"Larger Than Life" is the latest Backstreet Boys song to take up residence on MTV and radio, and the five members of the most popular music act on the planet are living that large life for all it is worth.
Howie called in on 102.7 KIIS FM while in Salt Lake City, Utah. He talked about how it's been such an awesome tour for them and that he is single at the moment as he can't give a woman the attention she needs, due to his hectic schedule. He also added that they will have 2 mths off at the end of the tour, in which all of them might pursue something else, but they won't break up or do anything that might jeopardize or interfere with the group.
Source: Seventeen Magazine
According to Seventeen magazine, there are plenty of celebrities taking in BSB concerts this year. Some of the stars that turned out to tune in were:
Everyone loves Backstreet! (but you knew that already)
Backstreet back and big
Source: The Denver Post
Who: The Backstreet Boys, with E.Y.C. Where: Pepsi Center, Auraria Parkway at Speer Boulevard When: 7:30 p.m. Sunday Tickets: Sold out; prices were $38.50-$29.50, through Ticketmaster (303-830-8497) |
Oct. 29 - The Boys are back, and they want you to know that you're in for a Halloween treat.
"I think it's just going to be a very entertaining show,'' Howie Dorough, one of the five Backstreet Boys, says of the group's concert Sunday at the Pepsi Center.
"They'll hear all the greatest hits from the last album and all the new songs from this one ("Millennium"),'' Dorough - known to fans as Howie D. - said in a recent interview with 9NEWS. "Plus we're there on Oct. 31, so you never know what you might expect from that show.''
Need proof that these Boys are big? The Pepsi Center date sold out in less than 20 minutes. More than 8 million copies of "Millennium'' have been snapped up in 22 weeks. And the group's self-titled debut album has sold 11 million copies in the United States alone and is still moving briskly.
"We're considering putting up more shows in some different areas, but also in the spring we're going to come back probably across the U.S. again because there are a lot of places we didn't get to,'' Dorough said.
"If we don't get a second show added in Denver (at the moment there are no plans for that), we'll probably come back next year.''
If the group's experience so far on its 39-date "Into the Millennium'' tour is any guide, its (mostly) young female fans will go wild Sunday.
"It gets a little crazy out there,'' admits Backstreet Boy Kevin Richardson, who joined in the interview.
"We're very fortunate. We have a lot of very dedicated fans all over the world, and sometimes they can be a little fanatic, chasing after the bus and being there at the hotels when we pull in.''
That frenzied reception, adds Dorough, "happens more often when we're together as an entire group. If we go out individually and throw on a hat and some shades, we can stay low profile, but if we go out as a group it's crazy!''
While labeled a teen-pop group, the Backstreet Boys have their share of older fans. It's not uncommon to see moms and their daughters rocking out at the same concert.
So what will the Boys do while ducking Denver fans? "We'd like to check out the Broncos, maybe go to a football game,'' Dorough says.
They'll also help promote youth programs here. As part of this tour, the Backstreet Boys are joining forces with Youth Service America, founded in 1986, to honor young people who do volunteer work in their communities. Thirty-six winners will be chosen; each will get $2,000 to use toward a community program and tickets to the show in their city.
"Whether it be working with the elderly or cleaning up their neighborhood by painting over graffiti or planting trees, if we can get the young people to develop good habits now, then hopefully when they get older they'll continue to do it and make our world a better place,'' says Dorough.
"We've been blessed with the opportunity to make music that's known worldwide,'' adds Richardson, "and to spread peace out there and harmony through our music is a great feeling.''
Richardson and Dorough would much rather talk about their commitment to YSA and community efforts than their much-reported feud with their record label, Jive.
The Backstreet Boys are threatening to jump labels because of Jive's new deal with competing teen pop idols 'N Sync. The trade journal Billboard reports that the group sent a letter earlier this month to Jive executives, claiming the Boys' contract with the label is now void.
"They're tired of being exploited'' by Jive, Billboard quoted a group spokesman as saying. Jive, meanwhile, insists that its longterm deal with the Boys remains binding.
The squabble hasn't hurt sales of "Millennium,'' which stands at No. 3 on this week's Billboard album chart. The album features "Larger Than Life,'' a group tribute to fans, as well as "Perfect Fan,'' written by Brian Littrell for his mother. And the Backstreet Boys show a harder edge in "Don't Want You Back.''
The album had a great start, selling more than a million copies in its first week, but the "Millennium'' tour didn't get off as smoothly.
"Hurricane Floyd kind of put a damper on our opening - two opening nights in Fort Lauderdale had to be canceled - but after that, the tour has been incredible,'' says Dorough.
"The crowds, the response - it's been great. We're really looking forward to coming to Denver.''
The format for Sunday's show is "in the round,'' with the stage at the center of the arena, so screaming fans can get a close-up look.
They promise several costume changes and special "treats'' for Denver's Halloween crowd.
Opening for the Boys on Sunday is the dance-pop combo E.Y.C., whose latest album "I Feel It'' came out in August.
And if you happen to be at Mile High Stadium for the Broncos-Vi kings game Sunday, keep an eye peeled for five guys staying on the "down low,'' as Dorough puts it - hats and shades included.
Kotsaftis is a producer for 9NEWS. For more of the Backstreet Boys interview, watch 9NEWS at 4 p.m. today. The local Youth Service Award winner will also be announced.
Salt Lake Tribune Review: 10/28/99 Salt Lake City, UT
Source: The Salt Lake Tribune
Larger Than Life: 'Boys' Are Back in Town
BY DAN NAILEN
Friday, October 29, 1999
THE SALT LAKE TRIBUNE
"Larger Than Life" is the latest Backstreet Boys song to take up residence on MTV and radio, and the five members of the most popular music act on the planet are living that large life for all it is worth.
Backstreet Boys, who performed in Salt Lake City once before, when they were far less famous, have sold more than 28 million albums worldwlide. Their fall 1999 tour is selling out across the country at every stop, including two nights at the Delta Center.
On Thursday, the Backstreet Boys brought their sci-fi laced "Into the Millennium" tour to town, showing all the best on-stage bells and whistles money can buy. The Boys' choreography is still the focus of their live performances, but a planetarium-style light show, fog machines and ornate costumes all added to the circus-like atmosphere.
Of course, the rabid Backstreet Boys fans also lend to that atmosphere, shrieking, oohing and aahing as each boy pulled one dance move or another. And the "no cameras" warning on the ticket was obeyed about as much as drug possession laws at a Grateful Dead concert. Fans willing to pay $20 for a program, $40 for a T-shirt or $10 for band photos available for free all over the Internet are not going to be deterred by any simple written warning on a ticket stub.
The Boys entered the arena to the "Star Wars" theme song, floating over the audience on glowing snowboard-like contraptions, suspended by wires attached to their futuristic vests. Flanked by 10 backup dancers and a six-piece band, they launched into "Larger Than Life" immediately, re-creating the song's colorful video on stage.
The string of hits, though, are what really got the Delta Center crowd going. The Boys' five-part harmonies transfer remarkably well to a large arena, and the hits came fast and furious. The ballad "As Long As You Love Me" gave the Boys a chance to show off their pipes. "Quit Playing Games (With My Heart)" provided the perfect sing-along vehicle as the Boys again went airborne. And "Don't Want You Back" was the basis for a funky, "West Side Story"-style tough guy dance.
The performance of "The Perfect Fan" midway through the concert offered the ultimate Backstreet Boys concert moment. One of the few Backstreet Boys songs actually written by one of the boys, Brian Littrell, the song is an ode to the Boys' mothers. At Thursday's concert, each boy pulled a mother-daughter duo from the audience and brought them onstage for the song.
They even helped the moms snap photos with some of those forbidden cameras, a move sure to keep these Backstreet Boys fans into the new millennium.
Backstreet on front nine
Source: The Oregonian newspaper
by Jonathan Nicholas
Call it a case of looking for love in all the wrong places. There were girls at the Rose Garden as early as 10 a.m. Monday, hoping to snag a swoon over the Backstreet Boys. The lads had actually been in town since Saturday. Apparently, when you arrive with 24 semis, it takes awhile to unpack.
Chief boy toy Brian Littrell turns out to have two passions. Golf and Basketball. Peter Jacobsen was able to minister to both. Jake took Littrell out on the links to work on his swing, then backstage at the Blazers game. And that, says a dressing room regular, made for an interesting scene...a Backstreet Boy going gaga over his heroes, and his heroes angling to get autographs for their kids.
Yes, it´s so true. This week Backstreet Boys' album 'Millennium' are up one place from #3 to #2 on the american album chart.
