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Backstreet Boys: "We want to be honest." Source: mtv.com It's easy to think of pop stars as glimmering gods, immune to the troubles that afflict the rest of us. But like his fellow stars, the Backstreet Boys' A.J. McLean is all too human, and his problems are very real. His bandmates — Brian Littrell, Nick Carter, Howie Dorough and Kevin Richardson — revealed this week that A.J.'s struggles with alcohol abuse, depression and anxiety will delay a month's worth of tour dates (see "Backstreet Boys Postpone Tour As A.J. McLean Seeks Treatment"). When the group sat down with MTV News' John Norris on Monday for an uncharacteristically somber chat — just before appearing with him on "TRL" — their thoughts were on their friend's health, not their touring plans. Nick Carter seemed most affected — he stayed silent through most of the interview, and quietly teared up when he did begin to speak. Norris asked the Boys what happened, how they're dealing with it and what this means for the group's future. *** John Norris: You guys have been to the MTV studios many times, but I think it's safe to say never under circumstances like this. Can you tell me why you are here today? Kevin Richardson: We recently decided to postpone some of [our tour] dates, due to, firstly, Nick['s] broken hand. ... This gave [us] time [to think about] something else we've been going through, which is A.J. Since the loss of his grandmother, [and] even before that, he's been going through some depression, some anxiety. He's been burning the candle at both ends and partying quite a bit to escape it. His alcoholism is pretty bad. We're worried about him, and ... [when] we were thinking about postponing some dates, he said, "I can't do this out on the road, I need some real help." We've had counselors come out on the road and talk to us and talk to him. We've been trying to help him overcome this without taking the tour down. Norris: How long has this been going on? Brian Littrell: We assessed it initially in Orlando [on June 8] when this leg of the U.S. tour started. We were having meetings about postponing dates even then, just for his well-being. That's when [we talked about getting] counselors, someone he could talk to, someone that could be there for him. His mother was going to come out to support him, and we were all gonna take the necessary precautions for him to be better. Over time, we realized he was lying to himself to think that he could get better on his own. ... It was affecting the show and it really took him a while to be man enough to come to us and say, "Listen guys, I've got a problem and I just need to take care of it." ... [With] alcoholism, your defenses are down. He's our brother. We live and die by what each other does, and that's why we postponed the dates. It's important to us to know that our fans can be there to support us as well as to support him. We're taking a step here and saying we're not the group without him, and we don't want to perform. [RealVideo] Norris: Was there any consideration given to continuing on the tour without A.J.? Howie Dorough: We had been advised that that would have been the easiest way, to hide ... it under the blanket. [To] let A.J. go off and take care of himself and let the tour continue. But we didn't feel that was the honest way of approaching this situation. It's just putting a bandage over it. We felt A.J. really needed our support, and he needs the support of the fans. He's gonna be gone about 30 days, so we're gonna take that month of July [dates] and put them back into September. Kevin: We could have said he broke his leg or something. Brian: It's not about getting by, it's about his health. If he's not healthy, we cannot have a healthy career, and he's part of this whole thing. Kevin: We are put on a pedestal as role models, and we felt the best way to be role models is to step up to the plate and be honest. This happens every day in homes across America and the world. Maybe this could help somebody. Brian: A.J. was born and bred for this business ... he thrives on it. He has such a passion for performing and being in front of people. All the Backstreet Boys fans know that. Norris: You guys probably don't want to speculate too much on what's at the root of this. But you mentioned his grandmother's death, is there more going on with A.J.? Kevin: His grandmother, who he recently lost, was like a second mother to him. His mother and father were divorced. He was an only child and he lived with his grandparents and his mother. I think when she passed away, that just sent it over the edge. [RealVideo] Howie: He was consistently trying to figure himself out. Fame brings a lot of stuff to people. Sometimes it brings happiness, it can bring a lot of money, but the money and all that stuff doesn't always bring you happiness. Each of us has had to deal with it differently and getting back to what Kevin was saying, thank God we came from families that were really together. We had the support. I think A.J., through all this, was looking for support and trying to find himself. As we all know, A.J's the crazy rebel with the tattoos, always trying to find that security. [RealVideo] Norris: Brian, you said discussions about doing something about this went back to Orlando when you started this leg of the tour. When was the earliest that you guys thought maybe there is something to be concerned about? Kevin: If you read the Rolling Stone article, almost a year ago. Brian: As success grows and your career grows, things change and evolve and you're either going to become your own man and deal with your problems or you're gonna become a recluse and take things in[ward]. ... We didn't spend every waking moment together at all times. He went off on his own quite often, but it was something that worried me. ... I was worried about him vocally. I was worried about him physically. He has a lot of duties when it comes to showtime, singing a lot of leads. We want the fans to get the best show they came to see. Kevin: He doesn't have a mean bone in his body and he was changing, he wasn't being himself. He was doing things behavior-wise that wasn't normal for him to do, as far as disrespecting group meetings and things like that. That's not him. He lives for this, so that's when it really became evident to us. Brian: When we approached it, he said he would take