Date: Thursday, August 20, 1998
Title: Aaron Carter plays with the big boys
Author: RICK CONRAD
Source: Halifax Herald
Source: http://www.canoe.ca/JamMusicArtistsC/carter_aaron.html
Topic: 1998 Article/Interview
You know you're not dealing with just any music star when his publicist gets on the phone before the interview with a bit of advice.
"We try to limit interviews with Aaron to five to seven minutes," she says in a southern twang.
"He's only 10 years old after all. You'll probably get all you need in that time anyway."
And so it goes for the newest pre-pre-teen singing sensation, Aaron Carter, younger brother to Backstreet Boy Nick Carter.
The pint-sized pop star's self-titled debut was an immediate hit in Canada, selling more than 50,000 copies and going gold just weeks after its release.
Sales of the album were helped along by hits like Crazy Little Party Girl and a cover of The Jets' mid-80s hit Crush on You.
His newest release is a six-song EP, Surfin' USA, featuring a cover of the Beach Boys' tune.
"I just like them a lot. I've always loved them," he says of the Beach Boys.
He's an even bigger star in Germany, where his album was released first, a la his big brother's band.
For Aaron, who opens for the Backstreet Boys when they play Citadel Hill on Tuesday, all this sudden stardom was a nice surprise.
"I never thought I was gonna be like a big rock star," he says on the phone from Denver.
"It's very exciting."
Aaron began singing when he was about 5 years old, and at seven formed the short-lived band Dead End with three of his classmates from Rock School in Tampa, Fla.
Sadly, Dead End was just that, with the group splitting in 1996 due to the usual "musical differences".
After the breakup, Aaron spent many hours with a vocal coach and his big break came in March 1997 during a special appearance at a Backstreet Boys concert.
A record executive from Edel Records in Germany saw his act and signed him.
But just like most 10-year-olds, Aaron chooses his words sparingly when talking about his career.
About recording, he says: "It's not hard work at all. It was very fun."
And on why he wanted to get into the music biz: "I've just always wanted to do this. Mostly because of my brother, but I've always wanted to do this stuff too."
Even though Aaron enjoys recording, he says he also loves touring and he can't wait to come to Halifax.
"Oh yeah. I've been to Vancouver before. I love Canada."
