THE BACKSTREET BOYS are back in the studio recording their new "Larger Than Life" video after finishing their huge European tour! Read on for the scoop on their new video and how they deal with success.
Entertainment Tonight: You guys are sitting here -- the largest band in the country. How does it feel? Did you ever think you would get this big?
Kevin Richardson: Nope.
Howie Dorough: It's larger than life.
Kevin: We dreamed about having some success and selling a couple of records but this is pretty much beyond anything we could imagine. We're excited -- it's pretty crazy.
Kevin Richardson gets serious about the downside to fame.
ET: What does the song "Larger Than Life" mean to you guys?
Howie: It's actually a thank-you song to the fans. It's something we want to give back to them. Like you said, us being very fortunate -- we're very successful with the new album and everything -- with our whole career. It's almost like telling them it's because of them. They're larger than life to us because they make us who we are. They give us all this. They give us the opportunity to do what we love and to make a living out of it. It gives us a chance to travel the world and meet so many people and spread happiness to everybody. For that, they're larger than life for us.
ET: You guys mention in the song that sometimes when you're down, your fans bring you up?
Kevin: It's just a reference to performances -- going out on stage, the rush you feel. It's pretty incredible hearing a crowd of 19 to 20 thousand people just going crazy and smiling and dancing -- having a great time. If that can't lift your spirits, I don't now what can. That's basically what that's about.
Howie Dorough explains why Backstreet fans are "Larger Than Life."
ET: Is there any example in your day-to-day life where you meet a fan and it actually lifts you up? Has that ever happened to you?
Howie: Oh, totally! Everyday, just about. We can't walk away not feeling that somebody has touched our lives or we've touched their lives. I mean, a lot of times we have sick patients that come to our shows. We'll do a little meet and greet with them.
Kevin: Make a Wish?
Howie: For the Make A Wish Foundation, and we've set up some of our own charity events. It's so good to listen to the parents saying, "You know, my daughter was so sick. But listening to your music in the hospital all of the sudden brought her spirits up and got her out of her sickness." There are so many examples that we could give to you that people tell us how we affected their lives. Those kind of things like that -- they really touch you in your heart. At the end of the day, no matter what could have gone wrong, no matter how the day was -- that kind of feeling makes you feel that it's all worth it and you are ready to go on and do more of it.
They're number one! Hear their thoughts on topping the charts!
ET: You guys are constantly in the spotlight -- everybody watches your every move. Do you regret that part of it?
Kevin: You know, I don't think you regret it. I think sometimes you get a little frustrated and wish you could hide sometimes. But, at the same time, you sit back when you're feeling selfish like that and realize it's part of the business, it's part of what we do, and you just have to adjust.
ET: Now, this video you are shooting today -- what kind of a look are we going to see?
Nick Carter: What are we going for, guys?
Howie: You tell them, Nick.
Kevin: You tell them, Nick.
Nick: Well for this video we wanted to do a little something different. We wanted to come off new and hip. The look we were basically going for is futuristic -- I don't want to give too much away because we want people to watch it. Check it out. Just something that we would be able to set another trend like "Backstreet's Back" but on a whole different level. I'd probably have to say that this one, of course, is another one of those fun videos for us becauseof the fact that we came up with the concept -- the same as "Backstreet's Back." It'll be interesting to see how it turns out. You never know what our crazy minds can come up with.
How has all this fame effected the Backstreet Boys?
ET: Can you guys give us one little hint about what we're gonna see in this video?
Kevin: It has a lot to do with space travel. We'll leave it at that.
ET: Now, your last single was a ballad. This one is a little more up-tempo. How does that affect your fan base?
Kevin: I think it helps. I think it's great.
Howie: Definitely. The combination of the two. You should have at least some variations in your music -- whether they like ballads or are more into up-tempo stuff. Whether they like to dance or just be romantic. I think you have to be very versatile in this business to have a long-term career. That's why it's very important with choosing singles and timing so you constantly go on this pathway here. That's why we picked this single to be the next single. It's quite different from "I Want It That Way." It has even a little bit of a rock feel to it. It's kind of different for us.
ET: "Millennium" broke the all-time weekly sales record for an album, knocking off GARTH BROOKS. What is your reaction to that?
