The Backstreet Boys were the fresh-scrubbed face of music nine years ago, jostling for pop supremacy with Britney Spears and *NSYNC and becoming trivia question footnotes along the way (Q: What is the only group in history to have three consecutive albums certified for sales of over one million units in Canada? A: Backstreet Boys.)
Aside from ex-*NSYNC heartthrob Justin Timberlake, Backstreet Boys - now men, some with boys of their own - are the only ones working with any consistency. The band's current world tour featured 13 Canadian stops (Vancouver tonight and Victoria on Friday are the last two Canadian dates), and while the impending dates haven't caused traffic jams or heart attacks, as they once did, Backstreet's back and drawing some positive notices for its live show.
"I don't think we can ever give them enough,'' said singer Howie Dorough, the day following the first of two concerts in St. John's, N.L. "The energy on stage, the energy in the audience - everything was 10-plus. The fans walked away, hopefully, feeling they got a truly entertaining show that was worth waiting for.'
The group took a five-year break from the studio following 2000's Black & Blue, and toured only once between 2001 and 2005. With that, the momentum of Backstreetmania was effectively dislodged. Sales-wise, the group has never recovered.
Its legacy of a decade ago remains intact. At the turn of the millennium, its members graced the cover of Rolling Stone magazine three times during an 18- month span, helping the group sell upwards of 100 million CDs worldwide, while its videos for I Want it That Way, Shape of My Heart and Show Me the Meaning of Being Lonely were blazed upon MuchMusic and MTV at a clip rarely seen before or since.
The group, and its grip on all forms of media, is less omnipresent nowadays. But the lower profile is met with relief by its four members, one of whom has children and two of whom are married.
When we informed Dorough that his outfit's 1999 blockbuster, Millennium, recently ascended to No. 13 position on the list of the best-selling albums of all-time, with 35 million copies sold, he seemed genuinely surprised. No matter how many times he relives his group's more fantastic moments, the former theme park performer from Orlando, Fla., appears unable to fully comprehend his legacy.
"We just celebrated 15 years together, and to hear of accomplishments like that is unbelievable,'' said Dorough, 34. "Whether it was a bit of fate, whether it was a bit of luck, or hopefully, a lot of talent, we're blessed to be where we are. It goes back to our upbringings, having good wholesome families. We've helped each other out, making sure that nobody got too big for their britches. We've made sure that everybody kept their feet on the ground. We've always been about what's best for the group, and not what's best for the individual.''
Two years ago, prior to the recording of the group's 2007 album, Unbreakable, group member Kevin Richardson split amicably from the band, which not only depleted Backstreet's ranks but robbed the group of its eldest member and steadiest presence.
He was an integral part of the group, Dorough said, but no one begrudged him for wanting to start a family and pursue other musical projects. Richardson may one day return to the lineup, but for the time being Backstreet Boys are a quartet, Dorough said.
"In the early days, none of us had any ties to anything. It was go, go, go - let's get this roller-coaster rolling and ride it. But now that we're older, I think we're more in control. It's more about a healthy balance between our career and having time for ourselves. We try to make everyone happy, and for those who want to have time off to spend with their family they can do that. We have the space to do whatever makes everyone happy.''
Time away from each other has produced plenty of new music, not all of which falls under the Backstreet Boys banner.
Dorough, whose mother is Puerto Rican, is working on a Latin-tinged solo album, while A.J. McLean is pursuing material of the funk-rock variety. Brian Littrell and Nick Carter have already issued solo efforts, something which Dorough feels is healthy for the group. "We have individual fans that we've been able to bring in to the Backstreet Boys because of (their solo work). Each of us came from solo backgrounds, and each of us have always had aspirations of a solo career. Now, more than ever, our fans are ready for that.''
The four friends, who range in age from 28 to 34, are spending more and more time apart these days. No more 18-month world tours for Backstreet Boys, Dorough said. The band's recent tour of Europe lasted eight weeks; its current trek through North America will be capped off at six. Time away or at home pursuing other interests is more valuable than ever for the band, whose members all own houses in California, with secondary residences in Florida (McLean and Dorough), Nashville (Carter), and Atlanta (Littrell.)
Work is well underway on the band's sixth album. Dorough figures the current tour of Canada will affect the direction, primarily because the group is back to doing what it does best for the Unbreakable Tour: singing and dancing.
Backstreet's tour for 2005's Never Gone - Richardson's last studio recording with the group- was harder edged, and less reliant on the dance moves of early singles Quit Playing Games (With My Heart) and Everybody (Backstreet's Back) - monster hits which made the group a household name and poster-boy idols.
"We made a conscious effort with Unbreakable to get back to that,'' Dorough said. "The music scene has changed, and we couldn't come out with the same sound, but when we put the album into a stage show, it didn't really lend itself to choreography, and that's who we really are. When we made this last record, we wanted to make songs that could really translate well to the stage.''
The Backstreet Boys are on stage tonight at General Motors Place and Friday, Sept. 5 in Victoria at the Save On Foods Memorial Centre.
SOURCE : Incomplete Men
PS: Traduction sur demande !
Wed 10 Sep - 17:47
