Chapter
32 –
Forgotten?
“Almost
ten months have passed since the terrible accident that knocked the Backstreet
Boys temporarily out of the music business, and despite their early assurances
that the popular boy group would be doing everything within their power to make
a return, many people say that their reign as the most popular music group of
the day is over, and the Backstreet Boys are finished. Their names have all but
dropped from the headlines, and the Backstreet mania that flooded the country
has slowed down to almost a trickle. Critics say that even if they do make it
back to the stage, there won’t be anyone to greet them...”
Rolling Stone
Backstreet Won’t Be Back
Ten long months
have gone by since the world first head about the horrific automobile accident
that threatened the lives of what was then the most popular boy group in
America. Almost a year has gone by since we’ve seen them dancing on the stage,
singing a tune, or promoting the new album they promised us all those months
ago.
Will they make
a comeback?
Hardly a sound
has been heard from the Backstreet camp in the last six months. There have been
even fewer public appearances. No one seems to know where they are, what they
are doing, or what they have planned for the future of the group.
Jive Records,
the Backstreet Boys’ record label, insists the five group members, Nick Carter,
Howie Dorough, Brian Littrell, A.J. McLean, and Kevin Richardson, are still
together. “The Backstreet Boys have not disbanded. They still plan to return to
recording and performing, but their recovery process is long and they do not
want to rush anything.” Despite these assurances, the five Boys have avoided
the spotlight like the plague, and probably with good reason.
Richardson, 28,
and Carter, 20, have been reported to suffer short term memory problems, which
would make singing onstage and public appearances more than just a little
difficult. The big question that Jive or anyone affiliated with the Backstreet
Boys is not answering is not whether or not they want to return to the stage,
but whether or not they can.
In addition to
these problems, does the public still want to hear them? Backstreet Fever has
bombarded the music business for the past six years, and now that they are
suddenly silent, perhaps people are beginning to wonder what al the fuss was
about in the first place. “People are starting to see what a lot of us in the
music business have been saying since the beginning of [the Backstreet Boys].
They were never going to last. It may have ended sooner than it would have if
[the accident] hadn’t happened, but the end result was the same. When all the
hype is gone, there’s nothing left to support them. That’s all it was, hype
from the media and teenagers,” says music critic Mike Phelps.
No one
questions that the Backstreet Boys have a lot to overcome if they want the
spotlight back. They will also have longtime rival ‘N Sync to contend with, who
now has a stranglehold on record sales and is the solidified center of the
teenage pop frenzy. It seems pretty safe to say that if they do make it back
successfully, their critics will be forced to eat their words and finally
submit to that phenomenon that is (was?) called the Backstreet Boys.
“The
failure of the Backstreet Boys to return to the public eye just proves what
people have been saying all along, they were just a craze, they wouldn’t last,
etc. They haven’t returned, and I’m sure it’s because they know what will
happen. The music world has moved on, and they don’t have a place here anymore.
It is exactly what people have been predicting since the beginning of
Backstreet Mania.”
Entertainment Magazine
Instability threatens
Backstreet Return
The Backstreet
Boys went silent ten months ago in the wake of a freak highway accident that
almost killed them. Hardly a peep has been heard since.
Sure, there
have been reports of their attempt at a comeback. But will it ever happen?
Doubtfully.
There has been
no contact from the famous pop group with the media. No photo shoots, no
interviews, and no word of a timeframe they are working with. It is like Kevin
Richardson, Howie Dorough, Brian Littrell, A.J. McLean and Nick Carter have all
dropped off the face of the earth.
Is there a
reason? Here is a possibility.
Since the
accident that almost killed Richardson, 28, Carter, 20, and Littrell, 25, and
put all five young men in the hospital, there have been rampant rumors of the
complete mental breakdowns of Littrell and McLean, 22, and permanent physical
problems that would prevent Carter from performing again. Both Carter and
Richardson are also said to suffer from memory problems. No wonder they haven’t
sought public attention.
Jive Records,
the Boys record label, and The Firm, who manages the group, are staying very
tight-lipped about the situation, and of course, there has been no word from
the Boys themselves.
Is the band
responsible for mega-hits “I Want It That Way” and “As Long As You Love Me”
finished? Time will tell for sure, but for now it doesn’t look like we’ll see
them again any time soon. RIP, BSB.
