Being part of a world-famous music group means being center stage 24/7. So you can imagine the hard work one must endure in order to stay motivated, dedicated and in shape for all those singing sessions, photo shoots and choreographed dance routines-not to mention a little fun with frenzied fans! That’s why when BOP caught up with Backstreet Boys Nick Carter, Brian Littrell, Kevin Richardson, Howie Dorough and Aj McLean, we asked them to explain how they maintain their energy and concentration in such demanding-albeit delightful day to day duties.
According to ultra-cool, calm and collected Kevin, if it weren’t for all the exercise the Florida-based five do, none of them would have the energy to even walk on stage, let alone sing « We just try to stay in good shape » the 26 years old singer says. « We normally try to hit the gym..the cardio always helps with our vocals on stage while we’re dancing. »
But what happens when the Backstreet Boys are in the middle of a tour (like this summer, for instance) and there’s not a gym in sight? « When we’re out on the road and we can’t make it in to the gym, » Kevin says, « the stage keeps us in pretty good shape. » If you’ve ever seen these dance machines strut their stuff in a live show or even in any of their music videos you know that Kevin isn’t kidding. It takes some special and super in-shape singers to move through a string of get-up-and-groove tunes like « Everybody Backstreet Back »!
Not only do the Boys like to boost their heart rates in the gym and on the stage, but give ‘em a hoop and they’ll show you what they’re make of on the court, too. « We’ll try to rent out a basketball court somewhere to go play, so you can just kind of get your frustrations out, » 23 years old Brian tells BOP. « It’s something active besides singing and dancing. »
With all this vigorous exercise, injuries are prone to happen. But these guys are never worried about having to sit out on a performance « One of our security guards is a certified masseuse, » Kevin explains « So in case we get a pulled muscle or something’s out of whack, he’ll give us a good hook-up before the show. » Nothing like a traveling masseuse to take along on those long, arduous trips! Maybe that’s why these sweetles seem so relaxed all the time!
Aside from keeping in line with good exercise habits, the food these five fuel up on is carefully counted by each Backstreet Boy – okay, well, almost all of them! « I’m a very simple person when it comes to food, » 20 years old Aj tells us. « But I can put aways a lot of food. I eat. »
Not that eating a lot is bad for a Backstreet Boy. These five guys need all the energy they can get-and they’re sure to burn it-so if their metabolisms require a tad more food, so be it. It’s just that the types of food the boys consume make the difference between fueling them up and weighting them down. After all, you are what you eat!
« I definitely want to be a little more conscious of what I eat because I eat way too much McDonalds, » animated Aj confesses again. « I guess that when you eat the wrong things, you run down quicker, I want to be on a stricter diet, eat a lot healthier, drink a lot of water-keep my stamina up, basically. » Aj’s got the right idea, he just needs to do it!
Working out and eating right aren’t the only ways the Backstreet Boys stay fit. While those things will certainly keep them physically healthy, they also work hard on staying mentally healthy so that they maintain a clear outlook on life and never lose sight of their goals, which means never letting their loyal fans down.
For huggable Howie, whenever he feels himself becoming overwhelmed by all the hype and attention surrounding the group’s success, he puts everything back in perspective by recalling some words of wisdom given to him from a show-biz pro from long ago. « I got a piece of advice from one of the guys from the Temptations-the last remaining member of the group at one of their shows, » 25 years old Howie recounts. « He said, ‘Remember this whole thing, it’s called how business’ He said, ‘You’ve always got to make sure you’re watching your business, because while you’re doing your show, somebody else can be taking off with your business. »
Since then, Howie and the other guys in the group have been able to separate the show from the business and focus on their true intentions of being in a group in the first place : their undentable love of music! Despite how easy the music biz seems to people on the outside, « It want to be knowledgeable enough to know what’s going on. »
With all this physical and mental stimulation, there’s still no 100 percert guarantee that it’s going to work. You can feel totally ready to dace and sing for hours on end and be mentally prepared to handle all the ups and downs of fame and stille not feel up to par. Nick’s felt it. « Sometimes you don’t feel like performing, especially after you go on 50 shows, » the 18 years old blondie admits to BOP. « You’re like, I have to get through this. How am I going to do it? You just have to get up there and do it. » So just how does cutie-pie Nick do it? He simply understands that he can’t be perfect or feel perfect every night. « Sometimes you’re not going to have a good night, » Nick says. « and that is another thing that people don’t realize. It’s hard to be what everybody expects of you. Everybody expects you to walk around and smile all the time, but it’s hard. »
As hard as it is, these guys admit that they always have a good time no matter what obstacles they must overcome and that includes Aj, even if he does have a Quarter Pounder with cheese sitting heavy in his stomack!. « It’s very rewarding to think you’re actually affecting lives, » sweet-hearted Brian gushes. « I mean, people who can’t even speak English are singing our songs and even the American audiences-we’ve had a lot of loyal fans who have stuck with us a long, long time. »
For them and for you, the Backstreet Boys promise to keep their heads on straight and their bods in line. After all, if it wasn’t for you, they wouldn’t be where they are today. So, Thanks!
