Well, welcome everyone to Amy and TJ. And yes, I'm starting the podcast, probably because it's by default. It's not because I wanted to. It's because I had an idea, and so we're gonna I'm gonna do it again. I guess horrible.
No, we're keeping it. No, no, no, you're right Andy, this was gonna be one of the best intros ever we do this.
Ever, I get time, I get all why, I don't know. I'm just not I don't want to start.
Okay, hey pot, Yes TJ. If you didn't know TJ is here as well.
Yeah, I started to spiral and I needed to stop every day.
She looks at me. I mean seconds before we start, you start, you start, you start, you start, you start. She doesn't want to start. We used to do this on our show on television of gm A three. Yes, we're right there sitting on set and they're counting us down. Anybody got anything, anybody got in it, and you would never speak and I had to start. So we that's what we're doing.
Yeah, I don't know.
I mean if I were by myself, obviously I would have to. But somehow I just no, I don't clearly.
Do not want to be by my Maybe you could use some some alone time.
Yeah, do you need to say something to me?
No, No, we have spent a lot of time together, especially this week.
It's been NonStop.
Were always talking about this week, last week, the week before.
It's pretty much the same.
We have fresh bag though, what you're saying. We had a great trip to went out to LA for the I Heart Radio wards. Right. It was an absolute blast.
We had a blast, yes, and just got back late.
Actually yes, like.
In the wee hours of the morning, so little, little punchy.
But we didn't go to bed though, didn't go to sleep.
We really really didn't sleep. What were we watching?
A lot of stuff was on last night, like not horror though we were in a we weren't in a horror.
Mood, which is unusual. Yeah, it was like one o'clock in the morning.
What was on?
I put on a new I don't even know. I started to move one.
And I knew it and then I don't think I slept at all. But anyway, it was all worth it because.
We nobody can tell you're punching.
We packed in a bunch of stuff.
It was beautiful weather, it was wonderful and we got to meet a lot of amazing people, and especially a particular person who particularly Yes.
What about the rest of the people are going to feel bad?
Well, everybody was great, but we actually have to sit down and go in depth with one of the most iconic bands, or at least one of the members of one of the most iconic bands, at least from me in the nineties. We're talking about the Backstreet Boys, and that was pretty cool because I'd never met AJ McLean before.
Alexander James.
Yes, that is who he is, and that is I guess his more recent persona, right He says, well, yes, yes, but you know what, Okay, but when you call yourself something AJ, that's how he's been known. Obviously, his name is also alex James, Alexander James, but.
He goes by AJ. So he said that that's his persona.
He said, the AJ is his persona, right, but alex is who he really is. Okay, So I'm gonna get rid of TJ. I'm gonna be Lutillius from now on, Utilius Liutillius.
Do you think that that's a persona for you? TJ?
Is that your is that your TV persona? And then Utilius is who you are?
It kinda is I've yeah, I've kind of said I've no no by my family. I didn't grow up being TJ. I was T Junior. It was close to my family name, but the TJ was strictly for something that was easily easy to do on television.
Absolutely, But it's funny because I can't. I don't know.
It would be weird for me to call you Lou or Loutillius.
It would be weird for anybody to call me Luke. Nobody calls me lou. How did we get there?
Well, Lutilius doesn't exactly roll off the top actually does all together.
Now Lutilius it does, Oh my goodness.
All right, Well, let me know if you want to make a name change in terms of what as how you're referred.
The reason I I didn't yeah this is that's a true story. And I'm sure you dealt with this as well. When you start your career, they want you to have something that's that can easily be said on television because an anchor from another market or you're doing national news, they wouldn't might mess up your name. So my first three pieces I ever did in my professional career. The first one I signed off as Liutilius Holmes, the second
one I signed off as Lou Holmes. The third one I signed off as TJ Holmes and stuck with TJ. A true story. My first three pieces, I was three different guys.
That's funny. I didn't know that, and then TJ stuck. But when you get an uber, you're Lou. Yeah, well, he says here for Lou.
I think I think there might be as moby as reasons why here for Lou. I don't open the door and say Heylutillius right huh? Here for Liutillius right who? That's probably what I get Los.
Yeah.
TJ's even easier, though, I have you get ubers a lot because it's easy here for Amy.
Yes, Amy's a little bit easier, although you have a hard time saying Amy, like you actually stumble. I hate anytime we were on the set and you'd have to transition as an anchor, they're like, you know, TJ or whoever. He if it said Amy and he had to say my name, he would stumble. You never stumble, but you would absolutely mess up because you had to say Amy.
So weird. I'm just so I'm not used to calling you that. And yeah, well again, I can't believe we get into names here. Now we were talking about AJ. But you have to ask this question, Backstreet Boys or en Sync.
I know more Backstreet Boy songs. I mean, I love some JT like I love, but I know the Backstreet Boys music better and so I think I danced to it more. But they're both great.
Obviously, see that. That's the answer people often do if they want to be very diplomatic, right right, you didn't really give me an answer.
Well, so if I had to pick, I'd pick Backstreet Boys.
Okay. This is one of the debates that continue to this day. It's like, Okay, Michael Jordan.
Or Lebron I don't really I can't wait on those.
Yankees arrests.
Definitely Yankees. Oh wah wah, sheets, I don't even know what you're saying.
Okay, all of the people in Pennsylvania get.
That shut out of Pennsylvania. Wow, we're going there.
Now.
This is a really weird.
