Backstreet Boy Nick Carter: ‘Bring back the *NSYNC rivalry’

The cover of former Backstreet Boy Nick Carter's new book, "Facing the Music...and Living to Talk about It."

The cover of former Backstreet Boy Nick Carter’s new book, ‘Facing the Music…and Living to Talk about It.’ 

Backstreet Boy Nick Carter may specialize in cheery, infectious pop music, but his personal life has had some much darker notes.

In his new book, “Facing the Music and Living to Talk About It,” Carter chats about how he tackled the tough stuff over the past two decades, from his sister’s death to a long battle with drug addiction.

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“I wanted to write this book for people who are struggling in their lives,” Carter told the Daily News. “I turned to self-help books in order to help myself, and I felt that there weren’t many out there that worked. Most of them were very aggressive, and they weren’t relatable. I was hoping this book would be a resource for people.”

The memoir opens with a headline from the Daily News about the drug-related death of his sister, Leslie, in January 2012.

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“I was in New York City when she died. I couldn’t get on the plane and go up there because some members of my family were blaming me for her death,” Carter writes, explaining why he didn’t attend the funeral. “I wanted to say goodbye to her that day, yet I also knew I had an obligation to take care of myself.”

Members of the Backstreet Boys, from left to right, Nick Carter, Howie Dorough, Brian Littrell, Kevin Richardson and A. J. McLean.

Charles Sykes/INVISION/AP

Members of the Backstreet Boys, from left to right, Nick Carter, Howie Dorough, Brian Littrell, Kevin Richardson and A. J. McLean.

Carter said that dredging up those memories was the hardest part of writing the book.

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“I had to relive a lot of things and write them down and read it over and over again,” he said. “But at the same time, it was therapeutic. It really was a chance to look in the mirror.”

The memoir is very candid about Carter’s life, including passages about a rocky childhood. His family has yet to respond to the book.

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“I’m sure they’ll read it. That’s my objective,” Carter said. “I couldn’t help them anymore. I exhausted myself in that process. I figured maybe they could just read it and understand what it was like.”

In the book, Carter also discusses dating Paris Hilton and the jet-setting, hard-partying lifestyle he was a part of when they were a couple.

Backstreet Boy Nick Carter opens up about his drug addiction in his new memoir.

Debra L. Rothenberg

Backstreet Boy Nick Carter opens up about his drug addiction in his new memoir.

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“At the time it was all about partying and being wild,” Carter said. “It really was a bad combination for me. But I didn’t want the book to be about trash-talking. It’s not about calling people out. It was a party lifestyle.”

But for Carter, the book has a happy ending. Now touring with the Backstreet Boys, Carter is engaged to fitness expert Lauren Kitt.

“We’re talking about doing February or March for the wedding,” Carter said. “I think she’s going to decide where she wants to do it.”

And Kitt was a huge influence on the book, Carter said.

“She knows and respects books. In some way, it was cool to be able to tell her ‘I actually have a book.'”

Things are going so well, in fact, that Carter is willing to open up some old rivalries. Watching the *NSYNC reunion at the MTV VMAs this year, Carter longed a little for the old days of their pop chart competition.

“There was a part of me deep down inside that was almost disappointed,” Carter said. “I’m like, bring back the rivalry. Let’s do an *NSYNC and Backstreet Boys tour. Bring it on.”


Music & Arts – NY Daily News

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