BANG Showbiz spoke to the musician on the day after The Backstreet Boys' performance at London's O2 arena, on the night of his solo performance at the IndigO2 - a more intimate concert venue inside the arena.

Q: How was the show with The Backstreet Boys at London's O2 arena last night?

A: The show was amazing - it went off without a hitch. We added a lot of new s**t yesterday - pyro and stuff so it was like because we were doing it for this big webcast for MSN and we are probably going to make it into a DVD as well - we wanted to add a little flair to the show that wasn't normally there. It went off without a hitch - nobody blew up, nobody caught fire! It was really good. There's been moments when that's happened.

Q: Why did you decide to go solo now?

A: I'm ready. A lot of people ask me, 'Why didn't you do it at the height of the Backstreet Boys fame?' But I wasn't ready then. I'm really glad I didn't do it then because I was just getting into my drinking and drugging and I would have probably destroyed my solo career. I mean, I probably would have been in the press an awful lot but it wouldn't have been positive and I want it to be positive and I want it to be right. I also like to think I would have learned as much as I did to write about. I wanted to be so honest with this record. I'm so psyched - I'm ready for this. I'm scared - I won't lie. It's kind of surreal and a little nerve-wracking because you are going to be up there on your own and you turn around a look behind you and there is nobody there - it's all you!

Q: Have you taken it in a specifically different direction that the material you wrote with the Backstreet Boys?

A: Yes, it is definitely a different direction. There are some songs that could be a Backstreet Boys record but then when you hear the lyrical content you go, 'OK, maybe not!' But the melodies and the harmonies - they have that feel to them. For the most part the sound is completely different. It's more rock, funk and soul with a pop feel. But it's me tapping into the start of where I really want to go. I couldn't go where I wanted to go on my first record because I think it would have taken people much too much by surprise. But for my second record, if this one does really well, I'll do the kind of record I want to do which is straight up funk - anything from Creedence Clearwater Revival to Jimi Hendrix - straight up rock funk.

Q: Normally, the album precedes a tour, but you've done it the other way around. Why?

A: I think just because we have talked about when we are going to make another record. We have talked about the sound that we are trying to go for on this next Backstreet Boys record. I think it's just the timing - it just happens to be what is best for me. We are going to wrap up this whole tour in September and then I am going to continue doing shows like this right up until the single release and then do a proper solo tour next year. But it just seems to be the right time.

Q: Have you found your solo music has had a different reception with American and European audiences?SIGUE LEYENDO