Projected Release date: 05/29/00 Hot on the heels of the top 10 smash "Show Me the Meaning of Being Lonely" comes "The One", the fourth single from the sensational all-male pop group's huge 1999 album "Millennium". No US release exists & this import features "The One" (Album Version) and three non-album tracks, "The One" (instrumental), "Show Me the Meaning of Being Lonely" (Soul Solution Mixshow Edit) and "Larger Than Life" (Jack D Elliot Radio Mix).
Source: People.com
He's the blond one. The cute one. The one with only slightly More Facial Stubble Than That Sixth Sense Kid. But Nick Carter, 20, the youngest of the five milky-voiced Backstreet Boys, has been retooling his sweet, towheaded looks of late. For one thing, there's the trio of freshly inked tattoos. The shark on his left arm "is a reflection of my personality," says Carter. "A shark can be very quiet; it can be very dangerous, it can be very sleek." Adorning his right arm is a Native American-style chain. "I wanted something tribal," he says. On his right shoulder is a musical note "because I'm a singer." Carter's other new alteration: the shearing of his golden locks, which he had worn longer and often parted down the center since age 10. "It was time to change," he says, "but I didn't know if people would be like, 'Oh, I don't like him anymore because he doesn't have that long hair!' " He needn't have worried. If anything, Carter's more mature look only enhances his appeal, says L.A. stylist Rachel Zoe Rosenzweig, who works with the Boys. "He's growing into himself," she observes, "and he's just getting sexier." Carter says that the group's rigorous performances keep his 6'2" frame in dancing form. And although he's on the road about 200 days a year, he often returns to the Tampa area, where he was raised by his parents, Jane, 41, who oversees 12-year-old brother Aaron's singing career, and Robert, 47, a retired truck driver. Carter, who earned a GED because his work kept him from high school, shares his waterfront Florida home with a 19-year-old music-biz girlfriend he won't name -- partly to protect her from jealous fans. "The screams for him are endless," says Carson Daly, host of MTV's Total Request Live, where the Backstreet Boys and their videos bring out lovestruck legions. "His fans are very possessive." The fervor suits Carter just fine. "What guy couldn't say that he likes women being after him?" he asks. "I'm not going to lie. It's great!" Just call him the One Who's Having the Most Fun.
New Album
Source: Billboard Mag
"Backstage, all five members of Backstreet Boys were being fairly secretive about their new album, which they're currently recording with "a lot of the same writers and producers we had on our other albums," according to group member Nick Carter. All of the members say that they will be co-writing tracks on the album. Backstreet Boy Kevin Richardson adds, "We're not rushing this album, so we don't know if it'll be out this year or not."
Backstreet Boys book due July
Source: Infobeat
(Launch) - Fans of the Backstreet Boys who just can't get enough of the quintet can flock to book stores when "Backstreet Boys: The Official Book" - the first and only book authorized by the group - hits retailers nationwide July 5. "I think it is high time that we give back to our fans what they honestly deserve - which is to be closer to us and to be a part of our lives as much as we are a part of theirs," the group's A.J. McLean said. The 128-page book is a photographic scrapbook showcasing the work of photographer Andre Csillag, who has had unlimited access to the group since 1995. The book will carry a suggested retail price of $14.95 and has a scheduled first printing of 500,000 copies.
VH1 Specials Propel Big Increase in Record Sales
Source: VH1
VH1 Specials 'Men Strike Back' and 'VH1 Divas 2000: A Tribute to Diana Ross' Propel Big Increase in Record Sales by Top Superstars
NEW YORK, April 27 /PRNewswire/ -- Record sales for the superstar singers headlining the VH1 specials ``Men Strike Back'' and ``VH1 Divas 2000: A Tribute To Diana Ross'' have soared since the highly-rated shows aired recently on the network.
``Men Strike Back'' stars Sting, Backstreet Boys, D'Angelo, Enrique Iglesias, Christina Aguilera and Sisqo racked up sales increases ranging from 14-71% for the week ending April 23, compared to the preceding week. The first-ever male dominated concert, ``Men Strike Back,'' premiered Tuesday, April 18 at 9:00 p.m. (ET/PT).
Christina Aguilera led the way with a 71% jump (to 140,341 units, up from 81,927), followed by Backstreet Boys, whose sales soared 59.1% (88,672 compared to 55,752); Enrique Igelsias, with an increase of 50.2% (50,317 from 33,502); Sisqo, whose tally rose 44.4% (216,820 from 150,168); D'Angelo, up 42.2% (32,137 from 22,596), and Sting, with sales rising 14% (40,041 from 35,001). Tom Jones does not have currently have an album on the market.
The stars of ``VH1 Divas 2000: A Tribute To Diana Ross,'' which premiered Tuesday, April 11 at 9:00 p.m. (ET/PT), also showed continued increases for the week ending April 23, with Destiny's Child clocking a 48.9% leap in sales compared to the preceding week (to 157,650 units, up from 105,849). Mariah Carey's sales moved up 32.7% (16,819 from 12,674), and Faith Hill rose 32.4% during the week (80,558 from 60,837).
To date, after nine airings, Divas 2000: ``A Tribute to Diana Ross'' has drawn 20.3 million viewers. ``Men Strike Back,'' weighing in with eight airings, has brought in 16.1 million viewers.
``These two concerts offered new looks and impressions of some of the best artists of the day,'' said Wayne Isaak, Executive VP of Music for VH1 and executive producer for ``Divas 2000'' and ``Men Strike Back.'' ``It's great to see our audience respond at both the TV set and the music retail counter.''
VH1 produces and programs a wide variety of music-based series, specials, live events and acquisition-based programming that keep viewers in touch with the music they love. VH1 is a registered trademark of MTV Networks, a unit of Viacom Inc. MTV Networks owns and operates the cable television programming services MTV: Music Television, MTV 2: Music Television, Nickelodeon/Nick at Nite, TV Land and VH1 as well as The Suite from MTV Networks, a package of ten digital services, all of which are trademarks of MTV Networks. MTV Networks also has joint ventures, licensing agreements and syndication deals whereby its programming can be seen worldwide.
