Interview with Howie & Kevin on Y100

Kenny: We have these guys here and couldn't stop the girls from screaming ... the Backstreet Boys everybody!
Howie: We got a couple hours of sleep.
Kenny: And you've just been getting started on this tour. This tour is gonna be 36 six shows, in 24 cities in like a month or so ... it is going to be crazy. Now I havn't seen the show but I'm going to see it tonight, but people are telling me ... let's get started with this. I wanna ask you about this first,
Howie ... people are telling me that you guys are getting a little bit dangerous on stage with some of these stunts ... tell me about that.
Howie: Yeah, we're doing our own stunts nowadays ... on the stage we're doing the pyro ourselves and we're doing the acrobats and everything. Naah, we're just popping up and down off the stage here and there.
Kenny: Now, I saw the video ... um ... The Call.
Howie: Yeah, it was me, actually, I did that stunt there!
Kenny: With the, with the danging from the poll that was you?
Howie: No, I was the one that flew outta the car!
Kenny: OK, 'cause there was a moving car that you was jumping from the window ... that really uh ... do you have a death wish, now? Do you wanna die ... with the fans and uh, what's that all about???
Howie: We just wanna cash in on our insurance!
Kenny: Kevin, what's wrong with this guy? I mean, are you cool with all these stunts? What's the story on that ... I mean, is it nuts? Going on stage and doing all that stuff?
Kevin: Well, I just had my re-constructive surgery on my knee. I tore my ACL over the break riding dirt bikes over in Kentucky with my boys ... so uh, I just had re-constructive knee surgery over three months ago and I'm, you know, I'm makin' it through the shows and I got a knee brace on and I got a chyropractor doctor out with me doing ultrasound on my knee every night, and ...
Howie: You're getting old!!!
Kenny: You guys are getting old, hahaha ... you guys, I mean, it's a brutal tour but you guys are dancing, you're singing. And I just read this that Rolling Stones was the # 1 live band but the Black &
Blue Tour is gonna top that. This is going to be the # 1 tour of all time, I mean ...
Howie: WOW!
Kevin: Really???
Kenny: YEAH, you guys are gonna be # 1!
Kevin: COOL!
Kenny: See, you come on the show, you come to Y-100 and it's not only fun but it's educational ...
you pick up a couple of things!
Howie: Yeah, it's good!
Kevin: Exactly! I didn't know that!!
Kenny: You know, I wanna ask you guys ... what's the feeling about all these bands that are following you in your footsteps? I mean, here you guys are the trail blazers of all the ... of all the quote, the "boy bands". But what do you feel about all those bands that are following you?
Howie: I think it's very flattering ... I mean, uh, just to, to feel like we were the pioneers to bring back the sound and, you know, the type of group that we are, and to have other groups coming after us .. kindalike you know, following quote, unquote, you know ... "in our footsteps". You know, it's very
flattering you know for them to come up especially for them to give us props and stuff like that, and realize that we were the, kinda the trendsetters, you know, and got the whole sound out there. You
know to me it's like, I feel there's enough room out there for all of us, so it's not a competition thing at all ... it's all good!
Kenny: Well, backstage?!
Kevin: As long as they're real, I mean ...
Howie: Yeah!
Kevin: There's a lot of, uh, deluded groups coming out and it's like as long as they're real and they're vocals groups and they're singin' and ... it's all good but ...
Kenny: Now, I know some of the press is trying to drum up controversy about you guys now backstage at the AMA's and someone pointed at you and asked you about the controversy and is there's rivalries and you were talking about some of your friends and some of the guys in the other bands and how you've been to college with some of the guys.
Howie: Yeah, I was actually, uh, I went to college with Chris. We were actually in a choir together, believe it or not, in a community college in Orlando, Florida!
Kenny: Is that right? You and Chris Kirkpatrick hangin' together ... you know, you're all fellas so there's no rivalry?!
Howie: Naah, if it's ANYTHING it's a friendly competition. Like I said there's room out there for
everybody and we want to see everybody enjoy what they're doing and give each other props.
