A short disjointed history of the Backstreet Boys

[erilyn]

Twelve years ago today, Brian Littrell arrived in Orlando and became the final member of the Backstreet Boys.

They weren't the polished outfit then that they became later.

1993 Demo videos
+ Get Ready - 6.3 meg
+ Lover Boy - 7 meg
+ Tell Me That I'm Dreamin - 8 meg

But they did the hard yards - local shows, performing at schools, getting picked up by a record company and being dropped again without anything happening - for a couple of years. Finally, Jive picked them up, and after not catching on in the US, they were shipped off to Europe. And the rest is history.

+ We've Got It Going On (music video) - 23.3 meg
+ We've Got It Going On (first live performance in Germany) - 9.5 meg
+ Get down (live on Viva) - 18 meg

This song made them famous in the US. The porn-esque video didn't hurt either.

+ Quit Playing Games (music video) - 22 meg

Then Millenium was an even bigger success, breaking sales records along the way.

+ I Want It That Way (music video) - 21 meg
+ Larger than Life (music video) - 29 meg

They had their high points.

+ 2000 Grammys performance - Medley and Show Me the Meaning - 27 meg

They did huge tours around many countries. Which sometimes included poledancing.

+ Don't Want You Back (live in Barcelona) - 24 meg

They travelled around the world in a 100 hours. Causing a near riot along the way.

+ Around the World - Rio - 36 meg

They made many pretty videos.

+ Shape of My Heart - 22 meg
+ The Call - 23 meg

And did interviews about showering together.

+ GMTV interview part 1 - 6.2 meg
+ GMTV interview part 2 - 4.5 meg

And they had their low points.

+ Announcing AJ in rehab on TRL part 1 - 22 meg
+ Announcing AJ in rehab on TRL part 2 - 26 meg
+ Interview with MTV news re AJ in rehab - 15 meg

Late 2001, they finished their Black and Blue tour in Japan, but promised to be back in the studio soon. This didn't happen, and while babies and solo albums and Broadway and acting are all very good things, it wasn't the same. They hadn't done anything publically as a group in two years. But then - Oprah.

+ Oprah - the other Boys arrive - 7.5 meg

And even before the episode aired, rumours turned to an announcement - Backstreet's back, they were going back in the studio.

They started making group appearances and doing interviews. There was the tease of Wango Tango and Zootopia last year, and then all the goodies that came out of the China-Japan-Mexico tour.

+ BSB instudio with JoJo - May 04 - 10 meg

Finally, we have a single, and a promo tour where the guys seem to be having the time of their lives, and loving being back on the road together.

Less than a week until the video is released. Less than two months until the album.

Here's to twelve amazing years, and many more to come.

---

This was gonna be a bit longer and more coherent (and actually have more relevant pictures through the middle section), but life got in the way. Probably saved us all from overloading on my cheesiness. Don't forget - don't direct link to the files or link to my journal on mesage boards or communities. Right click and save (or equivalent).

Comments

[alasen.livejournal.com]

Oh erilyn, this was lovely! (not that I downloaded anything, but still!)

[erilyn.livejournal.com]

Awww, glad you liked it, I felt kind of silly doing it as soon as I posted.

I had considered doing Twelve Years of Backstreet Boys Hairstyles: The Good, The Bad and The Polka Dots, but decided that would take too long *g*.

[go4it.livejournal.com]

Thank you so much for putting this together and sharing. Now, I have to do that silly work thing before I can watch.

[erilyn.livejournal.com]

Isn't work incovenient like that? And I love your icon *g*.

[trumpeterofdoom.livejournal.com]

This was wonderful. Just. Thank you. And by the way, re:the date in the comments to your previous entry, this date was actually mentioned in the Boxtree Biography (or as I call it, That Bright Red Monstrosity With A Thousand Loopholes), so yeah. :)

Backstreet!