Backstreet's Howie Remembers Sister With Benefit Concert
Source: MTV
Backstreet Boy Howie Dorough and his sisters Angie Haring and Pollyanna Dorough are organizing "Lupus 2000," a benefit concert in honor of their late sister.
There's no firm line-up yet but Christina Aguilera, fellow Backstreet Boy A.J. McLean, Sting, Deborah Cox, Leann Rimes, Jordan Knight, and Deborah Gibson, have all been approached. British pop rocker Seal, who suffers from Lupus, has also been asked to perform for the benefit. Howie D. and his sisters plan to perform a new song called "Fly to Heaven" in memory of their late sister.
The show is scheduled to take place on June 25th at Universal Studios in Orlando.
Howie's sister Caroline died in 1998 of Lupus, a chronic auto-immune disorder that affects the skin, joints and internal organs.
Source: Atlanta radio station
Elton John was in the studio on a Atlanta Radio Station talking with the DJs for a long time and of course the conversation got around to BSB.
He first said "They are just about the nicest kids you'd ever want to know. They sing beautifully - they're so talented. It was an absolute joy to work with them." he said they recorded their part of the song in an hour and were so professional. He said, "Sting just did something with them on that VH1 special and he was thrilled to work with them. They are just angels. I love them."
The DJ asked why BSB wasn't mentioned on the album cover - he thought it would help it sell. Elton said, "I wanted to splash their names all over it - they're so good. But their record label wouldn't let me. I couldn't say thank you, and I couldn't mention each of them by name. They're just mean-spirited." the DJ said, "Their management, not the boys, right?" and Elton said, "No - it's not their management. They have great management. It's their record label... jerks." (go Elton!)
You can listen to parts from the interview with Elton John Here.
What do Sisqo and Lionel have in common?
Guess what? The 4/21 issue of EW has yet another musician praising the BSB. In the column Hear and Now: This week on the music beat, Lionel Richie has this to say about the Boys...
Teens may not remember Lionel Richie hits like "Say You, Say Me", but with the summer release of his new album, Renaissance, the ex-Commodore may yet score with hormone-addled adolescents. None other than the Backstreet Boys will accompany Richie on "Cinderella", a Latin-flavored love song from his album. "This is in that fine tradition of 'What the hell are you doing, Lionel?'" quips the Motown hitmaker, who met the Boys last fall when they turned up at a Bremen, Germany gig and asked if they could perform "Easy" with him on stage. "The crowd went berserk," Richie recalls. "I thought if the chemistry is working this well, let's take it to a record." Even if the song doesn't ignite a full-blown Richie resurgence, it's made him a hero in his own house. "My son is 5. He missed 'We Are the World' and my Commodore days, so the only thing he's seen me do is Backstreet Boys. Believe me, Daddy can do no wrong at this point."
In the April 21 issue of Entertainment Weekly there is an article about Sisqo. Here is a quote from the article:
"The people just love a smash," he (Sisqo) say. "Like Livin La Vida Loca - that was a smash."....(skipping here)...The Backstreet Boys' "IWITW"? "Hell yeah, that's a smash. I love that song." He sings a snatch. "You always know a smash because it just makes you grin from ear to ear."
BSB are not going away!
``Long live BRITNEY SPEARS and the BACKSTREET BOYS. Face it, they're not going away.'' -- Smashing Pumpkins leader BILLY CORGAN during a performance in New York, according to the Daily News.
Nick Carter, T-Boz Make "Beautiful People" List
Source: MTV
The Backstreet Boys' Kevin Richardson may be sexy, but bandmate Nick Carter is beautiful.
So say the editors at "People" magazine, who selected Carter, TLC's Tionne "T-Boz" Watkins, and Ricky Martin in its annual list of "The 50 Most Beautiful People In The World," slated to appear in a special issue arriving on newsstands on April 28.
Other music artists, entertainers, and celebrities making the 11th such list included Shania Twain, Tina Turner, Faith Hill, Jude Law, Neve Campbell, Amanda Peet, Hilary Swank, Charlize Theron, Michele Kwan, Iman, Freddie Prinze, Jr., and MTV's own Ananda Lewis.
"Erin Brockovich" star Julia Roberts graces the cover of the "People" special for the second time, as she was previously the cover girl for "The 50 Most Beautiful People In The World" issue in 1991.
The issue also features profiles of all 50 "beautiful people," with T-Boz talking about some of the messages she's hoping to get across to young fans with TLC.
"One thing I'm trying to teach kids that nobody ever taught me is that nobody's flawless," T-Boz says in the magazine. "If somebody says to me that I have bags under my eyes, that I look tired, well, honey, I am tired."
The Backstreet Boys' Carter takes the opportunity to explain the symbolism behind his shark tattoo.
"[It's] a reflection of my personality," Carter tells "People." "A shark can be very quiet; it can be very dangerous, it can be very sleek."
Carter is the latest member of the multi-platinum Orlando band to be feted by "People," as Kevin Richardson was named "Sexiest Pop Star" by the mag's editors last October.
Girls! A.J.'s not engaged
Source: Orlando Sentinal
Backstreet Boy A.J. McLean's mama, Denise, says reports that he is engaged to his longtime Orlando girlfriend, actress/singer Amanda Latona, are not true. And neither is the one that Latona is pregnant. Two of his bandmates -- Kevin Richardson and his cousin Brian Littrell -- are, however, still spoken for. The boys are in the Bahamas working on their next album.
Source: Teen People
Click on Brian to se him in BIGGER size :-)
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When 5-year-old Brian Littrell's heart stopped beating for 30 seconds, then started again, his family probably thought that was enough of a reason to call him a miracle child. But it was just the beginning. He went on to become an international megastar as part of Backstreet Boys, helping the group sell 11 million copies of their second album, Millennium (always the southern gentleman, he cowrote the album's ode to mothers, "The Perfect Fan"). After coming through 1998's heart surgery with flying colors, Brian celebrated in a big way: Last Christmas, he proposed to his girlfriend of three years, Leighanne Wallace. "I woke up one day, and I thought 'Let me get a jump start on the wonderful life that I have,' " he says. "There's no reason to wait if you're in love." With renewed health, an upcoming wedding and another BSB album in the works, 25 is looking pretty awesome. "I'm good to go," Brian says with a grin.