the precautions necessary. ... But when you're dealing with someone who has an illness, they have to believe in their hearts that they have to be better. He came to us yesterday and said, "Guys, I need help." I looked at him in the eyes and I said, "I'm proud of you." Because that's the first time he ever said it to any of us. Norris: You mentioned that it was beginning to affect his performance. We were just with you guys in Boston this weekend and from what I hear there was no indication, outwardly anyway, that there was anything going. He seemed fine, fine voice and everything. Kevin: We'd notice vocally more than other people. Brian: We're more critical. Kevin: We remember how his voice used to sound when he used to rest and take care of himself. Norris: How bad did it get? At night when you guys were on the road, would he go off and party until the morning? Kevin: I don't want to get too specific because I don't want to be disrespectful to him. But we would do something together as a group, maybe have some dinner and have a few cocktails at dinner. It would be late and we'd have to do something the next day and after that he would go on his own. He'd just didn't want to go back to the room and go to bed. He wanted to continue. He was becoming a vampire. Howie: The next morning when we'd all have to be together as a unit, he would sometimes call and say he was too tired. After a while it was disrespect[ful] to us. If you have a cancer, a weak link, you have to fix the problem. Norris: Was it just alcohol as far as you guys know? Kevin: As far as we know. Norris: Are you guys confident that it's going to take care of this in 30 days? Kevin: We are confident. We believe in him. That's one thing about A.J., like Brian was saying earlier, he loves to be on stage. When we're off tour, he doesn't know what to do with himself. Norris: Sometimes when people go through what he's about to go through, it's such a reassessment that it comes to a point where they decide, for whatever reason, they have to make changes in one area of their lives. If those changes involve the group or his continuing on as part of the group, are you guys prepared for that? Nick Carter: Sorry I've been a little quiet because I'm just a little sad ... It's just kind of difficult. [Covers his mouth and begins to tear.] Howie: We've talked about it and we're betting on A.J. to come back. We want him to because we don't feel like the Backstreet Boys without A.J. At the same time, if he doesn't feel it in his heart or if this environment isn't the best place for him, we love A.J. If he needs more time, if we have to revisit the idea of continuing on the tour and us covering for him, we might have to do that. Nick: It's not about the group. It's about his life and who he is and that's the most important thing. [Crying] Norris: It's ironic that this would come to a head now. This is a time when there's been speculation about the future of pop groups in general, and talk of everything from solo projects to you guys starting families and wanting more time for that. Do you think this is going to add to that speculation about Backstreet's future? Kevin: It totally will. The press is going to run with this thing, but we were here before the big pop explosion and hopefully we'll be here after. Nick: It's difficult to come here and talk about this kind of stuff. We were kind of scared because no pop group has ever come out and done anything like this. I guess it's a big stepping stone. Kevin: Normally this kind of stuff [comes out] 20 years later. Norris: You talked earlier about those that would say it's better to keep things like this quiet. Do you expect there's going to be some disenchantment on the part of parents of your young fans? Kevin: I'm sure there probably will, but we want to be honest. That's what's more important, us sleeping at night. [RealVideo] Brian: My mom always told me when I was little if you tell one lie, you have to tell four or five to get out of that initial one. There's no way around the truth. We are a group that appeals to young people, as well as to parents and grandparents. Hopefully they'll just honor our decision about being honest and respect us for that. [RealVideo] Howie: I think with us taking a stance like this, instead of them looking at this like a negative thing, hopefully they'll look at this as a positive thing. That we are trying to be role models, and if there are problems, deal with the problems, don't hide it. [RealVideo] Norris: This was voluntary, you guys didn't have to do an intervention. It's not like he's been forced into rehab? Kevin: We contemplated intervention, but we didn't do an intervention. He made the decision on his own. Norris: Was he hostile at all when you approached him? Kevin: At first, yeah. But after he thought about it for a couple days ... We were in rehearsal down there, his mother and his uncle were down there talking to him. He was like, "Maybe it would be good for me to talk to somebody 'cause maybe I don't have a drinking problem. Maybe I just have issues that I need to deal with." Norris: There are rescheduled dates, we shouldn't say this is a cancellation, this is a postponement. All: Exactly. Kevin: We're dedicated to getting these U.S. and Canada [legs] done and just take it one step at a time. Hopefully we'll get to head to Europe and Southeast Asia and Australia as well. Norris: He's going to have to take the time that he needs to do it? Kevin: Exactly. After this 30 days, if he's not ready then we'll have to reassess it and cross that bridge when we get to it. Norris: How would you characterize your feelings right now? Are you angry, just disappointed, hopeful, all of the above? All: All of the above. Kevin: You've got kinds of ... [a] little bit nervous about what kind of reaction we're going to get. Happy for A.J. that he's taken this step, angry a little bit at A.J. Sad and compassionate that he has to go through this. All of it. Norris: When did you last see him? All: Yesterday. Howie: Right before he left. Norris: What did you say to him last time you saw him? Kevin: We told him, "A.J. we're gonna tell them this." Howie: He wanted it, actually. He was like, "I'm glad you guys are telling this because I don't want to live a lie." He cried to us, he said he was scared about all his, but that he knew it was the right thing to do. Howie: We're gonna come back stronger. |