“Everybody, yeah / Rock your body right / Backstreet’s back, alright!” Yep, that’s right! The Backstreet Boys are back again. Sorry to disappoint you 98 Degrees or ‘N Sync fans — but the one true ultimate ’90s boy band has made its return, and they’re hotter than ever. (Can you tell that I’m still a huge fan?) If you don’t believe me, let me prove it to you. I got the chance to catch up with band member Nick Carter during an exclusive interview and let’s just say 26-year-old Lindsey was just as stoked as 13-year-old Lindsey would have been for a chance like this, if not more. During our interview, Carter candidly opened up to me about where life has taken him and the band and even broke some exciting news about what’s in store for the future.
So what have the Backstreet Boys been up to lately? They just spent over a year on a world-wide tour with the original ’90s boys band New Kids on the Block (it wrapped in June) and are now working on a new album. While the album has yet to be named, Carter chalks it up to the fact that the band has just begun “phase one” of the album-making process. “Right now we are doing a couple phases,” Carter says. “Phase one: We went over to London and we did a recording session for about three weeks where we lived in a house in London right around the Olympics. All five of us stayed in this house and we went to the studio every day.” During this time, the boys (who are now men) worked with producer Martin Terefe. “Martin is very well known for the song ‘Beautiful’ by James Blunt,” Carter states proudly. “He’s a great producer.”
But for a band that hasn’t released an album since 2009 (This Is Us), this new untitled album means a whole new look and sound for the boys. “We’ve been experimenting,” Carter says. “The sound is very organic. There’s a really cool acoustic song that sounds like it’s really broken down with the guitar and our voices. Now we’re going to see if we can get some really great pop songs and great melodies. This is what we stand for.”
“We are a melodic group,” Carter continues. “We want to stay that way. We want music that our fans can dance to if they wanted to. Still the process hasn’t been an easy one. “Given the fact that we are older and that we’re trying to find music and a sound that fits us, that can also be played on the top 40 radio, is a challenge,” he admits.
Music isn’t the only thing keeping the Backstreet Boys busy, they are also working on a documentary. “We’re doing a movie about how we’re back together [and] how it is to be an older boy band sort of trying to fit into this new world,” Carter says. Like the album, the documentary is also just in the initial stages. They are trying to secure a director. “We did a little bit of a sizzle reel, and it turned out really good,” says Carter. “It’s really deep. It shows a side of us people have never seen.” If the movie turns out decent after it’s finished, the Boys will consider trying to get it in some film festivals.
Carter also has his own personal projects that he is working on, like writing a self help book with Dr. Phil. “It’s a self help book, a little bit of a biography, things that I’ve been through and mistakes I’ve made and for other people not to make those mistakes,” Carter explains. “It’s going to be for anybody who wants to stay away from bad things that happen, especially when it comes to drugs and alcohol and family issues. It deals with the cycles that you have break.”
While Carter has a lot going on that keeps him busy, he doesn’t seem to be letting the pressure of a total comeback get to him. He even takes some time to face Hollywood.com’s ’90s pop culture quiz.
Up Next: Nick Takes Our Pop Culture Quiz.
Without further ado, here’s our ’90s pop culture quiz:
Hollywood.com: Kenan or Kel?
Carter: Kenan. He’s just funny as hell. Really funny.
Sticky hands or Pogs?
I remember pogs and sticky hands. I remember both. I wanted to get into pogs. I remember it was like all of a sudden it was here then gone. I’m not going to do that if no one else is. [So,] sticky hands. You can’t find more fun. You just throw those things anywhere, stick them.
Did you get your band members with them?
Oh yeah. We always messed with each other with those sticky hands.
Lisa Turtle or Kelly Kapowski?
Wait a minute, who are they? Wait, who are they? Saved by the Bell? Which one was which? Definitely Tiffani [Thiessen]. She’s hotter. She was just beautiful. We met her when we did a grad night at Sea World, one of our first performances, we met her and we saw some old footage and it was pretty funny because, she was like, ‘Who are these freaking guys all over me?’ We were swarming around her and she was trying to push us off. We didn’t even have a record deal yet. It was just funny. It was ironic.
Guts or Double Dare?
I think I loved Double Dare better. I don’t remember watching Guts as much, but I remember watching Double Dare. It was a preference at the time.
Beanie Babies or Tamagotchi?
Beanie Babies. I used to collect them and I remember, I spent so much money. I got like the original crab, the first Princess Diana bear. I can’t even remember. I got everything. The Diana bear was purple. Tie dye bear was Christmas bear or fourth of July bear. They got stolen from me. I had $40,000 worth of Beanie Babies.
Slap Bracelets or Mood Rings?
Slap bracelets, yes. The mood rings were like a girl thing.
Salute Your Shorts or Are You Afraid of the Dark?
Are You Afraid of the Dark? because I love scary, big things, and I thought they pushed the envelope on Nickelodeon with that show.
Baggy Pants or Backwards Baseball Caps?
Backwards baseball caps because we can still do that in theory. Baggy Pants, I don’t think so.
Capri Sun or SunnyD?
SunnyD probably. But that’s a tie for me because Capri Sun was pretty dope. I liked the Cactus Cooler.
Gushers or Fruit by the Foot?
Gushers were awesome. What an amazingly toxic treat. If I had to choose one which you totally didn’t put on the list, freaking Warheads! I’ll never forget Warheads, which were my favorite. I put a lemon Warhead in my mouth. I spit it on the ground, and it ate the concrete.
Britney Spears or Christina Aguilera?
Probably Britney. Britney’s music I liked better.
Spice Girls or S Club 7?
Spice Girls. Because when they first came out in America, their song “Wannabe” got on the radio and blew the door wide open for the Backstreet Boys to be accepted. It takes women to open the door for men.
Forest Gump or Titanic?
Forest Gump all the way. Just the most original, amazing movie. Come on, the story was insanely ridiculous in a great way. The characters, unforgettable. Titanic was great. But I love when you can take a fictional character and make it believable.
Toy Story: Woody or Buzz?
Buzz. I’m into outer space and I believe in aliens, so…
Chumbawamba or Ace of Base?
Ace of Base. When we first started as well, we went over to Sweden. Our producer, Denniz Pop, had just come off the heels of Ace of Base, producing their record, so it’s another story. Without Ace of Base, I kind of feel Backstreet Boys would have never found their sound. I think Denniz and Ace of Bace are just amazing.
The X-Files or Twin Peaks?
X-Files! I’m watching X-Files right now as we speak. I never got a chance because we were so busy back in the day, we were touring. I could never watch any TV shows. I was always over in Europe and X-Files was on and I was totally into Sci-fi. This is the most amazing freaking show on the planet. I’m on the third season. I’m so lame. I’m literally watching X-Files in 2012. They had 25 episodes. It was amazing. It’s never ending. Scully and Mulder, what amazing characters!
Pretty Woman or Runaway Bride?
Pretty Woman because of Julia Roberts. Sexiest hooker in the world.
Ben Affleck fan? In Good Will Hunting or Armageddon?
I appreciate good acting and Armageddon was great, but obviously I’m going to go for more of a respectable role, so Good Will Hunting all the way.
Follow Lindsey on Twitter @LDiMat.
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