Twist Magazine, With Article
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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 A.J.'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.
Rolling Stone called 1998 your "year in hell." Is that true?
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.
Speaking of Brian's heart surgery--yikes! How are you feeling?
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.
What was the experience like for the rest of the band?
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.
Brian's your best friend, isn't he Nick? Talk about that.
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.
We heard that you guys call Howie "the mediator." Why's that?
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
A.J.'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?"
How do you guys explain A.J.?
Brian: A.J.'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.
So, A.J.,how do you decide when to change your look?
A.J: I might wake up one mornin' 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.
So, what's Kevin like?
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.
Do you guys ever get into fights like you were brothers?
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.
Before we go, is there anything you'd like to say to your fans?
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.
OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoO
BACKSTREET POP QUIZ
OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoO
---------------------------------
HOW WELL DOES BRIAN KNOW NICK ???
---------------------------------
* When's Nick's birthday?
BRIAN'S ANSWER: January 28
RIGHT ANSWER: January 28, 1980
* Where was he born?
BRIANS ANSWER: Jamestown, NY
RIGHT ANSWER: Jamestown, NY
* What other celebrity was born in the same hospital?
BRIANS ANSWER: Lucille Ball
RIGHT ANSWER: Lucille Ball
* Name all four of his siblings.
BRIANS ANSWER: Aaron, Angel, BJ .. (Assistance from AJ & his
not-so-subtle clues)
RIGHT ANSWER: Aaron, Angel, BJ, Leslie
* Can you name the first two big commercials he did?
BRIANS ANSWER: Gosh, I don't know.
RIGHT ANSWER: Florida Lottery and The Money Store
* What professional sports team did he sort of used to work for?
(He sang before games.)
BRIANS ANSWER: Tampa Bay Buccaneers
RIGHT ANSWER: Tampa Bay Buccaneers
* What's the capital of New York State?
BRIANS ANSWER: I forget.
RIGHT ANSWER: Albany
* What's His middle name?
BRIANS ANSWER: Gene
RIGHT ANSWER: Gene
* Can you name all five members of 'N Sync?
BRIANS ANSWER: Lance, Justin, JC, Chris, and Joe
RIGHT ANSWER: Lance, Justin, JC, Chris, and Joe (Joey)
--------------------------------
HOW WELL DOES BRIAN KNOW AJ ????
--------------------------------
* Name AJ's siblings.
BRIAN'S ANSWER: He doesn't have any
RIGHT ANSWER: He doesn't have any
* What's his birthday?
BRIAN'S ANSWER: January 9
RIGHT ANSWER: January 9, 1978
* Where was he born?
BRIAN'S ANSWER: West Palm Beach
RIGHT ANSWER: West Palm Beach Flordia.
* What's the capital of Florida?
BRIAN'S ANSWER: Tallahassee
RIGHT ANSWER: Tallahassee
* What dwarf did he play in "Snow White"?
BRIAN'S ANSWER: Dopey? (With assistance from Nick)
RIGHT ANSWER: Dopey
* How many tattoos does he have?
BRIAN'S ANSWER: Let me see (Pause for counting - AJ' s wearing
a tank top) ...10
RIGHT ANSWER: 10
* What's his lucky number?
BRIAN'S ANSWER: He says it's 69.
RIGHT ANSWER: 69
* What kind of Expedition does he drive?
BRIAN'S ANSWER: Ford Expedition
RIGHT ANSWER: Ford
--------------------------------
HOW WELL DOES NICK KNOW BRIAN???
--------------------------------
* What's Brian's birthday?
NICK'S ANSWER: January 22
RIGHT ANSWER: February 20, 1975
(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.")
* What's Brian afraid of?
NICK'S ANSWER: Heights
RIGHT ANSWER: Heights
* What's his dog's name?
NICK'S ANSWER: Lil' Tyke
RIGHT ANSWER: Lil' Tyke (he's a Chihuahua)
* What's his shoe size?
NICK'S ANSWER: 10 1/2
RIGHT ANSWER: 10 1/2
* Name the five original Spice Girls?
NICK'S ANSWER: Leaky Spice, Freaky Spice Jody Spice, Jeffrey Spice
RIGHT ANSWER: Scary, Sporty, Posh, Ginger, Baby
* Does Brian have any siblings?
NICK'S ANSWER: He has an older brother Harold.
RIGHT ANSWER: Harold Jr.,His older brother
* What college was Brian going to attend if he hadn't joined the Backstreet Boys?
NICK'S ANSWER: Christian ... something Bible ...
RIGHT ANSWER: Cincinnati Bible College
------------------------------
HOW WELL DOES AJ KNOW HOWIE???
------------------------------
* What's Howie's birthday?
AJ'S ANSWER: August 22
RIGHT ANSWER: August 22, 1973
* Where was he born?
AJ'S ANSWER:Orlando
RIGHT ANSWER: Orlando, Florida
* Do you know his siblings' name?
AJ'S ANSWER: Pollyanna, Johnny, and Angie
RIGHT ANSWER: Pollyanna, Johnny and Angie (his sister Caroline died last year)
* What two movies has he been in?
AJ'S ANSWER: Parenthood and.....My Girl?
RIGHT ANSWER: Parenthood and Cop and a Half
* What role did he play in "The Wizard of Oz" (in middle school)?
AJ'S ANSWER: One of the little Munchkin kid things
RIGHT ANSWER: A Lollipop Guild Munchkin
* What's the name of his condo-building company?
AJ'S ANSWER: Sweet D Inc.
RIGHT ANSWER: Sweet D Inc.
* What's his middle name?
AJ'S ANSWER: Dwaine
RIGHT ANSWER: Dwaine
* Can you name all six actors on Friends?
AJ'S ANSWER: Lisa Kudrow, Courteney Cox, that other girl from Picture Perfect
RIGHT ANSWER: Lisa Kudrow, Courteney Cox, Jennifer Aniston,
Matthew Perry, Matt LeBlanc, and David Schwimmer
--------------------------------
HOW WELL DOES NICK KNOW KEVIN???
--------------------------------
* What Kevin's birthday?
NICK'S ANSWER: October 3, I think.
RIGHT ANSWER: October 3, 1972
(Brian is a bit upset here. After all, Nick didn't know his birthday.)
* Name his two brothers?
NICK'S ANSWER: Jerald and, oh, yeah, Tim. (With hints from the
peanut gallery)
RIGHT ANSWER: Jerald Jr. and Tim
* What kind of dancing he used to teach?
NICK'S ANSWER: Classical...and ballroom
RIGHT ANSWER: Ballroom dancing
* Where was he born?
NICK'S ANSWER: Lexington, Kentucky
RIGHT ANSWER: Lexington, Kentucky
* What's the name of the cover band he played in after high school?
NICK'S ANSWER: Oh,man! You're reachin'. What's the first letter?
RIGHT ANSWER: Paradise
* Name two character he used to play at Disney-MGM.
NICK'S ANSWER: Aladdin and a Ninja Turtle.
RIGHT ANSWER: Aladdin, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle
* What's his middle name?
NICK'S ANSWER: Uh...Scott
RIGHT ANSWER: Scott
* Can you name the four stars of Dawson's Creek?
NICK'S ANSWER: James Van Beek. That's all I know. And Britney Spears.
RIGHT ANSWER: Katie Holmes, Michelle Williams, Josh Jackson,
James Van Der Beek
(Nick has no idea, but he tells us that he was offered a spot on
the show--and turned it down.)
Email: backstreet5power@hotmail.com