Backstreet Boys keeping busy on tour
Source: Infobeat
(Launch) - Rod Stewart, Jennifer Lopez, Parker Posey, Ben Savage and Tiffani-Amber Thiessen were among those on hand for an intimate Backstreet Boys party in Los Angeles last week. The post-concert party was held at Le Colonial after the first of the group's two sold-out performances at the Great Western Forum. The L.A. dates also attracted celebrities such as Gene Simmons, Paul Stanley, Jenna Elfman, Kobe Bryant and Sinbad. Following the L.A. performances, the Backstreet Boys continued its tour with a show in San Jose, which Janet Jackson attended. Worldwide sales of the Backstreet Boys "Millennium" album have just surpassed 12 million. On Monday night the Backstreet Boys performed live via satellite from the Rose Garden in Portland, Ore. The only place the special simulcast was broadcast was the Spokane Arena in Spokane, Wash.
The one-time-only live show was projected onto a 20-by-30-foot screen. Tickets for the "video screen presentation," as the promoters called it, were $14.93. The group is playing only large cities on this tour, so the simulcasts are a way for fans in smaller markets to catch the live shows.
Going Backstage With The Backstreet Boys - A Dream Come True
On the NBC Tuesday news, they had a clip of the Backstreet Boys with one of their fans. A 12 year old from Portland, Oregon, whose dreams of meeting the Boys came true. This was not just any fan, but a little girl who faced some health issues.
The 12 year old was originally featured in a past TV health report. A friend who either knew the Boys (or other person - a connection of some sort) happened to be watching the news that one night and learned the girl was a Backstreet fan. The special friend put his/her fingers to work and invited the girl to be a special guest to the Boys' concert. On Monday, October 25, 1999... the girl's dream came true.
There was a news clip of the Boys meeting the little girl. It showed Nick and Howie, Brian smiling, and Kevin kneeling next to the little girl ( AJ was there somewhere )
The girl was asked what she wanted and she said, "Just one more kiss"... and then she gave Kevin a kiss. Kevin, of course, had a big smile on his face. It was very touching and very cute.
Afterwards, the news reporter made a comment regarding the Boys and said, "You gotta love them even more..."
Kevin on Z100 - New York City Radio
* What do you consider the perfect fan?
"Someone who can look at us like normal people who love and have feelings just like everyone else." He also talked about how fans get upset when they see them and can't spend as much time with them as they would like.
* How did you spend your birthday?
He mentioned that he had a few days off so he and his special lady friend went to Massachusetts to spend some time there. Though currently his girlfriend, he said they were once an item but it was on and off.
* What does the new video that is soon to be released in November consist of?
He said, "this one's new to me! Our manager likes to do things without confirming it with us. I'll have to call him about that..."
* New Year plans?
He said there were openings to play a concert in Hawaii and Australia due to Michael Jackson cancelling. It would be difficult to travel due to costs of transporting the stage from one place to another. There was also mention of the Millennium bug
* Another tour?
"Yes, in the Spring." There were places they didn't cover during this tour.
* Next Single?
He confirmed the next single is Show Me the Meaning
Source: Tribnet.com
October 26,1999
Cuteness counts for plenty in calculating which group is the better boy band
Stephanie Simons; The News Tribune
All is not smooth in boy-band land.
First, 'N Sync announced that it's leaving RCA Records for Jive, the label that's home to the Backstreet Boys and Britney Spears.
Then, RCA and 'N Sync management filed a $150 million suit against the band.
Now, Jive's at risk of losing the Backstreet Boys, who don't seem to want to share their home with the competition. The Boys threatened to bail if 'N Sync joins the family.
My advice to Jive: Do whatever you can to make things right with the Backstreet Boys.
Why? They're better. And here's how:
1. They were here first.
The Backstreet Boys formed in 1993 and were working their butts off in front of European audiences back when some 'N Syncers were still Mousketeers.
'N Sync formed in 1995, the year the Boys had their first hits in Europe. But 'N Sync didn't hit it big until a Disney Channel live special in 1998. Ironically enough, that spot was supposed to go to the Backstreet Boys, but they bailed. 'N Sync stepped in and took off.
2. The Backstreet Boys are cuter.
We're talking boy bands here. What do you expect me to rate, instrumental virtuosity? Besides, that's a tie. These guys aren't about playing, even though several of them dabble. Being a big-time boy band is about looking good, and, oh yeah - singing.
'N Sync has two resident hotties: baby-faced blond Justin Timberlake and square-jawed sweetie JCChasez.
The Backstreet Boys have three: baby-faced blond Nick Carter, square-jawed A.J. McLean and Brian Littrell, who's got a great smile, wavy hair, chiseled features, charisma to burn and ... somebody stop me before I swoon.
3. The Backstreet Boys have better songs.
Doubt me? Well, just try getting "I Want It That Way" out of your head. Even people who claim to hate the Backstreet Boys appreciate that tune, and for good reason. It's probably the best love song of 1999 and definitely the best boy-band song ever.
And by that I mean it's the kind of song that a 13-year-old Backstreet Boys maniac won't wince at when she hears it in 2009. Try saying that about "Please Don't Go Girl," a shrill hit for New Kids on the Block in 1988.
And try saying that about "I Drive Myself Crazy" by 'N Sync.
4. Did I mention that the Boys are cuter?
Two words: Lance Bass. Yes, the 'N Syncer can sing. But the fish-eyes and spiky hair gotta go.
5. The Backstreet Boys have made more of an impression on pop music - through volume as much as anything else.
They've still got one of the top albums in the country - "Millennium," which set a record for most units sold in a week (1,134,000, destroying the mark previously held by Garth Brooks). "Millennium" also set second- and third-week sales records and hit No. 1 in 25 countries, including Canada, Greece, Iceland, Mexico, Philippines, Sweden and Thailand.
Since May, they've sold more than 8 million copies of "Millennium" in the United States. And it's not all teens doing the buying. Young girls may be the band's most vocal fans, but they have more mature devotees as well.
6. The Backstreet Boys are cuter.
Two more words: Chris Kirkpatrick. OK, he's in 'N Sync because he founded the group, but he's weird. What's up with his wild dreadlocky, braidy hair? And isn't he, like, 35 years old?
7. The Backstreet Boys are here tonight.
Love the one you're with, baby.
Seattle Times Review: 10/26/99 Tacoma, WA
Source: Seattle Times
Backstreet Boys: An answer to prayer?
by Sharon Pian Chan
Seattle Times staff reporter
Are you there, God? It's me, Margaret. Thank you a gazillion times for letting me touch Brian tonight. Going to the Backstreet Boys concert tonight at the Tacoma Dome was the coolest thing in my whole life.
When they played the music from Star Wars and came flying over the audience on surfboards, Shelly and Buffy and I were all screaming and hugging each other. Buffy was waving her sign that said "I love you Nick!!!!!!" We KNOW he saw it because he smiled. She thinks she's going to marry Nick.
My other favorite part was when they all got lifted into the air during "Quit Playing Games" and did backflips over the audience. When they sat on stools and sang all their best slow songs, we linked arms and sang all the songs. They dedicated "Show Me The Meaning of Being Lonely" to their producer who died of cancer and Shelly started crying.
At the very, very, very end of the show, after their first and second encore, they went running through the audience and I touched Brian's sleeve as he ran by. I'm not washing my hand. Is that a sin? I'm going to stare at the poster until I fall asleep, because then maybe I'll dream of Brian.Amen.
Dear God: Thank you for giving me the strength to survive the Backstreet Boys concert tonight. Cassidy loved it, although she fell asleep before the end.
I spent $125 on each ticket, and then blew another $90 buying her T-shirts, photos and programs. And the people behind us got their tickets free because they knew someone.
EYC, the opening act was a bit too sexual, but the Backstreet Boys' concert was cute. The backup band sounded just like the guys on the David Letterman show. When they sang "The Perfect Fan," they invited mothers and daughters on stage. One pair wore matching outfits. Now why didn't I think of that?
Kevin's pretty cute, too. He played "Back to Your Heart" on a white grand piano with a sax player who looked just like a Spice Girl. He has such big beautiful hands . . . um, God? Forgive me for having sinful thoughts about a 27-year-old.Amen.
Hey, God: I'm going straight to heaven for being the perfect uncle. I took my niece to see the Backstreet Boys. Twenty-thousand girls screaming like my poodle when she goes into heat.
That Nick looks exactly like a pretty boy from Neighbours. And A.J., with his tattoos, cowboy hat and rodeo dance moves, could be a cage dancer at Neighbors. Can I get some fries with that shake-shake, baby? Seriously, though, I have only two words for the BSB: Calvin Klein.
It started out fine with funky blue robotic plastic armor during "Larger Than Life." The set was clever, too, with a metal contraption suspended from the ceiling straight out of "2001: A Space Odyssey." From there, it went downhill. At one point they were wearing rhinestone-studded black leather.
The last straw was the Pepto Bismol-colored suits with matching fedoras. Who choreographed it? The dances had all the excitement of those snoozer Academy-Award-Debbie-Allen dance numbers. One backup dancer actually did the electric slide.
