Alright-every week i'll be bringing you up to date news on the group and of course AJ. So here's what I have for this week:
It's True: I Want It The Burger King Way Source: Backstreet.net & Burger King Canada
Toronto, July 27, 2000
Backstreet's back in Toronto filming a series of commercials for an up and coming Burger King promotion. They'll be in town until Friday but are not scheduled to make any public appearances. According to Bill Gray of Burger King Canada, nearly a mile of downtown streets had to be closed down on Thursday to accommodate over a thousand fans hoping to catch a glimpse of the Boys while they were filming at a new and yet to be opened restaurant in downtown Toronto.
The promotion will run for 6 weeks in Canada and the USA. It starts on Monday, August 28 and ends on Sunday October 1. BK will be serving up a whopping amount of new material from the Boys including a 45 minute video and 3 CD's containing 12 songs in all. Each CD will feature the world premiere of the next BSB single entitled It's True. The promotion will target younger fans as well. Each week, Kid's Club meals will include a different interactive BSB Cyber Crusader figure made famous by Stan Lee's Backstreet Project. Something tells us that kids won't be the only ones munching on Kid's Club meals this fall.
Here's the release schedule for the promotion:
Week #1
The first week will feature an audio CD and a 45 minute video complete with live performances and backstage coverage of the Spring 2000 Into The Millennium tour. The video is entitled For The Fans and will cost $4.49 ($2.99 in the USA). When asked if this video was in any way related to the mysterious/phantom release of "Standing Room Only", Gray suggested that it was possible that "some" of the material may have originally been shot with that project in mind.
CD #1 will contain the following tracks:
Larger Than Life (Live)
Back To Your Heart (Live)
All I Have To Give (Live)
It's True (World Premiere, Studio)
That's What She Said (Studio)
All I Have To Give (Acapella)
Week #2
CD #2 will contain the following tracks:
The One (Live)
SMTMOBL (Live)
Quit Play Games (Live)
It's True (World Premiere, Studio)
That's What She Said (Studio)
All I Have To Give (Acapella)
Week #3
CD #3 will contain the following tracks:
I Want It That Way (Live)
Don't Want To Lose You Now (Live)
Don't Want You Back (Live)
It's True (World Premiere, Studio)
That's What She Said (Studio)
All I Have To Give (Acapella)
Gray suggested to us that there will be plenty of copies to go around for everyone, saying that they had "ordered heavily this time" based on their experience with a recent and unexpectedly popular Pokemon promotion. He also told us to expect the new BSB album on October 10, a date that BMG is trying hard to keep.
BK is also sponsoring the Boys next tour which is slated to begin later this year and cover a minimum of 50 cities in the USA and Canada. They'll have 25 backstage passes to give away for each and every show, some of which will be available in online contests. Stay tuned for more info.
AJ to host Miss United States Teen Competition
[Please note that the Miss United States Teen Competition is different from the Miss Teen USA Pageant]
AJ McLean, A.K.A "Johnny No Name" from that world famous boy group will host the 2000 Miss United States Teen Competition with Miss America 1999, Nicole Johnson. The 2000 Hard Rock show will feature AJ and his band, teen pop star Christian Davis and hot new girl group "BabyGirl".
The final taped for television competition is scheduled for 7pm, July 22 at the Hard Rock Live in Orlando. The show will air on TV in September.
Orlando, Florida has been selected as the official site of the 2000 National Miss United States Teen Competition. Teenagers representing cities and states from all over the USA will call the Orlando home July 16-22, 2000.
The 2000 national competition will be taped for a television broadcast from the HARD ROCK LIVE at the HARD ROCK CAFE, UNIVERSAL SUTDIOS, FLORIDA. The show will be aired for nationwide broadcast on local television stations all over the USA. The show will feature the national delegates on stage in glamorous production numbers and participating in various activities throughout Orlando.
The preliminary show will be hosted by former MISS UNITED STATES 1998, CARRIE ANN STROUP. The show will include the announcement of the swimsuit winners and commercial competition winners, will be held at the HARD ROCK LIVE July 21, 2000 at 8:00 p.m.
The final taped for television competition will be held Saturday July 22, 2000 at 8:00 p.m. at the HARD ROCK LIVE. Show tickets are available through Ticketmaster, or the HARD ROCK LIVE Box Office.
AJ Makes A Surprise Visit To TRL
AJ recently visited MTV's Total Request Live set with Carson Daly. He revealed that the new BSB album, slated for a mid-September release, will have some rock, R&B, hip hop and some country rolled all into one. Meanwhile, the Boys are just writing right now. "Howie [Dorough]'s working with Babyface," on some songs for the upcoming album.
