A Backstreet Boys Celebration!

(Tiger Beat, February 1998)


Thanks Ofra for this pic

ON THE EYE OF THEIR BIGGEST AMERICAN CONCERT TOUR EVER, BACKSTREET BOYS ARE HAPPY TO BRING IT ON HOME.

After years of working and planning, Backstreet Boys capped their worldwide success by scoring a hit right where it counted most--right here the United States. So with both "Quit Playin' Games (With My Heart)" and "As Long As You Love Me" ridding hight on the U.S. record charts it was time for Backstreet Boys--aka Howie Dorough, Nick Carter, A.J. McLean, Brian Littrell and Kevin Richardson--to say thanks to all their fans with a free concert in New York City. It was also the perfect time to announce their biggest concert tour of the U.S. ever.

"I'd say this is a big dream come", says 19-years-old A.J. "We'd never really gotten a chance to bo here for the last year and a half. Now we're finally bringing it home".

The road to success at home has been long and winding one for Backstreet Boys. Overseas the enthusiasm for their blend of upbeat R&B-tinged pop has been so insatiable that the release of their debut album CD in the United States was deplayed many times. Much to the guys' relief, their selftitled debut in the U.S. finally hit record stores this summer. "We wanted to release the album a lot sooner but it just took off in Europe and everywhere else so we decided to go there first", explain Howie. "I'm kind of glad that it happened the way it did because we got a chance to hone our craft."

It's interresting to note that Backstreet Boys is not exact same CD that was released in Europe almost two years ago. (The American album) "is extremly special because it has five of our single that was released in Europe already, which are greats songs, plus we have some really great new songs added", explains Kevin. "So it's like the best of what we've been doing for the past two years. It's a mix of nice easygoing midtempo songs plus some slamming dance songs and some really pretty balads".


A.J. thinks that the American release benefits from the versatility of its songs, some of which were recorded more than two years ago, others which demonstrate the musical growth of Backstreet Boys. "It goes from one song that is a ballad, to one which a dance song to one that is a mid-tempo R&B-type song", says A.J. "We cover the ground of every age group of every race. We want everyone to love our music."

The gorgeous song "Quit Playin' Games (With My Heart)" certainly attracted a huge audience! It remained firmly entrenched at the top of the record charts and will always be remembered as one of the songs which defined the summer of '97 here in the U.S. Nick, for one, admits that it's also one of his favorite Backstreet Boys songs. "It's the only song that I personaly haven't gotten that sick of yet", says the veteran of two years of performing the same material on the road.

Now the stage is set for Bacsktreet Boys come to your town with their biggest American concert tour ever. All the guys are psyched because success at home has always meant a lot to them. "The whole thing is like a dream come true. I'm just happy to have a job that I love to do. I love to sing. When I was little I grew up dreaming about singing in front of thousands of people and I'm getting to do it", says Kevin. "And tha fact that we're coming home to the United States where all my friends and family can see what is really going on has got me very excited".

Back in the old days, when Backstreet Boys were superstars in foreign lands but virtually unknown in their native country, the guys enjoyed coming home to Orlando, Florida where they could go to the movies or to a dance club without attracting any special attention. Are they ready to give up their privacy and submit to mob scenes everywhere they go? "We're ready!" exclaims Nick. "Tell everone out there to come and mob us! We"re excited, because we feel ready, we're ready to show everyone out there what we've got."

The experiences they're encountered in other countries has taught the members of Backstreet Boys how to get their purely positive message out to their die-hard fans, "We want to be perceived as five guys who love to sing, love to perform, who love to sahre the gifts of music that we have with the whole world", says Brian. "We finally have an opportunity to focus on the U.S. because it's very personal to us. I'm very excited and happy, but yet, I'm very nervous because you never know what the future holds and we've worked so very hard all over the world, so to come back here... who knows?"

What we do know for sure is that after their American tour comes to its conclusion this Winter, the guys won't be going away. They're determined to stay a part of the vibrant entertainement scene in the United States for many years to come. And, they don't limit their goals to just the record charts. "We've talked about this a few time, that maybe in the future it would be cool if we made a movie about ourselves", says Nick. "That would be cool."

But for now, Backstreet Boys are working hard at bringing their own magical brew to appreciative audiences. While the constant touring is really hard work, every one of the guys will tell you that when the lights go up and the crowd goes crazy, it's all worth it. "I think we all hoped and dreamed about(success)", says Howie. "You can never expect it. It's blessing. We thank God every day for helping us".*

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