Howie and A.J. were 2 of the thousands boys that went to every productresses of Orlando looking for some role: castings, photos sessions, interviews, tests and more tests... They found each other many times and theoretically they were rivals. It was in 1992, in a new talents contest, that they broke the wall between them and started talking. They had seen each other's face many times, but only in that day they found out that they had much things in comum: both were latins, they liked the same kind of music, they practised the same sports and, besides that, they had the same music teacher. Neither Howie, neither A.J. wan the contest, but they got out of there with a very important prix: friendship. They started to go out together. They dance like nobody and they were very nice. For that, they became the most popular boys in town in a few time...
NICK GETS IN ACTION
Once day, Howie and A.J. looked to a blond and timid boy that was in the same queue to make a television test. It wasn't the first time they saw him: Nick Carter was a veteran of castings. A.J. got closer, they started talking and thy became friends. They made much plans for future, shared dreams... and they found out an incredible thing: together they were capable of sing with perfection without needing instruments. Their voices together were something magical. After some time has passed, Orlando already knew them as "the 3 boys that sing balades". Was then that they started thinking of make a trio and come their dreams into one. Together they could make it!
A LUCKY NIGHT
Their voices started to being heard in every kind of contest and festivals. It seemed so hard to give the big jump! Meanwhile lucky didn't lost their track and one night, while they were making a show called "Blue Sheet", she knocked at their door: a famous producer called Lou Piarlman looked at them, in the strenght of their melodies. That shiny that Nick, A.J. and Howie had in their eyes was the spark that burned Lou's imagination: with more 2 boys they became in the biggest pop music group of the United States of America. They only need to find 2 more voices to sing more elaborated and changed songs. It was a question of put their feet on way and start looking...
THE PHOTO BOY
Lou Piarlman knew Johnny Wright, the New Kids on the Block's manager. He told him his discouvery and both thought it was necessary find 2 more boys to make a real group. Wright, remembered the photo of a boy that had been there some days ago to do some comercials: he was pretty, yes, but the most important was that he sang and played piano. He looked for his card: his name was Kevin Richardson, he was from Kentucky and he was working as an animator in Disneyworld. One hour later they called him, Kevin was already sit on his office with his heart in both hands. He had already heard talk about that 3 boys that sang balades, just with their voices, without needing instruments, and he knew that they were looking for people to make a group... it was impossible be not nervous! But when he met Nick, Howie and A.J., he was more calm and he knew that from that moment, their voices and their lifes would be joined forever...
KENTUCKY'S COUSIN
The only thing that last, was found the fiveth boy that would complete that faboulous group of voices and talents that was almost borning. Kevin thought about his cousin, Brian. He didn't have much experience, but he had a great voice. He called him the next morning to the school. Brian was in the middle of a History class. They called him to the telephone, he went to the secretary, spoke to Kevin and he didn't finish his class. He got out so quickly to his home and in the next day he caught a plain to Orlando to make a test with the group. He just needed to sing 2 songs and tell 1 or 2 funny jokes that everybody liked him. He was perfect! Brian's smile, when they made the contract was so big: the big way to success was about to start!
The first weeks were very hard: the boys didn't have any free minute and they used to advantage their free times to push from their heads: they needed a name! They wanted the name to be simple and direct. The Orlando Boys? No... The Kentucky Boys? No, it looked like music country... At last, Brian had an ideia: the Backstreet Market! It was the encounter's point of young people from Orlando, and besides that, it had always music, because people always took their cars and put their radios in the maxim. Music, boys, fun: it said everything! Everybody agreeded: after that day they were the Backstreet Boys!!!
A TOURNÉE IN U.S.A. IN 80 CONCERTS
Next objective: make a contract and record an album. It wasn't easy. They had to visit the publising houses' offices and it wasn't good... Everybody were very nervous and when they got in, the executives looked at them from the feet till the head and with a face of less friends: "It was a hard time", says Howie. They made themselves a tournée for some U.S.A. schools: it was the first contact that they had with the public and the first time they could feel their power on the stage. They couldn't believe that all that applauses were for them! The managers, John and Donna Wright, didn't hesitate on invate all the "talents catchers" they knew (and the ones they even knew) to the boys' concerts. If they wouldn't go, Donna would call them so they can hear the girls' screams and the public reaction... It was happening an important thing and the director of Jive Records from New York knew that: the Backstreet Boys had a special strengh. Had came the big moment: introduce them to all world.
RECORDING, RECORDING,...
In the beginning of 1994, the Backstreet Boys signed the first discografic contract with Jive Records. The missed thing, was pick up the songs and close the boys in a studio to record the first album. The dream became true in New York. When the boys were in front of the microphone, everybody shuted up, listened and was amaized. Thei voices were incredibles, and the instruments weren't needed. The recording was fast and easy, more than everybody was waiting... Everyone, less Nick, Brian, Howie, Kevin and A.J.: they knew that the moment had came and nobody could stop them.
THE CONQUER OF THE WORLD
"We've Got It Goin'on" was the first single and also the first video, but "Get Down" was the song tha opened them the triumph's door. In the Europe, they were a bomb: suddently they were number 1 and the name Backstreet Boys were heard in everywhere. The first European tournée didn't take long and with it came also the madness. In Germany, the first country they visited, thousands of girls were waiting for them at the airport with tears in their eyes. In the concerts there were swoons, screams... And this was just the beginning! The rest of the story is charming: 6 millions of copies were sold, some gold and platinum records, second album also in the market, their look is great and really cute. They still being the sames and that was the best victory that they could have wan!!!
helenaduarte@mail.telepac.pt
3050 Mealhada
Portugal