Weird industro. This is why we don't let her start the po I.
Started it and now it's all unrapp up.
But the point here this month is the actual thirty one year anniversary of the Backstreet Boys actually getting together. They got together the first time they were founded in April of nineteen ninety three and they continue to this day, and that is remarkable. And now AJ McLain, yes he is out on tour with a member of an Sync, Yes, Joey Fatone. They have a whole thing they are doing out there together. But it's remarkable that they have been able Backstreet Boys to stick around as long as they
have and have generations of fans. I have an eleven year old daughter singing Backstreet Boy songs like how do you even know these songs?
I want it that way? Right?
Was the music? As soon as I mentioned we were interviewing the back people.
That's very exciting.
Oh wow, okay, folks, I'm I'm gonna let her you know, we're gonna we're gonna wrap this so she can go get some rest. But it was we were out in the late for the Heart Awards. We did get a chance to sit down with Aj, who had a lot to say about the new music but also his struggle, his background. Where he is now, which he says is one of the best places physically and mentally that he has ever been in his life. We are joined now by mister Alexander James McClay. Come on, AJ, come on,
how should we introduce you? Now? What should we call you? What are we doing?
Well? Look, so it's just me, So the rest of the boys are not here. So Alexander James or alex for short, alex uh. Yeah, you know, I uh, I've been on this journey of self discovery for quite some
time now. It started back in the summer of last year when we wrapped up the DNA World Tour in May of twenty twenty three in Cape Town, South Africa, came home for literally three days, hopped in my truck, drove to Scottsdale, Arizona, and at it admitted myself into a IOP intensive outpatient program for mental health, depression, anxiety, trauma, the works to really get to the root of everything that I've been through in the past twenty five years.
My sobriety's on lock of two and a half years sober, going strong, congratulation, thank you, that isn't going anywhere. But I wanted to get to the root of it and really kind of figure out what because you know, people that are in recovery realized that the drinking and the drugs is all symptomatic. That's not the actual problem. There's something bigger and more seed internally that's causing that effect. So for me, it was low self esteem. I don't know if I.
Could swear, but you can swear.
My sponsor calls it piece of shitism, which is what I suffered from. And so the biggest thing for me that I took out of this amazing ten weeks was authenticity and learning that AJ is a persona. It doesn't define who I am. It is it is a job. I used to kind of make fun of some of my boys, you know, when they would say, okay, we're going back on the road, time to clock in. I never looked at it that way. Now I see what
they meant. You know, I'm on the first flight back home to my family, first flight or before I would linger, you know, hang out in whatever city I'm in. But my whole perception on what is work and what is personal boundaries another word I never really knew much about,
but authenticity. So knowing that, you know, throughout the last almost thirty one years, AJ's kind of dominated, Alex just kind of got stifled a little bit so everything with my solo music, with my solo album, with everything moving forward outside of the band, I want to introduce the world to Alexander James.
Alexander James, I think it's it's first of all, it's amazing that you went on that journey because most people never get to that point. But I think a lot of people, and especially your diehard fans, would be shocked to hear that aj McLean has low self esteem.
I know. I mean, I've been sharing it. I just got off the road with my buddy Joey Fatone. We've been on the Legendary Night Tour. We just kicked it off our first nine shows. We're kicking back off again in May for another twenty dates. We keep adding dates because the fans want to keep seeing it. It's a
hell of a show. It's fun and there is three different songs from my upcoming solo record that I do in the show, one of which is a song called Arizona, which was inspired by this trip, and I prefaced the song by telling the same exact story. And the response I've gotten has been overwhelming. So many people, whether they're fans of Backstreet or not, or fans of mine can relate immediately. They're like, oh my God, Like I never thought there was an outlet for what I'm feeling, but
now I know that there is. You know, when I was out in Arizona, one of the sessions that I had, we watched a little short, eight ten minute video. It was one of these Ted talks, and it was this woman who I'm now obsessed with, And whenever she comes back on the road, I need to see her and meet her. I feel like she's my mom from a different life. Brene Brown.
Oh, I love Brown.
Obsessed I am too.
I've read so many of her books.
She's phenomenal.
She talks about shame yep.
And she has a mantra that I got tattooed on my arm called braving, which stands for boundaries, reliability, accountability, vault, integrity, non judgment, and gratitude. So I try to live my life by that each and every day as best I can, progress not perfection.
Would you have been willing do you think it would have been? It would have taken you longer to figure out the self esteem part? What do they call it? The piece of shit? If you hadn't gone through already the sobriety journey. Were those two things connected and.
They are one hundred percent connected because you know a lot of the things that I some of my actions when I was not sober. You know, I have no regrets. Let's just start by saying that everything happened exactly, how was it was. It was all meant to be. And I have learned a little bit more each time that I've fallen off the wagon or that I've gone backwards. But but having this length of sobriety under my belt, I think really helped me take in what I needed
to actually take in. Where before, you know, when I put together two years here, three years there, I was what we call it dry drunk. I was just white knuckling it. I wasn't going to meetings. I wasn't taking it as seriously as I am today. And I owe it all to my youngest daughter. She is the reason why this time was different. I flew back from doing a radio show in Miami two and a half years ago. On September twenty fifth, I flew back home. I went
hard the night before, real hard. Smelled like a bar. When I got home, I didn't feel like I did, But you know, I tried to drink a bunch of coffee, kind of you know, dead in the odor. But again, it's it's kind of like smokers. I hate to say it, but I smoke. It's the only advice I have left. But we don't smell the smoke on us, but everyone else does. It's like, oh God, were you so sme? Like an ashtray? Do I really? But I went to give her a hug and she backed away from me,
and I was like, what's wrong? And she's like, you don't smell like my daddy. That was like rip my heart out, stab it set it on fire.
