The Teens Best Times Interview
Backstreet Boys
Teen Beat: How does it feel to be so successful on your home turf?
Kevin Richardson: Real nice.
Howie Dorough: It's different. The feeling is important to us. This is our home country and we've been waiting so long to come home, and we kind of took the backwards approach going around the world and then coming back here. But I think, looking back upon it all, it was a good decision. We wouldn't change anything because we got the chance to really hone our craft and got a chance to see the world. I think a lot of artists who become big over here, then go around the world, they go just briefly-in and out, just for the show. We got a chance to actually go into these countries and actually see the culture, visit some of the really small cities.
Teen Beat: How are American fans different?
Nick Carter: I think the one thing that's really cool about the American fans, besides the language, is that they pay attention to you. They study it. And in a way it's very cool, because you know they're paying attention to what you're sounding like. Over there, it's a little more crazy.
Kevin: At some of our shows, it seemed like we were in Germany. The crowds were going nuts. We were scared at last night's show in New York because people were getting hurt, crushed up against the barricades. In Europe, we do a lot of shows where there's general admissions and standing room only. If there's a wide open space and people are pushing the first row up against the barricades, it gets kind of scary. Our security did a great job.
Brian Littrell: Last night when we were doing the show, I was thinking I wasn't going to be nervous. We've done the show 50 million times-I know it like the back of my hand. Right before the curtain dropped, I was thinking this is New York City! And I mean, that's all you have to think about. Not only is this America, but this is New York City. I mean, how rough and tough can you get, or how American can you get? I clammed all up there for a second, and then I heard the music and I calmed down-we'll be all right. And it turned out really well. We got a great response and I was really exited.
Teen Beat: Have any family members who haven't seen you perform seen you this time around?
A.J. Mclean: Some of my cousins came to the show. And then back in Orlando�.
Kevin: we have family galore there.
Brian: I don't know if we sold out in Orlando or if we just gave all the tickets away!
Teen Beat: Where's your next stop?
A.J.: Sweden. We're going to start recording for the next album.
Teen Beat: Do you have the material picked out for the next album?
Nick: Basically. We just put out the second album over in Europe, and we're going to record some more songs, basically for the next album here.
A.J.: You can never have enough material for the future.
Kevin: We're also going to write with some of the producers we've worked with in the past. We don't have everything planned out yet.
Howie: Some of the songs are songs we didn't get the chance to finish for the last album.
Brian: Two of the main priorities are songs that weren't a priority then, but now they are. There were songs before that got done, and they were on the back burner, and now they're up to the plate and we've got to do those. We've cut background vocals, and now you have to go back and cut leads and put it all together.
Teen Beat: Did you mention the title of your second album overseas?
A.J: Backstreet's Back
Brian: Did you hear about our new video? It's dope. We did a mini-movie. It's like a 1990's modern day "Thriller." We're all different characters.
Nick: Kevin's Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.
Teen Beat: How did you come up with the idea?
Kevin: We were just talking about what we could do for a video. First we talked about being super hero characters and went, nah. Then we wanted to do monsters.
Teen Beat: Do you hang out together when you have free time?
Howie: When we have time in the road we hang out together. Sometimes we go home, we go with our families. But we always call each other.
Teen Beat: How are your friends at home handling your success?
Howie: They're exited about it.
Kevin: Teachers and stuff.
Howie: We had a bid autograph signing for Blockbuster. I had so many friends from high school and an ex-girlfriend showed up.
Teen Beat: Have you had a chance to buy anything nice for your families?
Howie: I put central heat and air [conditioning] in my family's house.
Kevin: I refinanced my mom's home for her.
Brian: I got my brother a car.
Kevin: This year is going to be a cool Christmas because we actually have time to shop. Last year we had three dates before Christmas. This time we have two weeks, so I'd like to plan something with my family.
Brian: Go on a skiing trip!
Nick: I was thinking of going up to New York, to visit my grandparents.
Kevin: I'd like to be in New York for Christmas.
Teen Beat: You're going to be in Canada for New Year's Eve.
Backstreet Boys: Yes!
Howie: One year we have to have it here in New York.
A.J: Central Park.
Teen Beat: Are there any new pop groups that you like?
Kevin: We know some of them. We worked with Boyzone over in Germany. We met 98 Degrees when we were doing a show out in Washington.
Howie: We know No Mercy-we like them. We've done shows with them over in Europe and that's where the friendship came from.
Teen Beat: What's the hardest part about all this success?
Nick: A lot of traveling!
A.J: You'd be in one city in the U.S., and you have to fly to Spain for on day. You don't get enough sleep.
Howie: You get jet lag a lot. Sometimes, when you finally catch up you take off again, so your body never gets balanced off.
Teen Beat: Is there anything printed about you that you wish people would stop printing?
Kevin: In Europe they said a couple of things. In Europe they're just inventing stuff.
Howie: [according to them] we all have kids.
Teen Beat: We've gotten a couple of letters asking if Brian is married.
Brian: Nope-not last time I checked.