Backstreet Boys remain surprisingly levelheaded

By Jacqueline Cutler

© TVData Entertainment Features Syndicate

A.J. McLean of the Backstreet Boys

The Backstreet Boys have the sort of musical fame that hits every generation - before its girls are old enough for real boys. While the five Southern gentlemen (and yes, they really are) aren't boys anymore, considering they range in age from 19 to 27, they are the idols of the moment. And according to their fans, this love will last.

While cynics would point to the fleeting fame of Menudo or New Kids on the Block, before them came the Beatles, Elvis Presley and Frank Sinatra, whose teeny-bopper fans remained lifelong devotees. It's far too early to tell if the Boys will have such lasting power. For now, the Boys are having a blast and enjoying their fame. In Manhattan after a show, four of the Boys talked about their lives today. After the concert, Howie Dorough, 25, had big plans. It was around 10 p.m., and he was going to a party for Cameron Diaz. "It's my fantasy," he says, beaming. "How did you get invited?" asks A.J. McLean, 21. "I didn't."

Dorough says he has "connections. And (it's) the hat," he adds, pointing to McLean's faux leopard hat, which looks as if it once perched atop a Miami grandmother. McLean notes he bought the matching pants and shirt but hasn't found a place to wear the ensemble yet.

The Boys appear to get along easily with one another, which isn't surprising, as the group has been together for six years. McLean, Dorough and Nick Carter kept running into each other at auditions. All had been singing since they were kids. After forming a trio, they decided to add two more. Once Kevin Richardson came on board, he suggested including his cousin, Brian Littrell, and the Backstreet Boys were born.

Like all groups, in the beginning the Boys say they took whatever gigs they could - including Grad Night at SeaWorld.

Their first hit was 1995's "We've Got It Going On" in England. The following year, they topped the charts in Germany and Austria with "I'll Never Break Your Heart."

Their self-titled album was released in the spring of 1996, and they went on a 57-date, sold-out European tour. Their music and the mania surrounding the group soon spread to Asia and Australia.

To date, the group has sold more than 27 million records in 48 countries. Its third album, Millennium, was released in May. The frenzy continued as girls lined up in Manhattan five deep, shrieking to see their favorites.

"It's weird," McLean says. "I would give anything to be inside a fan's head for a day. We are just regular guys doing something that we love to do. This puts us on a pedestal. I talked to a fan one night and her 18-year-old sister. ... " his voice trails off. He doesn't have to continue. There are a few fans old enough to understand love beyond kissing the Boys' photos in a magazine.

When the Boys are alone, each tries to venture out and see whatever city they are touring. But Littrell, 24, says they are becoming so well-known that he can no longer do the little things he used to enjoy, such as shopping at the mall for tennis shoes and baggy jeans.

Richardson, at 27 the oldest of the Boys, concurs. "We hoped we'd have some success," he says. "It has all grown beyond our wildest dreams." "It is fun," Littrell adds. "You get to live a dream and really be anything you want. It's like being a superhero."

The adoration has to turn heads. But these guys, who look as if they should indeed be hanging out at the mall or asking if you want fries with that, don't seem fazed. They seem genuinely surprised by the screeching zaniness that has become a constant part of their lives and are making an effort to stay levelheaded.

"All of us despise cocky, arrogant behavior," Richardson says.

The best part, he adds, is "making people happy and making people forget their problems. That's what it's about. We are not trying to preach to people or save the world. We are trying to have fun."