To vote for the hottest one of all, go to www.abc.com or on AOL (keyword: Teen People) and vote by May 11 (last year, Justin beat Nick by 1% of the vote....let's get motivated!:)
Source: WorldPop
Pop is going theme park crazy, and Backstreet Boys are set to become the first boy band to have their own thrill-a-minute ride.
Spiderman creator Stan Lee is planning to build a Backstreet Boys ride simulation as part of a new theme park - where all the rides will be based on his comic book characters. The theme park is likely to be in either Orlando or Los Angeles, while Lee is currently developing the Backstreet Boys into superheroes for the Internet.
Source: USA TODAY
By Elysa Gardner Special for USA TODAY
NEW YORK -- What inspired the Backstreet Boys to take part in VH1's Men Strike Back special, other than the opportunity to share a stage with more seasoned sex symbols such as Tom Jones and Sting?
According to band members Howie Dorough and A.J. McLean, it was that the concert, which airs tonight at 9 ET/PT, will raise money for VH1 Save the Music, a non-profit organization devoted to restoring music programs and awareness in public schools.
''We did VH1's charity golf tournament last year (Fairway to Heaven, broadcast in November), and that was the beginning of a great relationship,'' McLean says during rehearsals for the show. ''And keeping music in the schools is something the entire group is interested in.''
The singers claim to be less concerned about the fact that rival boy band 'N Sync broke their SoundScan record for first-week sales.
While the Boys' 1999 album, Millennium, sold a staggering 1,134,000 copies in its first week, 'N Sync's No Strings Attached -- released last month on Jive Records, also the Boys' label -- sold an even more mind-blowing 2.4 million.
''Everyone has their moment,'' McLean says. ''There was lots of hype behind ('N Sync's) record, and lots of record-company support. The way I feel is, let them have the spotlight for a while, and let us take some time to put together a great album.''
''God bless 'em,'' Dorough says. ''Everyone deserves success. But we're going to give them a run for their money with our next album.''
The Boys plan to complete that album by September and to release it by the end of the year. The five singers will travel to an undisclosed tropical location, where they will collaborate on writing material. ''This is the first time that all five of us are working together,'' Dorough says. ''We're either going to have a good time and write great songs, or we're going to kill each other. Hopefully the first.''
Source: Reuters
Saturday April 15 5:31 AM ET
By Dean Goodman
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - If children ruled the world, Adam Sandler and his comedy movie ``Big Daddy'' would win the top Oscars, and rapper/actor Will Smith would add more Grammys to his collection.
But until that day comes, both entertainers will have to be content with the accolades they picked up Friday at the 13th annual Kids' Choice Awards organized by the Nickelodeon cable channel.
Sandler was named favorite movie actor for the second year in a row, while his summer hit ``Big Daddy'' was favorite movie. Smith won the male singer prize, also for the second consecutive year, and his tune ``Wild Wild West'' scooped the favorite song and favorite song from a movie categories.
According to Nickelodeon, a record 15 million children participated in the voting, up from last year's 6.2 million, casting their ballots at Burger King outlets, or via phone or the Internet. Nickelodeon will screen the ceremony Saturday at 8 p.m. ET/PT.
The awards were handed out at the historic Hollywood Bowl, with an estimated 15,000 children -- and nary a grown-up in sight -- screaming nonstop throughout the event.
Presenter Kristen Johnston (''3rd Rock from the Sun'') described the commotion as ``a wall of sound ... They give you pitter-patter to say, and no one's listening to you,'' she told reporters backstage.
Other winners included Backstreet Boys as favorite musical group, Britney Spears as favorite female singer, Nickelodeon's ''All That'' as favorite TV show and teen singer Mandy Moore as favorite rising star.
Actress Melissa Joan Hart, who was spotted by reporters arriving at the ceremony in tears and being comforted by a male companion, was all smiles when she reached the podium to pick up the favorite movie actress prize for the teen romance ``Drive Me Crazy.'' She did not speak to reporters.
But other stars did venture backstage, mostly to declare that self-esteem was good for children and too much TV was bad.
Actor Jon Voight, famous for being the father of America's most talked about actress, Angelina Jolie, revealed that his 24-year-old Oscar-winning daughter held Michael Jackson theme parties as a child. On the subject of her reported romance with actor/writer/director Billy Bob Thornton, Voight said the media knew more about it than he did.
The inevitable oddball questions produced some Freudian answers. When co-host David Arquette was asked to name the home product he could not live without, he said, ``My wife'' -- ''Friends'' star Courteney Cox Arquette.
He shared hosting duties with rapper LL Cool J, young TV star Frankie Muniz and singer Moore. Rosie O'Donnell served as master of ceremonies and told the tykes to ``never, ever touch a gun.''
Performers included 'N Sync, Jennifer Lopez, Jessica Simpson and Nick Lachey and rock trio the Goo Goo Dolls who were accompanied by a fireworks display at the ceremony's end.
TMF Awards
The boys won Best Live Act - International at the TMF Awards (TMF= The Music Factory: a tv station in Holland). It was held on the 15th of April 2000. TMF lets the viewers decide who should win, so it is sort of a peoples choice award. Other nominees in that category were Faithless and Alanis Morisette. It was at the Ahoy (Rotterdam) and it was sold out with more than 10,000 people in attendance. The Boys were not there.
Source: USA Today
Divas dig drama, but rock guys just wanna have fun
By Elysa Gardner
Special for USA TODAY
NEW YORK -- It might have been called VH1 Anti-Divas 2000: A Tribute to Male Camaraderie.
The taping of the VH1 special Men Strike Back, which took place Tuesday night at the Theater at Madison Square Garden, was utterly unfettered by divalike behavior. There were no costume changes, no perceptible hair issues and no displays of Attitude like a certain veteran star's passive-aggressive tantrum during Sunday night's taping of VH1 Divas 2000: A Tribute to Diana Ross.
