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They're opening for Janet Jackson and they have a Top 10 album. So if you don't
already know about the pop heartthrobs 'N Sync, it's time to get in sync.
B Y D A V E K A R G E R
Okay, listen up. We're only going to explain this once: We've heard that some fans of boy
bands are having a tough time remembering that 'N Sync and the Backstreet Boys
are not the same group. So here are the three most salient differences:
· The Backstreet Boys are five guys (two blond, three brunet) based in Orlando and
ranging in age from 18 to 27; 'N Sync are five guys (two blond, three brunet)
based in Orlando and ranging in age from 17 to 27.
· The Backstreet Boys create catchy dance-pop music and used to be managed by
New Kids on the Block guru Johnny Wright; 'N Sync create catchy dance-pop
music and still are managed by New Kids on the Block guru Johnny Wright.
· The Backstreet Boys sing "I Wanna Be With You"; 'N Sync sings "I Just Wanna Be
With You."
Oh my God, maybe we were wrong after all....
In any case, 'N Sync's hi-energy hits "Tearin' Up My Heart" and "I Want You Back" and
hands-down superior dance moves have helped their self-titled debut CD go platinum
and reach No. 2 on the Billboard album chart. And this week, the guys -- Lance Bass,
19, JC Chasez, 22, Justin Timberlake, 17, Chris Kirkpatrick, 27, and Joey Fatone, 21 -
- begin a stint as Janet Jackson's opening concert act. We talked to Lance less than
six hours before the group performed on Janet's stage for the first time.
Janet Jackson.
Um, nervous? I wasn't nervous until like maybe an hour ago when were starting to go over
what we needed to do for the sound check. But it's a good nervous.
[laughs] Everyone on the tour calls her Janet, so I guess we're supposed to call her Janet
too. I guess we'll find out first time we meet her. That'll be tonight.
nicknames, right?
Actually, we figured that out after we chose the name. That's how I got my nickname,
Lanston. The last letter of my real name didn't fit in 'N Sync. So Justin was making a
joke about it and calling me Lanston, and it kind of stuck.
know who he was beforehand?
Christopher Cross as an artist wasn't very popular with us, but the song "Sailing" was. It's
just one of those songs that you've always loved, but if you tried to name the artist you
probably couldn't. We didn't know who sang it when we first decided to do it. Our manager
came to us with the idea and of course all of us had heard it. And we were like, "You know,
that would be a great, vocally challenging song, just to do all the parts." So we did it
almost two years ago and it's been our baby since. It's been like our pride and joy.
Our personalities. We like to just go out and have fun. We totally have fun at whatever we do. We just goof off and
act like immature kids. And then I guess our shows are a lot of action. Every song is choreographed. You never
know what we're going to do on stage. It's a very action-packed, wild show. And then our big forte is our harmonies.
That's the reason we chose 'N Sync as our name, because we love to do everything a cappella. If we can't sing every
song that we do a cappella, then we're not gonna do it.
Actually it's died down a lot. We've been doing this for two and a half years now. And when we first released in
Europe, it was the same way. It was a group called Take That. And you had to compare somebody to somebody, so
it was always about Take That. And then when we came to America we knew we were going to be compared to the
Backstreet Boys. But it only lasts for the first few months and then you get your own name, and then they're
comparing somebody else to you. It goes like the history of music.
Shows like that are very satisfying because those are voted on by the people. To know that they like your video
from... what's that video, like, two years old? For them to really like the song and the video that much to keep you at
No. 1 for that long, it's just amazing. We know that we're doing something right. That's the only way that you can tell
that the fans are really liking it.
And I've got a computer that I use to go online at least once a week and say hello to all my
friends. We always get in a chat room and I get to talk to like 50 of my friends at the same
time, which is a lot easier on the cell bill. And I go into 'N Sync chat rooms, and of course
they never believe it's me.
I'll say, "Well, ask any question and I'll know it." But they still won't believe it. They're like,
"Well, anybody could know that."
I haven't seen all of them. I'll go to AOL NetFind and type in 'N Sync and it'll say 14 out of
however many thousands, whatever, so I'll pick the first 14 and visit those. And then next
time I go online I find 14 new ones.
The ones that have guest books I'll sign my name: "Thanks for your support, blah blah
blah." And of course again they won't believe it's me.
I go to Billboard or any entertainment magazine and just see what's new. It's a perfect way
to just find out everything.
That's the way. RCA was going to go with "For the Girl Who Has Everything." And I noticed
that during the concerts, "God Must Have Spent A Little More Time On You" was everyone's
favorite. So I started asking around, which song do you like best, and 99 percent of the
people said "God Must Have Spent." So I was like "Obviously, it's the wrong choice to go
with 'For the Girl.'" And I told RCA and our media company and they said, "We'll start a
contest and see which one everyone likes." And 90 percent of the people said "God Must
Have Spent," so because of the fans it definitely changed and we're releasing "God Must
Have Spent."
Memphis, Washington, DC, and Pittsburgh] but you all thank God first on your
album sleeve. Was that a requirement for joining the group?
It's definitely a coincidence. All of us came together not because of religious ideas or
anything like that. Just vocally. We all are Christian, and we all were raised very well.
Studios' Beetlejuice's Graveyard Revue. Which was the better training for being a
pop star?
[laughs] I wasn't one of either, so I'm non-biased. The Mickey Mouse Club has done
wonders for us because Disney has really helped us and supported us so well. The Disney
Channel special we did definitely broke us here in America. But both were great.
receptive to bands like you, the Backstreet Boys, and the Spice Girls?
In Europe there's just an abundance of groups and soloists. They have maybe four times as
many of everything. They have four Mariah Careys, four Backstreet Boys. And they love
everybody. That's why everyone kind of goes to try out new stuff. Even now, Michael
Jackson and Madonna release their material first in Europe before they bring it here, just to
kind of see what it's going to do. And also the reason we stayed over there so long is
because America wasn't ready for pop to come back in yet. And so now that it's ready,
we're full force comin' in.
friendly competition over who gets the most shout-outs?
We totally think it's funny. It's not even a friendly competition. We always bug Justin
'cause I guess he gets most of the girls. So we always tease him and he gets embarrassed
a lot because he gets a lot of signs. But none of us are competing for the best. In fact, I
wouldn't want to be the favorite. That's the big job.
No. 1 would be nice. But any artist's all time goal is to win a Grammy. That would be
wonderful maybe this year to win New Artist of the Year. That would be my goal.
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