JoJo Radio Interview Transcript - May 14, 2004

JOJO: Ladies & Gentlemen - the mystery guest... The Backstreet Boys (crowd screams). I've interviewed you guys like a million times, never had all 5 of you in the studio together, this is a big night for me. When was the last time you guys, all 5, did a radio interview at the same time, together?

KEVIN: Probably been 3 years. We taped some interviews 3 or 4 months ago, but this is the first time live that we've been on the air together as a unit

HOWIE: in a radio station

JOJO: I don't think I've had Brian in the studio, I think on the plane [BSB's 6 countries in 100 hours tour that BSB did to promote their "Black and Blue" cd - that JoJo was a part of]

BRIAN: Probably not, and I live just down the street

JOJO: How's the recording of this new album going. You took a break, now you're back in, how long have you been back in the studio, how's it going?

AJ: It's been since the latter part of January and we've been plugging away week after week working really hard. Its really exciting for all of us to be back together. We've been having a lot of fun. Nothing has changed. Its been 11 years. Some things have changed for the better, but for the most part nothings really changed. We're still the same goofy guys in the studio, but we're having a good time

JOJO: Congrats on hooking up with manager Johnny Wright, who I worked with on Fame, love that guy

KEVIN: He's not new, he's a blast from the past

NICK: We just got our Phil Jackson back

BRIAN: We got our dream team back together

JOJO: Howie D. of BSB - we've been talking a long time, friends for awhile

HOWIE D: Yes, haven't had the monthly report in for awhile

JOJO: Last time I talked to you, you were in NY

HOWIE D: Right, we were just up in NY recording a song with Max Martin

JOJO: Is he the greatest writer you've ever worked with?

HOWIE D: Unbelievable guy

JOJO: When you go into the studio... what happens with this Max Martin dude?

AJ: Max is interesting

HOWIE D: He has a unique way of producing

BRIAN: He's got a complete vision from start to finish. He normally submits a demo with him singing on it, he's a great singer as well

HOWIE D: He used to be in an `80's hair band back when we first met him

JOJO: Have you ever had a writer or producer that sucked... that you guys fired?

KEVIN: We don't want to bring those guys up... there's people you just don't gel with

NICK: I think it was more in the beginning when we first started

JOJO: Howie, I know your solo project, you've been working on one... .you put a pause on it right now as the Backstreet project progresses? Give me your take on how things are going so far

HOWIE D: Everything's been going great... each of us since we got back together in November, we all collectively decided in order to make a Backstreet record and do it properly we had to put our solo projects on the side which we were all happy about. We're all still working on them on our down time, but right now our main focus is the Backstreet Boys. We've been in the studio since January, about >'s done with the album. We're really excited about it. It's a fresh start for us to get back out there in the world and I think everybody's going to be excited about the album when it comes out, hopefully.

JOJO: Do you still have that house that was on MTV's crib?

HOWIE D: I still have that house, I don't see much of it

JOJO: I could never figure out the fireplace... there's your bedroom with a fireplace, you can see through the fireplace into the living room. What if you're having a romantic night and one of your "homies" is hanging out on the other side with a camera?

HOWIE D: Yeah, my brother was living with me for quite awhile and I had finally gotten one of those... fog things?

BRIAN: Its called a firescreen man (laughing)

JOJO: Always remember - shut the screen

JOJO: Brian...this is old news but I haven't had a chance to tell ya... .not since the birth of your baby, so congradulations

BRIAN: Thank you very much... .he's 17 = months, his name is Baylee Thomas Wylee Littrell. He's singing and dancing on Broadway last week when we were in NY. He loves it. He's full of joy. He's my joy. My wife's at home now watching him so I hope had a good dinner. Hey baby, I love you. He's the 6th Backstreet Boy

JOJO: How does that change your life? Obviously the music part stays the same. You guys seem tight or tighter right now at this moment... .how has the baby thing changed your personal life? Your priorities get rearranged...

BRIAN: They do. I'm a believer in God has perfect timing and Baylee was not planned. God knew when I was going to have 2 years off so here we are as new parents. The world's changed in the past couple of years. Priorities obviously are different, for everybody. I think me, as Brian, I've always tried to create a fine line between what is work and what is my life, my true life and Baylee helps me really stamp that line because a Dad is one thing. Being a singer and whatever they call us, is just my love, its what it do. I want him to get a chance to enjoy that cause I want him to know what Daddy does.

JOJO: Did the break do you good, what was good about the break from the pandemonium? Did you go crazy?

BRIAN: I craved it. I itched a lot towards the end because I was excited. I was kinda disappointed people out there didn't know who the Backstreet Boys were, being out of our place for 2-3 years, that's a long time. Having an impact again with good positive music, I think the timing is great. Its what the world needs right now.

