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November
2002
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Entertainment
Weekly review- 'Now or Never'
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Source:
www.entertainmentweekly.com
Reviewed by David Browne
POP LOCK Carter sticks to boy-band stylings on his solo
debut
Compared with the style-shifting Christina Aguilera and
Justin Timberlake, Nick Carter is a classicist. None of
their lofty ambitions for him -- on Now or Never, Carter
brings new meaning to the phrase ''kicking it old-school''
by keeping the boy-band sound alive, albeit with heavier
guitars and a wholesale embrace of hair-metal choruses.
Carter just wants simple sugar-pop kicks, and he gets them
in the creamy ''My Confession'' and ''Help Me.'' It's fluff
and he knows it, and he scores points for lack of
pretension.
Alas, he's docked for ''Girls in the USA,'' a grating Def
Leppard-meets-dancehall mess in which Carter brags about how
he has ''a little thing in the Denver hills/A real fine mama
with a sex appeal.'' (And that's just one city.) And like
Timberlake and Aguilera, Carter seems compelled to sit down
next to a piano and ooze the most generic melody he's
handed. Still, Carter's determined to have fun even as his
world crumbles around him -- which, in some twisted way,
proves that at least one teen-pop veteran remains in synch
with our times. EW Grade: C
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NYPost:
Nick Carter: 'Now or Never'
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Source: The New York Post
"Now or Never"
Jive Records
Backstreeter Nick Carter takes a chance with his first solo
record, "Now or Never," combining old-fashioned
boy-band catchiness with elements of rock.
It's a formula that doesn't always work, but when it does,
it's excellent.
On this album Carter chooses not to rock the Backstreet boat
very hard, leaning heavily on the boy-band side of the mix.
But he finally lets loose with "Girls in the USA"
which has guitar crunch, power drumming and vocals that seem
more influenced by Kid Rock than the kiddie ballads of
Carter's past.
His ballads are still pretty poopy, but the rock material
which peppers the effort - like "I Just Wanna Take You
Home" and "Help Me" - makes you take note.
Had Carter taken a giant step into the realm of rock this
would have been a better album, but it still stands as an
interesting record by an artist in transition - who
hopefully won't regress when he hooks up with his bandmates.
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Nick
Carter Interview with StarShine Magazine!
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Source: StarShine Magazine
Your editor, Sandy Lo Grasso had a chat by phone on October
22, 2002 with Nick Carter about his solo album and the
future of the Backstreet Boys and being sexy...
Sandy (StarShine Magazine): So first I just want to say
congratulations on your solo album!
Nick Carter: [laughs] Thank you.
Sandy (StarShine Magazine): You're welcome. So Now or Never
is exactly one week away...
Nick Carter: Mmm-hmm...
Sandy (StarShine Magazine): Are you nervous? [laughs]
Nick Carter: I'm a little nervous, but I'm so excited
that...[laughs] it's like a mixture of both...nervousness
and excitement and all that great stuff. I'm lovin' it.
Sandy (StarShine Magazine): Cool. Your first single,
"Help Me" is really--I'm being honest--it's such a
great song. I love it so much!
Nick Carter: Oh, you like it?
Sandy (StarShine Magazine): Yeah, I love it.
Nick Carter: Thank you.
Sandy (StarShine Magazine): Um, it's more on the rock side
as the rest of the album is...
Nick Carter: Actually...have you heard the album?
Sandy (StarShine Magazine): They sent me a press kit, but
they didn't send me the whole album...they just sent me
"Help Me", but I've heard--
Nick Carter: The album's a little more rock actually.
Sandy (StarShine Magazine): Yeah, I've heard clips because
um, I have Aaron's [Carter] album too, so I've heard clips
from that and I've heard some on the internet and
everything.
Nick Carter: Mmm-hmm. Okay.
Sandy (StarShine Magazine): So since it's more rock, do you
think when people hear like "Help Me" or the rest
of the album they're like "That's Nick Carter?"
Nick Carter: Ummm, I think they will. I hope they will. I
mean I think honestly from the beginning this is just my
preference in music. People are gonna--in the beginning
probably be a little bit scared to--or maybe like uh, you
know interested to see what it's gonna be like because you
know they're so used to see me doing pop music and stuff
like the Backstreet Boys, but I think the cool thing is that
they'll really be able to um--hopefully, it'll be a good
shock, you know? A nice surprise hopefully for them.