How old was she? Right?
And she's seven now, so she was like four.
Wow.
Yeah, and she's she's super smart, sharp as at.
And aren't they so honest when they're young? Right?
They say exactly what they're thinking.
More ways that I like, you know, like you kils, kids are mean, kids are mean, like you know, like I've I've had to deal with these, you know, these these difficult conversations with both my girls about bulliese you know, because you know, kids are kids are mean and being a girl dad, you know, having to deal with boys being boys. You know, I wasn't that kind of a boy. But I know that there are boys out there that are just mean generally because they like you, right tell me.
But there's a couple of boys that are particularly mean to my youngest. But as much as I want to bring you their little necks, I know it's because they like her, because she's so likable. Both my girls are and they're people people, you know, so but but yeah, man, my kids can can really kick you when you're down sometimes and just be so brutally honest you're like, oh my god, that hurts.
They keep you grounded, that's so.
Oh they do, they really do. They are very, very humbling, and they exercise humility always.
How does she feel about that story, knowing that I assume you shared it, that that was a turning point for you.
I mean, both my girls are old enough now, I think to really understand. Like I was on FaceTime maybe two weeks ago, and uh, I was drinking a what's the I can't you think of the brand? It's one of my favorite ginger ales. But it's in a green bottle, looks like a beer bottle, and but it clearly says ginger Ale. But it was turned around and I grabbed it while I was on FaceTime and they both were like that better not be alcohol dad. I'm like, oh my god, no, look no ginger el gender eil. I said,
let me just be honest with you girls. Number one Daddy wouldn't be facetiming you if I was drinking, and number two Daddy wouldn't be facetiming you if I was drinking. So uh, you know. But they are very very protective of me, which I love. They're like my little security. When we go out and have our little daddy daughter dates. If somebody asked for like a picture or whatever, they get really territorial or they want to be in the photo, then it's okay for Daddy to stop and take pictures.
As long as we get to be in the picture too, it's okay.
I'm like, all right, how hard is it?
You know, this has been a journey you've been on and you I think it's really important to you point out that your alcoholism or your relationship with it was just a symptom of a larger problem. But when you're out on tour and you're in that environment, how hard is it? I mean, do you not find it hard at all? Now that You've got the tools in place.
No. I mean, look, well, yes, I do have the tools in place. I have you know, X amount of people on speed dial, my sponsor, my best friend, my publicist. I have people that look out for me, that are that love me, that have been in my circle for a very long time. And but you know, again, if I'm in a weird mindset, or I'm out with friends, or I'm out at dinner and people are drinking, if I get uncomfortable, I just excuse myself and leave. You know,
why put myself through that added pressure. I don't need to. You know, no is a complete sentence. You know, didn't really understand that either until this last little stint in Scottsdale. You know, I learned a lot. I also learned how hot Scottsdale really can get. Didn't keep me off the golf course though I played in one hundred and twenty degrees. Wow.
Wow, that's dedication. Oh yeah, what prompted the Scottsdale visit?
You know? I so I knew that the tour was over, and and I've got a weekly therapist that I was you know, talking to, and and he was like, you know, I'm just gonna put this out there. There's this amazing place if you really want to dive deeper into this, this and this. You know, there's so the facilities called the Meadows. They're all over the US. There is one in Malibu, but it's a seven day program. And I'm like, well,
that ain't gonna do shit. I seven days. If I could have figured all this out that I know today in seven days, I would have done it seven years ago. He's like, but this one is is eight weeks, and I was like, well, I really want to do this right so and then I extended it for two more weeks, not intentionally, I didn't realize. So in the middle of it, they send you away about about an hour north to I can't remember the name of the city, but when I tell you, it was in the middle of nowhere,
middle of nowhere. It's an extension of the same program, but they call it Trauma Week. So what you're dealing with is from birth to seventeen. Now if you come back for trauma track two, which I do want to go back, is from seventeen to present day. So like really talking to my inner child, dealing with my abandonment issues when my dad left you know all of that stuff, and it was just me and two other guys with this one therapist, and it was pretty It was pretty intense,
you know. It was five days of tears of joy, tiers of pain, but like just lots of writing. A very similar scenario happened that I did when I first went to rehab back in two thousand and one. They have this thing called the bataka, which essentially is a piece of PVC pipe with a foam pad on the
end of it looks like a giant lollipop. And you're sitting in front of an empty chair and you're talking to some one, whether it's my mom or my dad or my grandparents that have passed, and you're just expressing without them retaliating how you feel. And then if you need to get out anger or fear sadness, you beat the shit out of the chair with this pataca. And
I broke it this time. I didn't realize how much anger was still there, and a lot of it was also anger inward but also outward, and man, I beat the crap out of that poor chair.
Who are you talking to? At the time, I was talking.
To my dad myself, and kind of the the business you know, I generalized it and uh, I just called it work. But yeah, I mean I went off and I like was like sorry, sorry, sorry, and the therapist was like, no, no, no, this is what you need to do. And it also inspired the other two gentlemen that were in the group that were kind of at first they didn't really want to like buy into it. They were like, ah, this is this is this is dumb.
