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The Return of the Backstreet Boys

Smash Hits Apr 21

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Abstract from the Article - "Backstreet's Back!"

Howie: Lots of fun, lots of energy...

A.J: It's going to be BIG!

Nick: And it's gonna have a theme - something to do with the millennium, of course.

Kevin: It's going to be in the round, so people will be able to see us wherever they're sitting.

Brian: It's going to be massive!

Brian: Not yet, but a bit further down the road.

Nick: Actually, a couple of us have been married for fifteen years, but the press haven't found out yet.

Howie: Yeah, Nick was married when he was four.

Nick: And I've got four kids!

Kevin: (Pointing at A.J.) Gosh, I really don't know! (everyone starts pointing at A.J, while Nick hums Here comes the bride.)

A.J: (shocked) Y'all pointing at me? Ah hell!

Nick: No, I've got a girlfriend; we all see people.

Brian: Nah, First comes love, then comes marriage, then comes babies.

Kevin: Not if you're a Spice Girl! (all laugh)

Brian: We all have puppies, and that's enough for now. Having a puppy is good training for having kids. You have to feed them and clean them up after them - everything.

A.J: All mine do is pee and poo! They're real young, though - they were only born on Christmas Day.

Howie: I haven't got a dog or a girlfriend - I'm totally available!

21st Century Boys

Top of the Pops

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With a fantastic comeback album and a forthcoming tour, Backstreet Boys are right back on the Pop map where they belong. Minutes after they touched down in the UK Top of the pops magazine talked exclusively on Nick and co... are they the same guys we know and love or have they caught a spot of millennium madness?!

Millennium fear!

I really don't mind being watched a lot of the time. Being in a band, every time we step out of our houses we're in the public eye, but it sucks because everything we do is judged. That said, I wouldn't want cameras in my toilet, especially if I'd had too many beans. That would be an atrocious sight!

(Laughing.) We're far too focused on our schedule right now to be going off and discovering ourselves!

WOW! I'm very, very adventurous when it comes to trying new foods. I haven't tried any really crazy stuff like snake or monkey brains but I've had most of the things that are famous in each country, like sushi in Japan, fish and chips int he UK, stuff like that.

I think it's being hyped a lot but I've got to admit I am a little bit concerned. I'm going to read a few books about it nearer the time and do a little research before the big day. I don't think it'll be as bad as everyone says but I'm not planning on spending New Year's Eve on a plane!

A non-expensive way to generate drinking water from the ocean. There's plenty there! We don't understand how to use the Earth's natural resources properly. People should live with the environment instead of building all ove rit and tearing it down.

Millennium Trends

Tattoos are my thing really. I'm going to get a 69 on my stomach because it's my lucky number. It's not going to be obvious it's a 69 thought because I like it when people have to ask! After that, either angel wings on my back which will probably be about two weeks' work (ouch!) or the symbol for our album , Millennium.

Ever since I was a little boy, I've always wanted to have a little me running about somewhere! Those steps will happen in due time but they're a little way off yet. I'm gong to do it right though, I'm going to settle down with the right one and then get married and then have children. I won't be getting the horse before the carriage!

Man! If I could clone myself I'd get my clone to do the dull stuff like taking care of my luggage! I thought when you were famous you'd get someone else to do that kind of thing but unfortunately it's not true! I don't think I'd get a clone if I could. I really like the fact that every human is unique and that you could search the world and never find anyone else the same as you.

A.J: A pair of sunglasses, some silver jewelry, a picture of me with my girlfriend, a picture of me with my family, a picture of the group and maybe a piece of the first blanket I ever had.

Brian: Some photos, of course; just small stuff like a watch or little trinkets, maybe a gift a fan gave me; small things that have a lot of sentimental value.

Howie D: (exhales sharply.) That's, like the hardest question I've ever been asked! Erm, er, oh... I have this one backpack that I keep everything in. It's a bit of a cheat because it's got loads of things in it, but hey! I keep a CD player in there, a tape player, song ideas, a journal, books, jewelry, all kinds of stuff. That would probably give someone a pretty good idea of the kind of guy I am.