AJ also revealed that Nick Carter and Kevin Richardson's instrumental talents will be displayed on the album.
AJ has been spending his downtime raising money and awareness for VH1's Save The Music campaign as alter-ego "Johnny No Name." So far, AJ has raised for than $150,000 for the campaign through his solo performances. AJ is slated to join the Boys back in the studios July 1.
Would you go up against some body guards to get to AJ? One chick did. Read about it here.
--Lower CD prices may be on the way thanks to an antitrust settlement announced Wednesday that will end minimum pricing programs tied to promotional funding from major record companies.
The deal between record companies and federal authorities settles the Federal Trade Commission's charges that CD prices have been illegally boosted by a practice in which major labels withhold advertising money from record stores that sell CDs below minimum prices, the FTC said in a press release.
"The FTC estimates that U.S. consumers may have paid as much as $480 million more than they should have for CDs and other music because of these policies over the last three years," FTC Chairman Robert Pitofsky said in a statement. "Today's news should be sweet music to the ears of all CD purchasers."
Universal Music Group (DMX, Shania Twain), Time Warner (Kid Rock, Madonna), Sony (Rage Against The Machine, Pearl Jam), BMG (Britney Spears, Backstreet Boys) and EMI (Smashing Pumpkins, Rolling Stones) all have agreed to the settlement, the FTC said.
The Minimum Advertised Price programs required stores to advertise CDs at or above a price set by a label, in return for promotional funding from the labels. The restrictions applied even to ads paid for entirely by the store, according to the FTC.
Under the settlement, labels are barred for seven years from tying promotional funds to retailers' advertised prices. For the 13 years after that, labels cannot tie promo money to ads the labels do not pay for. In addition, labels are prohibited from stopping business with a retailer based on that retailer's pricing.
The settlement is subject to public comment through June 9, when the FTC will decide whether to finalize its terms.
Without the incentive of advertising dollars keeping CDs around $16 for new releases, stores could be expected to cut prices. But because online music stores already sell albums at a discount, and thus pressure bricks-and-mortar stores to do the same, it's difficult to gauge whether the FTC agreement will yield significant cuts at the cash register, according to a story in Wednesday's "Wall Street Journal."
If the move sparks price-slashing competition from large chain outlets, that could hurt smaller independent stores that don't sell enough CDs to lower retail costs.
Suggested list prices are climbing. In the fall, Method Man and Redman's "Blackout!" and Dr. Dre's "Dr. Dre 2001" shipped to stores with a suggested $18.98 price tag, a new high. At the same time, the industry is attempting to battle music piracy online, which may result in new business models as well as prices.
Software programs such as Napster, Gnutella, and Scour Exchange have made it easier than ever for people to download full MP3 copies of albums illegally, for free. Many Napster users cite what they see as an outrageous retail price for CDs as justification for downloading albums.
--The Boys took home two awards at the 2000 Blockbuster Entertainment Awards. They won in the Favorite Pop Group and Favorite CD categories. Although they didn't make an appearance. Fox will air the awards ceremonies on June 20th at 8pm EST.
Blockbuster Entertainment Awards Honour Favorites
The red carpet was rolled out for a star-studded event Tuesday, May 9, at Hollywood's Shrine Auditorium as the 2000 BLOCKBUSTER ENTERTAINMENT AWARDS® honored entertainment industry favorites in the world's largest publicly voted award show.
A sparkling array of celebrities strutted their stuff at the elegant ceremony and post-awards bash, including presenters Kyra Sedgwick, Alicia Silverstone, Tom Green, Limp Bizkit, Leeann Rimes, and Charlize Theron. Among the picture-perfect bevy of stars who attended to accept their awards were faves Drew Barrymore, Lisa Kudrow, Ashley Judd, and Reese Witherspoon, as well as hunky Keanu Reeves, Brian McKnight, and David Arquette, and of course, the irrepressible Billy Crystal. The gala production included musical performances by Mariah Carey, Marc Anthony, Enrique Iglesias, and Uncle Kracker with Kid Rock.
World-wide polling for the Blockbuster Entertainment Awards® began months ago when record numbers of fans flocked to the blockbuster.com website to cast their votes in categories covering movies and music as well as a new group of prizes for outstanding video games. (The top game spot went to Nintendo 64's Super Smash Brothers). Also announced was the creation of the new Independent Filmmaker Award to be given to budding cinematographers annually, starting next year. Application information and contest requirements will be available at www.blockbuster.com after June 20.
