Chapter 32:
Forgotten
“Almost
ten months have passed since the terrible accident that knocked the Backstreet
Boys temporarily out of the music business, and despite their early assurances
that the popular boy group would be doing everything within their power to make
a return, many people say that their reign as the most popular music group of
the day is over, and the Backstreet Boys are finished. Their names have all but
dropped from the headlines, and the Backstreet mania that flooded the country
has slowed down to almost a trickle. Critics say that even if they do make it
back to the stage, there won’t be anyone to greet them...”
Rolling Stone
Backstreet Won’t Be Back
Ten long months have gone by since the world first head about
the horrific automobile accident that threatened the lives of what was then the
most popular boy group in
Will they make a comeback?
Hardly a sound has been heard from the Backstreet camp in the
last six months. There have been even fewer public appearances. No one seems to
know where they are, what they are doing, or what they have planned for the
future of the group.
Jive Records, the Backstreet Boys’ record label, insists the
five group members, Nick Carter, Howie Dorough, Brian Littrell, A.J. McLean,
and Kevin Richardson, are still together. “The Backstreet Boys have not
disbanded. They still plan to return to recording and performing, but their
recovery process is long and they do not want to rush anything.” Despite these
assurances, the five Boys have avoided the spotlight like the plague, and
probably with good reason.
Richardson, 28, and Carter, 20, have been reported to suffer
short term memory problems, which would make singing onstage and public
appearances more than just a little difficult. The big question that Jive or
anyone affiliated with the Backstreet Boys is not answering is not whether or
not they want to return to the stage, but whether or not they can.
In addition to these problems, does the public still want to
hear them? Backstreet Fever has bombarded the music business for the past six
years, and now that they are suddenly silent, perhaps people are beginning to
wonder what al the fuss was about in the first place. “People are starting to
see what a lot of us in the music business have been saying since the beginning
of [the Backstreet Boys]. They were never going to last. It may have ended
sooner than it would have if [the accident] hadn’t happened, but the end result
was the same. When all the hype is gone, there’s nothing left to support them.
That’s all it was, hype from the media and teenagers,” says music critic Mike
Phelps.
No one questions that the Backstreet Boys have a lot to overcome
if they want the spotlight back. They will also have longtime rival ‘N Sync to
contend with, who now has a stranglehold on record sales and is the solidified
center of the teenage pop frenzy. It seems pretty safe to say that if they do
make it back successfully, their critics will be forced to eat their words and
finally submit to that phenomenon that is (was?) called the Backstreet Boys.
“The
failure of the Backstreet Boys to return to the public eye just proves what
people have been saying all along, they were just a craze, they wouldn’t last,
etc. They haven’t returned, and I’m sure it’s because they know what will
happen. The music world has moved on, and they don’t have a place here anymore.
It is exactly what people have been predicting since the beginning of
Backstreet Mania.”
Entertainment Magazine
Instability threatens Backstreet
Return
The Backstreet Boys went silent ten months ago in the wake of a
freak highway accident that almost killed them. Hardly a peep has been heard
since.
Sure, there have been reports of their attempt at a comeback.
But will it ever happen? Doubtfully.
There has been no contact from the famous pop group with the
media. No photo shoots, no interviews, and no word of a timeframe they are
working with. It is like Kevin Richardson, Howie Dorough, Brian Littrell, A.J.
McLean and Nick Carter have all dropped off the face of the earth.
Is there a reason? Here is a possibility.
Since the accident that almost killed Richardson, 28, Carter,
20, and Littrell, 25, and put all five young men in the hospital, there have
been rampant rumors of the complete mental breakdowns of Littrell and McLean,
22, and permanent physical problems that would prevent Carter from performing
again. Both Carter and Richardson are also said to suffer from memory problems.
No wonder they haven’t sought public attention.
Jive Records, the Boys record label, and The Firm, who manages
the group, are staying very tight-lipped about the situation, and of course,
there has been no word from the Boys themselves.
Is the band responsible for mega-hits “I Want It That Way” and
“As Long As You Love Me” finished? Time will tell for sure, but for now it
doesn’t look like we’ll see them again any time soon. RIP, BSB.