The Men show, which will air Tuesday at 9 p.m. ET/PT and will be rebroadcast throughout next week, was all about the music, and it showcased male bonding in the best sense of that term.
Headliners Sting, the Backstreet Boys, Tom Jones, Enrique Iglesias and D'Angelo performed their sets with a joyful ease and collaborated graciously and respectfully, showing no desire to upstage one another.
Sting set the evening's tone by walking onto the stage clad in a simple black sweater and delivering a spare, haunting rendition of Roxanne, accompanied only by his guitar and saxophonist Branford Marsalis, who provided artful embellishment.
As the singer launched into another Police classic, Don't Stand So Close to Me, he was joined by the Backstreet Boys, who contributed silky harmonies. Later, Sting repaid the favor by teaming up with the Boys on I Want It That Way.
''When we heard the roster of talent that was going to be here tonight, one of our top priorities was to try and do something with Sting,'' Backstreet Boy Howie Dorough said backstage. ''I pitched the idea to him at the Grammys, after a producer introduced us, and he was actually flattered by it.''
Fellow teen heartthrob Iglesias elicited squeals of delight from female audience members when he appeared in an impeccably tailored dark-gray shirt and matching pants. Although reportedly suffering from a sore throat, Iglesias sang forcefully and passionately, particularly when Tom Jones joined him for a duet of Bruce Springsteen's Fire.
Jones, looking every bit the timeless hipster in a natty black suit and shirt, later accompanied D'Angelo on a sly, playful version of James Brown's Sex Machine.
After his set, Jones reflected on how it felt to be the elder statesman of Men's sex-symbol-studded lineup.
''It's great to be around so long and be appreciated,'' the Welsh dynamo said. ''And singing with people like D'Angelo -- this guy is hip, you know? I'm pleased he wanted me to do Sex Machine with him because I'm a big James Brown fan myself.''
D'Angelo evoked James Brown -- and Prince -- with his smoldering performance.
Stripping off his oversized black leather jacket to reveal a rib-hugging tank top, the nouveau-soul man offered a sultry, falsetto-laced reading of Send It Down and a funk-drenched version of Left and Right.
''I think he's got everything it takes to have a great musical career,'' actor Matthew McConaughey said of D'Angelo backstage, before introducing the singer. ''I'm kind of excited about being here in the early years.''
Other stars in the audience had different favorites.
''Sting!'' gushed Dharma & Greg star Jenna Elfman, walking through the arrivals area. ''I mean, come on -- who doesn't love Sting? Even if you love Megadeth, you have respect for Sting. If you love Pokιmon, you'll find out who Sting is someday.''
''Even though I'm pushing 30, I wanna see Enrique and the Backstreet Boys,'' said '80s teen idol Deborah Gibson. ''I'm a big overgrown teeny-bopper, I admit it.''
Gibson also expressed interest in current adolescent pop star Christina Aguilera, who as the evening's token female singer gave the most diva-esque performance. Wearing a painted-on, midriff-flaunting black suit, the diminutive blonde sang her hit What a Girl Wants, then donned a black bowler hat for a painfully histrionic rendition of the standard At Last.
''It's really cool being the only female here,'' Aguilera cooed backstage. ''Out of the two divas shows, I chose to do this one because I wanted to hang out with the boys.''
Aguilera continued her mugging during the finale, a version of the Police standard Every Breath You Take, featuring the entire lineup, including hip-hop-soul upstart Sisqo, a surprise guest.
But for all her ostentatious scatting and emoting, the lone diva couldn't upset the aura of team spirit that dominated the evening.
''You could tell at the end that there was no rivalry,'' Iglesias said while unwinding in his dressing room. ''Everyone had a good vibe and was just there having fun. All the guys were cool, you know? Down to earth. That's how it should be.''
Hollywood Reporter review of VH1's Men Strike Back
Source: The Hollywood Reporter Online
'Men Strike Back' (4/13/00)
Theater at Madison Square Garden, New York Tuesday, April 11
By Frank Scheck
Men rule!
Whether it was because the producers had cleaned up their act or male singers don't feel the need for a costume and hairstyle change between every verse of a song, the "Men Strike Back" concert taped for next week's VH1 broadcast was a significant improvement on the "Divas 2000" show a couple of nights earlier. Well-paced and thoroughly enjoyable, it bodes well for the prospect of an annual male response to the hugely successful female concert series benefiting VH1's Save the Music Foundation for the preservation of school music programs.
Starring Sting, Backstreet Boys, D'Angelo, Tom Jones and Enrique Iglesias, the evening prominently featured what makes these shows so much fun, namely surprising cover versions and delightful collaborations among disparate artists. How could one not thoroughly enjoy the spectacle of Sting becoming the sixth Backstreet Boy, cooing harmonies on "I Want It That Way," or Tom Jones and D'Angelo engaging in a hip-swiveling contest on a raucous version of "Sex Machine"?
Naturally, some performers took the opportunity to plug their latest singles: Iglesias with "Be With You," the Boys with "Show Me the Meaning of Being Lonely," D'Angelo with "Send It On," etc. Christina Aguilera, the sole female on the bill, worked in two of hers ("What a Girl Wants," "I Turn to You"). But the real fun come from the left-field surprises: Iglesias and Tom Jones smoldering together on "Fire" and the Backstreeters singing backup on Sting's "Don't Stand So Close to Me." Of course, not all of the surprises were as felicitous. Aguilera, singing with a jazz trio, mangled the torch song "At Last" with such wild oversinging that a new rule should be instituted: Standards should not be sung by artists under 30, and certainly by none who expose their navels.
There were fun moments galore. D'Angelo worked the crowd into a sweat with an extended funk workout. Tom Jones, who has somehow managed to enter such a black hole of cheesiness that he has emerged from the other side as the hippest artist in the room, had everyone on their feet with his cover of "Are You Gonna Go My Way?" and his immortal "It's Not Unusual." And special guest Sisqo brought a bevy of thong-clad beauties for his raucous "Thong Song." The effective finale had everyone onstage singing that catchiest of songs about stalking, "Every Breath You Take," which had to be performed twice when, ironically, Sting missed a cue.
