Backstreet Boys Sing National Anthem: Game 1

This is what happens when you have a small market team in the World Series.

Generally you have your pick of bigtime artists to come in and sing the National Anthem. So who does Tampa Bay get to sing the first night of the Series at Tropicana Field? The Backstreet Boys.

Sure it featured hometown hero Nick Carter along with three of the other guys (one has permanently left the group). But their a cappella version of the “Stars Spangled Banner” in a style that crashed doo-wop into Barbershop Quartet lacked that certain something that said this is a bigtime sporting event.

Despite the home team connection, they didn’t wear Rays gear. Instead, they all wore jumpuits with a generic World Series logo on it. Lest people get mad (or they fail to sell the desired number of tickets in Philly during their impending tour). After all, both John McCain and Barack Obama lent their voices to the “everybody loves baseball’ segment that opened the show. So the Backstreet Boys must be neutral as well.

Well who’s next to serenade the Series crowd? N’Sync? 98 Degrees? We can’t wait.

Philly’s got its own wealth of talent. But who will they pick? I say Patti LaBelle to be sure for starters.

Source: Courant.Com

Backstreet Boys sighting before Game 1

By KYLE KENDRICK
phillyBurbs.com

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — After we won Game 1 of the World Series, I texted some of my buddies, guys I grew up with back in Seattle.

“You won't believe this, the Backstreet Boys were here,” I told 'em.

I was standing on the third-base line at Tropicana Field with my teammates when they sang the national anthem. It was pretty exciting for me.

I'm only 24, and as a kid growing up near Seattle, boy bands were popular. I always thought the Backstreet Boys were the best out there, better than 'NSYNC. I was a freshman in high school when they came out with their big CD, and my buddies and I used to listen. The girls always thought they were cute and I liked their music. They were just good.

Years later, my musical tastes have expanded. I like some classic rock and a lot of country. I'm a big George Strait fan and I really like Carrie Underwood.

If I could meet any celebrity of my choice, it would be Carrie. I like her music and she's a very attractive girl. I'd love to meet her. My girlfriend would be OK with it. She likes Derek Jeter, which is fine, and I like Carrie.

If I ever do meet her, I'd ask her for an autograph.

I only have a few autographs — Mike Schmidt, Jim Palmer, Tim Hudson. My favorite pitcher now is Brandon Webb. I'd like to get his.

I still remember the first time someone asked me to sign something. When I was drafted by the Phillies during my senior year in high school in 2003, my science teacher, Mr. Sullivan, said “I want to get you now before anybody else does.” I signed a baseball for him.

Since then, my autograph has changed. I used to write my whole name, then last year someone suggested I should just shorten it to two Ks for my initials. I tried it and like it that way. Now I sign everything with two Ks.

I enjoy signing for fans. Last year, when first coming up to the Phillies from the minors, I noticed my teammate Jamie Moyer doing autographs all the time. I asked him why. He said, “I'm doing it now because someday they're not going to want it.” Ever since, I've tried to make an effort to sign more often.

Phillies pitcher Kyle Kendrick, an 11-game winner this season, is doing a World Series diary for Calkins Media as told to baseball writer Randy Miller.

SOURCE: phillyBurbs.com

The Bee Gee's 'Stayin' Alive' Could Save Your Life

By Eliot Van Buskirk

The Bee Gee's 1977 hit song "Stayin' Alive" has just about the perfect tempo for performing chest compressions during cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), according to the American Heart Association.

The song has 103 beats per minute, and doctors recommend compressing the chest 100 times per minute in order to perform CPR, a resuscitation technique that can increase a patient's chances for survival by up to 300 percent -- but only if the chest compressions are done at the proper rate.

Reuters asked Dr. David Matlock of the University of Illinois College of Medicine at Peoria to explain why he settled on that song, since many others have a similar tempo. Unsurprisingly, he said that the name of the song was a factor, as was the fact that so many people already have it pretty much memorized. "The theme 'Stayin' Alive' is very appropriate for the situation," said Matlock. "Everybody's heard it at some point in their life. People know the song and can keep it in their head."

His small study involved playing "Stayin' Alive" while CPR students practiced CPR on dummies. Five weeks later, participants were still able to perform chest compressions at the proper rate by playing the music in their heads.

A BPM Database search revealed that other candidates for accompanying 100 BPM CPR include the Backstreet Boys' "Quit Playin' Games (With My Heart)," Mariah Carey's "Heartbreaker," Everclear's "When It All Goes Wrong," Patty Loveless's "Strong Heart" and Fun Factory's "Don't Go Away."


SOURCE: Wired

Howie D. helps Sarah promote 'Just Me'

BACKSTREET Boys' Howie Dorough is in the country to help Pop Princess Sarah Geronimo in promoting her latest album "Just Me."

Howie arrived in the country last week to shoot a music video with Sarah for the song entitled "I'll Be There." They recorded the said song a few months ago in Los Angeles, California.

According to Sarah, she felt excited when she heard that Howie agreed to visit the country to help her promote her new album. She said she is a big fan of Howie and "it was a dream come true for her to work with the pop icon."

Sarah disclosed that it was her first time to meet Howie since they recorded their song "I'll Be There" separately.

Howie said he was in the middle of the Backstreet Boys concert tour at that time that's why he failed to record it with Sarah.

Howie meanwhile said it was an honor for him to work with Sarah who he described as a humble lovely lady. He is also looking forward to have more projects and to work with other talented local artists here in the country.

As the first stop for their album promotion, Sarah and Howie had an autograph signing last Sunday at SM Mall of Asia in Pasay City. They will also guest in several ABS-CBN shows.

Aside from promoting Sarah's album, Howie will also help the singer-actress in promoting her concert to be held on November 8.

Sarah will have her next big concert at the Araneta Coliseum dubbed "The Next One." It will be directed by Johnny Manahan alongside Louie Ocampo as the musical director.

SOURCE: Sunstar

Backstreet's back

Backstreet Boys' resident falsetto, Howie Dorough, has more on his mind than 'want[ing] it that way' or 'playing games with [your] heart.'

Dorough is now teaming up with Rock Your Religion to make 'The Howie Pendant by Rock Your Religion.' The necklace features a silver pendant with Rock Your Religion's Chi Rho symbol — representing the Greek phrase En Touto Nika ('In this sign you will conquer') — and Dorough frequently wears it at concerts.

But not only is the necklace pretty, it can help those fighting Lupus, an autoimmune disease. After his sister died of Lupus in 1998, Dorough formed the Dorough Lupus Foundation, which seeks to aid and support families of people with Lupus. Sales of the necklace will benefit the foundation.

The necklace is $35 and available through June 2009 on www.rock yourreligion.com

SOURCE: Tuscaloo