Kevin: It's not a personal thing with us and, uh, the guys from *NSTYNC, I mean, *NSYNC it's, uh, it's just how they came to be. I mean, our management company that we used to be with and how the whole thing developed after we became successful and !BOOM! they've created something else and ... so that's the whole issue .. that was the whole issue! It wasn't anything personal against the guys ... they're talanted guys, they're nice guys, so that's it.
Kenny: What's the perspective of all the success ... I mean, is this good? Is this bad? Are you guys happy? Was it was you expected? I mean, how do you feel?
Howie: I'm very happy!! What guy wouldn't wanna have the chance and travel around the world and have screaming ladies all around the place, I mean, it's fun!
Kenny: Yeah, I'd like to try that actually, it might be kinda fun!
Howie: It's a hard job but somebody's gotta do it.
Kevin: It's incredible. We're very blessed ... very blessed!
Kenny: What's the best thing about stardom? If you had to pick one thing, what's the best thing about it?
Kevin: Well, let's see, I mean, there are, there are like ... privacy issues. You don't have any privacy or
anything, but I think that the pros definately outweigh the cons, I mean, you get to go to other concerts from other artists ... meet other artists that you idolize, I mean, we got to perform with Sting and Elton John!
Howie: And Shania!
Kevin: Yeah, and we got to hang out with Steven Tyler in Barcelona like we were just chillin' ...
Kenny: So what you're saying is that even though you're big celebrities and big stars, you guys are just like the rest of us when you meet a celebrity or a big star. You get to, I mean, do you still go "WOW, that's Sting"?
Kevin: Yeah, I think that ... once you're in the business and you're surrounded by all these other artists
... when you see another artist it's like a mutual respect! I don't, I don't really get tongue tied or
tongue twisted ... I havn't yet when I met any artist, but I havn't met Madonna yet, so???!!!
Kenny: So you can fall apart when that happens?
Kevin: Hahaha, right!
Kenny: So when you meet these people, are they cool to you?
Howie: Very cool! I was actually on the plane from Orlando to LA sitting next to Steven Tyler and up in
first class there we were having a couple of drinks together. He's a really cool guy, reeeeeally really cool guy!
Kenny: He's probably telling everybody right now "I was hanging out with Howie D.!"
Howie: Hahaha!
Kevin: We see those guys all over the place .. we were in Barcelona, Spain on the Millennium tour and, uh, Metallica, and Aeroesmith, and the Backstreet Boys were all in the same hotel and it was pretty cool. We were all ... after one of the shows we went down to the bar and hang out with James from
Metallica and Lars ... and ...
Howie: And they came to our show!
Kevin: They came to our show ... WOW, we had Aeroesmith and Metallica at our show!
Howie: At a Backstreet Boys concert ... that's pretty cool!!!
Kevin: At Barcelona ... it was cool and I asked James afterwards ... I was like "So, uh, what did you think?" and he was like "You guys put on a show ... but it wasn't loud enough for me, man! You gotta crank that PA up"!
Kenny: Is it weird when you're doing a show and you look out in the crowd and you see all these celebrities? You know elebrities especially down here ... this is the vacation capital of the world ... the
whole world is gonna be there and when you look out and you see someone and you're playing ... and I mean, does that make you nervous or are you guys over that?
Kevin: What do you mean ... another artist?
Kenny: Yeah! Someone special out there in the audience.
Kevin: It was cool 'cause Dan Marino was at the show with his kids the other night and I looked down in the audience and I actually caught a glimps and he was kinda just chillin' like this ... sitting down and his kids were all standing on the seats and stuff and he was kindalike chillin'.
Kenny: Did you get to meet him?
Kevin: Yeah!
Howie: It's very flattering, we had John Secada last night and Enrique Iglesias came by the concert!
Kevin: Super cool guys!!!
Howie: Really really cool people!!!
Kevin: It makes you, uh, I dunno ... I think it makes you ... when you know that there are other artists in the audience ... it kinda makes you step it up a little bit!
Kenny:: Do you do that? Do you step it up?
