Backstreet Boys' AJ is forever at worldpop's beck 'n' call when we want to interrogate him on subjects of a private nature and you can't get much more personal than talk about life-threatening situations …

solo songs and gossip

worldpop: Have you written any songs for your alter ego Johnny No Name?

AJ: Yep I've done about three songs. One called In Dreams, one called Privacy Homicide and one that's yet to be titled but it's kind of a true, hardcore rock like real Megadeth. It's a little bit out there.

worldpop: Privacy Homicide? That sounds a bit grim …

AJ: It does. I wrote it while I was on the Johnny No Name tour. Your privacy level goes so far down in this business that you kinda don't have a choice. You're in the public eye 24/7 and someone's always going to recognise you. I do love the attention but then there are certain cases where I can't stand it. Like when I'm trying to eat dinner with my family but I don't want people to think I'm an ass because I won't sign an autograph.

worldpop: That's life in the public eye ... do you like gossip columns?

AJ: I love gossip columns cos you've just got to sit back and go yeah right whatever ... you know it's all a bunch of BS ... You see these pictures of someone who looks like Michael Jackson and you know damn well it's not him. There was a story about Kevin doing a million dollar movie contract with Tom Cruise but he's still waiting for his cheque. They're cheesy entertainment for someone who doesn't want to read good magazines, people who wanna read the smut and the trash like the Enquirer, the Globe, Star. Those magazines crack me up.

The terror of bomb threats

worldpop: Have you had problems with stalkers?

AJ: There's been bomb threats on our shows in Europe. Never really any personal one on one threats to any of besides Brian's incidents when his dogs were stolen. To me that's not really life threatening. You can always get another dog.

worldpop: That's cruel!

AJ: I'm sure I'd be upset if it happened to me but that's Brian's dogs. I know Britney has gone through it before with stalkers going to one of her shows. You just have to be careful who you're friends with, what you do and what you say but sometimes these stalkers are jealous boyfriends and some of them are girls. They might be die hard 'N Sync fans that think, 'Oh Backstreet Boys suck! They should be dead!' They send bomb threats before a show saying 'I'm gonna blow the boys up.'

worldpop: Any particular incidents?

AJ: It was in East Berlin, They'd called the stage crew from a phone booth and said there's a bomb under the stage that's going to go off in the finale when the guys do Get Down and we did the show up until that point then we left the stage while it was searched. There was a bomb-looking device under the stage but there were no charges.

His stalker-proof US home

worldpop: Aren't you terrified?

AJ: Yeah. It's gonna happen but hopefully it doesn't get serious one day. Look at George Harrison - his attacker went into his house and stabbed him. You don't feel 100% safe any more but that's why you've got security. But there are sick freaks in the world - besides me!

worldpop: How have you protected your house?

AJ: It's a gated community. There's lasers outside my house so if you come within 30 feet of my door the alarm goes on and the police are automatically called.

worldpop: Do you have bullet proof glass?

AJ: No, but I don't have a lot of windows in my house. You have to watch your back, try not to go out alone at night for walks. But the area I live in is not a bad place. No one actually knows where I live. It's pretty hard to find me.

The devotion of Backstreet Boys fans

worldpop: How did you feel that time when a fan said she'd take a bullet for you guys?

AJ: That was crazy. That was probably the best question we've ever been asked in the history of any interview or any press conference and it was cool because it came from one of our fans … 'What would you do if a fan took a bullet for you?' I honestly don't know what I'd do. I would be freaked out.

worldpop: But obviously you wouldn't want a fan to suffer like that for you, would you?

AJ: No. You might all love us or think we're cool but don't take a bullet for any of us please. It's sad but our security would get us out of there. We wouldn't be allowed to stay and watch over her, which sucks. If it happened to me while I was on my own out walking round a mall, then I'd stick by her whatever. Our fans mean everything to us.