Nick: I mentioned to the guys right before we released the album. I said, "Wouldn't it be really cool if we broke Garth Brook's record?" They were like, "Yeah, right Nick, whatever." (laughs) They totally blew me off! It's just a dream come true. We're very fortunate and very happy for everything and all the fans being there on that first week. It's just one of those things. It's good to be in history -- I guess you would say -- a little bit.
Howie: It's very flattering. Garth Brooks -- we all respect him and his music. It's good to be up in that same company.
ET: What do you guys attribute all this success to? We know you have a huge fan base -- why do you think you have such a huge number of fans?
Howie: Hopefully it's because of the music. We're constantly striving to put out good music for all ages, for all races. We're just trying to be true and honest with our talents -- we're not trying to be something that we're not. Hopefully the fans and the audience can see that and that's why they go out and buy the records.
ET: Obviously you guys are living a "Larger Than Life" lifestyle right now -- your private planes, your first class hotels, your first class everything. Is that kind of tough to adjust to? What's it like?
Kevin: The glitz and glamour everybody thinks it is? If you want to do that, if you want to live that lifestyle, if you want to blow your money like that you can.
Nick: We try to keep a low profile and keep our feet on the ground. I think that's personally what we like to do. If you don't have to stay in a hotel that's extravagant, you don't need to. It's all about, personally, how you want to live your life.
Kevin: Just taking it day by day and trying to stay in touch with our family and friends -- be true to ourselves.
Nick: Trying to stay in touch with reality too. Don't lose grip of reality -- where you came from. Because when you lose that, it all goes.
Howie: And so does the money. (They all laugh)
ET: It's got to be tough. You just got back from a huge European tour and you're here in Orlando shooting a video for a few days and then you're off to Los Angeles. What do you think helps keep you grounded? Is it your family, your friends?
Kevin: We keep each other in check pretty much. If anybody gets arrogant in the group, we're all on their back. There's an interesting quote I heard on TV. They were doing a special on the DALI LAMA. They were asking him a question about how he felt when he cries and drops to his knees. He said, "With praise, there is danger of becoming arrogant." That is kind of scary because we are getting a great response and do get a lot of praise from our fans and stuff. But it's good to have your family and friends who have been with you from the beginning, who keep you grounded and keep your head on your shoulders.
Nick: The one thing you have to do is you have to mentally realize that you are no different than any other human being on this planet. I think we all realize that. We only do something that we love to do and have been very blessed and fortunate. We make sure we don't take every day for granted.
ET: Travelling, working hard, constant tours -- is it hard on your dating life? Is it tough to get a "significant other" when you're in this kind of limelight?
Kevin: Yes. You need somebody who is patient and understanding -- it's not easy. It's kind of hard, but it's fun to travel around the world. You meet so many interesting people and just when you start to get to know somebody you're jetting off somewhere else, so it's kind of frustrating. But it's fun too. It's like a catch-22.
ET: In that same vein, kids are growing up aspiring to be you guys. Is it all that it's cracked up to be?
Howie: It's very flattering to see people looking up to be like us. I think we're just five normal guys. We're just very fortunate that we were blessed with the talent to do what we do. But every career has its ups and downs. I think we've come to realize that the music business is a lot more than what we thought it was when we first got involved. Personally, I thought that going out and being a celebrity like MICHAEL JACKSON or PRINCE involved going to a concert, hanging out afterwards, maybe go to a party or two, then sleep and wake up and do the next thing. We noticed that there's a lot more to the business than just that. Everything from recording a whole album -- it's a lengthy process -- to doing videos, media. It's a whole package. To try to be a successful group -- it takes a lot. But, it's well worth it though. I think we're very blessed, and at the end of the day, there's always the ups and down of it all. But we're very fortunate that we're doing something we love -- we're able to make a nice living out of it.
Kevin: It's a lot of fun. ET: Being as successful as you guys are, tabloids are likely to start passing rumors. There was recently a rumor that you guys were breaking up. What's your reaction to these kind of rumors?
Kevin: That rumor is there every day.
Nick: If that question isn't asked, I think something's wrong. (They laugh) No, we're not breaking up, and I guess we'll clear that up again.
Kevin: These rumors you just have to laugh at. You have to laugh and shrug it off. They're going to write whatever they want to write, no matter what.