Howie: I try to actually forget because I personally get a little nervous you know and uh, and I kinda uh, every once in a while flub up on my dance steps!
Kevin: When my mom and my brothers come to the show ... I get more nervous. It's weird ... my big brother ... I played football and he played football and I was always trying to outdo him and when he's sitting out in the audience I get a little intimidated!
Kenny: Yeah, I get that way on the radio and my family is like "hey I'm in town and I'm gonna listen" and I act like a goon and go aaahh, man! That's really cool that you get to ... it's been an incredible ride but you guys are cool. You're nice to people, you're friendly to people ... we talk to a lot of the people ... Toni and Joe, Michael ... a lot of the folks go back at the shows and you guys got a great reputation. Why is it that you're so nice to people? 'Cause a lot of celebrities ... I mean, you know the deal .. you've been around a lot of stars and a lot of artists don't have any time for regular people. What makes you guys so cool, so friendly, so approachable???
Kevin: We just treat people how we want to be treated!
Howie: We're regular people ourselves, too!
Kevin: We just ... we're just artists .. we got a shot and we're here and we got an opportunity and the opportunity came and we're prepared and here we are!
Howie: Thank God we have good familys to keep us level headed and our feet on the ground.
Kenny: Busy guys and very soon "Who wants to be a Millionare!" You're gonna be on that ... Kevin's gonna be there with ya and you're gonna be and I read that Gene Simmons from Kiss is gonna be and Lars from Metallica and you got Sisqo and you got Mark Magrath who I saw on Jeapardy one day ...
Kevin: Oh, Musical Jeapardy man? Mark tore it UP! He's like a musical encyclopedia ...
Kenny: And it was like this ... he got 'em all right!
Kevin: He's a nice fella too!
Kenny: You gonna win some cash?
Kevin: I hope so it's for the foundation ...
Howie: I'm hoping actually ... me and Kevin are in the hot seat and the rest of the guys are sitting in the audience helping us out but I gotta say ... I feel kinda stupid but I've never seen an episode of this show yet so I gotta get the little trivia board game!
Kevin: I've been playing Trivial Pursuit to get in the mood for it and playin' the home computer version of "Who Wants to Be a Millionare" to train ...
Howie: We all picked uh, we didn't have straws so we picked ...
Kevin: French Fries!
Howie: We drew french fries and cutips to see who's gonna be in the hot seats and ...
Kevin: We got the shortest one!
Kenny: That'll be cool and you're guaranteed 32 thousand towards charity ... did you pick one out?
Howie: We all have our own charities ... I have a Lupus Foundation I set up and Kevin has a new foundation that he set up here just recently.
Kevin: Called "Just Within Reach" ... it's an environmental foundation ... I took my father's initials,
Jerald Wayne Richardson, and made a foundation in my father's name.
Kenny: You're all involved in all of that ... you know it's been a tough couple of years for the Backstreet Boys ... you've got Brian with the heart surgery and all the things you guys have been through but a lot of people said these guys aren't gonna make it ... it's not gonna happen and you just
said "forget it". 83 weeks on the chart with Millennium? You guys are bullet proof man .. you are tough guys ...
Kevin: Knock on wood, man ... just trying to work hard and make it happen.
Kenny: It's been crazy. What uhm, you guys are more involved in "Black and Blue" I heard you guys were into it and everything ... every part of it you guys. How do you feel about it? Do you think it's your best work yet??
Howie: I feel it is ... I mean, I definately think it's a growth for us as uh, you know ... musicians as well. We did a lot of writing and did a lot of co-producing on it and uhm, we actually have about 5 tracks on the album. 2 of them we co-wrote together, one of them actually called "Time" we are actually very fortunate to have Babyface produce ... and uh, we have 3 other ones we did individually
without the writers.
Kenny: See you're doing the name dropping again .. Babyface .. there's big stars hanging out with you guys!
Howie: Yeah!
