AJ McLean
AKA
Johnny Suede *Note: Johnny has changed his name to Johnny No-Name, because Suede is copyrighted, and he would have to buy the name.
AJ and Johnny's Interview with Kid Cruz
Pics Included!
*Anyone who went to the concert and has a Review please E-Mail Me!*
If you have more pics please email them to me also! Thank you!
KiD CRUZ: Hi welcome back, welcome back. The tour is done, right?
AJ: Its officially done. We finished yesterday in Ft. Lauderdale it was two great shows. Im really glad and so are the rest of the guys that we got a chance to, you know, go back and redo the shows since the whole tornado thing happened and we couldn't actually do itor a hurricane, I'm sorry. But you know, it was a great way to end the show. I got drenched with super-soakers last night, so you know.
KiD CRUZ : Did someone hand them to the crew, the dancers, or the other guys got you with the super-soakers?
AJ: No, the dancers, the guys, our security cause usually at the end of our shows, I soak the audience and Ive got my security a couple of times so payback was not good for me last night. I got drenched!
KiD CRUZ : (Laughs)Thats funny. Well good for you! Were going to be talking here in a couple of minutes about a show you have coming up, which is going to be on your birthday.
AJ : On my birthday, January 9.
KiD CRUZ : With a friend of yours named Johnny Suede. (Laughs)
AJ : Yes sir!
KiD CRUZ : This is Kid Cruz with AJ from the Backstreet Boys.
AJ : Whats up?
KiD CRUZ : Were talking about a show you have coming up on your birthday.
AJ : On my birthday.
KiD CRUZ : This is cool. Did you specifically plan it to be on your birthday or did it just happen that way?
AJ : Yeah, I was trying to do it sometime towards the middle of January, but I said you know what, why not do it on my birthday? I could be with everybody hopefully some of the guys will come down and if they wanna come hang out you know afterwards for my birthday and whatnot and you know, and I can be with my band and everybody and just have a good birthday. I mean, Im only 22, so its not as cool as 21 you know, its aaagghhhh. No one really cares its a birthday.
KiD CRUZ : But still, you know, like the first 25 birthdays are really, really cool so you gotta make the most of each and every one.
AJ : Exactly Im gonna try.
KiD CRUZ : To see AJ perform as um
AJ : Johnny Suede
KiD CRUZ : Johnny Suede. Now, you have to explain it to everybody whats going on. AJs doing this thing as Johnny Suede. Now ,what did Johnny Suede come from? Whats that all about?
AJ : (clears throat) Johnny Suede came from a At the very beginning of this tour back in Nashville in May when we were in Rehearsals, I was told by one of my one of my members of my band to go check out this clothing store. I went and checked it out and bought this jacket and on the inside of the jacket, it had Johnny Suede andbut you know it was something that kinda fit my whole personality I guess cause he told me to go pick it out cause the thought I would like it you know and I just kinda developed this character based off of Johnny Suede because everybody knows Bone and Bone is more Backstreet Boys related and this is something kinda like an alter ego I guess I have so you know its just like a Hes just a British pop fiend, just an off the wall crazy guy. Hes got no inhibitions, hes just off the wall. He makes me look bad so you know
KiD CRUZ : Oh, ok, so you just needed someone to blame this all on.
AJ : Exactly. So now for all the bad things Ive done, Ill say, Oh Johnny did it, it wasnt me I promise.
KiD CRUZ : Theres a lot of crazy stuff going on in your head Ill tell you that for sure
AJ : Yeah, yeah, dude (Laughs)
KiD CRUZ : Im just learning that. All the years that Ive known you off and on, its taking me a while.
AJ : I need help man!! (Laughs)
KiD CRUZ : So, Johnny Suede apparently is going to be dropping by in a little while.
AJ : Yeah, he is. Hes gonna come by and talk to everybody and say whats up and a
KiD CRUZ : All the money and all the proceeds will be going to VH1s Save the Music Foundation, which is incredible, and theyre gonna use this concert as a big kick-off to open up a Orlando branch possibly for Save the Music.
AJ : Yupyup.
KiD CRUZ : Thats gonna be fantastic. Heres my question and Ill ask Johnny when he gets here later. I feel silly saying that but Now, what does Johnny Suede like to perform? Does he care about Backstreet Boys songs or what?