I'm going to talk to an empty chair, and I'm like, go in with open mind, open heart, no expectations, and just let yourself go. And they both did incredible and we've all stayed friends. I talked to them at least once or twice a week, and we all check in on each other.
Two things you said jumped out at me one of them, And maybe you could direct this to people who don't really understand sometimes addiction and how it's it's a daily process the rest of your life, almost with work. You said, sometimes if I'm out with friends or something and I get uncomfortable in the environment, I just leave. I want you to expound on that. But the other thing you said earlier when we first started, he said, the sobriety thing. Now I got it all Lock, like you sound is
so confident that you're not even worried about me. So just those two things.
Yeah, I mean, look, every day is a new day. I woke up today sober, great. I don't know what's going to happen two hours from now, but I know that if I have any weird thoughts or have any I don't really have the desire for like craving anymore. But it doesn't mean that I won't have a thought pop in my head. And if that thought pops in, I can usually make it pop out. But if it lingers, I call my sponsor, I call some of my friends
that are in the program. I'm like, hey, man, you know I'm kind of feeling a little squirrely, and we'll have a five minute conversation and then I'm good. I also take five minutes talk to my higher power. Or I meditate. You know, you can meditate with your eyes open walking down the street. I do it in the shower every morning. But yeah, when I say that it's
on lock, it's that in my mind. I keep telling myself that because it's that important to me, and that it needs to be the number one thing in my life, before family, before anything, is my sobriety, because without that, everything else goes away, career, family, all of it, you know. So and sadly, I've lost now twelve friends to fetanaohl
in the past two and a half years. So another thing that keeps twelve friends, another thing that keeps me on the up and up, because you know, since I got sober this last time, all of my bad people will call them are out of my phone. So I know me well enough. If I go out, I have one drink, It'll lead to two or three, and I'll talk to some random person at the bar of the club, Hey do you have this, this, and this and next thing? You know, I leave my kids fatherless, not worth it,
just not so. You know, I'm kind of a homebody anyways. I don't really do the club scene or go out. You know. I'm starting to finally go out more now with friends to like a nice dinner and like just get out of the house and just do stuff, meet new people. You know. I'm trying to not be a recluse because that's also not healthy. But I do love being at home. I do love you know. I'm either on the golf course or I'm with my you know, kids and so you know, or I'm on stage somewhere,
so you know, life is definitely moving. But I now, like I said earlier, having boundaries in my life now is a huge, huge asset because if I'm not cool with something, I will tell you. Or before I would just kind of go with the flow. But it's like, nah, I'm really not okay with that. Whatever it is, it doesn't matter if it's work related, you know, personal family, whatever it is. You know, very cool.
I mean, I think that that's going to be inspiring to a lot of people who struggle with boundaries.
And all of I mean, just feeling pulled.
In one direction because you don't feel confident in where you want to be. You described it a little bit, but how would you describe your life right now?
My life right now? You know, today I can look at myself in the mirror and I like who I see. It's getting better and better every day. I think what's been really cool to see is I've been working out my solo record now for over two years because we were still on tour, so I couldn't just finish it in like three months, and lyrically, it's the best record I've ever done. You can tell where my headspace is. You can tell like I'm not all over the place like I've I've got a direction and I'm staying in
that path. I'm keeping in my own lane. I'm trying not to be affected by outside anything, and I'm just enjoying life. I really am taking everything in. You know, I've said in like meet and greets. I've said even on this tour right now with Joey, when we do these little sound check parties where we'll you know, talk to the audience, We'll talk to the fans for a little bit. And you know, one of the girls asked me recently, you know, what's your favorite place to go
on the road. I'm like, well, I can't pinpoint one place. There's tons, I said, But this last two and a half years, I've gone back to a lot of places I've been twenty thirty times, but never sober. So now it's a whole new place for me. So going out and like getting out of my room, not staying in my room all day all night on my days off recovering from be going on a bender. You know, I'm getting out and I'm like trying the local cuisine. I'm on a different golf course every other day, or you know,
checking out. I do love the shop, checking out the shopping. You know. My publicists and I were in Abu Dhabi last October with the NBA and went to this gigantic mall and I I've never in my whole life had a like a personal shopper person with you that helps. I'm like, this is the weirdest thing. But it was very cool, nicest guy in the world. But it was just a really cool experience. There's a lot of perks to do what I do. This is one of those perks.
And it was an incredible experience. I had never been into an air maze in my entire life, went for this one. And she was a little kid in a candy store and I'm just sitting in this little room that they bring you a tea, and I'm like, what is happening right now? Like I was like, can't we just go look at the like I'm used to walking into a store and looking at the clothes, trying it on. No, no, no, no, this is a different experience. But yeah, man, just life.
Life's too short. It really is. And I you know, another thing I learned in Arizona that I got also tattooed on me, at least the abbreviation on my knuckles, which hurt like hell. By the way, is if it doesn't fit, don't wear it. My whole life, I've taken on everyone else's shit because I am very codependent. I'm a people pleaser or and I'm working through that as well. And you know, I want to make you like me, So I'm gonna do whatever I have to to make you like me, even if it kills me. Now, if
you don't like me, that's your fucking loss, period. But taking the weight of other people's problems off of my shoulders and focusing on what's most important my family, my health, myself, that's it, and then everything else will fall into place, you know. So again, if it doesn't fit, don't wear it.
