Date: Oct 24, 2002
Source: Big Hit (Australia)
Submitted By: McPhee
Backstreet Boys' Nick Carter is finally going it alone with the release of his debut solo single "Help Me" and album "Now Or Never." We caught up with him and talked growing up, being single and the tension in the BSB camp...
How does it feel to have your first solo album?
God, I'm excited. Like, words can't explain how excited I am. It's amazing. I'm just so happy to be able to finally let people know how I've been feeling for a long time through writing and everything.
What was the initial impulse that inspired yo to do the record?
It didn't start off from the beginning for me intentionally to do a solo album. It came from the Backstreet's "Black & Blue" world tor and I was in Japan and it was around Christmas time and everybody just had a little time off. I don't have a wife like the other guys, or stuff that they do, so I just called up my record company and I said, "Hey do you mind if I get in the studio and just start recording and writing some music?" and they were like, "Yeah, sure!" It was just kind of a sample thing to see if maybe I did have it in me. There were no dates set on it or anything and the music turned out really good and I was really surprised because I didn't even think I could write a song or even sing a whole song. Then, sure enough, we started getting a lot of really good tracks done. Then I was like, "Man, I want the world to hear this stuff, I really do." I"m very proud of it. Very excited.
How did the title "Now Or Never" come about?
I just kind of came up with it. It wasn't like - I felt like it was the time, it was now or never and if I wasn't going to do it then I would never do it.
Have you ever felt that teh Backstreet Boys haven't given you the freedom to express yorself?
Well, in a grop in general, you're one of five or however many people are in your group, and the object of the group is to do it as a group and not as one plus four, like a solo person stepping out. That's what the group has always been about. And in a scenario like that, you don't get to show your whole self, so of course I wouldn't get that chance and so now this is different - of course, it's all me.
You've done a lot of writing on the new album. How did you approach that?
My aim when it comes to songwriting - I'm not the kind of person who just writes a song for the hell of it. It has to mean something for me. It has to be personal, it has to be something that I've gone through, something that I'm going through at the moment which is a large part of the songs that I've written. They're songs that mean stuff that I went through at the moment that I wrote the songs and I think those are the kind of songs that are missing nowadays. People just write the songs for the heck of it and other artists just record somebody elses songs even if it doesn't mean anything to them. I think the main thing is, even with songs that I didn't even write, they had to mean something to me or I wouldn't have recorded then.
So if you've written abot your own life, what are the issues you want your fans to know about you right now?
Well that's the thing that when they listen to the music, they'll be able to pick it up themselves and make their own judgement. I've gone through some tough times - I've gone throgh some things that I've held inside and haven't been so public abot and I think it's almost like the songs are like a diary to me. Instead of writing in a diary, I wrote the songs and put them to music and a lot of the songs are like that. It's so therapeutic for me.
There's been a lot written about how the other boys have reacted to your solo project. How are yo all getting along?
There's rumours that are going on out there - there's a little bit of tension but really overall it's the way it's going to be right now. The thing is they know what I've been doing and they're cool with it and they know that I've been doing this and waht i'm about to do and it doesn't trouble me too much. I'm doing my thing and they've concentrated on their personal lives a lot more - and even AJ is about to get married. I've been recording and stuff, but now we're going to get in the studio and I want to get back in with them now rather than later.
Are any of the others planning to go solo, too?
[shrugs his shoulders] No.
You don't know
I don't know. I don't believe so.
Will you be going back into the studio with the Backstreet Boys?
Yes. I would love to get back in the studio and do that.
The tension isn't bad enough for you to split?
No.
Have the other BSB's called and wished you luck?
Yeah, they've done that.
Does it ever cause conflict htat the other guys are married and focus on their personal lives and you're single?
It sometimes conflicts, yes. Some of the guys wodl rather me settle down or me be less ... But I'm 22 and young and personally, I can't and I don't want to, I just want to be me. I want to be free and happy and I see no problem with being like that. I'm young and I don't need to settle down. That's the cool part.
Do you also feel that maybe it's an image that maybe you otgrew as a band?
I think some of the guys did. Me personally, if I have that image - I love attention and maybe I get some of that attention from the fans and performing in front of them and I can't get enough of the time of day to do it and some of the guys did outgrow it. Some of them didn't. It's just the way it happens I guess. When you get married and stuff, you fall in love with somebody, things change.
A lot of guys in groups are getting into acting and starting clothing labels. Is that something you'd like to pursue?
I can do it all. I'm very confident in myself and what I can do and I don't know if I'll ever do it necessarily but I know that I can. Right now I'm concentrating on one thing at a time and living day by day and if I start to worry about so many different things my mind can't control it and I get overwhelmed. I take it one day at a time. I could do it, yeah.
No plans to go to space?
No. I like my feet on the ground.
Are you getting mobbed more than you used to?
Well I haven't really been out there yet - I haven't done any tv shows or anything and this is so new to me. So I'm going to see what happens and hopefully - I like attention - I'm a crazy guy.
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