What You Don't Know About the BACKSTREET BOYS - BB Apr 00
You may think you're a Backstreet Boys brainiac, but you still don't know all the ultra-personal details about the Millennium megababes' lives. So, read on! When you stare at Nick Carter, Kevin Richardson, A.J. McLean, Howie Dorough and Brian Littrell up onstage singing their terrif tunes like "Larger Than Life" from their 1999 CD, Millennium, you know one thing: You are in looove. So, we here at BB bustle about to keep you posted on what these ballad-beltin' Boys are like in person. That is why we went rummaging through our top-secret vaults and discovered some delectable details about these darlings that we're ready to dish. Check it out!
Nick's adventurous side
Skydiving, bungee jumping, hang-gliding...it takes a certain type of person to get into these heart-racing hobbies. Not everyone has the kind of free spirit that is constantly seeking adventure. But Nick does! The 20-year-old tunester, who was born in Jamestown, New York, tells BB, "I am a very adventurous person." As a hobby, this blue-eyed, blond-haired babeola likes to picture the wildest things he could possibly do, and make them come true. One of the dreams this Tampa, Florida resident has, for example, is to live on a tropical island, because he is fascinated with the endless wonders of the sea. "There is so much to the ocean that people don't know. All the creatures that live out there. I would love to live in Tahiti or Hawaii," he confides. This curious cutie's adventurous side may also inspire him to someday take up permanent residence Down Under. "I've also thought about Australia," Nick shares. "It's beautiful and there's peacfulness and adventure."
Howie's heart of gold
There are also some gold nuggets about Howie that only those who are super-close to him get to see. Although the majority of this 26-year-old's fans know tons of stuff about him--like that his middle name is Dwaine; that he was born on August 22, 1973 in Orlando, Florida; that he is 5 feet 6 inches tall; and that he has brown hair and sexy, Spanish brown eyes--most peeps don't know the size of this huggable honey's heart. "People are always saying I have a big heart," Howie shares. "I care a lot about people and I always like to see people happy. [Sometimes] that means me not being exactly happy, trying to make [other people] happy. But I don't mind the sacrifices." Awww!
Brian's larger-than-life lessons
1999 went a lot smoother for B-Rok than 1998, which was a very difficult year for him. As you may know, he had to have heart surgery to correct a prob he'd had since he was a kiddie. And, let's face it, having heart surgery is serious. But, thank goodness, Brian's surgery was a success. And now that the painful procedure is in the past, Brian has more than a scar on his chest to remind him of the experience. This Lexington, Kentucky-born balladeer has a great life lesson that will be with him 'til the end of time. Brian knows that life is precious. That is why this 25-year-old is totally focused and won't waste any time doing majorly dumb things this millennium. "I look at my life with a different perspective now," the healthy boy beams. Brian plans to have a great, long, fulfilling life--one that is full of love. "I would like to be married and have a family of my own," the blue-eyed dreamer declares.
A.J.'s workaholic ways
A.J. is a normal 22-year-old in many ways--he is totally into partying and having a good time with his close buds. But there is another side of this dancing, West Palm Beach, Florida-born darling. A.J. is a total workaholic! This babe, whose brown eyes sparkle onstage, gets all misty-eyed when he is away from his fans and his music. "I hate time off," A.J. declares. "It bothers me because I love going out there [onstage]."
One specific instance when A.J.'s workaholic side shone through was when the Backstreet Boys were about to embark on their European tour. At the time, A.J. told BB he was looking forward to being on tour, but was dreading the breaks they would get between performances. "I'm going to go crazy. I'll be climbing the walls," he confessed.
Kevin's bully buds
Most peops have oddball experiences in school, but Lexington, Kentucky-born Kevin endured a really weird kind of taunting during his school days. "I used to get teased a lot by my buddies on the football team," green-eyed Kev, 28, shares. Although this super-tall tunester (he is 6 feet 1 inch) was really athletic--he even dreamed of becoming a professional football player at one point--his classmates would pick on him for his babely looks, and because he wouldn't act all macho like the rest of them. In fact, Kevin was so artistic back in those days that his fave school subjects were chorus and drama. This, as you can imagine, also made him a target for major teasing. "They'd call me pretty boy. They were my friends and they were just joking around, but they would call me that," Kev remembers. "I guess because I liked plays and stuff in school."
So remember, Boppers, when someone teases you, just brush it off and keep following your heart. No matter what, you are already larger than life!