What's it like playing a gig at home now you've made it big?
AJ: It sure is fun!  I've just been home to Boynton Beach where I was born and raised, and visited some of my friends and family.  I'm really excited about going back and doing a show with the rest of the guys.  Hopefully most of my friends and family can come and see what I've been been talking about for the last five years - they can finally see what Backstreet Boys are all about and they don't have to keep reading about it anymore.

Are you approaching your U.S. concerts any differently to your other tours?
HOWIE: It'll be pretty much the same tour, although for America we've scaled down the size of the show as the venues are smaller.  It's going to be great - all the hits off the album.

Did you ever worry about not being famous at home when you were so famous in other countries?  Do you think you'll have the kind of success here that you've had elsewhere?
KEVIN: Actually , it's nice - you leave an airport in Europe and there'll be a coupla hundred fans, so you have to run in and out of vans and go through back doors and stuff, and then you come back to the USA, get to the airport, get your luggage and chill.  It's almost like, you know, another world.  But now we're walking around the US and we get recognised a lot because our popularity is growing.  It was nice to come home and see our music growing here, it was a big goal for us.  A far as how big a status we'll reach here, we'll see what happens.  We're just taking it one day at a time - we're just going to keep striving to do our our best and whatever happens, happens.

What do you say to your critics who say you're just a so-called manufactured group?
KEVIN: I love questions like this.  We've come to learn that you can't please everybody.  We're five guys who love to sing - we're all done our own thing since we were little kids, growing up[ singing music.  The five of us believe destiny has brought us together and we all strongly feel we're touching people's lives with our music.  When we're in concert looking out in the audience, and see young and old - mothers and daughters, fathers and sons, boyfriends and girlfriends - it just make us happy to touch other people.  We're five guys who love music and love to sing.  That's it!

So did you have any odd jobs before you made it big?
AJ: I got a job on a comedy called "Hi Honey I'm Home" in which i played a character called Skunk.  I had to dye my hair blond down the middle and shave the sides to give me a long rat tail.  It was kind of embarrassing!

You're going to be playing at a High School graduation at Disneyworld in April - how do you feel playing to a bunch of high schoolers?
NICK: We've had experience of doing them.  Actually, one of our first shows was at Seaworld.  This is our first time doing it at Disney, so it's very cool.  It's always fun to perform in front of cool crowds.  We're in for an adventure!

What advice would you give to young people who might want to pursue music as a career?
AJ: Just follow your heart.  Don't let anybody tell you otherwise, if you really believe in yourself.  It takes a lot of patience, a lot of practice, a lot of determination and a lot of support from your family and friends.  Just follow your heart and shoot for the stars and you can definitely do it.  I mean, anybody can if they have the talent within themselves.

Have you ever had any singing or dancing lessons?
AJ: I attended the Florida Academy of Dramatic Arts which is where I learned most of my acting and dancing skills.  I went to numerous dance studios, performed in a lot of musical theatres and just gave myself a strong background, built myself up a really nice résumé and just kept ding the audience thing.  Most of my friends are back in college now, so I've kind of missed out on some of the fun activities of school, bit I've been doing something that is even more fun!  So, to go back home now and show all my friends what I've been talking about... everyone is really proud of me!

How does it feel having all theses young girls idolising you?
NICK: Well, we realise it's a big responsibility just because they look up to us.  But, being just 18, it's really hard to believe this is for real.  That's why when I see the way girls react, I sit back and wonder why they do it.  Hopefully, it's just the music that's touching every one of their hearts and maybe it does interesting things to certain people.

Now that you have fans trying to contact you on the Internet, what would be the best way to get your attention?
HOWIE: We do try to answer our fan mail as much as possible.  Obviously it's gotten a little bit more hectic than it was four years ago.  When we used to write to every single fan we got!  We've set up fan clubs in every country and we have people who write back and tell them what's going on with us.  But the easiest way I've noticed is when fans come by our hotels or venues and personally give us letters.  If they have a stamp or a return address, it's easier for us just to slip something in the mailbox.  We're now trying every once in a while to do a little bit of chatting on the Internet and stuff like that.  I've just bought a computer myself, so I'm going to get more into that now and try to communicate more with the fans, but in the meantime we have our fan clubs to keep everybody in touch with what's happening.

AJ, we've been hearing rumours you've been ill and depressed, and you might be leaving the band.  We're all quite worried back in England.
AJ: I'm not going anywhere!  I haven't been sick or depressed.  I've been quite content.  Everything's going very, very well for us.  I couldn't be happier.  Things are going really well for Backstreet Boys!

And you have managed to meet Gwen Stefani yet?
AJ: Actually I have!  I finally met her at the 'Billboard Music Awards' and she was everything I hoped for.

You all like your pranks, so what's the naughtiest thing you've got up to on tour?
NICK: I haven't done anything lately, so you've just reminded me to stock up on some things!  I have bought firecrackers that pop when you put them underneath the 'phone, or the toilet seat!  It's a tradition that on the last show you do little gags and stuff - things you'd get into trouble for doing at any other time!

What's the most unusual thing a fan has ever done before a concert or one of your personal appearances?
BRIAN: Well, one time we came on stage and Nick said, "My house is in the audience!"  We were al really confused and looked out into the crowd to see a little girl with a big cardboard cut-out of Nick's house! I was laughing during the whole show as s he wouldn't put this picture of his house down - it was pretty weird!  But there was anther time when two girls broke into the venue, climbed over a barbed wire fence - and ripped their clothes to pieces - then there they were sitting shredded in our dressing room waiting for us!

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