Kevin: It was great to work with him ... a song that we wrote and he produced it and he's actually singing ... it's like 6 part harmony, and he's singing in the middle ... he's singing the middle harmony. We're like "We wanna get you on this track! You've been on tracks with Eric Clapton, Phil Collins, and Madonna and we wanna get you on this track"!
Kenny: If I'm in your car and we're going for a ride ... what CDs and what tapes would I find rolling around in the back seat of your car? What do you guys listen to when you're bangin' around at home?
Howie: I listen to a lot of Joe, Maxwell ... a lot of sensual soul music!
Kenny: That romantic side of you ...
Howie: Depending who I am with in the car ...
Kenny: I'm sure you don't spend too much time alone in the car ...
Kevin: When you're with me you wouldn't put the love music on!
Kenny: I hope not. "Howie, can you turn that off?"
Kenny: And with the show ... when you're doing the show you're doing a 90 minute show ... it's not a
20 minute show ... the last show you did here you did 90 minutes, 21 songs .. how many wardrobe changes did you guys have? Everyone was talking about that!
Kevin: We're famous for our wardrobe changes!
Kenny: It's like a whole Diana Ross thing going on ...
Kevin: Yes, it's fabulous ... uhm ... I think we're doing 4 or 5 wardrobe changes.
Kenny: Do you guys have say in what you're wearing and all that? Do you have wardrobe people say "you gotta wear this"?!
Kevin: No, we meet designers and tell them what kind of vibe we want and they come up with. They've done a great job on this tour especially ... but uh, for an up-tempo, you want something kinda funky and that you can move and dance in and something kinda hard, but for the ballads you wanna kinda wear a suit. So that's why we gotta change so much 'cause we got like the beginning of the show is like hard coming out, in your face and then in the middle it's kinda mid-tempo/ballad, and at the end we're kickin' your butt on the way out, so ...
Kenny: Does the same deal go with the videos? You guys get to pick? You guys talk to your people?
Howie: Yeah!
Kenny: You like making your videos? Like the last one for The Call, I mean ... that's nuts, WOW ... did you enjoy that?
Kevin: Heck, yeah! Francis Lawrence ... we told him we wanted like a "Seven" meets "The Matrix" meets "The Game" type of vibe. Like a movie and he came up with this treatment and it was incredible ... as soon as we read it we all were like "oh yeah!"
Kenny: Because when you watch that it looks like you're having fun ... it's like "that's gotta be fun" ... jumping outta the car ...
Kevin: It was like shooting a movie, man!
Howie: It wasn't cool that I had to take it for the team to be the girl ... that wasn't cool ...
Kenny: Give it up for Howie ... man enough to be a woman ...
Howie: I'm comfortable with my sexuality ... it's all good!
Kevin: I was on the internet checkin' out .. right when the video premiered I wanted to get some opinions from our fans .. so I go on sneak into these chat rooms and find out what they're talking about ... and they're like .. "Well Howie didn't get his own vinyet again! He always has to share with one of the other guys" so ...
Howie: It's sad *sigh* ... it's okay ...
Kevin: I'm sorry ...
Howie: Need tissues ...
Kenny: Anybody got a cleenex for this guy 'cause he's sad ... hey, let's do this ... let's play a song from you guys and we'll, we'll open the phones for 550-Y100 and we'll take a couple of calls before you guys get back. I know you guys gotta get ready but you gave us a cool version here ... this is a world premiere of The Call ... tell me about this? What's this? Is this some special mix? It's sort of remix ...
Kevin: Yeah, this is the Neptunes ... for The Call we wanted to do a maxi single with a bunch of remixes on it. For the stores we havn't put out a commercial single in a long time ... so uh, we got Outkast involved, we got Neptunes involved ... me and a couple of my buddies did a remix that is gonna be on ...
Kenny: OK, that's Miss Jackson ... that's a cool song ... those guys are tough.
Kevin: This is the Neptunes ... so check it out!
Kenny: Here it is ...
Kenny: Y-100, the hit music channel ... that's a cool mix there ... who put that together?
Howie: That was Neptunes ... the guys that did Mystical's stuff.
Kenny: See you're hanging out with all the big stars now. We remember you when you were just
regular guys. Now there's 75 police officers on horseback ...