Kevin: Oh, i don't know (after a long think) I guess a letter or something.

Nick: A lock of my hair

I try not to get too involved in political stuff to that extent. People should learn from their mistakes cuz if you try to tell them what to do, they won't listen. It's like trying to teach a frog to say hello, you know what I'm saying? (Erm, no.)

Before the new millennium...

I'd love to quit smoking and i really want to do it before we go on this world tour. I've quit a couple of times and I'd definitely advise our fans not to smoke. I'm seeing people i kow dying from cancer and it really makes me sit back and think, it's truly not worth it.

I would love to work on my relationship skills, with my family especially. We're away so much, you kind of lose touch. Your family are the people who are there for you whatever so I'd like to rekindle those relationships.

I'm sure I've got tons of bills to take care of, I always do! I'm really lucky because my sister and mum take real good care of all my affairs when I'm away. If it was down to me on my own to get my bills paid I'd be in one whole lot of trouble!

I've been collecting old Nintendo games just recently. The first Nintendo's are much more fun than the newer ones. It's like the movies. You can only come up with so many good stories before they get all played out.

To the millennium and beyond!

I obsess too much about things, I don't let sleeping dogs lie. I bring up my girlfriend's past boyfriends the whole time, stuff that happened five years ago when I wasn't with her. I need to be less of a worrier basically.

Nick: we're all hoping to be home with our families. I'm going to be in Tampa, I don't care what people think but I'd rather be safe just in case. (of what?) The Millennium Bug. It's very logical. If you've studied about it and know what it is about you'll believe that it can happen. I'm not talking about planes falling out of the sky but computers crashing. Maybe other things too. But as long as I'm with people i love then things will be cool.

I'd love to, it's something I've considered from day one and I've already got the title! I'm going to call it Four to Six Feet because that's how tall the stage is and that's the difference between my life and your life. I think I'll start on it after this next album. I don't think that's too young because I've been through a lot of experiences and I'm beyond my years emotionally and mentally.

I actually need to paint my own bedroom. Since I bought my house my brother has been helping me fix it up a bit. Everything is pretty much done now but my room needs a tick of paint.

We've never played in Russia and we'd all love to play in Africa. I personally really want to play in my mum's homeland, Puerto Rico - playing there would be a dream come true for me.

Backstreet Boys.......like you've never seen them

August Issue - Twist

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It was hell trying to pin down the Backstreet Boys on the eve of the release of their smash new album and massive world tour--between commercial shoots, MTV specials, Saturday Night Live--these boys are busy! But how could they resist Twist? So, we met up with 'em in AJ's New York City hotel room and found our suspicions to be true: Take them away from the craziness and they're just, well, five nice, normal guys.

Kevin: 1998 was the most successful year of our lives. It looked like we were just having a great time, but there was a lot of internal strife going on. Brian my cousin, had heart surgery. Me and Brian lost our grandfather. We lost one of the producers we've been working with from the beginning to cancer. Howie lost his sister to lupus. We had a legal battles with our past management. We just went through a lot and I think we've learned and grown from that.

Brian: Sometimes, it's so easy to get caught up in our hectic schedules that you kind of lose sight of what life is about-until you look at open heart surgery or losing your grandfather. It's a big smack in the face, because we get a little self-centered sometimes. If you can't have your health and happiness, all the success in the world doesn't matter.

Howie: But at the same time, it's helped us to grow stranger as a group. We all have each other's backs, and I think sometimes you have to take a couple steps back before you can go forward.

Brian: I'm doin' fine--back to 100 percent. This month, I'm supposed to go back and get a checkup, because it's been over a year already. It was May 8th of last year. But I feel fine.

