Boys no more

Backstreet Boys performed to a 10,000-strong crowd in Sunway Lagoon recently. LIN MEI ZHEN talks to A.J. McLean about the group’s continued popularity

THE Backstreet Boys has not faded into obscurity like its peers from the 90s— LFO, 98 Degrees and BBMak.

Instead, the group has defied the odds and remain an active music act still releasing albums regularly, gaining airplay in Malaysia and touring.

The group currently comprises Brian Littrell, Nick Carter, Howie Dorough and A.J. McLean. Kevin Richardson left in 2006 to pursue stage acting.

Says McLean of the band’s longevity: “It’s pretty overwhelming. It's flattering to have success in countries where the fans may not speak your language, but they know all the words to your songs and all the dance moves! We have the best fans.”

But age catching up is something that isn’t lost on McLean and his fellow “boys”. He admits to things being different now and says the group is not likely to pose in wet T-shirts like it did back in the 90s.

“Oh my lord, what were we wearing? The only guy who isn’t in his 30s yet is Nick, but we all definitely see things differently now,” says McLean, laughing.

While they may not have the same level of fame they used to, McLean says it doesn’t really matter.

What the group now has is more than enough to sustain it for a while.

“We still have fans interested in seeing us. We want to do this for another 10 or 15 years.

“Who knows? Maybe even many more years. But we may not dance as much and we may have walkers on stage,” jokes McLean.

Beyond the group’s own effort to keep going, McLean has noticed that there is a new wave of pop acts out there keeping pop music alive today.

Pop music started taking a back seat in the last few years, giving way to hip hop and rock acts. The new wave of pop would be thanks to artistes related to High School Musical and American Idol graduates.

“There’s definitely a positive new wave of pop resurfacing,” says McLean.

Beyond Backstreet Boys’ most recent release, Unbreakable, fans of the group can look forward to more solo releases.

“My solo album is done. I’m just waiting for the record label to release that.

“Nick and Brian are working on new ones too. Howie has his Latin pop album in the works.

“Musically, mine will reflect my influences who are musicians like Prince, Al Green and Lenny Kravitz,” explains McLean.