If you get a chance to meet the Backstreet Boys---a.k.a. Nick Carter, Howie Dorough, Brian Littrell, Kevin Richardson and A.J. McLean---don't ask them how they came together! Oh, sure they would tell you, but they admit that is the question they are asked most often. In a nutshell, it is the story of five guys with a common dream who were destined to come together.
Way back in the early 90's, A.J. McLean, Howie Dorough and Nick Carter were all striving for a career in the entertainment industry. Despite all their young ages, (They were only in High School at the time)each had had a fair amount of success as a singer, actor or both. A.J. had studied dance---everything from jazz to ballet---for years, and was an accomplished puppeteer who'd worked on a cable TV series. Howie first hit the theater stage as a grammer school-aged kid and had even appeared in the films Parenthood and Cop & A Half. Nick, meanwhile, was a featured vocalist for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers halftime show during the 1991 and 1992 seasons and had won the 1992 New Original Amateur Hour for his singing skills.
"Me and A.J. met up with each other in Orlando through a talent compitition in Orlando," remembers Howie. "We had a vocal coach that I used to work with who was, at the time, his vocal coach. He introduced the two of us." Being Orlando-based performers, it's no surprise that Howie and A.J. frequently saw each other at auditions for new Nickelodeon series which always use lots of younger performers. "We were always auditioning for Nickelodeon shows," recalls Howie. To pass the time waiting for their appointments, Howie and A.J. would sing a cappella. One time, 12 year old Nick, who was also auditioning for the same project, heard them and joined in.
Pretty soon it became apparent to the trio that their sound was pretty exciting. They decided to form a group and seek out someone who could help them. That person was Louis Perlman, a successful Florida businessman with a great love of music. "He was looking for talent so we went in and auditioned for him," says Howie. "He suggested we extend the group to five members."
Meanwhile, Kevin Richardson, a native of Lexington, Kentucky, had moved down to Orlando to pursue a dream of his own. Working days at Disney MGM Studios playing Aladdin for the tourists, Kevin spent his nights frequenting the hot music spots. Armed with his keyboards, he dreamed of becoming a singer/songwriter. Kevin heard about the soon-to-be Backstreet Boys search for two new members through the Orlando grapevine and auditioned for the budding group. "There were two other members who didn't work out and I replaced them," he reveals. "Then, we needed another member. Brian's my cousin, and I called him up and he came down to Florida...and he auditioned." Needless to say Brian, who'd been singing in church his entire life, was perfect. Naming the group after a popular market in Orlando-the Backstreet Market-Backstreet Boys were born.
But the story doesn't end there. Under Lou's guidance, the guys started working on their soon-to-be-amazing harmonies, choreographing dance moves (A.J. was particularly helpful in that respect), and began playing every venue--from school dances to state fairs--that would have them. Gradually, they began to build a good reputation and a following.
"We were in the group and then we got managment, then managment got us some shows, and then shows got us some recognition and we were able to get in to see some record labels," explains Kevin of the long climb toward success. Their persistance paid off when they caught the ear of the folks at Jive Records. "We were able to sing a cappella and we did some more shows and they came out and saw our show. That's how we got a record deal," remembers Kevin.
But of course, Backstreet Boys' story doesn't end here. The release of their first single, "We've Got It Goin' On," led to a hot 100 single in the U.S. but totally exploded in Canada and Western Europe! Soon girls in countries all over the world knew the names of the boys and could sing every word to their songs. Backstreet Boys (the album) racked up quadruple platinum sales in Canada, double platinum honours in Germany and much of Asia and the list goes on and on. They were even cited with prestigious Viewers Select Award, beating out world favorites Oasis, Spice Girls, Boyzone and Jamiroquai for the MTV Europe honour. That set the stage for their homecoming--the release of the long-awaited CD on their home turf on Augest 12, 1997!
So that brings you up to date on the Backstreet Boys--until the next chapter is ready to be written!
