Backstreet Boys: Trouble in Paradise

Back - Index - Submissions - - What is RSS? Date: Jan 18, 2000 Source: US Magazine Submitted By: Txkidnurse@aol.com There is a big article on Lou Pearlman in the February issue of US magazine, which has a pic of the guys on the front with the heading "Backstreet Boys: Trouble in Paradise" The article is mainly about Lou, and how he came to be Big Poppa. BSB declined to be interviewed for this story, but there are many references to them in this 4 page article. Here are a couple of snippets from it: "But Big Poppa wants you to know that he's not just in it for the money. He's in it for the music - and the love. "The kids I work with become like my own children." says Pearlman, who has never married or had kids. "I love being their Big Poppa. I think of this business as one big family." Alas, the kids have a nasty habit of growing up and hiring lawyers. In May 1998, Backstreet Boys hit Pearlman and their former tour managers, Johnny Wright and his now estranged wife, Donna, with a lawsuit, calling themselves "indentured servants" and accusing the trio of absconding with 10 million in revenues while they received a skimpy $300,000 over six years." Despite public acrimony, he says he's chummy with the two groups (Backstreet Boys and NSYNC declined to be interviewed for this article). When he started out, Pearlman wanted 5 singers, because he liked the 5 part harmony ("a couple of tenors, a bass, somebody to do the high notes, an alto") and because it offered an array of personalities. "You could have a young kid with a cute look; an older guy with more of a heartthrob appeal; a more serious guy; shy guy; a latin kid; a kid with more of an urban look." The band would have a silent 6th member, however: Pearlman himself. By contract he would be entitled to a sixth or whatever the band made from records and concerts. He would also serve as their business manager and control their merchandising. He would even own their name. But even as Backstreet Boys were conquering Europe in 1995, Pearlman was working on building another act. "You can't have one airplane and run an airline," he says. In 1995, while Backstreet was overseas, he was signing up another group of five clean-cut young harmonizers: Justin Timberlake, Chris Kirkpatrick, Joey Fatone, Jr, Lansten Bass and JC Chasez. The last letter of each of the boys' first names formed the groups name: NSYNC (Lansten's name was changed from Lance by Trans Continental). Pearlman asked the Wright's to manage both acts - and NOT to tell Backstreet Boys about the new protoge's. "Lou kept NSYNC a secret from Backstreet" claims Johnny Wright. "He didn't want them to think he was cloning them. When Backstreet found out upon returning to the states, it was like children finding out Daddy has family somewhere else. Comment on this item. Next Item: The Backstreet Boys Bombarded with Trash! Prev Item: BSB Article from the National Catholic Register