[trumpeterofdoom.livejournal.com]

And the second picture from the top will forever be known to be as The Backstreet Outsiders, because I sparklecasted books from the very beginning. :)

[liz-w.livejournal.com]

Wow, that was fantastic. Thanks so much for putting all that together.

And oh my god, babies! They were so wee!

[erilyn.livejournal.com]

Thanks :) And I know, Nick is so tiny, and AJ is just a kid too, all floppy hair and no tattoos, and they're all just so very young :)

[raynedanser.livejournal.com]

This is just such a wonderful post. Love it.

Downloading bits and pieces, though I have much already.

*cuddles*

[raynedanser.livejournal.com]

*dies* Nick is just so damn funny in that GMTV interview. BWAH!

[http://users.livejournal.com/_bettina_/]

The first few pictures make me feel so dirty!

[erilyn.livejournal.com]

I know! Tiny tiny little Nick, and the rest of them are only kids as well, even Kevin really :)

[madame-d.livejournal.com]

Oh man, I'm SO hating the fact that I'm at work right now! When I get home, there'll be drooling (the early 90's weren't kind to them, huh? ROFL) and downloading (because yes) and goodness, you made me sniffle. Just minorly. ;)

They're just so... well, slashy, actually. That picture where Nick's lying on the floor and makes for a nice prop? Mmmmmmmm *purrs happily*

I'm not coherent. *flails*

}:D

[erilyn.livejournal.com]

I love that photoshoot, there are a heap more great ones from it at Not Like You :)

Work shouldn't be allowed to get in the way of enjoying the Boys, that's just not on!

[refulgent.livejournal.com]

estu_88 (Nat) once told me to 'check you out' and add you for videos and stuff but then I say don't know you to add you would have me feel like I was using you, so I didn't lol

I just have to say; You made me tear. That was so lovely. Thank you, that was superbly done *applause* :)

[refulgent.livejournal.com]

etsu_88, My bad *^_^*


P.S psst check their official site. Its been bombarded with drool worthy, orgasmic pictures

[bubbleforest.livejournal.com]

Oh ... that was so lovely. Thank you.

12 years, man. And I've been a fan for 10 of those. That's just insane.

[bubbleforest.livejournal.com]

Oh God. I'd never seen the MTV News interview re AJ's rehab before. Oh, Nick. That made me tear up. Poor guy.

[bayouskye.livejournal.com]

Hiya! We don't know each other, but raynedanser pointed me here.

I just wanted to say thank you for making posts like this so that those of us that missed the whole "boy band revolution" can now get all kinds of caught up.

So, thank you muchly! And I hope it's okay that a total stranger is romping through your journal and doing a bit of downloading.

[erilyn.livejournal.com]

I missed it too! I've only been a BSB fan for about 2 years or so now, Nsync just a little longer :) I'm appreciating most of this in hindsight too, so I'm glad I can share it with other relatively-newcomers!

[wistfuljane.livejournal.com]

Oh my. That second to first picture? Ahahahah!

And what's this about showering together? I love the last picture, what's the story behind it?

And I love your little history of the guys. To many more years.

[trumpeterofdoom.livejournal.com]

That's from one of the short skits they did for the Black and Blue tour. Old men that were touring the galaxy and still churning out albums even after Brian's pacemaker fitting and Howie's hip replacements. :)

[simplybeing.livejournal.com]

Wow, if this didn't make my whole day. Absolutely beautiful, my dear. I can't believe... twelve YEARS, man. And stronger than ever. :)

[erilyn.livejournal.com]

It just blows my mind. I've only been in popfandom for a couple of years, and I came into hearing BSB were dead in the water as far as everyone knew, there was virtually no hope of them doing anything together again.

And now look!

And thank you :)

[beckyo.livejournal.com]

omg! Baby!Backstreet!

My hard drive is going to 'splode.

*squee*

[erilyn.livejournal.com]

Yeah, but if you're gonna sacrifice your harddrive, it may as well be for baby!Boys *g*.