Oregon Live Review: 10/25/99 Portland,OR
Source: Oregon Live
Nice boys finish first
Acting more grown-up, the Backstreet Boys perform a family-style show to a sold-out audience
Wednesday, October 27, 1999
By Byron Beck, special to The Oregonian
Flu and cold season made way for a new epidemic Monday night: Backstreet Boys Fever.
The epicenter for this contagious condition was the Rose Garden arena, but signs of the fever were everywhere.
All around where the Backstreet Boys played to a sold-out house (tickets disappeared in one hour), young girls -- mostly -- showed symptoms: widespread panic, high-decibel shrieking and an undying devotion to a group of young musicians named A.J., Kevin, Howie, Nick and Brian.
One group of girls -- seven dance teammates from Thurston High School in Springfield -- had much more than the show on their minds. They wanted to meet the men of their dreams.
"I am Brian Littrell's biggest fan!" the incredibly excited Emily Payne, 17, said on the way to the concert.
But I had every reason to think that when I was dropped off at the show, I would be immune from its musical power. Little did I know I would be the next victim of Backstreet Boys Fever.
There were no early warning signs. The two opening acts consisted of Britney Spears wannabe Mandy Moore and the body-baring EYC, who had 16-year-old Kelly Wells saying: "I didn't pay for a strip show."
But all that changed when the
Backstreet Boys flew onto the stage on hovercrafts right out of "Back to the Future."
Marching the circumference of a high-tech, yet simple and spare, circular stage, the boys made sure that everyone got a good peek at what they paid for before slamming right into their latest pop ditty, "Larger Than Life."
Right out of the gate these larger-than-life fellows, dressed in sci-fi sportswear, looked and sounded much better than one would expect from a prefabricated Orlando, Fla.-based pop group (read: 'N Sync and 98 Degrees).
Following that surprising performance, the boys pulled another surprise. They slowed the night way down and talked to the audience with shouts out to family friends and others. This break in the action was also game time, as in: "Who is the favorite BSB in Portland?" Hands down the biggest screams were saved for Brian Littrell, then A.J. McLean (a k a "The Bone"), Kevin Richardson, Nick Carter and then high-pitched Howie Dorough -- in that order.
Acting a bit more grown-up than when they came through town last year, it seems as if the boys have finally come to a new realization: BSB is a family show. (One of the best audience signs of the night: "Will you marry my Mom, A.J.?")
Dropping much of the sexually tinged gyrations they've become infamous for, the boys have filled their show with solid harmonies, tight choreography and strong musicianship. One of the brightest moments of the show came during "The Perfect Fan."
Several lucky mother-and-daughter pairings were brought to the stage in a sort of love letter to mothers everywhere. The boys walked the daughters around the stage while moms snapped what had to be the pictures of their girls' lifetime.
The boys -- backed by a six-member band and 10 dancers -- filled the show with pyrotechnics, flights over the audience and more costume changes than a Vegas showgirl.
This musical army let it all loose on "Everybody (Backstreet's Back)." Dressed in torn T-shirts, they tore up the house and whipped the already frenzied audience to near hysteria before ripping into "We've Got It Goin' On."
And by every account, the Backstreet Boys had it going Monday night, proving that once in a while, nice guys do finish first.
BANG ON! YOU HAVE TO HEAR THESE...
Source: Smash Hits
Backstreet Boys - Larger Than Life
They may be imprisoned in the US of A and only allowed to visit the UK for like, two minutes these days, but the BSB´s have at least sent over this stomping, romping anthem to remind us lot (da fans) that we make 'em "larger than life" (whatever that means). Anyway the point is, when their sound is as BIG as this, no other boyband can get anywhere near them.
Single Of The Fortnight;
Backstreet Boys 'Larger Than Life'
Source: BIG!
When it comes to pop music, size matters and, like it´s title, this is a massive pop tune that soars 'n' saunters and swings, knowing full well that it´s better than everything else out at the mo´. Even the video for this is brilliant - and it should be at $2.2 million. Large!
Source: The San Fransisco Chronicle
By James Sullivan of the Chronicle Newspaper
Boys Will Be Boys
Backstreet does what it does best in San Jose - makes the girls scream
The Backstreet Boys have been, like, "Oh my God!" for well over two years now. In the fickle world of teen pop, that's like saying a fresh carton of milk has lasted two years.
The group - Nick! A.J.! Brian! Kevin! Howie D.! - played the first of two enthusiastically sold-out shows at the San Jose Arena on Thursday. It...It...It met expectations.
Midway through the 100-minute set, thunder and lightning hit the arena. Random spotlights flickered on the ceiling high overhead as the sound system rumbled. It was such fine effects work that people checked for raindrops.
The sound of 10,000 adolescent girls swooning for their dream dates isn't thunder, exactly. It's more like a huge flock of tweety birds. The sound of their parents' delirium and the band's over-the-top showmanship get drowned out every time.
After short, canned sets by two acts, one the Britney-Christina clone Many Moore, the other a song-and-dance boy trio cleverly dubbed EYC (Express Yourself Clearly), the headliners threatened to emerge.
The house lights dimmed. The place shimmered with blur and green sticks. With all eyes focused on a space-age, in-the-round-style stage plopped in the middle of the arena, the members of the Backstreet Boys' six-piece backing band quietly strode to their positions, their all-white outfits flashing in the dark.
The "Imperial March" from "Star Wars" blared. A dance company of 10-half men, half women-marched through the aisles carrying electric torches.
And then the Bays magically appeared, suspended on high wires, their feet strapped to midair surfboards, floating towards the stage in a weightless ballet. When they arrived they marched poker-faced with their dancers around the neon-lit stage, turning on their heels for military inspection.
Backstreet Boy Kevin Richardson subtly raised one of those Magic Marker eyebrows of his, and the message was clear: We're on a mission.
The mission is to conquer the world's young female army with righteous profiles and chest-pounding sincerity. The music is-oh right, the music.
The music began with "Larger Than Life," the lead track on this year's monster album, "Millennium." Like all the group's upbeat material, it's a slick, undeniably catchy amalgam of the past decade: unison follow-the-bouncing-ball vocals, a jiggy rhyme, an economical metalguitar solo.
In blue flak jackets, the Boys took center stage on a hydraulic platform that rose like a cake. Then they scampered down for a maypole romp.
Mop-topped blondie Nick Carter led off the group's many testimonials of devotion to its fans. He's the adorable wise guy: "instead of getting all mushy on ya, I think it's time to party!" he hollered. A tear bear landed at his feet.
"Don't Wanna Lose You Now" was the centerpiece of the show's fist ballad segment. A few song's latter, the group invited five pairs of mothers and daughters onstage to help them make their point on Brian Littrell's "The Perfect Fan": Moms are special.
The moms (dads) who brought their hyperventilating young ones to this show certainly deserve some sort of award. That, or a free weekend at a hot spring of their choice.
The group played stuff from its relatively ancient history-"Everybody (Backstreet's Back)," "All I Have To Give." They flogged the new product-"Don't Want You Back," "Spanish Eyes," the surprisingly moving "Show Me The Meaning OF Being Lonely."
The whole thing was a hit parade. Will the hits keep on comin'? Does milk come from cows?
Bits and pieces from Twist Magazine: Nov/Dec 99
Source: Twist Magazine: Nov/Dec 99
Here are a few BSB bits in the current issue:
In a "Which Is Worse section...", one of seven comparisons is: A world without the Backstreet Boys or a world without NSync?
In the "Inside the Boy Brain" section, a guy lists 15 things guys will never admit. Number 3 says: "Sure, guys make fun of all the hotties you have plastered inside your locker, but look closely and you'll see that a lot of us subtly try to imitate them. Hey, if spiky hair works for Seth Green and Freddie Prinze, Jr., maybe it'll work for us. And you'd better believe that on the night before a dance, most guys are at home trying to perfect those Backstreet Boys dance moves they always rank on."
There is also a feature called The 25 coolest guys of '99. The Backstreet Boys made numbers 1-5, and the caption at the bottom right hand side of their page-length picture says: " How'd the Boys win number one? Because we want it that way. (Though Millennium's record-breaking sales didn't hurt either...")
The rest of the 20 were as follows:
6. Ricky Martin
7. Usher
8. Freddie Prinze, Jr.
9. James Van Der Beek
10.Josh Jackson
11.Taye Diggs
12.Josh Hartnett
13.Scott Foley
14-18. NSync
19. Heath Ledger
20. Robbie Williams
21. Paul Walker
22. Seth Green
23. Chris Klein
24. Carson Daly
25. Barry Watson
In the Deep Thoughts section, the topic is "My wish for the millennium is..." and a female Twist reader says, "Backstreet Boys on MTV all day, every day."
Kevin Richardson - The Sexiest Man Alive
The american mag 'People Magazine' announced this morning that they might choose Kevin as the "Sexiest Man Alive". Why shouldn´t they?! Look at Kevin, very sexy!!!
