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 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 stronger as a group. We all have each other's backs, and I think sometimes you have to take a couple of 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 that experience like for the rest of the band?

A.J.: It was weird, and definitely scary, 'cause you don't know what to expect. B-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 of 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 in different colors, adding more tattoos, whatever.

So, what's Kevin like?

A.J.: Kevin is definitely a perfectionist. He wants everything to be needle-nosed, 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 a 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 put my fist through a 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.