What's the group's favourite song on the Backstreet's Back album?

Howie: I think for all of us it'd have to be All I Have To Give. It's a really good song and it really represents the Backstreet Boys well - all five of us get to sing on it so it really shows what we can all do vocally.

Do you ever feel silly singing about yourselves, like in Backstreet' s Back?

AJ: No, not really. I think it's a really strong song from our album. It's like, 'Backstreet's back, here we are back in your face again', in your ears, hopefully everybody's ready for us and everything else we've got to bring ... we're back alright, right back at ya!

Have you met any interesting famour bods recently?

Nick: Well we've met a lot of people actually! We're fortunate to be in the position where we ge to meet a lot of our idols. Just recently at the MTV Awards our dressing room was near Aerosmith, U2 and Hanson and we've already met Whitney Houston, the Bee Gees, Andrew Lloyd Webber, Arnold Schwarzeneggar...we've met a lot of great people. That side of thigns has been really cool!

So what did you think of Hanson?

Nick: They're really cool guys. I can't remember which is which! We saw them briefly right before they presented an award at MTV and they were asking what song we were going to sing and stuff like that, so I guess they'd heard our music before.

And what about Spice Girls?

Brian: We've met them a few times when we've done shows with them. I think they're really cool. It's kind of weird 'cos the first time we met them they were really into our music because we'd come out in England a little while before they did, and every time we meet them now they listen to our soundtracks and we sit and talk and stuff. They're really cool people and we really wish them well.

Is there anyone you'd love to meet who you haven't already?

Howie: I guess we'd all really like to meet Michael Jackson. I really respect him as an artist, his creativity and all that.

AJ: I'd love to meet Madonna and we've actually got a show coming up in New York with her, so hopefully we'll get to hang out a little! That'd be cool!

So you lot have pretty much conquered the whole world now - what's next?!

Kevin: You know, we've done pretty well, better than we could ever have imagined, but it still doesn't feel like everything. I want us to be a household name and when people hear the name Backstreet Boys they'll know it's AJ, Howie, Nick, Brian and Kevin. I want us to go on touring and to hopefully have many, many platinum albums to look back on, and hey, we still haven't had a Number One single in England yet - now that's a real goal....