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In the Early 90's, A.J., Howie and Nick were all Orlando-based teenagers auditioning for commercials, TV shows and the occasional film. Howie was a verteran of children's theater adn had a first flush of success with tiny roles in movies like Parenthood and Cop And A Half. A.J., meanwhile, had studied dance and was a skilled puppeteer and a natural cut-up. Singing was an afterthought. "I wanted to be a dancer or an actor," he recalls, "I never really wanted to be a singer, but it just kind of went that way." Not so for Nick Carter, who lived to sing. He spent the 1991 and 1992 football seasons as a featured vocalist at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' half-time show. He also turned down a role on a TV show just to join Backstreet Boys. "I got called back by The Mickey Mouse Club and Backstreet Boys all at the same time," reveals Nick. "Of course, I turned MMC down for Backstreet Boys, but it was kind of scary." Kevin Richardson entered the picture when a friend he met at an Orlando club mentioned the fledgling vocal group. Kevin, a native of Lexington, Kentucky working at Walt Disney World to pay rent, auditioned. "There were two other members who didn't work out and I replaced one of them," Kevin recalls. "Then, we needed another member. Brian's my cousin, and I called him up and he came down to Florida...and he auditioned." Brian, who'd been singing in church his entire life, was the final piece of the Backstreet Boys puzzle.
Backstreet Boys' first single "We Got It Goin' On" made a slight ripple on the Hot 100 charts in the U.S. but blew up like a roman candle in Canada and Western Europe! The Boys were soon fielding invitations to perform on MuchMusic in Canada, Top Of The Pops in the U.K. and many more TV music shows. Leaving the U.S. behind, they spent the next year touring Europe and Canada. Backstreet Boys, their debut CD, racked up quadriple-platinum sales up in the Great White North and double-platinum honors in Germany and much of Asia.
No matter how many accolades were heaped on them or how many crying fans screamed for them abroad, Backstreet Boys never forgot America. It was their fondest dream to come home and cultivate the kind of success they had experienced overseas. Finally, on August 12, 1997, they released Backstreet Boys, their first American full-length CD. Blending their most popular songs from their international debut as well as tunes from their European follow-up CD, Backstreet's Back, it had a little something for everyone. Backstreet Boys' success at home is finally catching up with their fame abroad. "The whole thing is like a dream come true," says Kevin. "Coming home to the United States where all my friends and family can see what is really going on has got me very excited." What's next for Backstreet Boys? Well, after a winter tour of Europe they'll be back in Orlando to do five shows at Walt Disney World's annual grad night celebration. After that, they're scheduled to perform a live show in Boston and then begin more American springtime dates. No matter how huge Backstreet Boys mania grows, Nick, A.J., Kevin, Brian and Howie want one thing to remain perfectly clear-they're in show business for the love of the music. Everything else is just icing on the cake! "We want to be perceived as five guys who love to sing, love to perform, who love to share the gifts of music that we have with the whole world," says Brian. "We finally have an opportunity to focus on the U.S. because it's very personal to us. I'm very excited and happy...and we owe it all to the fans." Adds Howie, "I think we all hoped and dreamed about it...but you can never expect it. It's a blessing. We thank God every day for helping us."
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