Stepping into what is now the Richard Gere role -- that of shyster lawyer Billy Flynn -- in the ongoing Broadway revival of the musical "Chicago," Backstreet Boy Kevin Richardson doesn't have tap shoes on his mind.

In an interview with the Associated Press, the thoughts of Richardson turned to politics and the environment -- specifically, mining in the Appalachian Mountains.

"Dude, I'm telling you, if the public could see what was going on, there would be an uprising," he says. "It looks like a war zone. I mean, the entire tops of mountains -- gone. Generations and generations of families that have lived there forced out."

Growing emotional, Richardson went on to say: "People think I'm some kid. But we (Backstreet Boys) have been touring for eight years, all over the world, and I've been soaking everything in. I'm a 31-year-old man who's seen a lot -- a lot of things that have disturbed me. And instead of ... not doing anything about it, I thought I'd use my voice to express my concerns and try to help."

Richardson, the grandson of a miner, also says he should be aware about Appalachia, having come from Lexington, Ky., practically next door to the Daniel Boone National Forest.

"I grew up in the heart of coal-mine country," he says. "I was a hike leader, a camp counselor -- I did all that. I love nature."

To say nothing of showbiz. There is a new Backstreet album planned for this fall, and his stint in "Chicago" is due to last until March 9.