Backstreet's A.J.: Spears Needs To Wake Up

Backstreet Boys Discuss Britney And Former Manager, Lou Pearlman

(CBS)  By The ShowBuzz's Caitlin A. Johnson

Their sixth album, "Unbreakable," is about to come out Oct. 30, but recent headlines have been overshadowing Backstreet Boys' long-awaited comeback.

The immensely popular boy-band from the 1990s and early 2000s hit the scene when teen stars were reclaiming the lime light and are contemporaries of 'NSync, Christina Aguilera, and, yes, the embattled former queen of them all, Britney Spears.

Spears recently had her children taken away from her by a judge who called her a habitual drug user. They are now staying with their father and her ex-husband, Kevin Federline.

Backstreet Boys' A.J. McLean has been sober for five years but was addicted to drugs until the most important people in his life, what McLean calls his "unit" staged an intervention. He then entered rehab. He said what Spears needs most is support and tough love from the people in her life.

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Photos: Backstreet Boys

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"I think her unit is not as tight and there's not as many people who are looking out for her best interest unfortunately," McLean, 29, told The ShowBuzz. "You just have to have a really great support group and you have to love yourself first."

On the upside, McLean says the only way around a problem like drug addiction is through it, and that means the addict must face the harsh realities of how far the she has fallen. The latest issues in Spears' life many force her to do so, he said.
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"With all that's happened as of recent, you know losing custody, this, that and the other, I think, you know, hopefully, unfortunately, this is a very drastic thing for someone to have to go through, but I think, hopefully, this will give her a wakeup call, and time to really kind of grow and get herself together and get her head on straight."

While Spears is battling her own issues, demons from the past seem to be coming back to haunt the Backstreet Boys. An article from the upcoming issue of Vanity Fair alleges that Lou Pearlman, the mastermind behind groups like 'NSync, Backstreet Boys and LFO, could have behaved in a sexually inappropriate manner with his clients, including the Backstreet Boys youngest member, Nick Carter.

In the article, his mother says that she tried to warn other parents that something inappropriate was going on and the things that happened nearly destroyed her family. When asked about the Vanity Fair story, Carter said he didn't want to comment, but acknowledged the issue.

"This is something that's been going on for years, talks and allegations," he said. "It's kinda old news, you know what I mean? So, really, there's no comment on the issue."

[ktbspa4life]

YES there are 26 year olds who still love them; AND 33 year olds, and 18 year olds, and 45 year olds... I know because there are thousands of them online all the time on BSB''s fan club message board! A lot of them are married with children and love them just the same. Sure, the vast majority of their fans are females, but who cares? They''re a great group.

And the fact that they''re the last band standing of their kind should tell you something. They have what it takes to last through the years and they''ve proven that. They''ve been together since 1993!!

Oh, and by the way; I heard their latest single on the radio in a TATTOO PARLOR a couple of weeks ago when a friend and I were getting tattoos!! So don''t tell me that no radio station will play their stuff. Their new single is doing pretty well right now.

Even if the album doesn''t end up being as successful as the ones they''ve done in the past, who cares? That''s not what''s important. They are going to keep doing what they''re doing as long as they know they are making people happy; whether it be 20,000 or 20. As Nick has said recently, maybe when people start throwing tomatoes on stage, they''ll think about being done with it. But until then, which I doubt will ever happen, they will continue to make records. I''m hoping that they''ll be around in ANOTHER 15 years. If you think otherwise, then you don''t know the Backstreet Boys, and you DEFINITELY don''t know their fans. We will ALWAYS be Keeping The BackStreet Pride Alive!!

[keithle1]

Woah. Sales figures for the "highly anticipated" album will attest to how much their fans still love them. Do we still have radio stations that play this kind of music?

A 15-year-old girl who bought their album/single
in 1996, would be 26 now. You mean to tell me she would still be into Backstreet Boys? Hmmm... She''s probably married with kids. I don''t see that happening. But if you say they still have legions of diehard fans then we''ll just have to see if it''s true.

This is not the kind of music that people stick with for the long term. It''s geared towards young girls. A lot of their appeal was based on the guys'' looks. I''m not saying they couldn''t sing. You can''t fake it live unless you''re Milli Vanilli. But if they all looked like Pearlman, they would never have gone anywhere. I know you won''t argue with that. How many of their songs did the "Boys" write themselves?

What percentage of their fan base was straight boys? Just wondering.

[ktbspa4life]

To Keithle1:

You are the one who needs to get a life. For your information, there are a TON of fans out there who are HIGHLY anticipating this album. We have not moved on, we are still here, and as long as they keep doing what they''re doing we will STAY here.

And, oh by the way, two of the members ARE married with children and another one is engaged; and NONE of them are gay. So get the facts before you decide to run your mouth next time.

As far as the whole Lou Pearlman mess, if it is true, then how DARE you mock another person''s pain. They are people and you have no right to laugh at someone else''s tragedy. You must be a real jerk if that''s how you really feel about that. You have NO idea what those victims must be going through right now and how dare you think it''s funny.

If your life is really THAT pathetic that you have to degrade someone you know NOTHING about, then you can go screw yourself. No one cares about what you have to say.

[keithle1]

No one is going to buy that album. Why would anyone? Their fans have grown up & moved on.
Puh-leeeeze. Gimme a break. Retire. Do something else. Get married. Move in with your gay lovers. Whatever. It''s as pathetic as various members of the Bay City Rollers still doing gigs.

"...Lou Pearlman, the mastermind behind groups like ''NSync, Backstreet Boys and LFO, could have behaved in a sexually inappropriate manner with his clients, including the Backstreet Boys youngest member, Nick Carter."

You know that went down. Heck yeah.

When the album tanks, I guess they''ll face the cold, hard reality that their time has come & gone. But that''s the music business.

Not all of Pearlman''s "creations" were successful. His boy band O-Town never went anywhere. Fizzled out. Even with a "reality" TV show documenting their formation.

[used911]

Lou Pearlman should be in prison for life...he scammed his artists was a predator...cost newer artists their careers (Natural & more) programmers wouldn''t deal with anyone managed by him, scammed bills and basically reaked havoc wherever he could....he left my promotion partner and myself in NY after 911 and took home his crew...couldn''t have given a *** about us. He screwed vendors, I paid for that and I''ll never be happy till I hear he''s incarcerated and raped as many times as he figuratively and honestly did everyone he dealt with. Now who owns the Pizza joints...you all should be ashamed of this man and that you continued to work and protect him....where''s Patrick? no Bentley any more....I could go on and on but then again hopefully the courts will put him away for good and his cousin and alledged families stay away from him!