AJ Interview With UK Magazine

This article is taken from the UK weekly celebrity magazine called Closer, issue12-18 July '08.
P47. The photo referred to is of the guys in front of a dianasour at Universal Studios in what
looks like '93. Also included is a smaller photo of the guys this past year in Russia.


'This picture was taken at Universal Studios Florida in 1994. It's special to me because it represents the very beginning of Backstreety Boys.

We were living in Orlando and noone knew who we were. We'd left school and had been signed by a management company, but we didn't havea record deal yet. At this point we could never have imagined we'd become the best-selling boyband of all time.

It's humbling to look back - we were just ordinary kids having a fun day out. Howie, who I've known since I was 11, had worked at Universal park so he was really excited, showing us the best bits. Brian hadn't been in the group long so we were still getting to know what a great guy he is.

It's also funny to notice that of the five of us, I've changed the most. Brian, Howie & Kevin still look the same and Nick is just a bit taller. But I think "Wow, I didn't have any tatoos or piercings. What the hell happened?". This is before I started dying my hair every colour of the rainbow too.

Seven years after this picture was taken, Kevin gave me the kick up the arse I needed to check into rehab for subvstance abuse. When your in it, you don't think you have a problem. I will always be an alcoholic but I've been sober for about six years now. And I'm happy with who I am today. You realise who your friends are when you leave rehab because they're there to help you pick up the pieces. My boys were there always therev for me.

We were all so naive back then - we were just praying that we would record one album that would make the charts. Two years later, we got a record deal and went on to sell over 100million records. The bands still going strong with a new album on the way - despite Kevin sadly leaving in 2006 - and I'm also trying for a solo career'.

SOURCE: LiveDaily