A representative for the BACKSTREET BOYS has confirmed singer A.J. MCLEAN plans to continue with the boyband’s ongoing U.S. tour despite falling sick with an eye infection.

The four-piece is currently on the road with its This Is Us shows, but fans feared MCLean would have to sit out some of the dates after doctors diagnosed him with viral conjunctivitis, also known as pink eye.

A rep for the band tells TMZ.com none of the other bandmembers have contracted the condition, while MCLean is “doing fine” and is expected to continue with the tour. [Source]

HE IS probably better known as the “bad boy” of the Backstreet Boys, but AJ McLean pulls a decent front as a solo artist as well.

Past his much-publicised drug and alcohol addictions, he stepped out to perform shows in 2008 under both his own name and his self-concocted moniker, Johnny No Name.

This time, he keeps it real, going under his real name to release such a mixed bag of tricks that there will be something appealing for everyone.

Tracks range from material that fans will find reminiscent of typical Backstreet shoulder- shrugging pop to rock ‘n’ roll, and even Euro-dance.

In some sense, it re-defines his persona and outlook as a performer who refuses to be pigeonholed into the category of mainstream pop.

More so, it draws a clear line between McLean, the break-out solo performer, and McLean, the Backstreet Boy. Read full article.

If you are a Backstreet Boy, what’s the only thing worse than waking up with a throbbing headache, stuffy nose, sore throat and every other symptom that can be associated with a day-ruining case of the common cold? Having to be interviewed by someone with the exact same condition.

But that’s what happened when I spoke with A.J. McLean, the shades-wearing, hat-donning, sometimes bearded badass of the group. “Oh, I’ve seen better days,� he mumbled over the phone an in almost inaudible tone after I initially asked him how he was doing. As it turned out, he probably wasn’t faking, either. Later that day, wire services blew up with reports that fellow Backstreet Boy Brian Littrell had been diagnosed with H1N1, more commonly known as the Swine Flu. As a result, the group was forced to cancel various promotional appearances throughout New York City that were centered around the release of its new album, This Is Us. It was yet another obstacle on the way back to the top for one of the biggest pop groups of all time. That’s okay, though. It’s not like these boys haven’t been faced with adversity before.

Remember the Lou Pearlman situation? You know, the impossibly greedy manager that tried to use the group for all it was worth before heading to prison on conspiracy and money laundering convictions? How about when McLean himself admitted to his stunning drug abuse habit, and went on national television to confront it? Or even when Kevin Richardson, a longtime member of the group, decided he wanted to distance himself from the band, leaving to “pursue other interests in his life?� Read full article.

AJ McLean is most famous for being the “bad boy” of hit 90s boyband The Backstreet Boys but, with his upcoming solo album, he is attempting to forge a successful solo career.

The 30-year-old singer – who is partly responsible for the band’s hit tracks including (Everybody) Backstreet’s Back and As Long as You Love Me – insists he isn’t worried about stepping away from the sound which led to his fame.

“We’re calling it a rock, funk and soul vibe. The vocals are pop and R ‘n’B-ish and there’s even a kind of country twang going on,” he said. “It’s eclectic. I think people will be a little shocked by some songs, which is absolutely fine by me. They’ll be thinking, ‘That is what I hoped he was going to do’.”

However, AJ is arguably more famous for his personal life as for his professional career.

He went to rehab in 2001 to seek help for his alcohol and cocaine addiction after his bandmates Nick Carter, Kevin Richardson, Brian Littrell and Howie Dorough intervened when they became concerned about his erratic behaviour. Read full article.

We spoke to A.J. McLean earlier this week, and he gave us all the details about his engagement last weekend as well as some information about his forthcoming solo album. While we were talking to him about his wedding, we just had to know if A.J.’s rockstar alter-ego, Johnny No Name, will finally get a gig and play the Backstreet Boy’s wedding after years of living in obscurity.

While we thought this was a good-natured question meant to cause A.J. to chuckle at his past career decisions, A.J. actually took a moment to consider his response. “Um, I don’t think he will, but you never know,” before going into this whole thing about how he, A.J., is really looking forward to crooning away on his big day.

In our research for this blog post today (yes, actual research goes into these posts!), we have figured out just why Johnny No Name can’t come to the wedding: There’s a chance that Johnny Suede might show up. It turns out that long before JNN came into A.J.’s life, Johnny Suede did. JS and JNN don’t get along, and so A.J. will have to pick one before the big day. We just kind of hope all these crazy kids can work it out before then. [Source]

‘I looked at her, and I was like, ‘I’m gonna do it tonight,’ ‘ he tells MTV News of proposing onstage.

On Friday, Backstreet Boys fans everywhere let out a collective sigh when another member, A.J. McLean, went off the market, proposing to girlfriend Rochelle Karidis. The boy-bander spoke to MTV News about the engagement and said he couldn’t have picked a better girl to make his future Mrs. McLean.

While celebrating his birthday last weekend, McLean said he knew it was time to make Karidis an honest woman.

“I have had this on my mind for months now, and there was talks amongst me and some of the friends of mine, and actually, I kind if brought it up to [bandmate] Howie [Dorough] once before, as well as Nick [Carter], about possibly doing it on New Year’s,” he revealed. “I said, ‘No, I’m going to wait a little bit longer.’ Something clicked. We were having dinner at Nobu prior to it, and I was like, ‘I’m just done. I’m done, and this is the one, and she’s absolutely phenomenal.’ ”

He very publicly asked her to marry him at a gig on Friday, which also happened to fall on his 32nd birthday. He admitted that he didn’t have a doubt that she would accept his proposal. “I [wasn't] nervous that she’d say no,” he said. “I was more nervous that she wouldn’t feel comfortable in front of a crowd.” Read full article.