Backstreet Boys’ Nick Carter Considers the New Kids on the Block Family

Nick Carter Photo by Helga Esteb / Shutterstock.com

As the birthplace of the New Kids on the Block, Boston has a special place in its heart for boy bands, which is why Backstreet Boys star Nick Carter loves playing here.

Fresh off the release of his latest album, All American, the former ’90s heartthrob is coming back to town this weekend for a special solo gig at the House of Blues.

Having previously collaborated with Jordan Knight on their Nick & Knight tour, as well as embarking on a joint tour between NKOTB and the Backstreet Boys, Carter has a lot of love for the Boston-bred boy band.

“You can definitely say that we are all family now and brothers with all of those guys,” Carter says. “They are just great people.”

Check out what else Carter had to say about NKOTB, why he considers himself a “strange individual,” and more.

First off, what are your thoughts on coming back to Boston?

Every time I come to Boston, it feel like home to me. The fans are so passionate there and the people are so beautiful. It’s such a great place to come, so for me it’s like a treat every time I come back there. Also, there tends to be pretty big crowds that shows up to the solo concert as well as the Backstreet Boys. I look forward to having that energy when I’m on stage.

I read in a recent interview that a fan left rehab to take a picture with you backstage at your show with Jordan Knight. Was that in Boston?

I don’t think that was in Boston. I can’t remember where it was exactly, but it was pretty amazing. People who go to that extent, I don’t fault them. I’m pretty crazy over certain things as well that I love, so I get it when you’re passionate and you don’t care. That’s what’s great about, call it boy band music, call it whatever you want to call it, we’re just all about creating fun music that everyone can sing along to.

Nick Carter and Jordan Knight Photo by Dan Hallman / Invision / AP

Since the New Kids set the stage for boy band culture and you’ve worked with them, do they feel like big brothers to you and the rest of the Backstreet Boys?

There’s definitely a love and friendship that we created with those guys. Especially after we went on tour with them together, the NKOTBSB tour, it was special and we were able to have so many great stories and relate to so many different things. So yes, you can definitely say that we are all family now and brothers with all of those guys. They are just great people.

You sang Billy Joel tunes and other classic pop songs on your demo album as a kid. How did those old school sounds influence your music?

I’m a very strange individual. When everybody was listening to rap or whatever at 10 or 11 years old, at that age, I was listening to older songs. I was singing Billy Joel, Elton John, Elvis Presley, Rod Stewart, Billy Idol, David Bowie. I was really influenced by older music and older pop rock stuff. That old album, I never considered it anything that I personally released, they were demos that I sang when I was 10 years old or whatever I was. But you can definitely get a sense of what I was influenced by. It made me a very unique and different entertainer. I think that’s just the way I am.

You’ve been performing for so long. What keeps you motivated?

My drive to evolve and see what’s next. I enjoy getting to the next project, getting to the next thing because I always feel like I’m leveling up, taking the past experiences and righting the wrongs. For me, it’s always about that. Living and experiencing and evolving and applying that experience to the art that I do.

Nick Carter performs at the House of Blues in Boston on Sunday, March 13.

This interview has been edited and condensed.