The two-hour Sixth Annual BLOCKBUSTER ENTERTAINMENT AWARDS® show will be broadcast June 20 on FOX, but you don't have to wait until then to find out who won - here is a list of the evening's honorees:
Movies:
Favorite Actor Action - Pierce Brosnan in The World Is Not Enough
Favorite Actress Action - Catherine Zeta-Jones in Entrapment
Favorite Supporting Actor Action - LL Cool J in Deep Blue Sea
Favorite Supporting Actress Action - Salma Hayek in Wild Wild West
Favorite Action Team - Mark Wahlberg, George Clooney, & Ice Cube in Three Kings
Favorite Actor Comedy - Adam Sandler in Big Daddy
Favorite Actress Comedy - Heather Graham in Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me & Bowfinger
Favorite Supporting Actor Comedy - Eugene Levy in American Pie
Favorite Supporting Actress Comedy - Lisa Kudrow in Analyze This
Favorite Comedy Team - Robert DeNiro & Billy Crystal in Analyze This
Favorite Actor - Comedy/Romance - Ben Affleck in Forces of Nature
Favorite Actress - Comedy/Romance - Drew Barrymore in Never Been Kissed
Favorite Supporting Actor - Comedy/Romance - David Arquette in Never Been Kissed
Favorite Supporting Actress - Comedy/Romance - Joan Cusack in Runaway Bride
Favorite Actor Drama - Tom Hanks in The Green Mile
Favorite Actress Drama - Cameron Diaz in Any Given Sunday
Favorite Supporting Actor Drama - Tom Cruise in Magnolia
Favorite Supporting Actress Drama - Angelina Jolie in Girl, Interrupted
Favorite Actor - Drama/Romance - Pierce Brosnan in The Thomas Crown Affair
Favorite Actress - Drama/Romance - Nicole Kidman in Eyes Wide Shut
Favorite Supporting Actor -Drama/Romance - Denis Leary in The Thomas Crown Affair
Favorite Supporting Actress - Drama/Romance - Reese Witherspoon in Cruel Intentions
Favorite Actor Horror - Johnny Depp in Sleepy Hollow
Favorite Actress Horror - Christina Ricci in Sleepy Hollow
Favorite Supporting Actor Horror - Taye Diggs in House on Haunted Hill
Favorite Supporting Actress Horror - Miranda Richardson in Sleepy Hollow
Favorite Villain - Mike Myers as Dr. Evil in Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me
Favorite Actor - Action/Sci-Fi - Keanu Reeves in The Matrix
Favorite Supporting Actor - Action/Sci-Fi - Laurence Fishburne in The Matrix
Favorite Actor Suspense - Bruce Willis in The Sixth Sense
Favorite Actress Suspense - Ashley Judd in Double Jeopardy
Favorite Supporting Actor Suspense - Jude Law in The Talented Mr. Ripley
Favorite Supporting Actress Suspense - Toni Collette in The Sixth Sense
Favorite Actor - Newcomer - Haley Joel Osment in The Sixth Sense
Favorite Actress - Newcomer - Rachael Leigh Cook in She's All That
Family Favorite - Toy Story 2
Video Games:
Favorite Video Game - Super Smash Bros.