Kevin: Naah, we're still just regular guys.
Kenny: They roll those out for just the President, and the Backstreet Boys that's all that happens. Here's what we're gonna do. What were gonna do is ... we've got some seats that you guys have signed ... they're directors seats and they're gonna be for tonight's show. They're gonna be right next to the soundbooth which, I guess, soundwise, is the best place to be for the sound of the show. We're gonna take ... let's just take caller #25 right now ... so we can have um, I'll have Michelle grab caller 25 ...
Kevin: Caller 25?
Howie: Caller 25?
Kenny: Caller #25 at 550-Y100!
Kevin: 550-Y100!
Kenny: I'm still blown away by this tour that you guys are doing ... I mean, you did um ... you did the last tour, you guys just busted on that! You were outta control but this one ... I mean, to do 36 shows in 24 cities .. how do you guys keep up the energy? Are you guys working out? Are you eating special diets?
Kevin: We're actually outta shape and we're getting back in shape, vocally and physically by being in rehearsals and getting the kinks out on the first week of the tour. We're not up to 100% yet but we're working on it!
Kenny: You guys look good. Do you think you have something to prove in this business? 'Cause you got ... you got critics writing about you ... you do a show out there, you're busting your butt on stage, you're singing like crazy, fans are going nuts and then some critics will write some stupid thing in the paper. Do you ever think you've got something to prove?
Kevin: Critics are just frustrated musicians who never got a record deal ... so, I don't listen to them ...
Howie: And they always send rock and roll critics out to our shows .. it's like hello????? We're the Backstreet Boys!!!!!
Kenny: Yeah, what's up with that? Do you read 'em?
Howie: Yeah!
Kevin: Yeah, we read 'em!
Howie: They're kinda funny sometimes ...
Kevin: Yeah, they're funny ...
Kenny: Do you ever wanna call the guy up and be like "Hey, loser what's you're problem?"
Kevin: Yeah!!!
Kenny: 'Cause I'll do that for you!! We'll do a candid phone ... I'll scam the guy for ya!
Kevin: Like, who ... like.. well, I don't wanna say that on the air ...
Kenny: Well, let's grab a phone call ...
Kevin: Like ... who wizzed in your cherios this morning, man?
Howie: What???
Kenny: Horrible hateful people ... well, let me grab a phone line ... let's see what we get here, Y-100 um ... you are on the radio here at Y-100 ... what's your name please?
Girl: Jennifer ...
Kenny: Jennifer where are you calling us from?
Jennifer: Pembroke Pines, Florida ...
Kenny: Jennifer, say hello to Howie and Kevin!
Jennifer: Oh my god hello!
Kev & Howie: Hey, how you doin'?
Jennifer: Oh my god, I love you guys so much!
Kenny: You got any plans for tonight???
Jennifer: Hopefully!
Kenny: Well, yeah ... well, here's what we've got for you. We've got a couple of autographed directors chairs from the Backstreet Boys, signed by all the Backstreet Boys. We will park you and a friend's booty in those seats right next to the soundbooth for tonight ... is that cool?
Jennifer: OMG, OMG!!!
Jennifer: I'm like shaking here!
Howie: Cool, very cool ...
Kenny: This is your once in a lifetime chance to say hello to Howie and Kevin ...
Kevin: Where are you calling from?
Jennifer: Pembroke Pines ...
Kevin: I know, but where? Your house?
Jennifer: Yeah, OMG!
Kevin: Oh ...
Jennifer: I have a quick question for you ...
Howie & Kev: OK ...
Jennifer: My friend, Sabrina, had recently made a scrapbook for you guys and she took a while making it, and um ... she gave it to these people in the front row in your first concert ... in the one that kicked off. Is it possible you have already gotten it?
Howie: They may have given it to our securety already ... um ...
Kevin: I did see a scrapbook with a bunch of pictures from ...
Kenny: That might have been mine ...
Howie: Ahh, wait yeah, my pictures from way back in the early days? From long time ago?