Wall of Sound review of VH1's Men Strike Back
Source: Wall of Sound
Men Strike Back With a Vengeance
NEW YORK Enough divas already. It's time for the boys to strut their stuff.
April 14, 2000
That's how Wayne Isaak, executive vice president of talent relations at VH1, felt when it was time to craft this year's popular Divas concert. With the estrogen well running dry, his thoughts immediately turned to a tongue-in-cheek retaliation, which eventually morphed into Men Strike Back, a cross-genre and -generational attraction, starring Sting, the Backstreet Boys, D'Angelo, Tom Jones, Enrique Iglesias, Sisqo, and party-crasher Christina Aguilera.
"I thought it would be fun to give equal time to the men. It was designed in total fun. All these men have sex appeal and huge songs," Isaak said.
Indeed, at Tuesday's Men taping at The Theater at Madison Square Garden, this testosterone-fueled bill provided more slam-bang entertainment than the painfully weak Divas 2000: A Tribute to Diana Ross, which was taped and aired earlier this week. The thrill of these concerts is to witness novelty pairings, artists singing each other's songs and breaking loose on time-honored classics.
The closest this year's Divas came was a messy, two-song Supremes medley with Ross and Mariah Carey.
But these boys, they knew how to work a crowd.
The two-hour show, which airs Tuesday at 9 and 11 p.m., was taped out of sequence, and, unlike the four-and-a-half-hour migraine that was the Divas taping, the guys seamlessly wrapped their soirιe in little longer than real time.
Only Sting, who forgot a line to his own song on the star finale "Every Breath You Take," and presenters Kevin Bacon and his wife, Kyra Sedgwick separately halted camera-rolling.
But the crowd of 3,000 gleefully watched the closing again, so electrifying was this night, so special those moments on stage. Sting, in typical raspy tone, offered an acoustic "Roxanne," with help from pal Branford Marsalis on tenor sax, and then segued into a full-band version of "Don't Stand So Close to Me."
When the five Backstreet Boys strolled from the wings to join Sting on the chorus, the yipping of fans could probably be heard on the other side of the Lincoln Tunnel. Handshakes and back slaps abounded, and the Boys between this appearance and singing with Elton John at the Grammys further established their pop credibility.
The Boys also commandeered most of the stage time for the show, taking the spotlight for "Show Me the Meaning of Being Lonely" and their fabulous new single, "I'll Be," which sounds like a lost Jon Secada tune. The slinky Iglesias brought out the pyro for his hits "Bailamos" and "Be With You," before perennial ladies man Jones, 59, jogged out to join him on a hip-swiveling cover of Bruce Springsteen's "Fire." Next came the currently fiery D'Angelo, clad in black leather and a black bandanna. The modern-day Marvin Gaye kept the crowd swaying with a funky, Prince-ified version of his "Left & Right," demonstrating moves out of character with his sultry R&B crooner persona. Even Jones appeared impressed when he returned to join D'Angelo for James Brown's "Get Up (I Feel Like Being a) Sex Machine," matching his footwork and libido. Jones, for his part, sounded fabulously cheesy on his "It's Not Unusual" but would have been smart to skip his noisy recast of Lenny Kravitz's "Are You Gonna Go My Way." Too bad someone didn't toss a pair of undies on stage.
Sisqo's unbearably stupid "Thong Song" briefly killed momentum, his appearance an obvious last-minute move to capitalize on the tune's current radio success. But Aguilera, who adopts more Mariah-isms every performance, unleashed her 19-year-old pipes with enough fury to silence anyone foolish enough to still toss her in the same category as Britney Spears. Nifty reads of "I Turn to You" and "What a Girl Wants" and a sultry cover of Etta James' "At Last" left nothing but positive impressions. But did she really need to take up three songs' worth of time?
Along with the onstage productions, video screens flanking the stage blared during set changes with pre-taped segments starring Saturday Night Live vets Cheri Oteri, Chris Kattan, Ana Gasteyer, and Darrell Hammond. The hilarious sendups of Ricky Martin, Jennifer Lopez, and Elton John (eulogizing retired Miami Dolphins quarterback Dan Marino with "Candle in the Wind") were the perfect cappers to a zinger of a night. Lisa Taylor
Source: Worldpop.com
Backstreet Boy Howie Dorough is the second member of the group to hint at plans for a solo album, as a full studio LP from AJ McLean looks set to become a reality.
Howie D, who is kick-starting an acting career with a role in the film Bloom, said any solo recording would reflect his Puerto-Rican roots. 'I've been asked about possibly doing the Ricky Martin/Gloria Estefan Spanglish thing,' he confirmed.
AJ, who has spoken of plans for a live album under his alias of Johnny No Name, now looks set to enter the studio for a full-length LP of rock covers and new material.
Howie said he is considering a solo tour after making a surprise appearance on stage with AJ at his New York show on Sunday, but was adamant the solo projects will not mean an end to the Backstreet Boys.
'We're a group of five guys, but we always said throughout the whole experience that we would support each other to do individual projects here and there.'
Men Strike Back Review: The Boys Are Back In Town
Source: VH1.com
The dress code for the gentlemen at New York's Theater at Madison Square Garden — the Backstreet Boys, D'Angelo, Enrique Iglesias, Tom Jones, Sting, and Sisqo — was basic black, preferably leather, definitely form-fitting. There were exceptions: the always-in-white Backstreet Boy Brian Littrell, the always-in-red Sisqo, and Backstreet Boy Kevin Richardson in an ankle-length grey skirt over black trousers (remarkably similar garb to what David Bowie sported on Saturday Night Live when he played "Boys Keep Swinging" back in the new wave '80s). The lone woman onstage, the formidable Christine Aguilera, stuck with black as well — midriff bared, of course.
The lack of costume changes, breathtaking as they were when Miss Ross was in the house, underscored the mood of Men Strike Back: This show was more about male bonding than diva poses. But it was also about preening — and bumping and grinding — before an audience of very vocal females of all ages.
