Hey, everybody! Rock your body, as Brian Littrell, Nick Carter, A.J. McLean, Kevin Richardson and Howie Donough sing. Backstreet's back.

The Backstreet Boys arrive next week for three concerts to promote "Never Gone," their first new album after a five-year hiatus.

They've quit playing games with your heart. They've grown up and toned down their music, dancing and concert stunts. And, they said by phone recently, they want it that way.

Did you always feel confident you'd be coming back and making another album?

Carter: We needed to take some time for ourselves on the break. And you know, we really didn't know when would be the next time that we would do an album. We always wanted to.

How do you feel you've changed since the last time you recorded an album?

McLean: For me personally, now living a sober life, a completely sober life, my life has changed 360 degrees for the better. I can speak on behalf of the other guys, that our relationship as a whole has definitely changed. We've all had some time to grow up, experience things individually. Brian has started a family. You know, all of us have had the time to really do some personal growth.

The concerts of the past had so many stunts and spectacles. Do you anticipate continuing that style of show, or what would a fan expect from a Backstreet Boys show nowadays?

McLean: We've kind of simplified our show from all the blowing-everything-up onstage productions that we've done in the past. You know, there was that one big summer when it was us and Ricky Martin and Britney Spears, and everybody was on tour. It was kind of who can blow up the most stuff onstage. And I think now as we've gotten older and the music doesn't really lend itself to all the big acrobatics and pyrotechnics, it's just going back to the basics again. Just going back to good-quality music and having fun onstage. We still do dance, not as much, especially with the new material.

How did you decide that now was the time for a new Backstreet Boys album?

Carter: I was over in London writing and recording, and I had gotten a call from, I think it was Brian, I believe, and he was basically saying how A.J. was doing a special on the "Oprah Winfrey Show" with his mom about his sobriety and about his drug addiction. And that's when we all decided to hop on a plane and go surprise him on the show, and it turned out great. And the feeling was just there again.

Is there anything you'd like to say to young fans who might be hearing you for the first time and might not be familiar with your earlier stuff?

Littrell: If the kids want a CD that they can play and their mom and dad doesn't have to bring into their room and skip a track on it, they can pick up our record. [source]