“Here at MTV and TRL, we have been receiving
a lot of mail in regards to the Backstreet Boys. Critics lately have been
saying that their fan base is gone and any comeback they might make is futile,
and that didn’t seem to sit well with a lot of people, because I have bags of
mail and even more e-mail saying how absolutely absurd that is. There are some
girls out there who are really not happy about all that, let me tell you. So I
would like to say that according to this response, the Backstreet Boys
shouldn’t have a worry in the world. I actually hope they hurry up and get back
to doing their thing, because it seems like half of the stuff we get here is
asking about them for one reason or another. Ok, well on to the number three
video of the day…”
“The
rumors that have been flying about the music industry about a possible duet
between the ‘now’ boy band ‘N Sync, and the Backstreet Boys, who have yet to
return to the public eye following a horrible automobile accident, are now
reported to be untrue. Leaks of this possible collaboration hit the public last
week and have ignited a wave of hope that the Backstreet Boys are nearing a
return to the stage. There has been no official word from the ‘N Sync or
Backstreet Boys reps about this rumor, but industry insiders say that it is not
going to happen…”
Backstreet Duet?
The rumor mill
is at it again. Just when everyone was convinced that the Backstreet Boys had
gone the way of the Dodo, there is hope.
An information
leak from an undisclosed source hints about a possible pairing of the
Backstreet Boys, the world-renowned pop group who has been absent from the
public eye following an auto accident ten moths ago, and ‘N Sync, the hottest
boy group of today.
No other
information is known, but if this rumor is true, it could signify the return of
the Backstreet Boys, meaning the comeback they promised would happen might
finally be taking place.
How did ‘N Sync
get involved? No one seems to know. The two groups have been major rivals ever
since ‘N Sync stepped on their turf with their breakthrough debut album, N
SYNC, in 1996.
“The
longer we wait, the harder it’s going to get,” Howie said.
In two
days, they were going to meet with ‘NSYNC to record “Somewhere Someday”
together. Brian had come just short of working a miracle to make it happen, but
all was working as he had hoped. ‘NSYNC had even offered to perform it live
together on an ABC special they were filming with a handful of other pop acts.
Whether or not to accept was the current debate.
“We
need to let the public know we are still here,” Howie insisted. “You’ve seen
what’s been written all over the place.”
“I’m
still not too wild about being on stage right now,” Kevin said doubtfully.
“Why?”
Nick asked. “You’re solid as a rock.”
“I’m
just not totally comfortable.”
“We
won’t be doing any dancing,” Brian pointed out. Dancing while singing still
flustered Kevin a bit.
“It’s
not just the dancing. I’ve done fine remembering lyrics when it’s just us, but
being in front of a crowd is totally different.” Nick bit his lip. That hadn’t
occurred to him. He had enough trouble in front of cameras as it was.
“We’ve
got time to work on that, Kev,” Howie said gently. “And besides, you should see
yourself. You’ve made an amazing comeback already. You’re doing a lot better
than what you think.”
Kevin
sighed, not quite convinced. “What do you think, Bone?”
“I miss
the stage so bad it hurts,” A.J. confessed. “I want to do it.”
“Kevin?”
Howie asked, his eyes pleading. “It’ll be the perfect way to kick things off.
It doesn’t mean we will all the sudden be thrown into touring. We’ve already
talked about it. We’re gonna take as much time as we need, and the first one
will be short, and not until the album has come out and we’ve seen how it
does.”
“I sent
a copy of the demo we did to Lance,” Brian added. “I’m hoping they’ll want us
to perform it. This could be the perfect chance to see what people think of the
new single.”
“We
need this, Kev,” Nick added. “Howie’s right. We can’t pass this up. You know
what everyone has been saying about us.”
“We
can’t let this finish us, not after how far we’ve come,” Howie said quietly but
firmly.
“Ok,”
Kevin said finally. “Let’s do it.”
“Hell
ya!” A.J. whooped.
“Ok,”
Howie said, looking excited. “The ABC date is in a month. The way things are
looking, we can start promotion for the new album not too far after that, and
release the single right around then.”
“If we
do it like that,” Brian said carefully, “That puts us at a potential tour
kickoff of about mid-summer.”
“Almost
a year and a half,” A.J. said.
“That
sounds like long enough, if you ask me,” Nick said.
“We’re
not,” A.J. said.
“Ha
ha.”
“Is
everybody in on this one?” Howie asked, looking around at all of them.
“We’re
in.”