Kevin Richardson talked to Allison Lover about life as the big brother in Backstreet Boys...
Do you see yourself as the big brother of the group?
I suppose it´s pretty true, really. I don´t intentionally try to be like that,
it just happens, and yeah, I suppose sometimes I can get a little bossy!
So do you look out for the others and give them advice and stuff?
Oh defiantly, especially the younger ones - I´ve already been where they´re at.
But a lot of the time it´s just like when my big brothers used to give
me advice - I´d totally ignore it! And they do the same thing to
me, then later they come round and say, "Hey, you were right
all along!"
Being the older one, does the work side of things put pressure on you?
I do sort of feel responsible for the band. I think Howie does too, though,
and sometimes if things go wrong people look at me and ask how I could let
it happened. I find that quite intense.
Do you ever find yourself craving older company?
When we´re on the road sometimes I hang out with the guys, and sometimes I
hang out with the (backing) ban who are all in their late 20s and 30s.
They´re all experienced musicians from all over America, and they´ve got
so many amazing stories to tell and a different type of conversation.
I just love any good company.
Do you think people take Backstreet Boys seriously as musicians now?
At firs everyone had their set opinions of us, but they´re starting to take
us more seriously now. You´ve got to prove yourself, but this is a brilliant
stepping stone.
Do your fans tend to be older than the other?
Yeah, I guess they´re a little more mature, I even get fanmail and photos from
women in their 30s and 40s! Some come backstage after the concerts, but some say
they love the music but can´t face all the insanity at shows.
Do you ever feel restricted having to keep up a certain band image?
When I choose to go out and have a good time then I´ll do it as long as
it´s in a responsible way. The only thing we have to worry about is the
paparazzi. It´s like, me, AJ and Howie went to a club in Europe a while
back and these photographers kept hounding us, so our security said they could
take a picture and then leave. But they weren´t happy with that so they ended
up printing a story in the paper the next day about AJ getting into a fight,
which was completely fabricated. I guess people just love to gossip.
You come across as being quite serious-is that the real you or is it just part of your
image?
When it comes to business and the music then I´m
Now that you´re so successful, are you fully in control of your money situation?
Absolutely. As I think Nick told you, the five of us own company. The whole tour is
ours - we´re five equal shareholders in it run it totally on our with the help of our
business manager, Lou Pearlman. I think nowadays you´ve got to be businessmen as well
asmusicans. When we´re planning a tour we talk over our idea with the production manager,
then go over the budget, what we want to spend, what sort of image we want, and decide what
we can do to make a really good show while making a little money at the same time. But our
main concern is that we always want the show to be getting bigger and better.
As you´re getting older, are you finding all your friends back home are settling down
now?
Yeah, one of my best friends got married two years ago and another got married this year, and
I´ve got a godchild now, Madison, who´s two. I love kids and she´s just great-every time I go
home I send as much time as possible with her. I take videos home and she´s got voicemail so
I leave her all these messages. But it made me real sad because for a while I went back, it´d
take her a visit or two to warm up to me, but last time I went back for her birthday she was all
over me, it was wonderful!
Do you enjoy being a single guy or do feel you´re ready for some serious commitment
now?
Definitely, I´m really looking for a serious relationship at the moment - I really need it right
now. I need someone to be there for me, I need the companionship, but I guess we´ll just
have to wait and see...
It look like loads of fun, but how would you describe life as a Backstreet Boy to an
outsider?
It´s lot of work, a lot of fun, very demanding, but I get a lot satisfaction out of what I do.
It´s intense, it´s crazy sometimes, but it´s definitely exciting. We´ve got so much great stuff
planned ahead, starting with our Backstreet´s Back video - we came up with the concept for
that ourselves - and it´s only doing to get better...
Only thanx to
this Kevvy site exists