Sandy (StarShine Magazine): Well, it seems like everyone's
taken to it so far. I mean I'm the editor of my magazine
so...
Nick Carter: Mmm-hmm.
Sandy (StarShine Magazine): ...And I get tons of e-mails
saying--like once I mentioned you were going to be in the
magazine, they were all like--all these comments saying,
"Oh my God, I can't believe Nick Carter's going to be
in it." And they were so excited. [laughs]
Nick Carter: I'm like...I'm honestly...I'm just shocked at
the support. I really am. I'm just like--it is amazing to
me. Uh, I really...I didn't expect it and I still don't
expect it with all like the stuff that's going on right now.
I mean it's just--I'm just happy. I'm SO grateful for all of
the support.
Sandy (StarShine Magazine): Well, you know since the
fans--they're pretty supportive, but you know they're still
kind of worried about the whole Backstreet Boys not together
thing. So I just wanted to clear that up. Can you give them
any kind of clarity on the status of the group?
Nick Carter: Well, this is how clear it was...I mean I had a
meeting with all the guys the other day and we're still
together, you know? So um, we're talking about doing another
album like middle of next year, after I do my album and
everything and that's where we are right now.
Sandy (StarShine Magazine): So everything's great with that
then?
Nick Carter: Mmm-hmm.
Sandy (StarShine Magazine): And they don't have to worry.
[laughs]
Nick Carter: Nope.
Sandy (StarShine Magazine): Do you miss the guys at all? I
mean you're all on your own now.
Nick Carter: Yes, I miss them to a certain extent. I mean
all the other guys have kind of started their lives and
stuff like that. Like Brian's married, he's about to have a
baby and you know AJ's going to get married and um...you
know, it's like I miss them, they're my brothers, but at the
same time I'm like so...so excited about what's going on.
[laughs happily] And like excited to start a part of my life
and that's you know, the solo stuff.
Sandy (StarShine Magazine): Yeah. Actually, that brings me
to my next question. [laughs] What's it like to be alive in
a sense that it's all up to you and to be able to do what
you want with your music?
Nick Carter: Umm...well, it's amazing to be able to--to do
what I want to do because I get a chance to let it all out,
you know? Let everything out inside and really just have a
lot of fun in it because I came to a decision like where I'm
at right now...I really have to have fun doing what I'm
doing and you know, I love--I love being in the
entertainment business. I love doing music. I love rock
music so I wanted to slowly, but surely enter into the rock
world. I know it's going to be really weird for people at
first, but um, I got a long way to go and I got a long
career hopefully ahead of me...and I...got a lot of work to
do. [Nick and Sandy laugh]
Sandy (StarShine Magazine): Okay so let's talk a little bit
more about the album...you've written a lot on it. Has song
writing always come easy to you or was it something you had
to work on a little more?
Nick Carter: Writing is...I have to be very inspired to do
it. I feel like--that's the way I am in everything. Until
like fate has to sort of kick me in the butt and show me
what to do and what to write. That's the way I've always
written and I love--writing has never been too easy for me,
but when I'm inspired then it is easy. So a lot of the songs
on the album are very personal--not necessarily personal
situations, but just they're human emotions--they're things
that come out of people and I'm a person so it came out of
me.
Sandy (StarShine Magazine): Which would you say is the most
personal to you? Like that you feel is the most in touch
with your life.
Nick Carter: Uh...what? Songs?
Sandy (StarShine Magazine): Yeah, which song on the album?
Nick Carter: Um, probably "I Stand For You"
because "I Stand For You" is a uh...it's a--like a
breakout, freedom song--like rebel-like just I wanna be
young...I wanna have fun and basically what I've been
telling you. You know, the words are like if I wanna have a
tattoo, I wanna have it. If I want to say what I want to
say, I'm gonna say it. If I want to ride across the country
on a Harley or something like that, I'm gonna do it, you
know? [Sandy laughs] The fact was that's everything that it
was. So I think that's why that song is very personal to me.
It's a very American song. [laughs]
Sandy (StarShine Magazine): [laughs] Yeah. Do you plan on
touring for the album soon?
Nick Carter: Yeah, I'd love to. I'd love to get on tour. I
think the one thing that's gonna be cool about being a solo
artist is that I get a chance to really get close to fans
again. And like um, I'm almost starting from the ground up
again so if there are fans out there who have been wanting
to be close to us and stuff, well now is the time because
I'm going to go to small venues and play like places that
are very intimate--maybe like 2,000 seat places and just get
REALLY close to the fans and they can see me sweat, they can
see me play instruments, you know...I'll sing to them, all
that kind of stuff.