Would you say, because you when you mentioned you lost twelve friends to fentanyl where you were headed, you said life is short? Did you think this was a life or death situation for you? What would have happened had you not made that commitment, had your daughter not called you out?
I mean, who knows? I it's a hit or miss, honestly, because you know, when I did that final relapse. Blow was part of it. And you know, fentanyl hadn't really been dominating as much as it is now, but it was still out there. But you know, I dodged a bullet. I mean, honest to God, I dodged a lot of bullets when I was out in the world active in my disease. You know, I countless times getting behind a wheel,
all different things that angel on my shoulder. Man, I don't know how, but I was able to make it from point A to point B in one in one piece. So you know, again there is there's a reason I'm still here, and I'm gonna run with whatever that reason is. And like I said, I'm loving life today. You know, I think this might be the busiest I've ever been in my whole career. And it's great though, because it's all healthy distractions from if I'm having a weird day
or whatever. Like being here with you guys doing something like this. I enjoy this. It's fun. I love sharing my experience, strength and hope and hopes that it helps one other person. I did my job talking about my music, talking about just family, all of it. I mean, I you know, I mean, I'm I'm in a way different place than I was two and a half years ago. This would be a different conversation.
You said you mentioned you dodged a bullet. I think it is how you said you came out of it without a meeting of faith like some of the friends you had. But looking at you, you look good, you look healthy, You're out there performing. Do you have any ongoing or long term health impacts of all those hard years or did you come out of that on scathe?
I actually came out of that unscathed as well. You know, I've been on a real big health kick ever since I did Dancing with the Stars. Of course, a lot of that was stress, you know, trying to keep up with that show was a lot, but I was but it was an incredible experience and so I started on my kind of health journey. Then Since then, I've lost about thirty five pounds. But sobriety also helps I eat very, very healthy now that I've I've never ate this healthy in my life. When I did did End One, I
must say drag Race. When I did RuPaul's drag Race, Secret Secret Celebrity drag Race, this like for me, it was a weird, little external life changing thing that happened. Raven, which is Mama Rou's main lead makeup artist, has been for years, sat down with me. I was outside my trailer and said, how bad do you want to win this thing? I said, I really want to win this
really bad. Because we're all playing for different charities. I was playing for an amazing charity called trans Lifeline because I'm a huge advocate for the LGBTQ plus community, have been for years. So I was like, yeah, I really I really want to win this. You know, I didn't win Dancing with the Stars. I want to win this. He's like, well, can I make a few suggests? And I was like yeah, sure. He goes, what do you
How do you feel about taping? And I was like, oh, is that He's like, no, no, no, honey, that's tucking. I'm like, oh, okay, sorry, I don't know what taping is. You have to cut me in. He goes, well, we'll tape your eyebrows up under the wig cap and then we'll tape your neck back to give you a really strong jaw line. And I was like, the hell with it, Yes, I want to win now. Genetically, in my family, we
all have like extra skin on our necks right. So for years I was insecure about it because even when I would go back and forth with my weight, I always had a big beard because I was very insecure about it. So when I saw what I look like with a jaw line, I got emotional and I found an amazing doctor and I went and I had light bow and I had facetight done on that area, and
I like, after all the healing was done. That mixed with having my freaking six pack back, which I haven't seen in a long time, I felt like I was thirty years old. Wow, And it just I mean, I just kept going. I'm like, I feel great. I'm in the gym six days a week, you know, and trying to eat as healthy as I can. You know, traveling is hard, you know, but the fast food is definitely out. Yeah,
that's you know. I'm pretty much kind of give myself one exemption, which is when I come home from being on the road from however long it could be a week, a day, or two months. My celebratory i'm back home. I always go to McDonald's always.
What's your order?
It used to be a double quarter pounder with cheese, but I can't my stomach can't handle it any more. So I do a number seven, which is the two little cheeseburgers, and I do a media French fries and a diet coke, and I'm good.
It's good to give yourself a little bit of a break. And I love the diet coke. I do the same thing when I do. I don't go very often, but if I do, it's always with the diet coke, which makes me laugh.
There's there's this weird myth that's been going on that like the diet coke and sprite at McDonald's is like the best of the two anywhere. I'm like, what makes it so much different than buying a can at the grocery store.
Apparently there's My daughters would totally agree with you, but I don't know what that is. They want the fountain drink at McDonald's and they say it doesn't even compare it to if you go to a gas station and you know, get a whatever a bottle of it is a completely secret.
Yeah.
So you're Spencer, you're healthy, you're fit, you got your six pack, you're looking good, you're single.
Are you ready to mingle?
Not ready to mingle?
No?
I look, I I'm definitely staying focused on me. I'm staying focused on my career. I'm staying focused on my daughters and just just being a dad and just just being happy. You know. I there's so much great things happening in my life that have taken such a like a lead forefront that that's all I really care about right now. So yeah, I mean, you know, I don't know what the you, but right now that's all I
care about is new music. You know, Backstreet gearing up for something massive next year that I can't say anything about, but it's going to be huge.
Will you please get him on.
Something huge?
That's all I can say.
New music.
I mean, we're we definitely want to go back in the studio at some point. We're taking twenty twenty four off ish. We have Backstreets back at the Beach coming up in the next week and a half. We'll be down in Cancun with about four thousand fans and our buddy Jason Derula is coming out to do a couple of songs. Uh. We're also going to be headlining Lovers and Friends in Vegas on May fourth, I believe it is, and then we have a festival in Germany.
