HAVE YOU EVER HAD A BIG FIGHT?

AJ: Yes, we have differences of opinion one or two times, but we never did something physically to each others. When we're mad at each others, it takes at most a few minutes. Then we talk about it. We try never to be mad at each others when we get on stage.

NICK: Once we had one hell of a fight. We yelled at each others and we were mad as hell! But the funny thing, when it all was over, we wrote a song together, and it really became great.

DID YOU LIKE EACH OTHERS FROM THE START?

NICK: Yes, I liked AJ immideately. I met Howie and AJ at the same day, at a casting. That's a long time ago already! We talked a bit in the break, and I thought they both were really nice. But AJ was truly cool!

AJ: The first time I met Nick was about 4 years ago. Then he was still 12 years old. At that time, he was very quiet, caught up in his computer game and he had a new girlfriend every day. No, tosh, that was just a joke. (smiles) Guess this was one of the idiot stories, Nick hates so much on me.He's very young and he only has rubbish in his head. But it was kinda funny, he kinda looked up to me and we always were together. Then he was very quiet, but he starts to come out of his shell bit by bit now. But sometimes he's still like he was, then he gets really quiet, and he doesn't produce a sound. Especially before a show or performance he becomes 'thinky'. He's so dedicated, he gets tired.

NICK: But that doesn't happen very often! I was born to make fun of things, and I love to make music. They say I've got a great bunck of energy, many times the others even call me 'The Hyperman'!

YOU KNOW EACH OTHERS FOR FOUR YEARS NOW. THINGS HAVE CHANGED. HAS YOUR RELATION CHANGED TOO?

NICK: No. We just got older, and sometimes there are things AJ does and don't understand. But that'll probably be because of the age difference. He's 18 and I'm 16 years old (*they were at the time of the interview*) 2 years say a lot here!

WHAT KIND OF THINGS DO YOU DO WHEN YOU'RE TOGETHER?

AJ: Hangin' out, trying out video games... My favorite game is: 'Mortal Combat', that's a kinda hard game. And often we go swimming at his place

NICK: And listening to music of course! We like the same kind of music, Alternative music, Grunge and that kinda stuff.

HAVE YOU TWO GOT A SHARED HOBBY?

AJ: Yeah, basketball! Nick is pretty good already, he plays much better than in the beginning. We bought him a basketball, and he practised a lot. We all love playing basketball.

WHAT DOES FRIENDSHIP MEAN TO YOU?

NICK: Friendship - that's a bond between people, who talk together, do things together and feel connected to each others, who have loadsa fun together.

AJ: Everything! In bad times you can't use anything beter than a couple of good friends, people you can trust. Girlfriends come and go, but real friends will stay forever. Real friendship you don't find very often. Just like your family, friends are always there for you. It's kinda interesting, in what ways friends are changing. Who's a real friend, I found out because of my carreer. Real friends say: 'Okay, have fun in Germany, see ya soon.' The other 'friends' say: 'Could you bring me that and that, that could be useful.' When I get home again, I love it so much to meet them again and to hang out with 'em. And you also have people who say you stayed the same and tell you: 'Hey cool, you made this job and you haven't even forgotten us!'I think I'm still the same guy as when I left school, but many of my 'friends' hve changed their attitude facing me.

DO YOU DO EVERYTHING WITH FRIENDS?

AJ: In any case! In my group in Orlando, there's a girl with a dope-problem, and she's kicking the habit at the moment. She calls me sometimes, and then she tells me she won't make it, and then I say: 'When you do it, you'll be a whole new person! Hold on! I know the cure is the best thing to do for you, and that's why we let you do this.' For friends you often must do things, you don't want to do, but you have to do them, because of your friendship.

WOULD YOU DO EVERYTHING FOR A REAL FRIEND?

AJ: Yes. I don't see any reasons not to do anything for a friend!

NICK: It depends, how long the friendship lasts already. I've got some friends since I was a little kid, and I would do anything for them. Of course it also depends on the situation. Something illegal may be too much.

WHAT ABOUT YOU, AJ?

AJ: Yeah, he's right. I wouldn't like to lie. Then it really has to be a necessity. And do something illegal... I mean, what kind of a friend is it who asks something like that from you?

NICK: I would lie. When a friend for example has girl-trouble, it would be different. I would help him out of the scrape.

WHO IS YOUR BEST FRIEND?

NICK: I don't only have guy-friends, at home there's a girl, she's kinda like my best friend. I understand her perfectly. She's not my girlfriend or something, she's just my best friend, but she's really great. I also go to her when I have a problem, and sometimes I call her when I'm touring. I don't have many problems, but if I have one, I can go to so many people. I could also go to one of the guys or to my parents. I'm glad my parents are always there when I'm touring.

AJ: My best friends are the guys in the band. Since 3 years we're together night and day, and in this time we became superfriends.