The immensely popular boy-band from the 1990s and early 2000s hit the scene when teen stars were reclaiming the lime light and are contemporaries of ‘NSync, Christina Aguilera, and, yes, the embattled former queen of them all, Britney Spears.

Spears recently had her children taken away from her by a judge who called her a habitual drug user. They are now staying with their father and her ex-husband, Kevin Federline.

Backstreet Boys’ A.J. McLean has been sober for five years but was addicted to drugs until the most important people in his life, what McLean calls his “unit” staged an intervention. He then entered rehab. He said what Spears needs most is support and tough love from the people in her life.

“I think her unit is not as tight and there’s not as many people who are looking out for her best interest unfortunately,” McLean, 29, told The ShowBuzz. “You just have to have a really great support group and you have to love yourself first.”

On the upside, McLean says the only way around a problem like drug addiction is through it, and that means the addict must face the harsh realities of how far the she has fallen. The latest issues in Spears’ life many force her to do so, he said.

“With all that’s happened as of recent, you know losing custody, this, that and the other, I think, you know, hopefully, unfortunately, this is a very drastic thing for someone to have to go through, but I think, hopefully, this will give her a wakeup call, and time to really kind of grow and get herself together and get her head on straight.”

While Spears is battling her own issues, demons from the past seem to be coming back to haunt the Backstreet Boys. An article from the upcoming issue of Vanity Fair alleges that Lou Pearlman, the mastermind behind groups like ‘NSync, Backstreet Boys and LFO, could have behaved in a sexually inappropriate manner with his clients, including the Backstreet Boys youngest member, Nick Carter.

In the article, his mother says that she tried to warn other parents that something inappropriate was going on and the things that happened nearly destroyed her family. When asked about the Vanity Fair story, Carter said he didn’t want to comment, but acknowledged the issue.

“This is something that’s been going on for years, talks and allegations,” he said. “It’s kinda old news, you know what I mean? So, really, there’s no comment on the issue.”

Source: http://www.showbuzz.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/10/03/people/main3325962.shtml

Listeners may get a hint of the new single when the interview with Mark Shepherd airs today on the Morning Express 5-9 a.m on 101.7 FM. It’s a plaintive ballad, the kind that helped the group sell more than 100 million records worldwide. The new album promises the group’s signature sound. ”Great melodies, great harmonies,” said Littrell, blond, tan and trim behind the studio mike, a sparkly silver wedding ring on his left hand. McLean has tattoos up to his elbows and wore a cuff bracelet of small sea shells.

The band, which includes Nick Carter and Howie Dorough, expects to start their 2007 tour in Japan, meaning McLean, who turns 30 Jan. 9, will spend another birthday in the Asian nation. Then they’ll tour South and North America in spring and summer and finish in Europe in the fall. They’ll start ”Backstreet Bootcamp” soon, says Littrell — long days of working out and rehearsing.

The name for their new album stands for all they’ve been through, said McLean, who went through rehab five years ago. Littrell had open heart surgery, and Dorough lost a sister. Original Backstreet member Kevin Richardson quit in June 2006 to pursue his own interests. Since then, he’s played lawyer Billy Flynn in the musical, ”Chicago.” ”We are not going to replace him at all,” McLean said.

Making a radio run, McLean and Littrell were in Boston Tuesday and in Philadelphia Wednesday morning. They’ll end in North Carolina Saturday, and Littrell will go home to his wife and child in Atlanta. Next weekend, he’ll be in Hunterdon County, N.J., for a solo performance at Revelation Generation, a Christian music festival at Revelation Farms near Frenchtown.

Source: www.mcall.com