Where the Boys Are -- In Court, Where Else?
Source: Law News Network
Unless you've got a pre-teen daughter at home, chances are you can't tell the difference between the Backstreet Boys and 'N Sync. Come to think of it, it's not so easy to keep these prepackaged musical groups apart even with a youngster around who's constantly singing along to their latest hits.
As it turns out, the members of the two prevailing boy bands themselves are now caught up in something of a musical identity crisis. Only this one is likely to be played out in courtrooms and lawyers' offices rather than on concert stages and in recording studios.
Think of it as a fierce struggle among reigning princes of modern-day bubble gum music. And into the mix add a not-so-invisible power behind the throne who's responsible for the very existence of both bands and has a major financial stake in their ongoing success.
The brouhaha started last month when the five-member 'N Sync decided to part company with RCA Records, which is owned by Bertelsmann AG's BMG Entertainment. The group then turned around and signed a reported $12 million deal with Jive, part of Zomba Recording Corp. That struck a decidedly sour note with the five guys from the Backstreet Boys, who already record on the Jive label. Seems that the Backstreet'ers view the two acts as being just a little too similar and doubt that the label can adequately promote both bands.
Needless to say, some big -- as in huge -- numbers are at stake in this legal battle of the bands. The Backstreet Boys' debut album sold 8.6 million copies, while its second CD, "Millennium," has already sold 6.2 million copies since its May release. For its part, 'N Sync has sold nearly 7 million copies of its first album, released last year, with plans to release its sophomore disc in January.
Louis Pearlman, a Florida-based pop music entrepreneur who essentially created and molded both groups, stands to lose big if 'N Sync starts recording for a new label. It was Pearlman's company, Trans Continental Records, that clinched a five-album deal for 'N Sync with RCA. Earlier this month, Trans Continental, joined by BMG and RCA, filed a $150 million breach-of-contract lawsuit in New York state court and federal court in Orlando against 'N Sync, Jive and Zomba. Along with seeking damages, Pearlman is also demanding that 'N Sync stop performing under that name -- guess who owns the trademark? -- and return master recordings that have already been produced for the group's second album.
"We're going to shut them down," says J. Cheney Mason, an Orlando attorney who represents Trans Continental and vows nothing less than a "scorched earth policy" against 'N Sync. The objective, he says, is "no tours, performances, rehearsals or recordings" by the group for any company other than Pearlman's. Mason reserves most of his criticism for "some lawyer who comes in and wants to get something from a contract that he didn't have a goddamn thing to do with in the first place."
Just the other day, the band informed Pearlman's company it had retained the services of Helene Freeman, an entertainment litigator at New York's Dorsey & Whitney. While Freeman declines to talk about the case, a publicist for 'N Sync calls Trans Con's dealings with the group "the most glaring, overt and callous example of artist exploitation that the music industry has seen in a long time."
Entertainment lawyers who have been watching the skirmishing from the sidelines for the most part tend to be skeptical of efforts to break existing contracts. "Like teen-agers, they feel it's not fair," quips Alan Rader, of O'Melveny & Myers, referring generally to musicians who try to break free from their labels. "So they go out and find a lawyer who doesn't blush easily.... Lawyers convince their clients that they have a constitutional right to renegotiate [a recording contract]. There isn't one that I know of."
But there sure are risks to getting into a legal tussle with a record company. "People don't like to hear that some rich, snotty brats are suing to make even more money," says Todd Allen, of Century City's Rutter Hobbs & Davidoff, who has represented major record labels and bands in contract disputes. For starters, virtually no one buying a group's latest album cares what label it's on, says Allen. And if the label succeeds in preventing a group from ditching it for another, "it can charge back all its litigation costs to the artist."
Meanwhile, the Backstreet Boys are making their own legal noises about leaving Jive now that 'N Sync wants in. The group's attorney, John Branca, of Century City's Ziffren, Brittenham, Branca & Fischer, fired off a letter earlier this month to Jive, saying the band wants out of its contract. The group has also added to its legal chorus by bringing in Hollywood litigator Marty Singer, of Lavely & Singer. Currently in the midst of a 53-city tour that sold out within an hour, the Backstreet Boys flexed some legal muscle last year, settling a royalties lawsuit against Trans Continental and then renegotiating its contract with the company.
Backstreet Boys to sing anthem at NBA game
Source: Infobeat
(Launch) - The Backstreet Boys will sing the national anthem prior to the NBA's Detroit Pistons home opener Nov. 5 at The Palace of Auburn Hills. The Pistons will face the defending Eastern Conference champion New York Knicks that evening. The Backstreet Boys, who are avid basketball fans, will be in town preparing for the group's three sold-out shows at the Palace Nov. 6-8. The band's latest release, "Millennium," has sold more than 8 million copies to date and holds tight at No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 200 after 22 weeks on the chart.
Source: MTV
The Backstreet Boys have sold out three nights at The Palace At Auburn Hills in Detroit, and have just announced a fourth appearance at the venue… but this time, you won't be hearing the guys crooning "I Want It That Way," "Larger Than Life" and the rest of their hits.
It turns out that the Backstreet Boys are big basketball fans, and the night before they kick off their three-night stand at the Palace, they'll be serving as an opening act of sorts, when they sing the National Anthem before the Detroit Pistons' home opener on November 5.
While the Backstreet Boys are busy fighting off the hordes of screaming fans, the Pistons will be taking on the defending Eastern Conference champions the New York Knicks.
The next three nights, November 6, 7 and 8, will see them returning to performing their usual repertoire at their sold out concerts at the same venue.
New singles
The fourth single from 'Millennium' is gonna be 'Don´t Want You Back', it´s being released in early summer 2000.
I have already told you about the third single wich is 'Show Me The Meing (Of Being Lonley)', it´s being released early next year.
Source: The Salt Lake Tribune
BY DAN NAILEN THE SALT LAKE TRIBUNE
Love them or hate them, there is no denying the Backstreet Boys are the biggest musical act in the world at the end of the millennium.
Bigger than Ricky Martin and the whole Latino music explosion. Bigger than Korn, Limp Bizkit and the rest of the rap-metal pack. Bigger than Springsteen, Streisand, the Stones. The five Boys are a marketing juggernaut, racking up album sales and sold-out tour dates in numbers that make long-established acts look like they are struggling in comparison.
Who would have thought at the beginning of the 1990s -- when grunge ruled and alternative seemed like the great, new commercial music horizon -- that five college-age boys performing synchronized dance routines and harmonizing through a steady diet of love songs would be all the rage at decade's end? Certainly not New Kids on the Block, Color Me Badd, Boyz II Men, or any of the other boy bands who previously enjoyed a smidgen of Backstreetlike success.
Backstreet Boys managed to hit on some undefinable formula at just the right time, and the numbers involved in their success are staggering. Their 1997, self-titled, U.S. debut album has sold more than 28 million copies worldwide, garnering gold and platinum awards in 45 countries, and remains in the top 20 of Billboard's album-sales chart more than two years after its release. The follow-up, "Millennium," was released at the end of May, sold more copies in its first week than any album in history, and has already sold more than 12 million copies.
Not too shabby for a group forced to concentrate on foreign markets when it began performing in Orlando, Fla., in 1993. The Boys -- AJ McLean, Kevin Richardson, Brian Littrell, Howie Dorough and Nick Carter -- toured Europe, Canada and the Far East constantly through the mid-1990s, building a massive international following before anyone in America had heard of them. By the time their "debut" hit U.S. record stores, Backstreet Boys were seasoned touring and promotion veterans, something that helped them finally break into the American market.
Since arriving on America's radar, the group has enjoyed as much success as it does overseas, if not more. Backstreet Boys' videos make daily appearances on MTV's "Total Request Live," the boys posed for a "Got Milk?" ad, their concerts sell out in minutes rather than days and they helped create an entire cottage industry of Backstreetlike boy bands: 'N Sync, 98 degrees and C Note, among others.
Tickets for the Backstreet Boys' entire 39-city fall tour went on sale simultaneously on Aug. 14, selling out every venue that day. In some cities, second shows were added, and Salt Lake City grabbed one of the coveted two-night stands.
-- Backstreet's Back Backstreet Boys bring their "Into the Millennium" tour to the Delta Center on Thursday and Friday at 7:30 p.m. Both shows are sold out. Worldwide phenomenon the Backstreet Boys have sold out two concerts at the Delta Center this week.
Backstreet Boys perform in-the-round in Tacoma
Source: SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER
Friday, October 22, 1999
By GENE STOUT
SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER
POP MUSIC CRITIC
When tickets to the Backstreet Boys went on sale this summer and promptly sold out, one could almost hear the collective thunk of thousands of parents and grandparents kicking themselves for not acting sooner.