“Here at MTV and TRL, we have been receiving a
lot of mail in regards to the Backstreet Boys. Critics lately have been saying
that their fan base is gone and any comeback they might make is futile, and
that didn’t seem to sit well with a lot of people, because I have bags of mail
and even more e-mail saying how absolutely absurd that is. There are some girls
out there who are really not happy about all that, let me tell you. So I would
like to say that according to this response, the Backstreet Boys shouldn’t have
a worry in the world. I actually hope they hurry up and get back to doing their
thing, because it seems like half of the stuff we get here is asking about them
for one reason or another. Ok, well on to the number three video of the day…”
“The
rumors that have been flying about the music industry about a possible duet
between the ‘now’ boy band ‘N Sync, and the Backstreet Boys, who have yet to
return to the public eye following a horrible automobile accident, are now
reported to be untrue. Leaks of this possible collaboration hit the public last
week and have ignited a wave of hope that the Backstreet Boys are nearing a
return to the stage. There has been no official word from the ‘N Sync or
Backstreet Boys reps about this rumor, but industry insiders say that it is not
going to happen…”
Backstreet Duet?
The rumor mill is at it again. Just when everyone was convinced
that the Backstreet Boys had gone the way of the Dodo, there is hope.
An information leak from an undisclosed source hints about a
possible pairing of the Backstreet Boys, the world-renowned pop group who has
been absent from the public eye following an auto accident ten moths ago, and
‘N Sync, the hottest boy group of today.
No other information is known, but if this rumor is true, it
could signify the return of the Backstreet Boys, meaning the comeback they
promised would happen might finally be taking place.
How did ‘N Sync get involved? No one seems to know. The two
groups have been major rivals ever since ‘N Sync stepped on their turf with
their breakthrough debut album, N SYNC, in 1996.
“The
longer we wait, the harder it’s going to get,” Howie said.
In two
days, they were going to meet with ‘NSYNC to record “Somewhere Someday”
together. Brian had come just short of working a miracle to make it happen, but
all was working as he had hoped. ‘NSYNC had even offered to perform it live
together on an ABC special they were filming with a handful of other pop acts.
Whether or not to accept was the current debate.
“We
need to let the public know we are still here,” Howie insisted. “You’ve seen
what’s been written all over the place.”
“I’m
still not too wild about being on stage right now,” Kevin said doubtfully.
“Why?”
Nick asked. “You’re solid as a rock.”
“I’m
just not totally comfortable.”
“We
won’t be doing any dancing,” Brian pointed out. Dancing while singing still
flustered Kevin a bit.
“It’s
not just the dancing. I’ve done fine remembering lyrics when it’s just us, but
being in front of a crowd is totally different.” Nick bit his lip. That hadn’t
occurred to him. He had enough trouble in front of cameras as it was.
“We’ve
got time to work on that, Kev,” Howie said gently. “And besides, you should see
yourself. You’ve made an amazing comeback already. You’re doing a lot better
than what you think.”
Kevin
sighed, not quite convinced. “What do you think, Bone?”
“I miss
the stage so bad it hurts,” A.J. confessed. “I want to do it.”
“Kevin?”
Howie asked, his eyes pleading. “It’ll be the perfect way to kick things off.
It doesn’t mean we will all the sudden be thrown into touring. We’ve already
talked about it. We’re gonna take as much time as we need, and the first one
will be short, and not until the album has come out and we’ve seen how it
does.”
“I sent
a copy of the demo we did to Lance,” Brian added. “I’m hoping they’ll want us
to perform it. This could be the perfect chance to see what people think of the
new single.”
“We
need this, Kev,” Nick added. “Howie’s right. We can’t pass this up. You know
what everyone has been saying about us.”
“We
can’t let this finish us, not after how far we’ve come,” Howie said quietly but
firmly.
“Ok,”
Kevin said finally. “Let’s do it.”
“Hell
ya!” A.J. whooped.
“Ok,”
Howie said, looking excited. “The ABC date is in a month. The way things are
looking, we can start promotion for the new album not too far after that, and
release the single right around then.”
“If we
do it like that,” Brian said carefully, “That puts us at a potential tour
kickoff of about mid-summer.”
“Almost
a year and a half,” A.J. said.
“That
sounds like long enough, if you ask me,” Nick said.
“We’re
not,” A.J. said.
“Ha ha.”
“Is
everybody in on this one?” Howie asked, looking around at all of them.
“We’re
in.”
***