AJ : No, I mean he is probably gonna do a couple a Backstreet Boys songs but hes not going to do them the traditional way, like a were gonna flip the script on a Ill give away one song were gonna do Hey Mr. DJ, but were gonna do it as a rock version instead of as a kinda reggae version, so you know hes just gonna do a whole bunch of different types of a couple of cover tunes here and there and a couple of originals and then a song that I wrote, so you know itll be something different!
KiD CRUZ : Wow, this is very cool. Will there be an opening act for Johnny Suede? Hows that gonna work out?
AJ : Oh yes, actually theres going to be a couple of opening acts. One our saxophone player, Mindy Abair, is going to be opening up and on top of which Im gonna have EYC. My boys are gonna open up.
KiD CRUZ : Oh really?
AJ : And then we might do a couple of things together but youll see everything from maybe if I have the nerve to let Johnny do a little bit of moshing, maybe well do some moshing. Maybe well smash some guitars on stage
KiD CRUZ : This is gonna be cool, dude. This is gonna be a great time
AJ : Have a major riot, manits gonna be a lot of good
PART 2
KiD CRUZ : Hey Johnny Suede is here. How are you Johnny?
JOHNNY SUEDE: Doing just fine, mate, Im doing just fine
KiD CRUZ : Hey whats going on?
JOHNNY SUEDE : Same ol thing, different day, man!
KiD CRUZ : I like your jacket
JOHNNY SUEDE : Ahh, thank you.
KiD CRUZ : Nice clothing you have.
JOHNNY SUEDE : I appreciate it, man, thank you
KiD CRUZ : So, where do you get your style? Where do you buy most of your clothes? Youre a flashy kinda guy, dude. Youre pretty slick here.
JOHNNY SUEDE : I try to be man, but umjeez Ive shopped in LA, shopped Miami, shopped a little bit here in Orlando, but theres really not a whole lot to really shop here. I mean, theres a lot of tourists like me here, so its not really my kinda gig, man.
KiD CRUZ : So, youre tight with AJ from Backstreet Boys?
JOHNNY SUEDE : Thats my boy, man
KiD CRUZ : So, are you tight with any of the other guys?
JOHNNY SUEDE : Ive really not really been that close with the rest of the guys. Ive only met like Kevin and Howie once or twice, but we all went out had a nice blast at a couple of clubs when the rest of the guys were on tour. But AJ and I just kinda clicked, man, hes got my same kinda vibe except hes from one side of the, you know, country or whatever you wanna call it, man, and, you know, and Im on my side, so its great. Im happy.
KiD CRUZ : So, youre gonna be performing at Hard Rock Live on Sunday, January 9 to benefit VH1s Save the Music and thats gonna be thatsAJs birthday. Do you guys share the same birthday? Or are you just coming out to help him celebrate? Or is it your birthday as well?
JOHNNY SUEDE : We actually do. We found that in common when I was first, you know, when I first met the man. Hes a great bloke. Hes a really nice guy, but you know hes a little bit younger than me, so hes not really sure what to do, you know. I can show him some of the ropes about being a good performer and stuff cause Ive been doing it for a lot longer then he has, but, you know, I think hes doing a pretty good job with the rest of the guys. He can hang.
KiD CRUZ : So thats why this kid, AJs become so twisted cause he hangs out with you wild older people
JOHNNY SUEDE : Its probably because, yeah.its all my fault, man, but you know I take the blame for everything anyways, you know, so its alright. Its cool.
KiD CRUZ : I understand. So well thats interesting. Well see if any of the other guys come out to, you know, if any of the other Backstreet Boys come out to support you or see who shows up. And again whos gonna be opening the show? Did you hand pick some opening acts?
JOHNNY SUEDE : Well, I talked to AJ about it a couple of times before and he was telling me about EYC, who opened up for the Boys for their US tour and he talked about his keyboard, saxophone, and percussionist, Mindy Abair, who is also a solo artist and shes going to open up and also a group from Tampa called PYT, so you know its gonna be a hype show. Its gonna be a lot of fun. You better be there, man, or Im gonna come after you Im serious.
KiD CRUZ : I promise Ill be there. Im gonna be there to support AJ cause its actually, you know, I dont wanna steal his spotlight, but its close to my birthday which is like three or four days after that. So itll be like a big celebration. Ill be on stage...well have good time!
JOHNNY SUEDE : Well, there you go. Well, Ill be there with bells on, you know it.
