BSB Bio from VH1's BSB Fan Club

Back - Index - Submissions - - What is RSS? Date: Jun 03, 2000 Source: VH1 - BSB Fan Club Submitted By: broksgirl123@aol.com All it takes to spot a true Backstreet Boys fan is a quick look in the eyes - because that's where it always begins. Often, all that's needed is a picture, or the gently plucked guitar of a slowly building ballad, and his or her pupils begin to dilate. Ever so suddenly, the eyes widen, until white is visible all around. Then the movement shifts to the muscles - they begin to tense and shake, fingers clutch and unclutch again and again, almost rhythmic in their intensity. Usually, at this point, the mouth begins to open, the body rocks back and forth - on tiptoes, off again - arms lift themselves into the sky. And then it all comes loose: a scream maybe, high-pitched and lasting, or a dance, a spin, a twirl. Or maybe just a joy-filled, ecstatic jump. People don't just listen to the Backstreet Boys, they feel them. And if you happen to be near a true BSB fan when their songs start spinning, believe me, you'll feel it, too. The history of the Backstreet phenomenon is simple enough. It begins in the make-believe capital of the world, Orlando, in 1993, when high school students A.J. McLean and Howie Dorough ran into a vivacious, blond middle schooler named Nick Carter at local television and music auditions. After bonding over their shared passion for performing, singing, and dancing, the three formed a singing group. After realizing that their idols, Boyz II Men and Color Me Badd, tended to come in groups larger than three, the boys decided to expand. After hooking up with Disney performer Kevin Richardson through a mutual friend, the group searched the city high and low in hopes of finding a fifth member. With no one fitting the bill locally, Kevin called on his younger cousin, Brian Littrell, to join the group. Brian, never one to turn down a chance to sing, moved to Orlando from his home in Kentucky almost immediately. Sensing an outstanding chemistry already beginning to take shape, the Backstreet Boys began performing around Orlando in earnest. Impressively, the Boys' candy-coated harmonies and dexterous dancing attracted attention right from the start - even in a town used to spectacle on the highest level. And despite the fact that, at that time, they were a lot closer to the actual backstreets than they were to Budokan, the Boys showed their tremendous work ethic by singing a cappella anywhere or anytime, including, on occasion, in the foyers of local record labels. Perhaps the Boys' biggest break came when they found themselves singing for one Lou Pearlman, a millionaire businessman who made his fortune renting private planes to stars. After servicing the Boston-bred boy band New Kids on the Block once in the early '90s, Pearlman found himself fascinated by the success and ardor generated by the sweetly singing quintet. Returning to Orlando, Pearlman began to lay the groundwork for similar success, founding TransCon Records and agreeing to manage the fledgling Backstreet Boys. Pearlman brought the Boys along slowly, building their stardom on the local level, brick by brick. Finally, after placing a savvy cell phone call to A&R executive David McPherson from one of the group's already scream-inducing live shows, Pearlman got the Backstreet Boys signed to Jive Records. While America was still suffering through the death throes of grunge and the sea of faceless alternative dreck that it wrought, the Backstreet Boys spent 1995 and 1996 laying a successful foundation in Europe, striking chart gold with the singles "We've Got It Goin' On" and "I'll Never Break Your Heart." The tsunami had begun. By the time the group's eponymous debut album was released in Europe and Canada in April 1996, the passionate devotion of BSB fans was already near-legendary. After conquering the world, from Asia to Europe and back again, leaving a tear-stained trail of quivering adolescents at every stop, the Backstreet Boys found only one dream left to tackle: success at home. In order to achieve that goal, in early 1997 the Boys holed up in the studio with a wide variety of producers (ranging from Mutt Lange to P.M. Dawn). The result was a self-titled record with a track listing culled from the very best of the group's two European and Canadian releases. Though few could have predicted it at the time, a sea change was in the air for the American music business. With the negative sounds of the early '90s in turnaround, a whole half-generation of listeners had been left without a distinctive movement to call their own, one that reflected the boom time, millennial culture. Influenced by hip-hop and R&B, but not necessarily ready for it, this group of preteens initially embraced the domestic debut of the Backstreet Boys. Soon the Boys were being mobbed wherever they went - the sight of teenage girls screaming and crying over them became nearly commonplace. Backstreet Boys spawned a number of top 10 singles and was soon certified multi-platinum. But what was more impressive was the way the Boys themselves connected with their fans. Nick (cute), A.J. (wild), Brian (sweet), Howie (trustworthy), and Kevin (handsome) were all somehow able to project their own distinct personalities while still remaining very much a group - and the bedroom walls of America's teenage girls soon reflected their individual stardom (not to mention the girls' surprisingly wide-ranging choice of favorites) as well. The end of the century saw the Boys overcoming two major hardships - the ugly break-up of their longstanding relationship with Pearlman, and Brian's potentially life-threatening surgery in 1998 to correct a congenital heart defect - while still soaring to even greater commercial and creative heights. Millennium, the Boys' second U.S. and third overall release, debuted at No. 1 on the worldwide charts in May of 1999. At home in the U.S., it sold a staggering 1.1 million copies in its initial week - a record at the time - and has, on the strength of its multiple hit singles and videos, gone on to sell nearly 10 times that. The sound of the record was lush yet simple, showing creative growth while staying undeniably Backstreet. Recently the group has continued to build on its unprecedented success, while recording a new album to be released by the end of the year. A.J. sold out a number of club dates under his solo alias, Johnny No-Name, while Nick saw his younger brother Aaron and sister Leslie release albums of their own. Proving their career longevity, the Boys appeared on VH1's successful Men Strike Back program in April, raising money for music programs in high schools while fulfilling a personal dream by dueting live with Sting. Though blessed with what is undoubtedly the most devoted, passionate fan base in the world (and perhaps the audience most represented on the Web as well), the Backstreet Boys, with their across-the-board success, make it clear that they are more than just a teenage girl crush. For everyone from businessmen to b-boys, the Backstreet sound is equally addictive. And it is important to note the degree to which they changed the national culture - before they asked us to "Quit Playing Games" or told us which way they wanted it, there was no Total Request Live, no Britney Spears, no crowds of screaming preteens waiting on Carson Daly's every word, and not even any 'N Sync. Though new competitors crop up daily, the Backstreet Boys - with their unique sense of style, their of-the-minute dance moves, and their inclusive, addictive knack for radio hits - have no one to answer to but themselves. The Backstreet Boys continually redefine and then break the rules for so-called boy bands, maturing musically and personally as their sales soar even higher. Handsome, faceless competition may come and go, but the Backstreet Boys appear to be here to stay. Or, as they themselves put it: Oh my God, they're back again. Comment on this item. Recent Comments Submitted by: mgloiu EOSHd4 , [url=http://thsanktwwjvm.com/]thsanktwwjvm[/url], [link=http://makgikdupvel.com/]makgikdupvel[/link], http://vmgsqsyzpsvv.com/ Submitted by: lvvfbixl ju6cTA , [url=http://ysngmttuyknc.com/]ysngmttuyknc[/url], [link=http://fxmvvglhbspd.com/]fxmvvglhbspd[/link], http://tvbrojmylpdf.com/ Submitted by: Antoinette Man, I Majored in Linguistics Most of the Drs in the department are great ecexpt for 7ashan(ironman), 8anour(8on8on), maybe far'3al(Dr.Kaynoon) and Dr.Elham Albasam is very funny lolfav. Dr is Jean Francois Prunet. I love tree diagrams Comment on this item. Next Item: BSB in Teen People Summer Music Issue Prev Item: Practicing the Fine Art of Production