That's a year off.
Well, normally we're on tour like seven or eight months out of the year, So yes, this is you know, doing these little spot dates is fun. It also keeps us, keeps our chops up good, keeps our vocals good, keeps everybody healthy. I think if we were off off, I don't think the five of us could actually ever really be just off off. We love what we do too much. Another reason why I'm doing this tour with Joey right now, because it is strictly for the fans. We're doing it.
You know, you got in Sync and back Street together on stage. I know it's not all ten of us, but it's still getting those fans all together under one roof and Joey and I singing. I'm singing my favorite in sing songs I've never sang ever live, and he gets to sing his favorite Battery songs. We do cover songs, I do my originals, We tell stories. It's two hours
of just organized chaos and so much fun. So you know, it's a little taste of what it would be if the ten of us ever toured together, which I don't think is ever gonna happen. But you know, we never know, you know, I mean, you know, like in the mortal words of Justin Bieber, never say never. But again, you know, like I learned my lesson years ago when I was doing a red carpet somewhere and I just said it exactly like this. I said, how cool would it be?
How cool would it be if Backstreet and Spice Girls did a tour? That's all I said. And then it ran from there because then they went and I think somebody asked mel B and she said, oh, that would be great. We would totally do it. And then it became a thing where oh, this is happening. I'm like, oh my god, sorry, no, it's not happening. This is this is strictly a rumor. I shouldn't have said anything. It was just I was just talking out loud. So
you know, again, I've learned my lesson. I I don't want to be the Mark Ruffalo of the Marvel universe. Oh my god, no Mark, he get Mark and Tom Holland both get so much crap, just spill it out. And poor Kevin Figey's got to like put the clamp on him. But you know, but dude, I would be the worst to be in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
You can't.
No, there's no way. I'd be too excited to tell the world like this is coming, you know. But yeah, so Joey was telling me that, you know, Lance and I are very similar like that that like we both have a hard time keeping our mouth shut. But like I said, just me saying that there's something big coming is enough to get people's interest.
And uh, when's that announcement coming that I don't know yet.
We're actually having a phone call about it on Thursday, so we'll find out when when we're going to be talking more about it.
But it's it's not new music, not get back in the studio of new music.
No, I mean, well I I I don't know if it's going to be new music or not. I don't know.
You didn't say no, okay, but we were use you guys have been touring, so you would make a big announcement of touring that is there a movie.
We're joining Actually boys are joining the MCU. There it is, damn it.
We can't wait to get exclusive you.
Well, we actually have a comic book back in the day that was actually done by stan Lee Nick. It was Nick's idea. It was called the Batstory Project. We had the comic book. We sold it during the Black and Blue tour, and I've talked to Nick Becau. Him and I are both major nerves when it comes to like comic books, funkos, all of that, And I'm like, dude, we should actually like make this into like the Backstreet
cinematic universe, Like why not? I think it'd be fun, But I think some of us have gotten a little we've kind of aged out as to doing action movies.
Well it's funny because you say aged out. You all have been together and like touring and making amazing music.
You're for how long now?
It'll be thirty one years this month?
So many like that is almost unheard of. What do you all have that most people don't that most bands don't How have you been able to stay again?
Transfusions? No?
Is that what it is?
Yes? No? Yes, I have the blood of a twenty year old. No, I mean, look, we it's a testament number one to the music. First, we've been blessed with hit after hit after hit. Thank you Max Martin, thank you Dennis Pop, thank you to the share On team in Sweden that first. Second, the best fans in the world, and we are a global brand. We have fans all over the world that drive us, that have become an extension of us, that make us want to do what
we do. And yeah, we've had some low points where we've wanted to quit, where we've won, where we've been burnt out, but you know, just like anything, the only way around us through, and we've gone through enough and gotten over those humps. And really the kind of upswing started with this is the end from that, going into the Vegas Residency, and then right after that putting out our ten studio album, getting a Grammy nomination, our ninth
Grammy nomination, and it's just been the steady climb. We finished up a two hundred and seventeen show, forty four country through and a half million person tour. Took us four years, but that's because the world shut down. But and here we are coming up on thirty one years.
It's incredible.
I mean, if you're anywhere where there is a DJ, whether it's a wedding or a party, and a Backstreet Boys song comes on, everybody rushes the dance floor. I mean, that's got to be an amazing feeling to know that it.
Is that's going to live on it.
It's it's really cool. Like even when I'm walking through like the mall with my kids and I hear one of our songs, it still hits like it's still like, oh that's cool, you know what I mean, Like it's I still pinch myself to this day, not as hard as I used to. But it's just mind boggling to me because again, you know, I'll always go back because and compare it to the Beatles, not us to the Beatles,
but the Beatles were only together for seven years. They had way more albums than we did because they're doing two or three albums a year, but seven years. And look at the impact the Beatles have had on pop culture, on music. And here we are ten albums, thirty one years and still going. It's insane. It it doesn't really make sense, to be honest with you, it doesn't. But we're gonna keep riding the wave, man, and just enjoying it. And also now we have like complete control, so we
dictate how the tour schedule's gonna go. We're not doing five shows in a row, you know, if we were lipsticking, sure, but we sing live, our voices can't do that. We want to be able to like enjoy the cities we're in, So maybe we'll have a day off in between a couple shows in a brand new city. Let's all. This particular tour was the most we've spent time together as a group on days off in probably fifteen years. Four out of five of us are on the golf course.