The good news for Sting, who opened the taping with a solo version of "Roxanne" accompanied by Branford Marsalis on soprano sax, was that the little girls still understand. His entrance elicited as many screams as the Backstreet Boys received when they joined the former Police singer a few minutes later for a beautifully harmonized version of "Don't Stand So Close to Me."
Maybe it's all that yoga he does, but the lithe, lean, and very blond Sting was a physical match for any one of those Backstreet Boys. And they proved to be an excellent musical match for him. They ditched the boy-band mugging to focus on their gorgeous harmonies, which swelled during the song's famous choruses. The intellectuals in the house got a thrill, too, when the Backstreet Boys, used to singing the hypnotically rudimentary lyrics of Swedish songwriter/producer Max Martin, executed one of Sting's most memorable couplets, rhyming "shake and cough" with "Nabokov."
The muy guapo Enrique Iglesias followed with smoldering renditions of "Be With You" and "Bailamos." Iglesias doesn't move all that much, particularly south of the border, but he merely needs to lift the tail of his shirt and offer a glimpse of his well-documented abs to elicit screams. Tom Jones, whose lascivious hip-swiveling turned on TV audiences back in the '60s, helped Iglesias break a sweat on a very funky duet rendition of Bruce Springsteen's "Fire." Iglesias really cut loose vocally on the final verse, and Jones simply cut footloose as he always does. God bless him, the guy can still move.
Actor Matthew McConaughey, one of a group of celebrity hosts that included Jenna Elfman, Kevin Bacon and wife Kyra Sedgewick, Susan Sarandon, and Dylan McDermott, introduced D'Angelo. As a guy who, according to Austin, Tex., police reports, enjoys a good session of naked bongo playing, McConnaughey has a special appreciation for the stripped-down soul of D'Angelo, describing his sound as "groove and bass."
D'Angelo certainly had the groove, fronting a large combo with the mastery of Prince and the gritty soulman style of Wilson Pickett on "Chicken Grease" and "Send it On." Within seconds, D'Angelo had everybody on their feet, with their hands in the air and their backfields in motion.
Jones returned to get on the good foot with D'Angelo on a rousing version of the Godfather of Soul's classic "Sex Machine." Before they launched into their serious funk, Jones and D'Angelo teased the crowd, flirting with young women standing by the lip of the stage, suggesting that they were going to take it nice and easy. But Jones never does anything nice and easy — the extended jam of "Sex Machine" was nice and rough.
Jones then took his solo turn. This veteran Welsh shouter, who could be the grandfather of many of the girls yelling for the Backstreet Boys, rocked the house with his signature song, "It's Not Unusual," and a foot-stomping cover of Lenny Kravitz's "Are You Gonna Go My Way."
Surprise guest Sisqo made explicit what Jones' gyrating hips simply suggested, performing his left-field hit, "Thong Song." The Dru Hill singer was backed by a dozen or so dancers clad in that song's fashion accessory of choice (and discreetly covered with scarves tied around their waists). Sisqo proved himself a fierce live singer and a very limber acrobat, outdazzling any of the dancers backing him, even without a thong.
Young Christina Aguilera has a diva's pipes already and can cram more notes into a single line than a trio of Mariahs. Though she delivered her hits, "I Turn to You" and "What a Girl Wants," with great technical prowess, the real surprise of her set was a rendition of the pre-rock'n'roll-era pop standard "At Last" with a small jazz combo. For a suitably world-weary version of the tune, check out Joni Mitchell's new Both Sides Now disc, but Aguilera gets points for tackling something so outside the box of teen fodder. Give her a few years; like Ann-Margret in Bye, Bye Birdie, she's got a lot of livin' to do.
The Backstreet Boys, whose artistic cred increased with every note they sang, closed the show with "Show Me the Meaning of Being Lonely" and their latest single, "The One." Sting returned the Backstreet Boys' earlier favor by joining them on "I Want it That Way," lending that already irresistible tune the sort of plaintive air he brings to his own material.
It was fitting, then, that the entire crew returned for a grand-finale rendition of the Police's "Every Breath You Take." With the choir-boy harmonies of the Backstreet Boys, and some gospel-style testifying on the bridge by Aguilera, the song lost its dark, obsessive tone and became something celestial, more about a guardian angel than a stalker.
The evening ended with fireworks, confetti, bear hugs all around, and those indefatigable Backstreet Boys signing autographs for their young fans. The men weren't striking back; they were just hanging out.
You can catch the Men Strike Back concert on VH1 this Tuesday, April 18th at 9:00 PM ET. 
Let's face it: Most guys don't spend that much time getting dressed, which may be one reason why last night's taping of VH1's Men Strike Back moved more efficiently than the spectacularly over-the-top Divas 2000: A Tribute to Diana Ross two nights earlier.
Source: CDNOW allstar*
April 12, 2000, 1:35 pm PT
The Grimaldi family may be in power, but pop music reigns supreme in Monaco, where Ricky Martin, Britney Spears, Backstreet Boys, and Christina Aguilera top the list of winners at the Eighth Annual World Music Awards.
The awards will be handed out May 10 in Monte Carlo. Savage Garden, Charlotte Church, Ronan Keating, Lara Fabian, Funkstar de Luxe, Eiffel 65, Jamiroquai, Lou Bega, and Femi Kuti will also be honored for their international success.
Funkstar de Luxe, Fabian, and Keating will join the lineup of performers. Aguilera, Eiffel 65, Jamiroquoi, Bega, and Kuti have already been announced (allstar April 11). The World Music Awards will air May 29 on ABC, and will be carried in more than 150 countries.
-- Donna DeChristopher
The Boys Are Back In Town
Source: VH1 (The Wire)
By Michael Hill
Let's face it: Most guys don't spend that much time getting dressed, which may be one reason why last night's taping of VH1's Men Strike Back moved more efficiently than the spectacularly over-the-top Divas 2000: A Tribute to Diana Ross two nights earlier.