Tickets were gone in a heartbeat, leaving many would-be concertgoers empty-handed for the hottest teen-pop show of the fall. And the group's touring schedule was just too tight for a second show.
It's little wonder the premiere boy band -- Nick Carter, Howie Dorough, Brian Littrell, A.J. McLean and Kevin Richardson -- is selling out show after show around the country. After reaching the top of The Billboard 200 album chart earlier this year, the group's current album, "Millennium" (on Jive Records), remains at No. 3. Sales have surpassed 7 million copies.
Five years of almost non-stop touring have added plenty of polish to the Backstreet Boys' spectacular live show, filled with music (including tight, tight harmonies), choreography and brilliant lighting effects.
Fans can expect a number of special moments in the show. Among them is a segment featuring Littrell's ballad, "The Perfect Fan," dedicated to his mother. The group's current single, "I Want It That Way," is featured in another high-profile segment late in the show. It's guaranteed to ignite the female fans.
The song-and-dance group was founded in 1993 in Orlando, Fla., by school chums McLean, Dorough and Carter. Inspired by such groups as Boyz II Men and Color Me Badd, the trio formed a singing group. Richardson, who was performing at Disney World, joined next, followed by Littrell, who was recruited from Kentucky.
Ambitious from the start, the five singers made a practice of singing a cappella in the lobbies of record-label offices. The tactic paid off; within a year, the group won the opening spot at a Brandy concert and performed at Sea World. Central Florida, with its slicky commercial theme parks and restaurants, was fertile ground for a group of this kind.
The group rapidly gained ground with an independent single, "Tell Me That I'm Dreaming," and loads of stage experience. Jive signed them to a recording contract shortly after an A&R rep heard them perform on a call to his cell phone.
They took off in Europe after the release of "We've Got It Going On." Another song, "I'll Never Break Your Heart," hinted at the group's future hit-making potential in the United States.
In 1997, the Backstreet Boys began work in Florida on their debut U.S. album, which would include the group's European hits as well as a slew of such new songs as "Quit Playing (With My Heart)," "As Long As You Love Me" and "All I Have to Give."
The new sophomore CD, "Millennium," has boosted the Backstreet Boys' credibility in a number of ways. With the powerful single "I Want It That Way," as well as the edgy rocker "Don't Want You Back," the group seems to be reaching out to male fans. Meanwhile, their penchant for romantic pop hasn't diminished. The ballads "Show Me the Meaning of Being Lonely" and "Don't Wanna Lose You Now" are achingly pretty, with harmonies to match.
On their current tour, the Backstreet Boys are performing in-the-round. The group has been opening its shows with a spectacular airborne entrance on boogie boards, surfing above the stage to the accompaniment of blinding pyrotechnics and the melodramatic "Star Wars" theme.
Source: Los Angeles Times
There’s a Backstreet Boy for Every Teenage Girl
By MARC WEINGARTEN, Special To The Times
It was only fitting that the Backstreet Boys performed the first of their four Southern California live dates Thursday at Arrowhead Pond, a venue just down the road from Disneyland.
The Orlando, Fla., quintet, which has fended off all comers to become the world’s biggest-selling boy band, is synchronized more accurately than five Swiss watches and mounts a stage show with the high-tech flash of Tomorrowland and the mawkish sentiment of "It’s a Small World." But so do ’N Sync and 98 Degrees, and they can’t pull off four arena dates in a week. So why are the Backstreet Boys all that?
Chalk it up to good casting. Less a band than a troupe, the Backstreeters are like those old comic-book heroes the Justice League of America, who had little in common but created an unbeatable chemistry when they joined forces.
Each member is an archetype of boyish masculinity. His body bedecked with tattoos, Alexander James "AJ" McLean is the tenderhearted B-boy, a street tough with a big heart; Howard "Howie D" Dorough is the earnest, shy romantic; Brian "B-Rok" Littrell the unattainable heartthrob; Nick Carter the preternaturally talented pretty boy; and Kevin Richardson the dark Adonis, too cool for a nickname. Together, they satisfy every primal urge a teenage girl may want to project onto them.
At a time when special effects are de rigueur for shows that skew toward teeny-boppers, the Backstreet Boys pack the biggest wow factor. They have certainly upped the ante for entrances, "flying" onto their theater-in-the-round stage (which looked, appropriately enough, like a circus big top) on silver surfboards suspended from harnesses while the "Star Wars" theme blared.
There was constant movement. Instead of having the circular stage rotate, the Boys themselves kept jogging around it so everyone could get a good look at them. With so many other boy bands out there courting and wooing listeners, it’s not only important for the Boys to emote; they also have to work hard on stage, the better to prove their unstinting commitment to the fans.
More so than their contemporaries, the Backstreet Boys lean a little harder on balladry than dance jams. At the Pond, the quintet kept switching from uplift to rueful regret, alternating funky, self-aggrandizing anthems such as "Everybody (Backstreet’s Back)" with laments such as "Show Me the Meaning of Being Lonely," while the Pond’s yearning fans fantasized about filling the romantic void in their idols’ desolate lives.
The Backstreeters, or at least their handlers, are well aware of how the band’s female fans favor different members, and the show was designed to evenly distribute the screams among all five uber-dudes. All of this well-calibrated activity was exhausting to watch, and the band’s breakneck dazzle just canceled itself out over time, like a high-budget Andrew Lloyd Webber musical with a thin score. Sometimes even kids need some substance to go with their style, and you could catch more than a few fans snoozing on their chairs about halfway through the show.
* The Backstreet Boys play Wednesday and Thursday at the Great Western Forum, 3900 W. Manchester Blvd., Inglewood, 7 p.m. Sold out.
Backstreet Boys' ``Millennium'' (Jive) rose two places to No. 3 in its 21st week, as its latest one-week haul of 146,000 units propelled the total to 6.4 million.
Backstreet Boys will play two shows at the MGM Grand
Source: lasvegas.com
Parents who thought the Backstreet Boys were just a passing fancy last year could now be sorry that they weren't, given the quintet's inflationary return.
Parents who ended up shelling out more than $100 for tickets, refreshments and Backstreet-imaged loot last year will pay more than that just to get their youngsters in prime $125 seats this year. Unless, of course, they're buying those tickets for themselves.
"I Want It That Way" is not just a Top 40 hit, but sits at the top of Billboard's adult contemporary chart this week, and even worked its way up to the No. 14 slot on the generally more sophisticated adult Top 40 radio chart.
That could be more meaningful for the quintet than selling 7 million copies of its second album, "Millenium," in the past five months (chasing the 11 million in sales of their debut album).
"It's definitely a growth for the Backstreet Boys. I feel that our sound has evolved," Howie Dorough says in press materials for the new album.
While "I Want It That Way" is "reminiscent of our last album," Kevin Richardson believes the other tracks "will raise people's eyebrows a little bit. They're probably gonna go, `Wow, that's the Backstreet Boys?'"
The new tour also boasts better staging, with the Boys in the round this time to get closer and more personal with their fans.
While rivals 'N Sync waited until the end of their concerts to become airborne, the Backstreet Boys -- which also include Brian Littrell, Nick Carter and A.J. McLain -- get off to a flying start from the beginning, when they come sailing down on sparkling boogie boards.
Opening at 7:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday are EYC and Mandy Moore, who is yet another 15-year-old pop breakthrough from Florida. Saturday's show is sold out. Remaining tickets for Sunday are $75.
Backstreet Boys to hit Anaheim, Las Vegas this weekend
(BackstreetBoys.com) - The Backstreet Boys will take their signature boy-band pop stylings through California and Nevada this weekend. The Boys will hit The Pond in Anaheim, Calif., on Friday and will close out the weekend with back-to-back shows, Saturday and Sunday, at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
Source: bboys.com newsletter
BACKSTREET BOYS: Update from BBOYS.COM
Greetings from BBOYS.com. Welcome to the new format of the BBOYS.COM Update. We strive to keep Backstreet Boys fans across the globe up-to-date with the latest news from the world of Nick, Brian, Howie, Kevin and AJ. We hope you find this new format easier to read and filled with all the Backstreet Boys information you want to know. There is a lot to cover in this edition so let's jump right in..
CONTENTS This Time
NEW RELEASES: Special re-mix of "I Want It That Way" available on "Drive Me Crazy" Soundtrack
TOUR NEWS: Backstreet Boys Tour is "Larger Than Life"
FEATURES: "Larger Than Life" video #1 on MTV's Total Request Live
NEW RELEASES
Special re-mix of "I Want It That Way" on "Drive Me Crazy"
Did you know that the Backstreet Boys have a song on the "Drive Me Crazy" soundtrack? It's a hot re-mix of "I Want It That Way" and it is only available on "Drive Me Crazy." The soundtrack also features Britney Spears "(You Drive Me) Crazy-(The Stop Remix!), Steps "One For Sorrow", Don Philip "Sugar", and Jars of Clay "Unforgetful You" and more!! If you want to check out the Backstreet Boys re-mix of "I Want It That Way" head on over to BBOYS.COM. If you want to own it, pick up the "Drive Me Crazy" soundtrack today!