Kevin not the biggest golfer. He likes to go camping or glamping, as we'll say. But like, we really spent every day to gain and had a freaking blast. And that's what it's about. If you're not having fun, then throwing the towel, it's just not worth it. But we're really having a blast.
How fun is it now?
Though?
I have an eleven year old singing your songs right, singing your songs that I was listening to when I was We're about the same age. So what is that like now for a whole new generation of folks, really young folks who have all these other artists out there streaming and everything, who still can say I like the back.
I mean it's I kind of I'm learning what's happening in music now through my daughter's eyes, because they are the next generation. They are the ones that will dictate what's cool, what's not, what works, what doesn't like. They've introduced me to so many new artists. Ava Max is my number one that they've introduced me to. We've done a show with her. Sweetest girl in the world. Was so nice to my kids, you know, obviously, Taylor same.
You know, I've become a swiftie, you know. And look you if you're not go away, go back to bed, go to sleep. What's really funny is on this tour right now, the legendary Night tour with Joey and I, fans are now, you know, calling me Alex, which is super sweet. But they're bringing me bracelets now, just like the whole Arass tour with all the bracelets, all the exchange of bracelets that happened. And I'm like, and we did an interview, Joey and I, and we both were like,
thank you, Taylor, thank you. This is because of you. But you know, this is the next generation. So I will kind of lean on my kids and be like, so, what's the new hot stuff? Because I don't really listen that much to the radio. I listen to what's on my phone. But like I'm starting to listen to radio again and it really is interesting what's out there. There's so many new artists that are so talented, the Jelly Rolls and all these artists out there, the Morgan Wallins
that have been around for a minute. But like I feel like I've been living under a rock for a second, you know. But there's so much talent out there.
There is, and you are in the forefront of it all. You've got a couple you just had electric right really.
Yep, And we're talking about the next single right now as well.
So a lot of singles. Is there an album coming?
There is an album coming. So I've been promising fans of this album for a while. Sorry, in talks with some major labels right now, so I'm kind of putting things on hold as far as my whole plan was to have two EPs and then a full LP, which still may happen. But no matter what happens, whether it's independent or it's through a major, the whole album is going to be out this year, no matter what.
This year.
I'm making that a point because I owe it to myself, to the fans. I've worked too hard on it and I listened to it almost every day and I'm like, God, I want the world to hear this. So and like I said, there's a very special record that I've been doing on this tour with Joey called Arizona, which is really getting a lot of attention. And I really hope when that song is a single, which it will be, the video has to be perfect. It has to be as powerful as the song, and I really want to
attach it to something in the mental health space. It's such an inspirational song and I just want to help people in any way I can.
We'll let you get on the last couple of things. Yeah, we've been going about forty minutes, so we'll let you get out. But a few other things we want to hit on it for. We do want to say congratulations, because I guess it's a blessing and a curse. You planned on being off the road this tour, were supposed to wrap up, but you had to add dates and you're going to be working more and on the road more because of demand. Congratulations there, thank you.
Yes, it's you know. Joe and I did a show in Tampa back in November. It was just a one off that caught wind. We did a show at Formula one two totally different crowds. By the way, what was a corporate gig. They got crazy at the corporate gig because I take my shirt after in the show and there's like ten dudes in the crowd, probably like fifty plus shirts off. They were going. They were all having they were up time in their lives. And then we
got offered to do nine shows. And what's interesting, it brought me back to when we had the Vegas Residency because that residency started with nine shows, that's all they wanted to do our fifth show in they added thirty more, and before you know it, nine shows became eighty one shows, fastest selling residency in Vegas history. So not saying that that's what's happening with this, but it's it's starting to
turn into that. Where it was nine shows, now it's going to be thirty shows by the time we're done in June, and we're adding more dates in August. So we're gonna keep doing it actuation as long as the fans want to see Joey and I be a couple of fools up there singing our butts off, having fun. Telling stories. We're gonna keep doing it. It's fun.
Did you all need need is not the right word, but everybody loves to have that debate in Seeing versus Bactory boys, you gotta pick one. But in some way they wanted to make you all. I know, you all get along. That's not yea, you oll didn't have any personal beat, but that rivalry how much did it help the genre at the time and propel both groups to have a kind of a competitor out there pushing each other, maybe musically but also in the charts.
Look, you know we were under the same label, same management, same producers, five and five. Essentially we had already been going pretty hard when in Sync started, So essentially, whatever we said no to, they said yes to, or vice versa. Which the kind of turning point for them was this Disney special that we turned down because we were just burnt.
We were just off the road and we were like, you know what, we just want to take a break, We need a break, and in Saint took our slot, and that's what kind of helped kickstart their whole career.
You all are responsible for their success, is what I'm hearing.
No, No, we're not responsible. But us saying no, we helped open the door for them to say yes, and they wouldn't even say that. But you know, they them and us both Again, there was no social media back then, so is just the teeny Bop magazines or the regular print magazines and the Inquirer. You know, they would they were the ones pitting us against each other when there was never any rivalry. If if there was any competition,
it was internal. It was us and them trying to be the best we could be for our own group. Because if you watch TRL, it was number one, number two slot every week. It was back and forth, back and forth, back and forth. So again, you know, we were all just having the time of our lives, you know what I mean. But now you know, you know, seeing them together. I was at Justin's show at the Wiltern and I was dead center when they reunited. The decipel
of screams was unbearable. But I get it, you know, I get it, and it was great to see them back up there together. The song is incredible, and I got to preview the song the week before. Joey and I were in New York doing promo for the tour, and we just did GMA and he played me Paradise and I was like, oh, it's like one of those songs where you go, damn, I wish that was our song. But yeah, it's like they never left, you know what I mean. And the fans are loving it, and I
really hope that they do something. I really really do.