JOJO: Kevin... you seem to be the glue that holds the whole thing together... how's everybody doing? How's AJ going since you were the catapult to get AJ from a bad situation...

KEVIN: AJ's doing great, I'm so proud of him. He's a new man

JOJO: You were on Broadway...

KEVIN: I did Chicago on Broadway at the same time the movie came out which was a dream come true. A great opportunity. I seized it. I had an incredible time. It's a dream come true. I had a blast. I did it on the west end of London as well

JOJO: ... a play on Broadway. What's that like? That's the pinnacle of acting, some people think over movies. Broadway is where the real actors go to show their stuff. How insane is it to be onstage?

KEVIN: The first night, I was so scared. I was terrified.

JOJO: Even after you've done all the stuff for Backstreet?

KEVIN: It's a totally different experience. We're out there singing together. There were numbers where it was just me and its live theater. You have dialogue to remember, hundreds of pages of dialogue to memorize and I didn't want to forget my lines or flub, but I did my homework and put the rest in God's hands and it worked out great.

JOJO: How do you think this 2nd round of pandemonium, how do you think its going to go?

KEVIN: I'm excited. We've had a couple of years to reflect on everything that happened to us. We had a great run. We were on the road for almost 7 years straight and we got a little burnt out. We've had a chance to recharge our batteries, count our blessings and be thankful... .learn from our mistakes. Here we come again.

JOJO: Best is yet to come next

KEVIN: I hope so

JOJO: AJ... you look healthy. I'm proud of you dude

AJ: I feel good. Got a lot of good good people in my life right now. It's a whole new experience doing this brand new album completely 100% sober. Its just so much more fun. My life - I'm very blessed and I'm very grateful.

BRIAN: And he sounded great before, wait till you hear him now

HOWIE: Except his hairdo's a little funky, looks worse than yours JoJo (laughing)

JOJO: Describe his hair

HOWIE: It looks like a cats butt

KEVIN: It looks like a pimps hat

AJ: It was the only thing I haven't done yet

NICK: I like it, its cool

JOJO: How's the recording sessions going?

AJ: There's so many great songs that we've been blessed with from different producers, different writers. We actually collectively came together and wrote a song which turned out amazing. We were up in NY working with Max again, we haven't worked with him in quite a long time. Did a really interesting song with Max that's a little bit different for the Backstreet Boys. We've been working with a lot of great producers. Everybody sounds great, looks great... .having fun again. There's nothing crazy in my life right now. I'm single, I'm dating... its been good. Playing golf, enjoying my home

JOJO: Any new tattoos?

AJ: Couple of new skulls on my arms. I'm kinda obsessed with skulls right now

JOJO: Nick - what's been happening?

NICK: Everythings cool

JOJO: Your take on you guys jumping back in the studio...

NICK: It's awesome to be back in the studio. Of course it was me that took the time to do the solo album and do what I wanted to do. It was something I always dreamed of, to get on tour, play small gigs. It was nothing too big or crazy that I wanted. It was a more personal thing. I did that and I had a lot of fun at it. Now I'm back doing what got it all started in the first place, being with my boys again, getting back in the studio, being part of a 5 part vocal harmony group which is so fun to be in. To actually step in the back. Harmony is just something that if you are doing it well, its so amazing. I think the thing we do together is magical, so that's why I'm back again.

KEVIN: That was beautiful

BRIAN: He speaks complete sentences now

JOJO: Since you're the first that did a solo thing, what do you tell the other guys who will eventually do solo projects, hopefully staying as a group, what's the pros and cons?

NICK: It is hard. When you do solo, you're taking a chance. Do you want to come off a certain way? You don't want to be contrived. I decided to go pop/rock music. It was what I wanted to do. It might not have fit with the time and what was going on, but it was just something personally that I wanted to do.

JOJO: Anybody can do what's supposed to be right at the time, but you've got to do what's coming from your gut otherwise what's the point

NICK: Exactly. I could have put together any type of record with what was going, but what would it have done for me. It wouldn't have done anything. So all I can say to them is just follow your heart, do what you want to do cause at the end of the day that's all that matters.

(the winners of "JoJo's In-Studio Audience" passes got to listen to an new BSB song)

JOJO: When you guys hear a song that you put a lot of time into, do you nitpick it?

NICK: The person that nitpicks the most is Kevin

JOJO: What do you think of the song and the overall direction of the album?

KEVIN: The song is one of the directions we're experimenting with and that's what we wanted to do on this record is make sure we explored sonically, production wise and really push the envelope for us. So we've done some urban stuff, we've done straight up pop stuff and we've done some stuff with a rock edge. I think it sounds like a hit record.

JOJO: Can't wait to play this stuff on the radio... .end of summer. Thank you guys for hanging out!

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