Click here to get the latest on the Backstreet Boys @ BBOYS.COM: http://www.bboys.com Click here to get the latest on the "Drive Me Crazy" soundtrack: http://www.drivemecrazy.net
TOUR NEWS
Backstreet Boys Tour is "Larger Than Life"
The Backstreet Boys "Into the Millennium" Tour is playing to sold out audiences across the US. The fans reactions to the state of the art performances have been amazing. The group performs all of their hits accompanied by incredible choreography, lights and special effects. The guys will be heading out west later this week to perform in the following cities:
10/16 Las Vegas MGM Grand
10/19 Los Angeles, CA The Forum
10/20 Los Angeles, CA The Forum
10/21 San Jose, CA San Jose Arena
10/22 San Jose, CA San Jose Arena
10/25 Portland, OR Rose Garden
Check out BBOYS.COM for more up-to-the-minute news on the Backstreet Boys tour!
Want the latest Backstreet Boys tour dates? Click here: http://www.peeps.com/bboys/live.html
FEATURES
"Larger Than Life" video #1 on MTV's Total Request Live
The latest Backstreet Boys single and video is "Larger Than Life". The video has been #1 on MTV's Total Request Live nearly everyday since it debuted on the show on September 13th. You can see the full length version of this video at BBOYS.COM on our video page or call 1-800-DIALMTV to request it on Total Request Live. Thanks for helping keep the Backstreet Boys at #1!!
Check out the "Larger Than Life" video @ BBOYS.COM http://www.peeps.com/bboys/video.html Request the video on MTV's TRL @ http://mtv.com/mtv/tubescan/trl99_new/playmy/playmy.tin
Click here to see a gorgeous photo of Kevin that is in the latest issue of BIG!
Source: Arizona Central
Backstreet Boys thrill legion of fans
By Larry Rodgers
The Arizona Republic
Oct. 13, 1999
When flying into a musical storm like the Backstreet Boys' sold-out concert that whirled through America West Arena on Tuesday, it's best to enlist an expert on the crew.
In my case, that's my 12-year-old daughter, Lauren, who discovered the Backstreet Boys after a few years as an 'N Sync fanatic.
Having blasted the Boys' multiplatinum Millennium repeatedly in our house and armed with notebooks and pens, we were ready for the real thing.
At the arena, we blended in easily with the crowd, dominated by girls in the 12-to-19 range, joined by a healthy smattering of twentysomethings and Baby Boomer parents.
We had been forewarned about the screaming, which started long before the five Backstreet Boys took the stage and built to an ultrasonic level.
The anticipation rose as the Star Wars theme played and white fog drifted near the futuristic stage. As lights flashed from UFO-like pods suspended above the crowd, and a voice counted down from 10, a procession of people holding lighted poles came onstage.
Then to an ear-piercing roar, the Backstreet Boys appeared at one end of the arena, suspended on illuminated snowboards.
"That's cool!" a wide-eyed Lauren exclaimed as they floated over the crowd to the stage.
Dressed in astronaut-type outfits, Nick Carter, Howie Dorough, A.J. McLean, Brian Littrell and Kevin Richardson jumped onto the pentagonal stage and marched around like they were headed for a space shuttle mission.
Lauren and other young listeners screamed approval of the group's choice for an opener, the upbeat, funky Larger Than Life.
Ten talented dancers and a six-piece band joined the stars. In general, the quintet was very strong on vocals. There really isn't a weak link, as there are in many other acts of this genre. The harmonies were clear and crisp, with each Boy carving a musical niche.
During their well-paced performance, the five shared the spotlight, with Littrell, 24, and Carter, 19, often stepping forward on songs like Get Down (You're the One for Me) and As Long As You Love Me, both from the group's self-titled debut album.
After Carter gave a friendly sales pitch for the new album, the group served up a generous sampling, including The One, Don't Want You Back and I Don't Want to Lose You Now.
Dad and daughter agreed that Quit Playing Games (With My Heart) was a high point. During the catchy, heartfelt tune, The Boys were hoisted above the crowd, nearly touching some of their ecstatic female admirers. Lauren's jaw dropped as Richardson "flew" nearby.
Lauren also sang hoarse but loud approval of the show-ending I Want It That Way.
Throughout the show, which included several way-cool costume changes, the heartthrobs did their best to return the crowd's good vibes. They accepted flowers and teddy bears, waving and winking.
They made the year for five mother-daughter pairs who joined them onstage for The Perfect Fan.
"They're all being so nice!" Lauren accurately remarked.
Backstreet Boys with the Viewers Choice Award at last month 1999 MTV Video Music Award.
Minneapolis Star Tribune Review: 9/10 ´99 Minneapolis, MN
Source:Minneapolis Star Tribune
Backstreet Boys put on a show
Jon Bream / Star Tribune
BackstreetBoys, the main men among the current rage of boy bands, have become the best-selling group of the past two years (18 million albums and counting) by pulling at little girls' heart-strings in songs and in videos.
Saturday night at a sold-out Target Center, the BackstreetBoys (BSB) captured the hearts of 18,000 girls -- and moms and dads -- with a spectacular production that made them seem like masterful showmen. It was arguably the best-conceived and most effective in-the-round show presented at Target Center.
The nearly two-hour performance was light years better than BSB's low-budget, musically off-key and blase concert last November at Target Center, which was a makeup for a canceled-at-showtime performance at KDWB's Last Chance Summer Dance in September 1998.
On Saturday, the quintet from Orlando, Fla., made an unforgettable entrance: as six musicians played the theme from "Star Wars," the five singers came floating to the stage on surf boards. Totally awesome, dudes! Thereafter, it was fast-paced eye candy -- flamethrowers, oversized sparklers, high-energy dancing, colorful costumes (including salmon-colored zoot suits), a grand piano descending from the rafters and BSB (suspended on wires) somersaulting high in the air over the crowd, tossing teddy bears and roses to fans below.
On the five-sided stage, the five singers, assisted often by 10 dancers, worked the concertgoers from all angles, with giant video screens overhead keeping everyone abreast of what they might be missing on the other sides. The BackstreetBoys know how to work all the angles -- in more ways than one.
Nearly every other fan had purchased one of those glow-in-the-dark tubes to wave in the air (at $6, it was the most affordable souvenir). And then BSB pulled the ultimate crowd-pleasing ploy by inviting five female fans with their moms onstage for "The Perfect Fan." Each daughter paraded around the stage, hand in hand, with one of the Backstreeters as the moms snapped photographs.
Moms like the BackstreetBoys, too, because their music is nonthreatening, singalong ear-candy -- bubblegum pop-meets-R&B-lite (though the "sex you up" lyric in "Everybody (Backstreet's Back)" earned a huge scream Saturday; indeed, some of the girls are becoming teenagers). That the music is generic and the vocals are anonymous doesn't matter. Because the fans melt for messages such as "As Long as You Love Me," "It's Gotta Be You," "Don't Wanna Lose You Now" and "I'll Never Break Your Heart."
Although none of the singers is probably vocally talented enough to have a significant solo career after BSB disband, the fans clearly identify with each member. Nick Carter, the youngest at 19, is the cute one (though he's getting pudgy). Kevin Richardson, the oldest at 28, is the dark, handsome one. A.J. McLean is the freaky one. Brian Littrell is the talented one. And Howie Dorough is everybody's pal. And everybody at Target Center was thrilled that Backstreet's back.
Opening the concert were two newcomers in the teen-pop sweepstakes. The performance by Mandy Moore, 15, was too short but sweet, though with her four smartly choreographed dancers she figured out how to use the huge in-the-round stage. EYC -- three buff guys from Los Angeles -- was long on showmanship and short on quality singing (to be honest, they were often flat).
Before BSB started their US tour, Brian visited Disney World in Orlando, Florida. Here he is with Woody Woodpecker.
Source: Billboard Online
Backstreet Boys and Korn were multiple winners in the inaugural ARTISTdirect Online Music Awards, held yesterday at the House of Blues in West Hollywood, Calif. Backstreet Boys were named favorite pop group and won the award for the best pop fan site, while Korn took home the Pioneer Artist on the Internet trophy, as well as best rock fan site.
Key honors also went to Madonna, who was named favorite female artist; Ricky Martin, who scored favorite male artist; and Sugar Ray, which took home the favorite rock artist honor.
Other winners included the Offspring, Eminem, Limp Bizkit, the Beatles, the Chemical Brothers, the Beastie Boys, and Nine Inch Nails.
The show, hosted by comedy duo Tenacious D, featured performances by Chris Isaak, Cypress Hill, No Doubt ,and the Offspring. The awards were voted on by fans, artists, and personnel at leading Web sites.