I want to ask you too, when you think about when you all were at your height and you were hitting number one on the billboard, could you have imagined thirty years later you'd still be doing this?
Not at all. I mean, look, we hoped, we wanted longevity. You know, We've said we would like to be the Rolling Stones of pop or the Eagles of pop, because at some point the dancing is going to stop. We just physically won't be able to do it anymore.
You still got the moves, so I was.
I was watching the video and I was even saying to TJ, It's like, damn, he can still dance.
We still dance eighty five percent of the show, you know. I mean, we got some fifty plus in the group, which is not old these days.
I'm fifty plus. I get it.
I mean, it's all how we treat our bodies. But but no, I mean, we're gonna keep doing this until either we don't enjoy it or until we physically can't anymore, because I mean, look, the stones are out or they're about to go back out again. I mean, like the fans, as long as the fans are there will be there period. If you build it, they will come. It's that old saying.
And to your point, you have to argue, you guys have done what you wanted to do. You as are a rolling stones of pop.
You.
I mean, there's still.
Stuff left that we haven't. You know, we still would like a Grammy. That would be nice, but does it define our career. No, we're still going thirty one years later, that's without any Grammys.
But nine nominations, but nine nominations, which one did you really deserve to win? And you with that piss?
I think I think all of us would agree, Me and the boys. It was in ninety nine Album of the Year, Best Pop Duo Group and uh and I believe it was a Song of the Year, which was I want it that way it was? It was the Millennium and we lost to Sting and which is an icon. You can't say no?
And Carlos Santana okay when he came back, you know again again to competitions two Legends, but it was a little frustrating because Carlos came back and it was just all duets with all current artists, so like Rob Thomas and all of them.
It was a great album. I remember that, you know, Smooth was such a smash, but it was kind of like, oh, man, like we had the biggest album yeah, ever, and it's like, okay, okay, okay, if you know, if if we're gonna lose, to lose
to two giant legends, it's okay. And when we did this show years ago on VH one called Men Strike Back, it was the it was the version of Divas and it was only one season, but they gave it up for the for like the men of you know music, we got to perform with Sting and Sting sang my verse on I Want It that Way, and I was like, yeah, cool, fine, my guess I'm not gonna say no this thing. But yeah, that one kind of that wasn't a clean burn. That one itched when it dried, you know, so I was, yeah.
Well, you know what it seems like when that has happened in your career, you all have just worked harder and smarter and better, and so there's still plenty of time to get that Grammy.
Yeah, I mean, you know, so it's funny and look, and I'm gonna put myself out there right now. I'm gonna say this, and I'll still do it when we win the Grammy. But okay, so I told the boys this last nominee, which was for Don't Go Breaking My Heart off of the DNA album. I said, if we win, you know, there's five of us, so we each get to say a little something. You know, someone will think the fans. I won't take the label. I said, I want to go last. And the boys are like, no,
hell no, because we don't trust you. You're gonna do something or say something. I'm like, no, no, no, no, no no, I'm not gonna do anything bad. I just want to you know. I'm obviously gonna thank my family. I'm gonna thank my thank you for and then I'm just gonna dedicate the Grammy to Leo DiCaprio and then we'll walk off and then you go straight to the pressure room and the pressure will be like, okay, what huh. My theory is we are the Leo Dicaprios of the music business.
It took no because he should have went for what's eating Gilbert Great, it's a party. He wins for getting mauled by a virtual bear, and I and I believe he's also vegan or vegetarian and he was eating raw meat in the so like, we're the Leo Dicaprios of the music business in my in my personal opinion, so I wanted to dedicate it to him if we actually won.
Are they gonna let you do that? Are they still say you can't.
Kind to happen, whether whether they tell me I can or not. I'm just gonna be like, this is fe Leo and this run off stage.
You said you can accept losing the sting in Carlos Santana. Who'd you lose to you?
Like this?
Are we lost to this?
Dude? I don't know.
I mean, I wouldn't expect to answer that, but kidding, honestly, I.
Can't really think of anyone on the top of my head, nor would I say it, you know, but again, look, just to be recognized as much as we have is a testament to the music and really to Max, I mean, Max is just in my opinion, one of the greatest writer producers of all time, all time. I mean, yes, you've got the Quincy Jones of the world, that David
Foster's of the world, and they are fantastic. But my generation, our generation, and the plethora of artists that he's worked with, from bon Jovi to The Weekend to Us to Celine Dion, you name it, Moroon five. I mean, it's just unbelievable how that man's brain works. I don't get, but you know, yeah, I mean he is really the sixth member, honestly.
Well, we feel very honored to have been able to talk to you, Alex, and it's been so cool to hear just where you've been, what you've been through, and where you are now. And it is an inspiration to so many people who are on that journey as well. So thank you for sharing it, and thank you for just making our lives better through your music, through your action,
through your decisions to put yourself first. That's a testament to a lot of folks who don't do that, and it's important because you can't be there for your family if you aren't there for yourself.
And there is such a thing as healthy selfish so just know that and that yes, putting yourself first is not a bad thing.
Imptation of police and TASS