Taken from Super Pop Machine: January'97

REPORTER'S QUESTION: Your tour can be concsidered a total success, mainly after obtaining the MTV award for best video in Europe. What has this meant for you?

A.J: The truth is that we weren't expecting this, and not this soon! Everything has happened so fast...we were competing with great bands and...wow!,winning was an honour.

NICK: In the MTV Europe awards, we were able to get to be known all around Europe and it was a recognition of all our work. It was great!

RQ: In the ceremony you showed your new look...

HOWIE: Yeah, the truth is that we like changing our image, trying everything new...

A.J: When my mother saw me with my blonde dyed hair, she almost had a heart attack...now she's used to it, but she still looks at me and moves her head like saying "oh my god!".

NICK: My mom liked my new hair style a lot; my sister did it! The problem was that, before, with my longer hair, my ears were always warm and now I have to wear a woll cap to go out in the winter.

RQ: When you are on tour, what do you do during your free time?

HOWIE: We've got almost no free time! But we go shopping or to the movies whenever we can.

BRIAN: We also play basketball or pool. We are masters of the game!

KEVIN: AJ and I go out at night, usually to a night club in town, dancing or for a drink. It's a pity we can't go out all together because there are some places where you can't go until you're a certain age.

NICK: Yeah, I always have to stay watching TV at the hotel.

RQ: Are you always carrying any special object?

A.J: I use to takewith me a blanket done by my grandmother when I was born, but I lost it in a hotel. I liked sleeping with it...now I sleep hugging my jeans, ha ha ha!

HOWIE: I always take the same pyjamas. They are made of chinese silk and are really soft.

BRIAN: I need to eat peanut butter and jelly to survive. I take a small food supply in my bag!

NICK: I take my Sega playstation everywhere. My favourites are football games and Mortal Kombat. I always beat Brian.

RQ: Do you miss Florida??

HOWIE: Yes, mainly our families, and friends.

A.J: Nick and I are lucky because my mother and his father are always travelling with us, but for the rest it's very hard being away from their families for so long.

HOWIE: We also miss the sun and the heat! Europe is really cold...

RQ: How do you stay in shape during the tours??

HOWIE: We try to eat healthy, and we exercise.

BRIAN: Yah, the best training we do is on stage, we move every single muscle in our bodies! Including our vocal chords.

KEVIN: We have a performance almost every night, so we never lose the rhythm. After almost 2 hours of show we are exausted.

What's the hottest thing that has happened to you with or without your fans?

A.J: Lot's of stuff! When we are on stage they throw us gifts; two days ago I got hit with a bear,and my head still hurts! They also grab our hands and our legs or they pull us towards them.

HOWIE: I've fallen from the stage a couple of times!

A.J: The hottest thing happening was when a girl took off her t-shirt and bra while she yelled out my name. I was so surprised that I even forgot how the song went on!

NICK: I saw that too!!I got paralised. Nothing like that had happened to me before! At the beginning I thought that she wasn't going to take off her underwear but...

BRIAN: Girls also throw us their underwear.

Nick: Yes, it is very funny to sing in the middle of so many bras, ha ha ha!

KEVIN: Once a bra fell on my face while I was playing the piano, our girls are a real thing!

RQ: After the shows too?

HOWIE: Even more! They alwas find out at which hotel we are staying at and they call us on the phone saying that they are our relatives or things like that, so that the receptionist communicates them to us. Sometimes they even got to knock on our room door.

RQ:And what do you do in that situation?

HOWIE: Well, we open the door, we chat with them, we sign autographs, then when they leave, we go to sleep!

NICK: We also take pictures with them, 'cause they are always carrying their camaras.

RQ: Do you like talking to your fans?

A.J: Of course, every time we perform we get together with some fans before the show. It's very important to know how they think of us and our music...They lead us!!

NICK: I love meeting girls, getting to know them and having friends all over the world. I ask them for their phone numbers and address so that when I go back to that country I can see them again. I love having friends in different places of the world, getting to know their cultures and the way they think...

RQ: How do you get along being together 24/7??

KEVIN: Pretty well. We have good and bad moments. Sometimes we argue, but never hit each other!

BRIAN: I can't stand arguements, but I admit that there are certain days in which we just don't seem to agree with other!

NICK: But we always end up making up (not LOVE, OK).

RQ: How do you make up?

HOWIE: We hug each other and give a kiss on the cheek.( well, maybe it is love, just kidding hahaha!)

A.J: the same all brothers do, we're like a BIG family!!

RQ: Have you ever had any accidents on stage??

HOWIE: I did! I once slipped and went rolling to the edge of the stage. Luckily a security guard grabbed me by the t-shirt and held me, becuase the stage was really high and if I fell...I would have killed myself!

KEVIN: Things like that are always happening. I, for example, have an incredible ability to drop the microphone.

BACKSTREET BOYS: 1996 was a good year and we hope 1997 will be even better!!