A.J.: It was weird, and definitely scary, 'cause you don't know what to expect--Rok, being so young and going through something like open heart surgery....that is something so scary. We had him in our prayers and just sat back and waited to hear how he was doing. As soon as he got out, he felt better. The doctor said everything went great. It worked out well, but it was definitely a scary experience--it also brought us closer together.

Nick: Brian and I are the tightest out of everybody in the group, because our personalities are so similar. He loves to do kid stuff, like me. He's a hilarious person, but also very kindhearted and mature. He loves sports, just like I love sports. I think of him as a big brother, because when I first got in the group, I was like 12 or 13 years old and I could really look up to him. He's been a very very good brother to me over the years.

A. J.: If he sees something going on, he'll always step in and not play sides and be like, "I hear what Brian's saying and I hear what AJ's saying," and just make sure everybody gets along well. But he also has his own style--he's just a little timid sometimes about trying new things. He was never one to have an earring or grow facial hair--now he's got a beard and two earrings. It just takes him a little while to adapt to different things. He's the kind of person who'll ask everybody in the group "What do you think about this shirt?" or "What do you think about this?"

Brian: AJ's probably the most interesting person in the group. He's very unique, and he really differs from the rest of us. He tends to act without thinking first, which is good and bad. He's an only child, so he's always been very independent. Obviously, he stands out a little, but he likes to be quiet as well.

A.J: I might wake up one morning' and say, "You know it's time for something new." I'm constantly wanting to change myself. that doesn't mean that I'm not comfortable with the way I am--it's just my hobby, you know? I don't do drugs. I don't drink. I gotta find something that's off the wall that makes me feel good. I'm a Capricorn. So, that's my thing--doin' my hair different colors, adding more tattoos, whatever.

A.J.: Kevin is definitely a perfectionist. He wants everything to be needlenosed, pinpoint perfect because he looks out for all of us-he's the big brother. Sometimes he can be kind of annoying when it comes to being so stern about things, but he just wants everything to run smoothly. He's the first person onstage to make sure that the band sounds right, that the stage is right. He's a perfectionist, but that's why he's good at what he does.

A.J.: We get along like brothers. We argue like brothers. We fight like brothers. You know, we live 24/7, 365 days a year together.

Nick: Sometimes a wrestling match gets out of control or something. Somebody might get slammed on the table or on the floor. Or go through a wall--nothing real serious. WWF style, you know?

Brian: We normally take it out on something else. I know I got mad at Kevin one time and I put my fist through the drywall. My hand was red, but at least I didn't hit the stud. But I did hurt the drywall some.

Howie: Actually, the song "Larger Than Life" on the new album is a really big song for us because it's a thank you to the fans for all they've done for us. They're there for us through our ups and downs. This is an anthem to them for that. To us, they are larger than life.

BsB Pop Quiz

By now, we all know just about everything there is to know about the BsB. But, we wondered, how much do they really know about each other?

Question | Brian's Answer | Right Answer

When's Nick's birthday? January 28 | January 28, 1980

Where was he born? Jamestown, NY | Jamestown, NY

What other celebrity was born in the same hospital? Lucille Ball | Lucille Ball

Name all four of his siblings. Aaron, Angel, B.J.. (Assistance from A. J. and his not-so-subtle clues) | Aaron, Angel, B.J., Leslie

Can you name the first two big commercials he did? Gosh, I don't know. | Florida Lottery and The Money Store

What professional sports team did he sort of used to work for? (He sang before games.) Tampa Bay Buccaneers | Tampa Bay Buccaneers

What's the capital of New York State? I forget. | Albany

What's His middle name? Gene | Gene

Can you name all five members of 'N Sync? Lance, Justin, J.C., Chris, and Joe | Lance, Justin, J.C., Chris, and Joe (or Joey)

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Question | Brian's Answer | Right Answer

Name AJ's siblings. He doesn't have any | He doesn't have any

What's his birthday? January 9 | January 9, 1978

Where was he born? West Palm Beach | West Palm Beach Florida.

