50 FANTASMIC FACTS 'BOUT THE BACKSTREET BOYS!
L&K bring you all the weird, wonderful and wacky Backstreet Boys bumf you could ever wish for!

1. The boys took their name from a famous market in Florida called the Backstreet Market.

2. AJ hates Easter 'cause when he was a nipper his mom used to make him dress up as a bunny and hand out eggs. Oh the shame of it!

3. Nick used to shake his pompoms when he was a cheerleader in dodgy troupe The Swashbucklers. It's a bit odd to be a boy cheerleader, but our Nick don't give a fig!

4. Kevin's so shy he had to be persuaded for two whole hours to take off his T-shirt for the All I Have To Give vid. Bless!

5. Oops! AJ's first attempt at snogging was with the girlie next door. She returned his efforts with a slap round the face! That'll teach ya for being so cheeky!

6. In 1996 the Backstreet Boys beat the Spice Girls, Oasis and Boyzone in winning the Select Awards at the European MTV Awards!

7. We hear Brian is a proper Mr Messy and never cleans up behind him, while Howie is extremely tidy and neat. Best clean up your act, eh Bri?!

8. Nick is a birrova prankster and reckons the worst trick he played as when he gave the band's manageress some chewing gum that tasted of fish - bleurgh!

9. Before he hit the big time in pops-ville, Kevin used to work at Disney MGM Studios in Florida, America, pretending to be Aladdin.

10. Nick's a blimmin' top drummer, probably because he's been playing since he was 14.

11. Nick was bullied at school! Apparently the meanies thought he was a girlie - that was before he grew into a big strapping lad!

12. In their spare time Nick loves to draw comic book-type pictures, AJ's into shimmying down the disco, Brian likes to go to church on a Sunday and AJ and Howie can't stop nattering on the phone to their chums!

13. Howie always does a few squillion press-ups before he goes to bed.

14. Nick is a licensed scuba diver and his fave place for taking a dip with the ickle fishes (and sharks!) is in Mexico.

15. Oops! At the mo the fellas are banned from three different hotels in Europe 'cause their fans created so much havoc when the boys last stayed there.

16. One of AJ's first roles at school was in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. He played Dopey! Doh!

17. Kevin's not very cool 'n' celeby nicknames are, erm, Boo and Pumpkin. How cute!

18. At home Brian likes to go to the land of nod on his humungous water bed which he got for a snip at $50!

19. AJ has an enormous collection of hats! "I like all different types and styles!" he announces proudly.

20. Nick's pa had to build a massive fence around the family abode 'cause barmy fans were nicking clumps of grass and flowers as souvenirs!

21. AJ used to be a puppeteer on the Nickleodeon progey called Welcome Freshmen. He can't throw his voice though!

22. Howie is half-Spanish and half-Puerto Rican, though he only actually learnt to speak Spanish while at High School.

23. Brian reckons his most annoying personal habit is: "Biting my nails. I can't stop and they always look awful!"

24. Kevin's fave film is Top Gun (tacky US air force drama from the '80s)*authors note: I was extremely offended by that tacky US airforce drama thing, Top Gun happens to be an EXCELLENT movie!* which starred Tom Cruise from Mission:Impossible.

25. AJ is a birrova laydeez man, as he admits himself: "If yuo want the biggest flirt, then choose me!"

26. All the BSBs are slam-dunkin' fab at their fave sports basketball, but Bri's brilliant. In fact, if it wasn't for his poor heart, he could have turned professional!

27. Kevin is well liked by the staff of his local grocery store 'cause he's always nipping in to stock up on yummy peanut butter. "I'll eat anything with peanut butter," he says.

28. If you happen to bump into AJ and notice a beautiful pong wafting from under his collar, it'll be his favourite cologne, CK One.

29. Howie was once something of a actor-type before popdom beckoned and even appeared in a couple of filmes - Parenthood and Cop And A Half. A man of many talents!

30. Nick's dream date would be to go "for a barefoot stroll along the beach." Aw, bless!

31. Brian is completely mad about a Yankie singer called Luther Vandross. "I saw him play live in Orlando, Florida and it was just unbelievable - he just blew me away!" he parps.

32. AJ's been meaning to take his driving test for yonks but 'cause the BSBs have become so successful it's meant he's never had the time! (Website Owner's note: He's since passed his test, I think.)

33. Kevin's motto is, "Follow your dreams!" He firmly believes that if you want something bad enough and dream about it constantly then you must try and make it happen. Cool!

34. When Howie was v. small, he used to scoot around the house singing Michael Jackson songs - especially when he was on the toilet! Hmmm, nice!

35. No wonder Kevin's such a slinky mover and groover, he's a qualified ballroom dance instructor!

36. AJ has the hots for US singer Gwen Stefani from No Doubt and once advised her to forget about her current boyfriend 'cause, "I love her more!"

37. Kevin's such a caring family-loving type of fella that he takes a whole stack of family snaps with him when the band go on tour. Aw..

38. Poor AJ sprained his ankle when he got crushed by hordes of screaming fans at a music bash in Montreal, Canada. He later auctioned off his plaster cast for a charity - but that smelt nice!

39. The place you're most likely to spot the BSBs in McDonald's! Apparently, they love to chomp down those burgers and fries in abundance.

40. We hear AJ is a keen wordsmith and likes to write poetry in his spare time.

41. Howie and his older sis Pollyanna has been known to double-date together with their respective partners!

42. AJ & Howie turned up at the same time for the BSBs audition back in '92 and became immediate mates!

43. Nick's favourite time of the year is Hallowe'en. Spooky!

44. Howie likes to adopt a 'cunning' disguise when he goes out so he doesn't get recognised all the time. He wears a, erm, baseball cap!

45. Kevin is a birrova Doctor Dolittle, and loves chatting to his pet black cat called Quincy.

46. As for Brian? He has an ickle kitty called Missy - what a softy!

47. AJ has a plan to go back to college at some point in the future. He wants to take a v. swottish degree, but he's not sure which subject he'll choose yet!

48. Nick's a big fan of Michael Jackson and those loutish rocksters Nirvana.

49. The first song Kevin wrote was called As Time Goes By which he says "was awful!" The muso maestro was also in a band called Paradise before joining the BSBs.

50. When the band are on the road, Howie spends all his dosh on gifts galore for his family which means there's not much room left in the plush tour bus for the other members of the band. Doh!