ARTISTdirect is a online music company that hosts a network of music news and e-commerce Web sites. The company also operates ARTISTdirect Talent Agency and manages Kneeling Elephant Records.
Source: Teen Machine
FAMILY TIES...Can you see the resemblance?
It isn´t just singing that brings the Doroughs together - they look alike too! Howie and brother Johnny share the same dark, sexy eyes, and Pollyanna and Howie are both blessed with that adorable trademark nose!
Source: Chicago Sun-Times
Backstreet Boys
October 7, 1999
By Jae-Ha Kim
Sure, it's easy to make fun of the Backstreet Boys--especially if you're over the age of 17. But when things click just so--as they did Tuesday night at the Allstate Arena--the Backstreet Boys prove that they are the kings of the boy bands.
At last year's concert at the New World Music Theatre, the five-man group from Orlando, Fla., appeared dwarfed by the enormodome and was plagued by off-key harmonies. This time around--in the first of three consecutive, sold-out nights--they owned the Allstate Arena. And they let the audience know this from the start.
As the theme to "Star Wars" blared from the speakers, the Boys made a spectacular entrance . . . "sailing" through the air on lit-up boogie boards. The high-pitched shrieks escalated and didn't let up for the remainder of the two-hour concert.
After almost five years of nonstop touring, the Boys show no signs of tiring (or apparent aging) and give fans exactly what they want: some nice songs, a little pyrotechnics and just enough sex appeal to tide them over until they land boyfriends.
And they do sound sincere, promising the girls ('cause let's face it, the audience was 99 percent female) that everything will be fine "as long as you love me."
Backed by a nine-piece dance troupe, the Boys mixed the set up with ballads ("Quit Playing Games [With My Heart]," "The Perfect Fan") and high-energy numbers ("Everybody [Backstreet's Back]," "Larger Than Life") that had them shaking their groove thangs.
The editor of a teen magazine once said that the ideal boy band includes at least one hottie, a couple of not-as-cute members whom fans can identify with and, oh yeah, at least one who can really sing. In the Backstreet Boys, tall, blond Nick Carter, 19, is the face, while soft-spoken Brian Littrell, 24, is the voice. (Come to your own conclusions about the others.)
Sure, the Backstreet Boys may have some competition these days from acts such as 'N Sync, 98 Degrees, Britney Spears and LFO. But for their die-hard fans, no one compares to the Backstreet Boys. As my 10-year-old niece Tabitha pointed out, "Their songs are just better, and they have nicer voices."
The Boys' phenomenal popularity is evident to anyone who tried to buy tickets to this or any of their other shows. The group's American tour (of 800,000 tickets) sold out in less than a day. I pity the parent whose 13-year-old didn't get one.
Backstreet Boys say they've left Jive
Source: JAM! Music
By Stephanie McGrath
JAM! Music
The Backstreet Boys have reportedly left the label that boasts huge pop acts like Britney Spears and 'N Sync.
Reports by MTV news and Billboard online say attorneys for the band have sent a letter to Jive records that states the label is in breach of contract and the band is no longer with Jive.
The recent label dispute follows 'N Sync's label switch from RCA to Jive.
Previous reports said the Backstreet Boys were upset that 'N Sync would be on the same label. The multi-platinum pop band allegedly left their management company last year because their managers were representing 'N Sync at the same time.
A report by MTV news, however, says a spokeswoman for the band stated the Backstreet Boys don't have a problem with 'N Sync.
Although Jive and the Backstreet Boys' management company declined to comment on the label switch, there are rumours that the band members feel exploited by Jive.
In an earlier interview with MTV, band member Howie, said the band is looking for respect from the record company.
The Backstreet Boys also told MTV that legal issues won't affect their current tour and are tentatively planning another North American tour for May and June of next year.
Millenium drops to #5
Source: Billboard
The Backstreet Boys' Millenium album dropped to #5 this week for the first time since it's release 5 monthas ago. Having broken the record for most weeks in #1 and selling 1.2 million units in just one week there is no need for the fans to be sad. On a lighter note Millenium recievd its 8x platinum in just 20 weeks while 'N Sync's self titled album maintained its 7x platinum after 80 weeks. The Boys' self titled album, Backstreet Boys, maintained its 11x diamond certification(a diamond signifies net shipment of 10 million units while platinum signifies net shipment of 1 million units).
Source: Infobeat
*Top Grossing North American Concerts*
1 - BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN - Palace of Auburn Hills-Auburn Hills, Mich. (Sept. 8-9). Total Sales $2,477,370.
2 - CHER, CYNDI LAUPER, JULIO IGLESIAS JR. - Palace of Auburn Hills-Auburn Hills, Mich. (Sept. 11-12). Total Sales $1,659,268.
3 - BACKSTREET BOYS, EYC - Continental Airlines Arena-East Rutherford, N.J. (Sept. 23-24). Total Sales $1,418,708.
4 - CELINE DION - Molson Centre-Montreal. (Sept. 8-9). Total Sales $1,395,742.
5 - BACKSTREET BOYS, EYC - Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum-Uniondale, N.Y. (Sept. 26-27). Total Sales $1,323,206.
6 - BACKSTREET BOYS, EYC - FleetCenter-Boston. (Sept. 21-22). Total Sales $1,265,558.
7 - CELINE DION, COREY HART - Marine Midland Arena-Buffalo, N.Y. (Sept. 20). Total Sales $977,299.
8 - TOM WAITS - Beacon Theatre-New York. (Sept. 23-27). Total Sales $899,720.
9 - MAXWELL, MELANIE COMARCHO - The Theatre at Madison Square Garden-New York. (Sept. 10-12). Total Sales $886,720.
10 - BACKSTREET BOYS, EYC - Charlotte Coliseum-Charlotte, N.C. (Sept. 17). Total Sales $868,794.
Backstreet Boys Label
Source: MTV Europe
The Backstreet Boys may head the list of nominees with a massive four nominations at this years mtv europe music awards, however according to reports from the states they are in dispute with their record label Jive records. Attorneys for the boys charge that Jive has breached its contract with the group and that Backstreet boys are no longer on the label which is also the home of Britney Spears and N- Sync. Reports that the boys were angered at N-Syncs move to the label because of their connection to BoyBand guru and former member of the Backstreet Boys management team Lou Pearlman have been denied by the Boys present management.
Spears, Boys head MTV Europe nominations
Source: Reuters/Variety
By Erich Boehm
LONDON (Variety) - American women took the lionesses' share of female MTV Europe Music Awards nominations this year, with Britney Spears queen of the pride with four nods, including best song for ``Baby One More Time.''
Close behind were Lauryn Hill and TLC with three nomination eachs, followed by Whitney Houston, Madonna and Jennifer Lopez with two each. Spears, Hill, Houston and Madonna are all up for best female artist, with the only non-American in the category ex-Spice Girl Geri Halliwell.
Of the male contenders, the Backstreet Boys led the pack with four nods, including best group and best album. George Michael had three, but two were shared with Mary J. Blige for their duet single ``As.''
The 1999 MTVE awards will be held at the Point in Dublin, Ireland, Nov. 11, hosted by Boyzone frontman Ronan Keating, his second outing as host in the awards' six-year history.
Performers in Dublin will include Spears, Mariah Carey, Houston, Ireland's own the Corrs, Marilyn Manson, the Offspring and Underworld. Among the presenters are Pierce Brosnan and Denise Richards, part of MTV's recent link-up with MGM to promote the new James Bond picture, ``The World Is Not Enough.''
Backstreet Boys File For Divorce From Jive Records
Source: Allstar - CDNows Daily Music News
The Backstreet Boys are entangled in yet another corporate melee. This time, the band is reportedly accusing Jive Records of being in breach of contract and has served notice to the company that the group no longer considers itself on the label. According to a story in Billboard Online, the Backstreet Boys are upset that 'N Sync recently announced it would be making a jump from BMG to Jive, and that the boys had reportedly left their management company last year partly because those managers represented 'N Sync as well.
The Backstreet Boys have historically been involved in a string of other litigious situations including a dispute with their business manager and quasi creator, Louise Pearlman, which resulted in Pearlman being cut in as the a "sixth Backstreet Boy" although with a hands-off role. The band also severed ties with the management team of Donna and Johnny Wright, who continue to manage 'N Sync, and signed with The Firm, the company behind Limp Bizkit and Korn.
However, there were still legal problems remaining between Jive's mother company, Zomba, and Pearlman and his Trans Continental label, although the Jive spokespeople at the time emphasized that the band itself was not directly involved. The Orlando Sentinel reported that the suit involved trademark, royalties, and control issues.
Last month, 'N Sync announced it was signing a distribution deal with Jive (allstar, Sept. 8), although BMG contended at that time that 'N Sync was still a BMG act.
Most recently, Trans Continental Records issued a press release that "clarified" its role with both the Backstreet Boys and 'N Sync.