[breny.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the pics. I am not particularily a bsb fan but I appreciate their history and I do like some of their songs. I enjoyed the very early pics of them you had. I think that is the first time that I've seen them that young.

Gotta tell you a funny story.....
I had made a comment to a die-hard Justin Timberlake fan that a particular picture of Joey Fatone reminded me of AJ from bsb. She asked me what bsb was and I typed out backstreet boys. Again she had no clue as to who they are. Some people must live with their head up their butts!!!

At any rate, I'm so glad for all you bsb fans that they have reunited and are back on tour. I so envy you. (nsync.......take a hint!!!! )

Bren

[erilyn.livejournal.com]

I'm so glad you enjoyed it, even with BSB not being your main group or anything :)

And has that girl been living under a rock? I mean...I may have been indifferent to boybands before getting sucked in by popslash, and I didn't know if Justin Timberlake was in Nsync or BSB, but I'd heard of them! *g*

And for really young, check out this sweet picture.

[rikes]

Thanks for the GMTV clips!

[erilyn.livejournal.com]

I love that interview, it's hysterical :)

[canadiankracka.livejournal.com]

*sniffles* Thank you!

[erilyn.livejournal.com]

::passes Lex a tissue::

I made myself sniffly while putting it together :)

[stargems.livejournal.com]

I can't even process this timeline in front of me. I CAAAAAAAN'T

God. I mean, we're all broken records at this point, but what you do here. God. THERE ARE NO WORDS.

[erilyn.livejournal.com]

I feel I should apologise for driving you to distraction while you're at work...but naaaah ;p

[http://users.livejournal.com/_unashamed/]

The were so little in the beginning!!!! Was that really that long ago? *amazed*

[erilyn.livejournal.com]

They were just kids, it's mindboggling when you think about how hard they worked.

[pandorablu.livejournal.com]

Wow, I... just... wow. When you put it all together like that, my brain e'splodes. 12 years.. wow. And I've been a fan for eight of those. It's like a third of my life. Shall grab the video and audio later tonight. Gracias!

[erilyn.livejournal.com]

You're very welcome :) It's nice to look back over all they've done, I wish I'd become a fan sooner!

[between-names.livejournal.com]

Visiting via stargems...

That's a lovely tribute (and a lot of work!) Congrats to the Boys and their fans!

[erilyn.livejournal.com]

Thank you so much :) Soon I'll have to start plotting something BIG for August for Nsync's ten year mark *g*.

[spiffymissv.livejournal.com]

Wow, thanks so much for that lovely walk down memory lane! Like blackpuppy, I've been a fan for 8 years, almost half my life. Kinda crazy, but totally worth it. :)

I will definitely have to take some videos and pictures later tonight when I'm back in my room... Thanks a lot, Erilyn!

[erilyn.livejournal.com]

I'm really happy that people are enjoying it, when I realised the anniversary was coming up, I just had to do something *g*.

[carta.livejournal.com]

Thanks! I downloaded lots. :)

[erilyn.livejournal.com]

You're very welcome, glad there was stuff that you didn't have :)

[saba1789.livejournal.com]

Wow Erilyn - this is a wonderful post! Happy BsB day :-) .

Thanks for sharing all the pics and the footage (I'm grabbing quite some of the files)! *hugs*

[erilyn.livejournal.com]

Thank you! And you're very welcome, I couldn't not celebrate the Boys *g*.

[trickyjazzer.livejournal.com]

THanks for putting this together. It brought back so many memories! :)

[erilyn.livejournal.com]

Thanks, I just had to do something for the anniversary, I'm really glad people are enjoying it *g*.

[ohevet-likro.livejournal.com]

This was a lovely sight to see when I got home tonight, thanks so much for sharing. I downloaded a few videos which I haven't seen lately.

[erilyn.livejournal.com]

Mazel tov! I hope your sister and nephew are both in excellent health :)

And thank you, I'm glad you enjoyed it and that there were things you didn't have.