What's the capital of Florida? Tallahassee | Tallahassee

What dwarf did he play in "Snow White"? Dopey? (With assistance from Nick) | Dopey

How many tattoos does he have? Let me see...10 (Pause for counting -- A.J. is wearing a tank top) | 10

What's his lucky number? He says it's 69. | 69

What kind of Expedition does he drive? (it's truck gray) Ford Expedition | Ford

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Question | Nick's Answer | Right Answer

What's Brian's birthday? January 22 (Brian is slightly offended at his best pal's answer, to which Nick responds: "I am so bad at numbers. I don't even know my parent's birthdays.") | February 20, 1975

What's Brian afraid of? Heights | Heights

What's his dog's name? Lil' Tyke | Lil' Tyke (he's a Chihuahua)

What's his shoe size? 10 1/2 | 10 1/2

Name the five original Spice Girls? Leaky Spice, Freaky Spice, Jody Spice, Jeffrey Spice | Scary, Sporty, Posh, Ginger, Baby

Does Brian have any siblings? He has an older brother Harold. | Harold Jr., his older brother

What college was Brian going to attend if he hadn't joined the Backstreet Boys? A Christian...some- thing Bible... | Cincinnati Bible College

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Question | AJ's Answer | Right Answer

What's Howie's birthday? August 22 | August 22, 1973

Where was he born? Orlando | Orlando, Florida

Do you know his siblings' name? Pollyanna, Johnny, and Angie | Pollyanna, Johnny and Angie (his sister Caroline died last year)

What two movies has he been in? Parenthood and.....My Girl? | Parenthood and Cop and a Half

What role did he play in "The Wizard of Oz" (in middle school)? One of the little Munchkin kid things | A Lollipop Guild Munchkin

What's the name of his condo-building company? Sweet D Inc. | Sweet D Inc.

What's his middle name? Dwaine | Dwaine

Can you name all six actors on Friends? Lisa Kudrow, Courteney Cox, that other girl from Picture Perfect | Lisa Kudrow, Courtney Cox, Jennifer Anniston, Matthew Perry, Matt LeBlanc, and David Schwimmer

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Question | Nick's answer | Right Answer

What Kevin's birthday? October 3, I think. (Brian is a bit upset here. After all, Nick didn't know his birthday.) | October 3, 1972

Name his two brothers? Jerald and, oh, yeah, Tim. (With hints from the peanut gallery) | Jerald Jr. and Tim

What kind of dancing he used to teach? Classical...and ballroom | Ballroom dancing

Where was he born? Lexington, Kentucky | Lexington, Kentucky

What's the name of the cover band he played in after high school? Oh,man! You're reachin'. What's the first letter? (For the record, we gave him the letter "P.") | Paradise

Name two character he used to play at Disney-MGM. Aladdin and a Ninja Turtle. | Aladdin, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle

What's his middle name? Uh...Scott | Scott

Can you name the four stars of Dawson's Creek? James Van Beek. That's all I know. And Britney Spears. (Nick has no idea, but he tells us that he was offered a spot on the show--and turned it down. ) | Katie Holmes, Michelle Williams, Josh Jackson, James Van Der Beek

"I Met The Backstreet Boys!"

- Lime Magazine

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Some quotes from the Magazine

"When we're on tour all over the US, every venue we went to, Howie would have relatives in every city." - Kevin

"Fame makes you grow up real quick. A lot of it has to do with the business side but traveling and seeing the world like we do, it puts years on you" - Brian

"We're not too big for ourselves. We're just five guys who enjoy doing something that God puts us on earth for!" - Brian

"He started telling me how tired he was 'cos he'd just bought two dogs (Rugrats he called them!) and how they kept him up all night! They even pee-d on his girlfriend!" - Lime

"Nick, aplogising like mad, it seems he got lost and begged me to let him finish his muffin." - Lime

"Howie almost fell off the armchair laughing!" - Lime