The dress code for the gentlemen at New York's Theater at Madison Square Garden the Backstreet Boys, D'Angelo, Enrique Iglesias, Tom Jones, Sting, and Sisqo was basic black, preferably leather, definitely form-fitting. There were exceptions: the always-in-white Backstreet Boy Brian Littrell, the always-in-red Sisqo, and Backstreet Boy Kevin Richardson in an ankle-length grey skirt over black trousers (remarkably similar garb to what David Bowie sported on Saturday Night Live when he played "Boys Keep Swinging" back in the new wave '80s). The lone woman onstage, the formidable Christine Aguilera, stuck with black as well midriff bared, of course.
The lack of costume changes, breathtaking as they were when Miss Ross was in the house, underscored the mood of Men Strike Back: This show was more about male bonding than diva poses. But it was also about preening and bumping and grinding before an audience of very vocal females of all ages.
The good news for Sting, who opened the taping with a solo version of "Roxanne" accompanied by Branford Marsalis on soprano sax, was that the little girls still understand. His entrance elicited as many screams as the Backstreet Boys received when they joined the former Police singer a few minutes later for a beautifully harmonized version of "Don't Stand So Close to Me."
Maybe it's all that yoga he does, but the lithe, lean, and very blond Sting was a physical match for any one of those Backstreet Boys. And they proved to be an excellent musical match for him. They ditched the boy-band mugging to focus on their gorgeous harmonies, which swelled during the song's famous choruses. The intellectuals in the house got a thrill, too, when the Backstreet Boys, used to singing the hypnotically rudimentary lyrics of Swedish songwriter/producer Max Martin, executed one of Sting's most memorable couplets, rhyming "shake and cough" with "Nabokov."
The muy guapo Enrique Iglesias followed with smoldering renditions of "Be With You" and "Bailamos." Iglesias doesn't move all that much, particularly south of the border, but he merely needs to lift the tail of his shirt and offer a glimpse of his well-documented abs to elicit screams. Tom Jones, whose lascivious hip-swiveling turned on TV audiences back in the '60s, helped Iglesias break a sweat on a very funky duet rendition of Bruce Springsteen's "Fire." Iglesias really cut loose vocally on the final verse, and Jones simply cut footloose as he always does. God bless him, the guy can still move.
Actor Matthew McConaughey, one of a group of celebrity hosts that included Jenna Elfman, Kevin Bacon and wife Kyra Sedgewick, Susan Sarandon, and Dylan McDermott, introduced D'Angelo. As a guy who, according to Austin, Tex., police reports, enjoys a good session of naked bongo playing, McConnaughey has a special appreciation for the stripped-down soul of D'Angelo, describing his sound as "groove and bass."
D'Angelo certainly had the groove, fronting a large combo with the mastery of Prince and the gritty soulman style of Wilson Pickett on "Chicken Grease" and "Send it On." Within seconds, D'Angelo had everybody on their feet, with their hands in the air and their backfields in motion.
Jones returned to get on the good foot with D'Angelo on a rousing version of the Godfather of Soul's classic "Sex Machine." Before they launched into their serious funk, Jones and D'Angelo teased the crowd, flirting with young women standing by the lip of the stage, suggesting that they were going to take it nice and easy. But Jones never does anything nice and easy the extended jam of "Sex Machine" was nice and rough.
Jones then took his solo turn. This veteran Welsh shouter, who could be the grandfather of many of the girls yelling for the Backstreet Boys, rocked the house with his signature song, "It's Not Unusual," and a foot-stomping cover of Lenny Kravitz's "Are You Gonna Go My Way."
Surprise guest Sisqo made explicit what Jones' gyrating hips simply suggested, performing his left-field hit, "Thong Song." The Dru Hill singer was backed by a dozen or so dancers clad in that song's fashion accessory of choice (and discreetly covered with scarves tied around their waists). Sisqo proved himself a fierce live singer and a very limber acrobat, outdazzling any of the dancers backing him, even without a thong.
Young Christina Aguilera has a diva's pipes already and can cram more notes into a single line than a trio of Mariahs. Though she delivered her hits, "I Turn to You" and "What a Girl Wants," with great technical prowess, the real surprise of her set was a rendition of the pre-rock'n'roll-era pop standard "At Last" with a small jazz combo. For a suitably world-weary version of the tune, check out Joni Mitchell's new Both Sides Now disc, but Aguilera gets points for tackling something so outside the box of teen fodder. Give her a few years; like Ann-Margret in Bye, Bye Birdie, she's got a lot of livin' to do.
The Backstreet Boys, whose artistic cred increased with every note they sang, closed the show with "Show Me the Meaning of Being Lonely" and their latest single, "The One." Sting returned the Backstreet Boys' earlier favor by joining them on "I Want it That Way," lending that already irresistible tune the sort of plaintive air he brings to his own material.
It was fitting, then, that the entire crew returned for a grand-finale rendition of the Police's "Every Breath You Take." With the choir-boy harmonies of the Backstreet Boys, and some gospel-style testifying on the bridge by Aguilera, the song lost its dark, obsessive tone and became something celestial, more about a guardian angel than a stalker.
The evening ended with fireworks, confetti, bear hugs all around, and those indefatigable Backstreet Boys signing autographs for their young fans. The men weren't striking back; they were just hanging out.
You can catch the Men Strike Back concert on VH1 this Tuesday, April 18th at 9:00 PM ET. To find out more about the performance and performers go to VH1.com's Men Strike Back special area featuring a live chat, photos from the concert, streamed videos on each artist, fan sites, an At Work radio special, and streamed video on each performer.
Source: AllPop
"Roswell" might climb the ratings list with a little help from one of the Backstreet Boys.
While the Backstreet Boys are taking a brief break from touring, group member Howie Dorough is taking a stab at acting.
A spokesperson from the WB network confirmed that Howie will have a small role (one line) in the season finale of "Roswell".
Howie will play an alien who visits the town after he's sent a telepathic message, UltimateTV.com reports.
TV insiders aren't saying whether or not Howie will be on the same side as the three teenage aliens in Roswell, but the rumour is that he could become a recurring character if "Roswell" is picked up for next season.
