THIS IS US TOUR: Boys To Men

The Backstreet Boys soldier on The Backstreet Boys soldier onThe Backstreet Boys soldier on The Backstreet Boys soldier on

Before the Jonas Brothers, before Justin Bieber, even before Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera - all the way back to the days when the Simpsons were still relevant, reality TV was practically unheard of, and CDs were still selling-there was a boy band that rocked the world.

That band was ... New Kids on the Block - but hey, The Backstreet Boys were pretty huge, too.

And by god, they're back again.

Now minus one Boy (Kevin Richardson, goatee guy), the pop quartet of A. J. McLean, Howie Dorough, Brian Littrell and (eee!) Nick Carter are set for a cross-Canada tour that hits Saint John's Harbour Station August 19.

Littrell - now married and with a healthy Christian contemporary music career on the side - said he'll be doing this until he is a Backstreet Old Man.

"We're in a better place in our lives today than we were 10 years ago; we see eye to eye. I see another 17 years to come: new songs, new records, new memories," he said.

Formed in 1993, the Backstreet Boys were one of the first and biggest boy bands to dominate the airwaves - and the hearts of starry-eyed tweenaged girls. Smash singles like We've Got It Goin' On, Everybody, and Quit Playin' Games With My Heart fuelled album sales that eventually reached the 130 million mark.

Every shooting star eventually crashes; the Backstreet Boys were slowly torn asunder by the usual problems: addictions, rehab, waning sales, solo careers, falling-outs and, uh ... well, one of them got pretty fat for awhile there.

It took a surprise reunion on Oprah to finally get the guys back together and speaking again - and though they may never hit the same heights as they did in the 90s, Littrell said the tough life lessons have made them stronger and better than ever before.

"My philosophy is: when you get to the top you have to look over the side to where you're falling down. You have to land like a tiny little butterfly with sore feet," he said.

As analogies go, that's pretty weak. Good thing someone else wrote most of their songs. At least they still look good in tight jeans.Before the Jonas Brothers, before Justin Bieber, even before Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera - all the way back to the days when the Simpsons were still relevant, reality TV was practically unheard of, and CDs were still selling - there was a boy band that rocked the world.

That band was ... New Kids on the Block - but hey, The Backstreet Boys were pretty huge, too.

And by god, they're back again.

Now minus one Boy (Kevin Richardson, goatee guy), the pop quartet of A. J. McLean, Howie Dorough, Brian Littrell and (eee!) Nick Carter are set for a cross-Canada tour that hits Saint John's Harbour Station August 19.

Littrell - now married and with a healthy Christian contemporary music career on the side - said he'll be doing this until he is a Backstreet Old Man.

"We're in a better place in our lives today than we were 10 years ago; we see eye to eye.

"I see another 17 years to come: new songs, new records, new memories," he said.

Formed in 1993, the Backstreet Boys were one of the first and biggest boy bands to dominate the airwaves - and the hearts of starry-eyed tweenaged girls. Smash singles like We've Got It Goin' On, Everybody, and Quit Playin' Games With My Heart fuelled album sales that eventually reached the 130 million mark.

Every shooting star eventually crashes; the Backstreet Boys were slowly torn asunder by the usual problems: addictions, rehab, waning sales, solo careers, falling-outs and, uh ... well, one of them got pretty fat for awhile there.

It took a surprise reunion on Oprah to finally get the guys back together and speaking again - and though they may never hit the same heights as they did in the 90s, Littrell said the tough life lessons have made them stronger and better than ever before.

"My philosophy is: when you get to the top you have to look over the side to where you're falling down. You have to land like a tiny little butterfly with sore feet," he said.

As analogies go, that's pretty weak. Good thing someone else wrote most of their songs. At least they still look good in tight jeans.

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The Speaking Tongues play Saint John's Sunstar Lounge August 11, Moncton's Manhattan Bar August 12, and Fredericton's Capital Bar August 14.

http://herenb.canadaeast.com/music/article/1172625