Sandy (StarShine Magazine): That's really great because I
mean not a lot of artists want to do that again...want to
start from the beginning.
Nick Carter: I do. Big time.
Sandy (StarShine Magazine): [laughs] Well, good. I'm sure
your fans really appreciate that.
Nick Carter: Thank you. I really think they deserve it, you
know? After all those years of playing big venues and being
far away from them and stuff...so now, you know--come and
check it out...come and check out the concert because
honestly...[laughs] they're gonna rock. I'm gonna put one
hell of a show on.
Sandy (StarShine Magazine): I'm sure you will. You're Cosmo
Girl's sexiest guy in the world...how does that feel? Do you
consider yourself sexy?
Nick Carter: No, not really. I don't know what I'm like. I
guess I'm just normal. I'm who I am. You know, I don't try
to be anybody that I'm not. I'm the kind of guy who would
really walk out in jeans and a t-shirt and not really just
worry about how I look at certain times...I just--I'm a guy.
I'm the kind of guy who would be--you would catch me working
on an engine or you know, driving boats or just you know
driving a car--like a corvette or something like that, you
know I never came from a clean family--I was kind of always
dirty myself. [Sandy laughs] You know I was always the kind
of kid who would be in the dirt and rolling around in it.
I'm just a...I'm one of those...I wouldn't say roughneck
Americans, but I guess I am a little bit in a way. [laughs]
Sandy (StarShine Magazine): Okay, so as the sexist guy in
the world, the girls want to know...what are you wearing
right now?
Nick Carter: What am I wearing? I'm wearing jeans and a
t-shirt.
Sandy (StarShine Magazine): Okay. Simple enough. [Nick
laughs] So I know you've probably been asked this so many
times and I apologize for asking it, but in my magazine, we
don't like any rumors at all...
Nick Carter: Mmm-hmm.
Sandy (StarShine Magazine): Like we try to keep everything
true and just get all the garbage out. So maybe you can
clear this up...are you involved with Britney Spears in any
way?
Nick Carter: No, not at all...Nope.
Sandy (StarShine Magazine): Okay. I didn't think so because
I thought it would be too typical, you know?
Nick Carter: Yeah, I know. I'm not typical. I'm not easy to
predict. [laughs]
Sandy (StarShine Magazine): Yeah, but everybody's been
like--because I try to get close to my readers so everyone's
been telling me all this kind of stuff, so I'm like "Uhh...I'll
ask him." You know? [laughs] So everyone knows you've
had some trials and tribulations in your lifetime personally
and career-wise, but let's talk about the lighter side of
things...what was the funniest thing to ever happen to you?
Nick Carter: The funniest thing...I would say is...God, I
know I've had some really fun times. I'm just trying to pick
them out. I've...you know what was a funny time? [laughs] Me
and my dad, we went sailing for the first time and it was on
like a catamaran boat and um...we went out and the funniest
thing was--like 'cause these catamarans, you can tilt them
to the side and they can ride on one part too and
um...[laughs] We tilted over and we've never done that
before and we just fell off! [Sandy laughs] And like the
boat tipped over, but then we, you know you gotta get back
on and pull it over. So that's what we did, we pulled it
over, but then the boat TOOK OFF on us!
Sandy (StarShine Magazine): [laughs] Oh God...
Nick Carter: And the wind picked it up and it sailed...so it
sailed like a hundred yards away from us and this was down
in the [Florida] Keys.
Sandy (StarShine Magazine): So were you guys stranded there?
Nick Carter: We were cracking up! Because we were...thank
God the thing actually flipped over like about fifty to a
hundred yards. It was just really, really so funny. It was
the hardest I laughed in a long time.
Sandy (StarShine Magazine): [laughs] Okay, so the music
business is what you've always known and being in the public
eye is just a part of your life. What kind of effect does
that have on you as a person and in finding your true
identity?
Nick Carter: Well, I've always been the kind of person to be
very secluded to do my own thing. Keep my friends close to
me. Keep my people around me. And not really get too
involved in that whole spotlight drama crap, you know? So
that's what I've basically have done and you know, I stay
normal. I stay true to myself. You wouldn't really catch me
doing all that crazy Hollywood stuff too much, you know?