Howie's stint on "Roswell" might not be the end of his acting career though. The singer is currently in talks to star in a feature film titled "Bloom", MTV reports.
If Howie does take the role, he'll be playing a bully who torments a young boy preparing for his bar mitzvah.
Tom Jones a Backstreet Boys fan
Source: JAM!
NEW YORK (AP) -- It turns out Tom Jones is a fan of the Backstreet Boys.
The crooner whose hits include "It's Not Unusual" and "What's New Pussycat?" said he wants to find out more about how the Backstreet Boys "get their incredible sound."
"I've got both their albums and I would love to cover one of their songs," he told TV Guide for its April 15 issue.
The 59-year-old singer said that as a sex symbol of the 1960s and '70s, he can identify with the popular boy band, which has similarly devoted female followers.
"When I'm singing a ballad and a pair of underwear lands on my head. I hate that. It really kills the mood," he joked.
NEW PHOTOS!
 | <- Jubilee concert in Miami that Howie emceed with his sister Pollyanna. |  | <-Kevin was at a Pre-scars party for American Beauty at Atlantic, a L.A. restaurant. Here he is with the owner, Christopher Ciccone (Madonna's bro) |  | <-Kevin and Kristin at the Oscars from Bravo Magazine |
Source: Worldpop
Limp Bizkit singer Fred Durst continues to wage war with the Backstreet Boys, which started when the rockers dissed the boy band on last year's Significant Others LP. Now Durst has claimed he'd rather work with rivals 'N Sync than the Boys. But in a bizarre twist, the Limp Bizkit frontman is in talks to work with Johnny No Name, the alter ego of BSB AJ McLean. Confused? AJ, currently on a nine-date solo tour as the fictional British rock star, told an LA audience he's been in talks with the Limp Bizkit frontman for a collaboration on Johnny's possible solo album. This comes despite ill-feeling between AJ's bandmates and the rap group, which intensified recently when Durst spoke of his preference for 'N Sync, who the Backstreet Boys consider as little more than a copy-cat band. The feud took another twist last year when BSB's Millennium album knocked Limp Bizkit off the top of the album charts. Johnny No Name's album is not expected to include any Backstreet Boys tunes, instead fans will hear songs he's covered on tour like Rage Against The Machine's Killing In The Name and George Thorogood's Bad To The Bone. 'Rock is even more free than pop,' AJ said of his unusual choice of songs. 'Rock 'n' roll has been around for ages, it will never die. Pop just kind of comes and goes.''If the album goes ahead, it 'will be a true live rock album, which is what I'm looking forward to doing,' AJ added. 'Just to get in there, just like you see Metallica doing - giving it one or two takes and then you're done.'
Source: The Hollywood Reporter Online
(Mon., April 3, 2000)
By Tamara Conniff
'N Sync's "No Strings Attached" may have made music history by selling 2.4 million units in one week -- breaking the record set by Jive labelmates Backstreet Boys, who moved 1.13 million of copies of "Millennium" in a single frame last year -- but the teen pop sensation still has a ways to go before catching up to the Boys.
To date, Backstreet Boys have sold 20.1 million albums and 3.6 million singles, according to SoundScan figures obtained from industry sources. "Millennium" and "Backstreet Boys" are among the top-selling albums of the SoundScan era, which began in May 1991. 'N Sync comes in at 12.4 million total album sales and 1 million singles.
'N Sync manager Johnny Wright told The Hollywood Reporter that if taking second place to Backstreet Boys as the largest boy pop band means record sales figures in the millions and the ability to sell more than 1 million concert tickets in one day, he couldn't be happier (HR 3/30).
Even though, like Backstreet Boys, the boys of 'N Sync dance, sing and croon over the tribulations of love, Wright said that with "No Strings Attached," 'N Sync is trying to break away from blanket Boys comparisons with a "different," "edgier" and more "urban" sound.
Given the ever-expanding pop music consumer base, there is more than enough room for two superstar boy bands. "No Strings Attached" received massive media support from MTV, Radio Disney and elsewhere.
Radio Disney's core audience is ages 6-11. Radio Disney senior director of operations Robin Jones said that with such pop acts as Backstreet Boys, 'N Sync and Britney Spears, the station attracts a listener base ranging from ages 2-16.
"Right now, with the economy as good as it is, kids have a lot more purchasing power," Jones said. "Not only do they have more money in their pockets, but they also have a lot of two-income parents."
"No Strings Attached" has been a long time coming. It has been two years since the release of 'N Sync's eponymous debut album, which was followed up with a hasty Christmas collection. The release of "No Strings Attached" was delayed because of legal disputes between the band's former label, BMG's RCA division, and Zomba Group's Jive Records. The two-year wait for a studio release, combined with 'N Sync's tour last year -- which grossed $44.3 million from 107 shows (HR 12/27) -- and hit singles, including the Grammy-nominated collaboration with Gloria Estefan "Music of My Heart," has kept fans interested and eagerly waiting.
"I think that the expectation was so high that people had to have ("Strings") the first week," radio consultant Jeff Pollack said. "Both ('N Sync and Backstreet Boys) are so phenomenally successful, who ultimately sells the most records on their latest release really is not the issue. ... It could be argued that the better one does, it's better for the other one."
Source: JAM! Music
Backstreet Boys member Howie Dorough is heading to the big screen, according to the U.K. movie website Popcorn.
Following reports that Britney Spears and Ricky Martin are considering acting in a "Dirty Dancing" update and the *Nsync boys are about to star in their first film, comes news that Backstreet's Dorough has scored a lead role in a "Bloom", a coming-of-age story about a young Jewish man.
Dorough, 26, started acting at the age of eight but put his thespian skills on the back burner after joining the Backstreet Boys at 19, Popcorn reports.
According to Dorough, his role will be challenging because his character is "a bully".
Shooting on the movie is scheduled to begin in May, but Backstreet fans will be relieved to hear that Dorough isn't leaving the Backstreet Boys, but plans instead to juggle acting, touring and recording.
-- JAM! Music