It claimed "financial involvement" with the Backstreet Boys, and it stated that with regard to 'N Sync: "... We remain committed to the fundamental principles of our agreements that state that 'N Sync has exclusive recording and other obligations to Trans Continental and that 'N Sync is first and foremost a Trans Continental Records act that is distributed in the U.S. by RCA, a label of BMG."
Trans Continental also handles LFO, Take 5, and C Note. In addition, the company also recently announced that it will be holding screenings in key cities in order to form a band specifically for a television show tentatively titled O-Town in association with MTV Productions and ABC.
Meanwhile, a spokesperson for the Backstreet Boys says that a statement will be forthcoming, but had no comment at press time. Calls to Jive and BMG were not immediately returned. When we sort it all out, we'll let you know.
-- Sorelle Saidman
Backstreet Boys & 'N Sync In Label Conflict?
Source: Launch Media
(10/6/99, 1 a.m. PDT) - Attorneys for the Backstreet Boys have reportedly forwarded a letter to Jive Records Chairman/ CEO Clive Calder, claiming the label is in breach of contract and, therefore, the band is no longer on the Jive label, according to Billboard.
The Backstreet Boys' reported legal action comes after much speculation, but as of yet there is no official confirmation to reports that fellow boy band 'N Sync intends to make a move from RCA to Jive, which is also home to teen singing sensation Britney Spears.
Backstreet Boy Kevin Richardson tells LAUNCH that the Backstreet Boys play a large role in managing their own careers. "I think for us, we just want people to know that everything they hear on the album is real--it's us coming up with the treatments for our videos, and the ideas for our tours, and the stage show, putting it together. I mean, we're not just guys that are told what to do and where to be."
Adding to the confusion, Trans Continental Records released a statement last week, which read in part, that "'N Sync is first and foremost a Trans Continental Records act that is distributed in the U.S .by RCA, a label of BMG." Last year, the Backstreet Boys underwent a highly publicized split with their managers, reportedly because the company also represented 'N Sync.
A source at Jive tells LAUNCH "there is some tension" between the label and the Backstreet Boys, but refused to comment further on the situation. A spokesperson for the Backstreet Boys tells LAUNCH that they "have no comment...at the moment."
Meanwhile, the Backstreet Boys' latest album, Millennium, is No. 2 this week on the Billboard 200. 'N Sync's self-titled debut (which has been out longer), is currently at No. 46 after 79 weeks on the chart. Both albums have been RIAA certified at 7 million in sales.
-- Jason Gelman
Backstreet Boys Shopping For New Record Label
Source: MTV
Just weeks after 'N Sync opened a legal can of worms by breaking its contract with RCA Records to jump to Jive Records, Jive labelmates the Backstreet Boys are now playing their own game of contractual hardball.
Attorneys for the Backstreet Boys charge that Jive has breached its contract with the group and that Backstreet is no longer on the label, which is also the home of Britney Spears as well as 'N Sync.
As we previously reported, 'N Sync's move to Jive allegedly angered the Backstreet Boys, even though both groups were created (and at one time managed) by Orlando-based boy band guru Louis J. Pearlman.
A spokesperson for Jive told MTV News that the group was "signed to a long-term exclusive agreement with Jive Records."
While Backstreet's management wouldn't comment on the legal wrangling, a spokeswoman for the group did say that the guys "don't have a problem with 'N Sync" and that their current North American tour would not be affected.
"We're not just a quote-unquote boy band. We're artists just like everybody else out there, like Boyz II Men and everybody else," the Boys' Howie D. told MTV News' Chris Connelly as the tour launched last month. Howie closed his comment with the now prophetic, "We just want the respect from the industry as well as the audience out there."
The Backstreet Boys have tentatively routed another North American tour for May and June of next year.
"...and then last night, we shaved stripes into Howie´s hair!" Nick entertains Norway with his tales of tourtime japery. (I´m sorry for the bad scanning!)
I WANT IT TATT WAY
Body art - it´s pop´s new craze!
Tatoos, eh? What are they all about? Would you want someone sticking a needle full of ink into your tender bits, wiggling it about for half an hour and leaving you with a picture for the rest of your life?
Well A.J. Backstreet does - he´s had two new tatts added to the zillions he´s already got!
"I had the symbol drawn on my stomach in Orlando," the painted popster told us, "and the dragon on my back was done in Amsterdam - it took 40 minutes! The tattooist who did the dragon is famous for his designs, he does all the heavy metal bands and even people like the Red Hot Chilli Peppers!
"He was saying to me that a lot of people just get one, then they´ll come back for another, and they´ll just keep going back 'cos they´ve caught the bug´. I guess I´ve caught the bug!"
This gorgeous picture is a songword card in the latest issue of the english pop magazine Smash Hits.
In 4 mths since "Millennium", Backstreet Boys has managed to achieve an impressive milestone this week as Millennium surpassed the 6 million sold mark in the US alone. And with the new single "Larger than Life" rockin' radio airplay and charts the Boys have not lost any steam entering the new millennium. Like it or not the boys are here to stay.
Backstreet Boy Howie D. Admits To Dropping His Drawers (Accidentally)
Source: MTV
Click here to watch it in realplayer.
Yes, Virginia, even Backstreet Boys have to endure moments of public humiliation from time to time.
The guys' sold-out 39-city tour rolls into Philadelphia's First Union Center on Wednesday and Thursday, and things have, for the most part, been running quite smoothly to fans' eyes. The performers themselves, however, have encountered a fair share of surprises along the way.
MTV News' own Chris Connelly met backstage with Howie D. of the BSBs recently and asked him to share the bare facts about one unpredictable moment in particular, which took place during the point in the show when the guys "fly" out over the audience.
"I had an unexpected situation happen to me," Howie D. began. "I was up there, up on the flying trap, and I did a couple of flips, and my pants weren't exactly tightened really good enough. Next thing you know, half of my pants are halfway down my leg. And I'm, like, holding on to one leg, holding my pants up, and all the dancers got a kick out of it... and enjoyed the sights."
Fear not; the singer only dropped his drawers during a rehearsal, not an actual concert. The group's Kevin Richardson, however, wasn't so lucky (though his fans were), as his pants accidentally dropped during the first night of the tour in Charlotte, North Carolina.
I have some great news about the single 'Larger Than Life'. It´s number 1 everywere and it´s all because of the fans! On a swedish program called Voxpop BSB are number 1 for the second week, fans are voting on their favorite video on the program. It´s the same with Rix top 6, a program on swedish radio, number 1 there too, and on another radio program called Tracks, last week BSB were a new song and yesterday they were the weeks rocket AND number 1. And they are still number 1 on the MTV Europe Select chart! Go Backstreet Boys!
WATCH MTV EUROPE ON NOVEMBER 16 TO SEE THE ESSENTIEL BACKSTREET BOYS
LAS VEGAS (BUSINESS WIRE) - On Sept. 9, 1999, BFD Productions was vendor of choice for MTV and coordinated the tabulation for the annual Viewer's Choice award at the 1999 MTV Video Music Awards.
MTV viewers participated by selecting their favorite video using BFD's automated polling line.
Three weeks prior to the LIVE broadcast, MTV aired a Viewer's Choice promo featuring the six nominated acts -- Jay-Z, KoRn, Ricky Martin, `NSync, TLC and Backstreet Boys. Viewers were encouraged to cast their vote by calling 1-900-328-2222 ($.75 per call) or by accessing the MTV Web site. BFD's state-of-the-art automated call center accepted nearly a quarter of a million calls in the two weeks prior to the awards ceremony.
Viewers could also vote for their favorite video during the live broadcast itself, by using the 1-900 line. And vote they did! BFD tallied nearly 130,000 calls during the award ceremony. The votes were recorded using touch-tone entry and were immediately translated into a report for MTV's production team.
"By using a polling line we were able to let viewers vote until just minutes before the winner was announced. It was very exciting. No one here knew who the winner was any more than the people at home did," said Victoria Conner, Manager of National Promotions for MTV.
In addition to collecting opinions, BFD's polling application is capable of providing a full range of demographic information on the callers when combined with Reverse Directory Database Lookup.
Not only can BFD provide basic information such as area code, time of call, caller's telephone number and address, it can also provide household specifics including age, gender, income, occupation, and more. This type of precise, in-depth consumer information allows for more successful marketing efforts and a clearer picture of the target audience.
"The quick, accurate turnaround time of the voting results is just one example of how our real-time reporting capabilities can be used to enhance a successful, mass marketing program within the media," said Bruce F. Dyer, President of BFD Productions.
BFD Productions offers state-of-the-art automated call processing via international, U.S. and Canadian 800/900 numbers. BFD also provides alternate solutions for Internet billing. BFD's system is designed to receive more than 2,000 simultaneous calls, making it one of the largest automated call centers in the country supporting mass media campaigns in print and television.