That's how I stay normal and you know, I don't like to go
too far away from that. I've always been really--I'm the
kind of guy--people who know me...if you ever ask them
questions about me, they'll just tell you, "Trust me,
he's Nick." [laughs] There ain't nobody like me, you
know...I'm just very normal.
Sandy (StarShine Magazine): Mmm-hmm. You've accomplished so
much in your music career already and you're only
twenty-two, what's next for you?
Nick Carter: What's sexy?
Sandy (StarShine Magazine): [laughs] No...
Nick Carter: What'd you say? I'm sorry. [laughs lightly]
Sandy (StarShine Magazine): It's okay. What's next for you?
Like what's the next step?
Nick Carter: What's the next step...um...gosh. I want to
really get much better as a musician. I just started playing
guitar like about a year ago and I'm getting much better at
it. So I wanna all around...I wanna do another solo album,
hopefully. I wanna do another Backstreet album. I want to
grow as a musician. I want to play even more instruments. I
wanna develop into like maybe a like Madonna or a David
Bowie type of person. You know?
Sandy (StarShine Magazine): Wow. Yeah, best of luck with
that. And here's your chance to speak to your people...the
fans in StarShine Magazine...what would you like to say to
them?
Nick Carter: Well, I just want to say thank you for all the
support you know, it's been a very scary situation and time
for me because you know, this is a whole new world for
me--the whole solo thing and people supporting and the fans
supporting me and really showing love all over the place and
on...even just voting on TRL and all that stuff, it's just
been overwhelming and so like amazing and I just want to
thank them for that because they're making it more
comfortable for me and they're making my dreams come true
and I just thank you.
Sandy (StarShine Magazine): Okay, I just wanted to say some
things for me. [laughs] I'm a big fan. I'm a big fan of the
Backstreet Boys and you and I just want to say that it's an
honor to do this interview with you and thank you so much
for speaking with me.
Nick Carter: Thank you for having me
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Nick
Carter To Kick Off Karaoke Contest At Toys 'R' Us In Times
Square back
up
Source: Launch.com
Backstreet Boy Nick Carter will officially announce the J-14
magazine Singing Starz Karaoke Contest at the Toys
"R" Us in New York City's Times Square from 3-6
p.m. ET on November 5. Carter will also treat the crowd to a
demonstration of Jakks Pacific's new Singing Starz Video
Karaoke Machine.
Jakks Pacific partnered with J-14 for its December issue,
which features Carter on the cover. Inside the magazine fans
of the singer can find out how to enter a contest to win a
private meeting with Carter and four front-row tickets and
four backstage passes to one of Carter's concerts, among
other prizes.
To enter, print your name, address, and telephone number on
a postcard or blank sheet of paper and submit that with a
VHS video tape of yourself singing and performing karaoke to
your favorite song from the Singing Starz Video Karaoke
Machine. Mail your materials to: J-14/Singing Starz Karaoke
Contest, P.O. Box 1665, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey 07632.
Entries must be postmarked by January 15, 2003, when Carter
and judges from J-14 will select the finalists. The winner
will be notified in early February.
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VH1
is looking for AJ's ULTIMATE Fan
back up
Source: VH1/Official
BSB Site
VH1 is looking for AJ's ULTIMATE FAN to be on an upcoming
show.
Are you AJ's ULTIMATE FAN? Do you have posters of him from
floor to ceiling in your room? Do you drive your friends and
family crazy with your devotion to him? If so, VH1 wants to
hear from you!
If you live, sleep, and breathe AJ, and you live in the west
coast region, here is what to do to be considered (fans 21
and older are encouraged to write in):
Deadline: November 8, 2002
On Tape:, be yourself, and simply tell us why you are
AJ's ULTIMATE fan. When, where, and how did it all begin for
you? You can include memorabilia, or the testimonial of a
friend or loved one - whatever you like. Mail your tape to
the following address:
MTV Networks
VH1 Fan Search (AJ MCLEAN)
2600 Colorado Ave.
Santa Monica, CA 90404
You should also check out the AJ Fan Survey at BackstreetBoys.com
and let them know that you're sending in a tape.
More information is available at the VH1's
Reality Show Casting.
Please note that your tape will not be returned
If you do not have access to a camera OR you cannot make the
deadline, email musicfans@vh1staff.com
and we will find a solution.
Good Luck!
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