Kevin: What was her name?
Jennifer: Sabrina ...
Kevin: Sabrina? Well, normally ... who did she give it to?
Jennifer: She um, was in section 103, and she gave it to these girls that were sitting in the front row section ...
Kevin: And they gave it to one of our staff?
Jennifer: I think the girls gave it to one of Nick's friends that she claims ...
Kevin: Uh-oh ...
Jennifer: Well, I'm hoping ... it was a 5 star notebook ...
Kevin: Well, normally if you give it to one of our staff, they make sure it gets in our hands ...
Kenny: Yeah, these guys are cool about that.
Kevin: We'll be checking ... we'll be looking for it ... if she gave it to someone that says they were one of Nick's "friends", I dunno ... there are lots of Nick's "friends" out there ...
Kenny: 'Cause I use that line all the time. Alright listen darling ... congratulations! Why don't you hang on the line so you get all your information?
Kevin: We'll see you tonight!
Howie: We hope you enjoy the show!
Kevin: Yeah, we'll see you tonight!
Jennifer: I love you!
Kevin: Aww, thank you ... we'll see you tonight! Kenny: OK hold on sweety ... hold on a second ... you know I feel bad for caller #26 ... Y-100 hi there ... who's this?
Woman: Elaine ...
Kenny: Elaine, I feel bad because we already gave away the chairs ...
Elaine: Aww ...
Kenny: I'm sorry but I'll tell you what ... where are you calling us from?
Elaine: I'm calling from work ...
Kenny: Do you have any kids that are fans?
Elaine: Yes I do and today is her birthday ...
Kenny: What's your daughter's name?
Elaine: Jeniah ...
Kenny: Everybody say hi to Jeniah!
Kev & Howie: Hi Jeniah! Happy birthday!
Kenny: I'll tell you what we'll do ... since I felt bad and you didn't win anything, Kevin and Howie just
presented me something ... Kevin just pulled this out of his back pocket so it's kinda wrinkled up ... so,
do you want a couple of front row seats to tonight's show?
Elaine: OMG, yes! Oh yes, thank you! You would make my daughter so happy and me too!
Howie: Cool, good birthday gift!
Kenny: Aren't these guys cool??
Elaine: Yes, are you kidding me?
Kenny: Say hello to them ... this is your once in a lifetime chance to talk to Kevin and Howie ...
Elaine: Definately! And I'll see them up-close tonight too! OMG, thank you!!!
Kevin: Where do you work?
Elaine: I work for Dade county school board ...
Kevin: Oh cool!
Kenny: Give it up for the school board!
Kevin: Well, we'll see ya tonight!
Elaine: Thank you, thank you!
Kevin: The school board's probably not too happy with us right now 'cause people are trying to skip school to come down to the radio station and check us out ...
Elaine: My daughter's in school she don't even know she's gonna be so suprised tonight ...
Kevin: Well, good it will be a great b-day present ...
Kenny: Well hold on, hold on just a second .. well, thanks again! One more time give it up everybody for Howie and Kevin of the Backstreet Boys. A pleasure having you guys come by tonight! I can't wait to see you guys. Can you do me a favor before you take off and introduce me to a song? I know Kevin was dying for me to play this song ... you see it's cool to see your favorite songs of all the stuff you've done ...
Kevin: Well, this song was supposed to be the single ... the last single of the Millennium album until
Nick went on MTV on the telephone and told everybody to vote for "The One" 'cause we were letting our fans pick the next single of the Millennium album. "Don't Want You Back" was ahead ... way way way ahead and Nick got on the phone with Carson and was like whining "ahh, I think my favorite ... I hope it'll be The One" so everyone voted ... so this is the song that wasn't a single that should have been ... check it out this is "Don't Want You Back"!
Kenny: One more time ... thank you very much ... Backstreet Boys ... Howie and Kevin, we'll see you guys tonight!
Howie: Don't forget to come early guys, to watch our artist on our label ... Krystal Harris ...
Kevin: She's dope!
Kenny: She's awesome! Thanks again ... it's Y-100!