Favorite PlayStation Game - Tony Hawk's Pro Skater
Favorite Nintendo 64 Game - Donkey Kong 64
Favorite Game Boy Game - Super Mario Bros. Deluxe
Favorite Dreamcast Game - Sonic Adventure
Music:
Favorite Male Artist - Pop - Ricky Martin Ricky Martin
Favorite Female Artist - Pop - Cher: Believe Appears on the following soundtracks: Mermaids, Groundhog Day
Favorite Group - Pop - Backstreet Boys: Millennium Appears on the following soundtracks: Drive Me Crazy, Sabrina the Teenage Witch, Casper: The Spirited Beginning
Favorite Artist - Rap - Dr. Dre: Dr. Dre 2001 Appears on the following soundtracks: Bullworth, Wild Wild West
Favorite Male Artist - Country - Garth Brooks: Double Live & Magic of Christmas Appears on the following soundtrack: Hope Floats
Favorite Female Artist - Country - Shania Twain: Come On Over Appears on the following soundtracks: Notting Hill, Twister
Favorite Duo or Group - Country - Dixie Chicks: Wide Open Spaces & Fly Appears on the following soundtrack: Runaway Bride
Favorite Male Artist - R&B - Brian McKnight: Back at One Appears on the following soundtracks: Stuart Little, Life
Favorite Female Artist - R&B - Mariah Carey: Rainbow Appears on the following soundtrack: Prince of Egypt
Favorite Group - R&B - TLC: Fanmail Appears on the following soundtrack: Poetic Justice
Favorite Artist - Modern Rock - Kid Rock :Devil Without a Cause Appears on the following soundtracks: Any Given Sunday, South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut
*Favorite Group - Modern Rock - Limp Bizkit: Significant Other Appears on the following soundtracks: Big Daddy, End of Days *
Favorite Male - New Artist - Eminem: The Slim Shady LP Appears on the following soundtrack: Next Friday
Favorite Female - New Artist - Christina Aguilera: Christina Aguilera Appears on the following soundtracks: Mulan, Pokémon: The First Movie
Favorite Group - New Artist - Blink 182: Enema of the State Appears on the following soundtracks: American Pie, Can't Hardly Wait
Favorite Artist or Group - Rock - Santana: Supernatural Appears on the following soundtracks: Long Kiss Goodnight, Desperado
Favorite Artist - Comedy - Adam Sandler: Stan & Judy's Kid Appears on the following soundtracks: The Wedding Singer, The Wedding Singer 2, Big Daddy
Favorite Latino Artist - Enrique Iglesias: Bailamos Appears on the following soundtrack: Wild Wild West
Favorite Latino Group - Mana: MTV Unplugged Appears on the following soundtrack: My Family
Favorite CD - Millennium Backstreet Boys Appears on the following soundtracks: Drive Me Crazy, Sabrina the Teenage Witch, Casper: The Spirited Beginning
Favorite Single - Genie In A Bottle: Christina Aguilera Appears on the following soundtracks: Mulan, Pokémon: The First Movie
Favorite Soundtrack - Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me
Favorite Song From a Movie - Music of The Heart Gloria Estefan & 'N SYNC - Music of My Heart
By Larry Birkhead
--LOUISVILLE -- Celebrities strutted their stuff at Saturday's 126th running of the Kentucky Derby. Some stars arrived as early as Wednesday to participate in pre-race festivities. Kurtwood Smith (That '70s Show) and his wife, Joan, were aboard as the Belle of Louisville won the Great Steamboat Race. George Foreman ''fought'' his way along the route in the annual Pegasus Parade. Before the parade, Foreman munched on some chicken wings.
The events to remember, though, were the Derby Eve bashes, including the Barnstable-Brown party. Kid Rock and Backstreet Boys Kevin Richardson, Howie Dorough and Brian Littrell headed the list, along with Bo Derek, Chaka Khan, George Strait, Richard Dreyfuss and Prince Albert of Monaco. Touched by an Angel's Della Reese made a heavenly appearance.
Hundreds of screaming teens and parents waited hours to catch a glimpse of the Backstreet Boys and Kid Rock. Richardson sent the crowd into hysterics as he signed autographs. Dorough talked with the media, while Littrell kept on walking at the advice of his fiancée, Leighanne Wallace. Chris Isaak was dressed like KFC's Colonel Sanders, in white tux and white string tie. He was working as a correspondent for The Tonight Show.
Inside, musical guests performed for partygoers. Littrell asked the band, ''Do you know any Backstreet Boys music?'' Dorough quipped, ''We're not talking that 'N Sync stuff, either.''
The Boys (minus two members) sang a couple of their biggest hits, then went Motown as they sang Tears of a Clown and My Girl. Khan brought the house down with her powerful voice and hip-shaking moves. Emmylou Harris, Isaak and John Michael Montgomery performed. Kid Rock made a late entrance with model James King. The rap-rocker wore beaded jeans and a tank top to the black-tie event.
The Mint Jubilee, hosted by Matt Batagglia (Universal Soldier II), had its share of fun and celebrities. Loni Anderson, there for Entertainment Tonight, brought her 11-year-old son, Quinton Reynolds. Quinton was a good-luck charm on Derby Day, picking horses for celebrities. He helped win more than $1,500 for his mom's friends. Quinton insisted he doesn't want to be an actor, but Mom whispered, ''That may change.''
Daisy Fuentes was a fashion winner on race day in a backless Christian Dior dress with matching hat. Kid Rock had the winner on the track. He bet more than $200 on Fusaichi Pegasus. He and model King traded smooches as their pick crossed the finish line first.
--NASSAU, Bahamas (AP) - Pop singer Gloria Estefan wrapped up the filming of an American television special in the Bahamas to coincide with the release of her new Spanish language album ``Alma Caribena.''
