As most of you know, Nick and Mandy broke up. Here's why: On August 18th everything was over. When the Backstreet Boys shot the video for "Larger Than Life" in the middle of August in Orlando, Nick had just broke up with his first long- time relationship Mandy.
In the "MTV Interview Special" that was broadcasted live from a studio in Florida, Nick seemed petrified- he didn't smile at all. Nobody besides the group could imagine, that he just made the most difficult decision of his life.
Also, eight weeks later, when the Backstreet Boys were in Las Vegas for two day and Nick talked for the first time about the break up with POPCORN, he seems to me more serious and mature. His eyes are dim.
"Yes, it was a damn hard and painful decision." Nick says. "We have been together for 2 years. But I had to put an end to it, otherwise I would have broke."
What was the reason for the break up? Was there a huge fight?
"No, it was a sneaking process." Nick explains with a toneless voice.
"Mandy got more and more possessive- in every respect. She drove a wedge between me and my family, wanted to have me for herself. That is why she insisted on me not moving to Los Angeles with them, but buying a house for both of us in Tampa. Mandy decorated it, for much money. Concerning spending money, she got more and more insatiable. If we had the tiniest argument, she always wanted a present for reconciliation- and the presents got bigger. When I look at that today with some distance, then I see that Mandy just used me. And that is a realization that hurts me very much."
The love- story of Mandy and Nick started exactly on September 21st 1997. ON this day the Backstreet Boys started their first big tour through the USA in the Tupperware Center in Orlando. Mandy came with Nick's sister BJ to the concert- they were real good friends. Mandy has seen Nick few times in the house of the Carters, but she didn't took much notice of him. But when she saw him as the star onstage she saw him with other eyes. "Mandy just caught me, but it didn't make it very hard for her." Nick says today.
"I wasn't really inexperienced then, but I never had a serious relationship before. Mandy was the first one, and I was very happy."
From this moment Mandy accompanied him partly on tour, but she always stayed in the background. But privately Nick was hen-pecked by her. When Mandy wanted something, it was done. Nick's bandmates made jokes about Mandy's pussypower. Mandy also was there on BSB's latest Germany tour- it should be her last.
After the break up with Mandy Nick instantlysold his house in Tampa. "I moved to my family in Los Angeles now." Nick revealed and immediately his eyes start to shine again.
"As our house there was too small, I bought a ranch with my parents in the mountains of California. There we can even have horses that was always one of my dreams. I can't wait till the end of our tour when I can go home."
Till then Nick's dad Bob takes care of him. He drives Nick from concert to concert in their own bus, just like in old times. Nick grins "Men have to stick together in bad times!"
