TV HITS: Up Close and Personal with Brian

TV HITS: Okay Bri, we know you are a bit of a clown, but we also know you are a deep person....
BRIAN: Yeah, I guess you can say I am. I think about things a lot and, as you well know, I certainly like to talk! I suppose during interviews it's a chance to really express yourself because the interviewer is going to write down exactly what you say - not the way you look, or the way you come across, so you have got to make it count. I do think about things a lot and I want people to see that side of me as well as all the mucking about.

TV HITS: How much do you give away in interviews?
BRIAN: I think I'm very honest. I don't really have anything to hide. Of course, there are some things that everyone has to have their private time. You need to keep something for yourself for your own sanity.

TV HITS: So how much of your life do you think the public should have access to?
BRIAN: They should definitely know who we are as people. It’s important to me that fans know what sort of person I am and what I’m all about. It’s not that I want them to follow me or do as I do, but I hope I set a good example.

TV HITS: You really care about people, but do you sometimes find you have to be a bit aloof?
BRIAN: Yeah, I definitely can’t get as personal as I’d like, but it’s more to do with lack of time than the restrictions of the band. I particularly hate the fact that I can’t spend as much time with the fans now, although I always stop for a chat whenever I can.

TV HITS: Are there certain things that being a Backstreet Boy stops you doing?
BRIAN: In the beginning I was a lot more timid about what I did, but as I’ve got older I think people want to know the real me, so I’m a lot more relaxed in public and if I really want to do something, I’ll do it. It’s not about being a rebel, it’s just about enjoying life.

TV HITS: Are you good at hiding your feelings?
BRIAN: Sometimes - it depends what sort of mood I’m in. We are being watched a lot of the time, so you know when it’s the right time to let your emotions go. But if you reach that breaking point it’s time to do it behind closed doors. I get down like everybody else, but I try to keep it in control.

TV HITS: But say it all got too much, would you go to a therapist?
BRIAN: Hmmmm, it depends how bad off I was - if I really felt I had things to get off my chest and I didn’t have anybody to turn to then I probably would talk to a professional. Every problem has a solution, but people deal with them differently. I tend to take the more lighthearted approach, but I’m lucky I haven’t experienced anything really bad, and I feel I’ve always got people around me who are willing to listen.

TV HITS: Do you ever worry about getting too close to people?
BRIAN: No, I’m a warm kinda guy - I like getting to know people. All the stuff about kiss ´n´ tell stories just doesn’t bother me. You can’t waste your life worrying someone’s going to run off and tell the whole world about you - you’d never enjoy yourself if you did. Those stories happen anyway, whether or not you have actually done anything.

TV HITS: You are seen as the joker of the band, so are there two different sides to you?
BRIAN: Yeah, I suppose there are. I think the real me is the comedian, but I have got another side and when I’m talking about my emotions or how I am on the inside, I like to get into more detail. I do try to show my funny side when I’m on stage or when I’m with the fans because I want people to see the happy me as that’s what I am 99 percent of the time.

TV HITS: So do you get days when you just don’t want to be funny?
BRIAN: Yeah, there are days when I wake up and I haven’t had enough sleep, or I’ve just got out of the wrong side of the bed and I’ve got a huge chip on my shoulder, and like anyone else I can be a real grouch. The guys are like, "What’s wrong with you?" and I’m like (in very grumpy voice and face), "I ain’t in a good mood, leave me alone!" and we’ve been together long enough for them to know when to back off. But everyone has days like that - it’s just that I’m more on the lighthearted side of things most of the time.

TV HITS: When you’re out, are you always aware of people staring at you?
BRIAN: I’m the type of person who’s really aware of things that are going on around me - like, I can completely hear the conversation Howie’s having over there. It’s really weird, but I’m totally aware of everyone and everything around me. Like, we were on stage recently and I spotted this person with a video camera way out in the audience and, of course, you’re not allowed to video the show. So I ran to Randy at the side of the stage and told him to grab it. It’s like when I’m out I’m always aware of people with cameras and stuff - we have to be because of the position we are in now.

TV HITS: Now you’re so successful, do you think you’re drawn to the "beautiful people"?
BRIAN: I guess we’re kinda put on pedestals and thrown in with some of the more "elite" people. Like, when we were in LA a couple weeks ago, the record company got our names on the door of the Sky Bar, which is the most exclusive club in the town, so I guess just by being in there we were catapulted to this sort of "high position". It was really funny, actually, ‘cause Cindy Crawford walked past us and Howie was like "Huuuu, huuuuuuuuu!". He couldn’t breathe, it was really cool. But it is weird because you’re an entertainer - you’re put in that position and we know we’re no different or better than anybody else.

TV HITS: You always look so at ease when you’re on TV. Have you ever thought about taking it any further?
BRIAN: I don’t see why not! I mean, I’ve never taken acting lessons or anything, but I reckon it’d be really cool to be a VJ, or even star in a Jim Carrey flick or something. Actually, we’re already in talks about doing a Backstreet Boys movie. We want it to be kinda off the wall, a bit like the Batman films, all gothic. I don’t want to reveal too much because we’re still looking for proper funds for it, but it’s based on the comic books Nick’s working on. We will do it, but I just don’t know how long it’s going to take.

TV HITS: You’re an intelligent bloke - do you ever fancy going back to college?
BRIAN: I would love to if our schedule ever got more laid-back! I’d like to get a teachers’ degree in physical education or something. I love sport and I reckon it’d be fun to help out at schools whenever I had time, as a substitute teacher - I wouldn’t expect to be paid, I’d just like to go into high schools to be involved with the kids. It’d be cool, though, because maybe being the person I am they might get kind of a shock when I walk onto the playing field!

TV HITS: What do you think will be the cause of the Backstreet Boys breaking up?
BRIAN: You know, I honestly don’t know! I suppose it’s just so far from our minds at the moment. Yeah, we have fights, but we all want to achieve the same things. If we ever got to the point where we felt we were so successful that we couldn’t achieve any more, then we’d have to think about it. Of course, there is the prospect of solo careers... we all want to do it at some stage and I must admit, some of us have had offers already. It’s no big deal right now - the main thing for us at the moment is to concentrate on getting this right. It’s going to be a long time before we think about calling it quits...

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