``We're proud to bring this passion and music to you tonight,'' Estefan told the mostly English-speaking crowd at the Atlantis Resort on Saturday night. The Cuban-American singer explained that she was delving into the salsas and boleros of her roots for the new album, which in English means Caribbean Soul.
``Gloria Estefan, Caribbean Soul: The Atlantis Concert'' will air on CBS on May 12th.
Estefan began taping her television special Friday in duets with Cuban-American salsa singer Celia Cruz and Puerto Rican singer Jose Feliciano, both of whom are featured on the new album, and also sang with Puerto Rican pop star Marc Anthony.
About 5,000 people watched the two evenings of outdoor performances, with Rosie O'Donnell acting as host. Celebrity guests included Sharon Stone, Cindy Crawford, Robert DeNiro and Backstreet Boys A.J. McLean and Howie Dorough, whose group has been recording their next album in Nassau.
--From Ricky Nelson ( who's that???) to the Backstreet Boys, teen idols have always been a part of rock and roll. This fall, the rock and roll hall of fame and museum will examine that phenomenon with a new exibit, Sealed with a kidd: Five decades of pop idols and teen dreams.
"Rock and roll is the music of the youth, and teen idols address the subject head-on" said Jim Henke, the Hall of fames vice president of exibitions and curatorial affairs. "They speak to the dreams and aspirations of youth people, and they address such universal themes of adolescene as love and romance, freedom and responsibility. They're young, sexy and energetic-in other words, they epitomize youth culture".
The exibit will not only include artifacts like costumes and instruments from a wide rand of artists, but it will also feature lunch boxes, dolls, trading cards and other objects associated with teen idols. Sealed with a Kiss will be installed on the fifth and sixth floors of the museum.
As a preview to the exhibit, the Museum installed a Recent Acquistitions case featuring costumes from The Backstreet Boys, Hanson, Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, and 98 degrees.
The best news I have come across in a while!!!!
Limp Bizkit's lead singer Fred Durst isn't a fan of the Backstreet Boys but he might end up working with A.J. McLean.
A.J. is currently on a mini-tour as alter ego "Johnny No Name". His concerts lean more towards rock music than Backstreet pop, with covers of songs by Rage Against The Machine, Worldpop reports.
During AJ's show in LA, he told the audience that he was talking with Fred about working together for Johnny's tentative solo album.
If the two team up, it could put an end to the ongoing feud between the two groups. In the past, Fred has said he prefers *Nsync to Backstreet Boys and last year, the BSB's "Millennium" knocked Limp Bizkit's album off the top of the charts.
If Johnny No Name does record an album, it will certainly be different from "Millennium".
"If the album goes ahead, it will be a true live rock album, which is what I'm looking forward to doing," AJ said. "Just to get in there, just like you see Metallica doing - giving it one or two takes and then you're done."
SAN ANTONIO (AP) - A private Christian school has suspended four students for attending a Backstreet Boys concert.
Sunnybrook Christian Academy issued the suspensions late last week because the students broke a school rule barring ``involvement with inappropriate music,'' school administrator Trudie Perez said Tuesday.
The Backstreet Boys, a popular teen-age band, played to a packed crowd at the Alamodome last Wednesday night. Once school officials confirmed some students had attended, they gave them one-day suspensions.
Two students completed their suspensions and were back in school Friday. Another will complete hers upon returning from an out-of-town trip with her family.
A fourth student, high school senior Jason Trejo, and his family are complaining about the school's policy.
Trejo was enrolled in the school more than two years ago by a former stepfather he was living with, Perez said.
Trejo's mother, with whom he now lives, complained about the music policy and refused to sign a statement saying she agrees with it and other school rules, Perez said, adding that his mother has filled out papers to withdraw him from the private school.
``I pointed out, he has to abide by our rules if he's going to be here,'' the administrator said. ``We did not expel him. He was withdrawn.''
John Bernal, Jason Trejo's stepfather, said the boy's mother refuses to sign a statement agreeing with the school policy. The family maintains the policy on inappropriate music says nothing about concerts.
The Christian school forbids ``involvement'' with music groups such as the Backstreet Boys because of some song lyrics, Perez said.
``They have some good music, but some of the music, I have been told, has certain sexual references,'' Perez said. She cited the band's song lyrics, ``Are you sexual?'' and ``I want to touch your body all night.''
``That's not the message that we want to convey to our young people,'' Perez said. ``We send the message of sexual abstinence.''
The school has 315 students in kindergarten through 12th grade.
Trejo, who is scheduled to graduate in three months, may have to finish the year at a public school, his family said.
Well that's all the news I have for this moment in time.
