"98 Degrees: The Heat is On" By Laura Jamison

Teen People Magazine (August 1999) -

As he crosses the Golden Gate Bridge in a stretch limo, 25-year-old Nick Lachey peers out at San Francisco's often-gray sky, marveling at how his group, 98°, lucked out the day they filmed their video "Because of You" high upon the span's spires. It was July of '98, and they'd spent a long week waiting for the fog to lift, he recalls, "and then, on our last day, miraculously, it cleared." That was a mixed blessing for Jeff Timmons, 26, who's afraid of heights. "I nearly peed my pants up there," he says, eyeing one of the bridge's red-orange towers, where an elevator took them to the top of the world -- in more ways than one.

Less than a year later, 98° has catapulted to celebrity status, hence their return to Northern California. Today, they're bound for Skywalker Ranch, director- producer George Lucas's storied property about 45 minutes north of San Francisco. There, not only will they hobnob with fellow celebs ("Alyssa Milano is going," Jeff says with a big grin), but they will be treated to a preview of Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace.

Although the screening requires them to take a grueling early morning flight from Orlando, the band members -- all fans of the Star Wars trilogy -- feel privileged to have the opportunity to view the prequel a week before its cinematic release. When he was a kid, Nick recalls, "Somebody in our family was the vice president of Kenner toys, who made all the Star Wars [action figures]. So we would get the Yoda with the feet on backwards -- toys that [had] something wrong with them."

Despite his band mates' bubbling excitement, Nick's brother, Drew Lachey -- at 23, the group's youngest member -- repeatedly tries to redirect their attention to pressing business issues. After all, just ahead lies the busiest schedule of their lives, one that includes, among many other things: a headlining gig with the all-star All That tour (they've just wrapped the first leg of their own Heat It Up trek); recording sessions for a Christmas album to be released in October; tapings for a multishow stint on General Hospital (they'll play themselves); and promotion for their new single, "I Do," for which they also need to shoot a video.

But such a schedule isn't without its perks. Just yesterday they experienced their first-ever private jet flight when they traveled to the Bahamas -- for an afternoon -- to perform on a Disney Channel special. "I never thought I would take a day trip to the Bahamas," Nick says, still disbelieving.

"It reminded me of Puffy's video ['Been Around the World']," adds Justin Jeffre, 26. "It's this white plane, and it's very big, and everything's very nice. Leather seats, freshly baked cookies -- just anything that you'd want."

Three weeks later, they're once again the victims of an unforgiving agenda. At 7 a.m., they wipe the sleep from their eyes for an interview at New York's Z100 radio station-which is actually located in Secaucus, N.J. Then they're off to an all-day photo shoot in Manhattan for TEEN PEOPLE. After that, it's back to Jersey to sound check for Zootopia, Z100's summer concert event at the Continental Airlines Arena.

But wait, there's more. 98° has two shows to perform tonight -- at two different venues. After rehearsing at the arena, the foursome and their numerous handlers will head to Trenton via helicopter to open a concert sponsored by another radio station, WPST; immediately following their one-song performance, they'll have to get back in the helicopter to fly back to close Zootopia. The sky ride will be a first for all but Justin; he once flew in a chopper over the Grand Canyon on a family vacation.

Such posh travel arrangements will soon be the norm, according to their manager, Paris D'Jon. But, he says, it's not as glam as it seems: "People think it's all fun, but sometimes you don't even see daylight. You just go from one [event] to another."

"It can be very stressful," Jeff says later, "but we try to be there for each other. We give each other a hard time to make each other laugh." One wet-and-wild tour escapade ended with a visit from hotel security. "We started big water fights in hotels with [singer Jessica Simpson] on our tour," Justin says. "Everyone had water balloons and super soakers."

98° is like a close-knit cluster of boisterous brothers, but each has his own unique personality. "Nick's like Jake from Melrose [Place] -- the bad-boy biker," says Paris. "Justin's the cool guy who likes R&B, likes going to clubs. Jeff is our cute poster boy. Drew is the baby. He has a girlfriend; he's in love. But he's also the little general -- he's the one who goes over all the money, all the contracts."

One thing they share is a common devotion to their fans. All four are very involved with their official Web site, www.98degrees.com, and they accommodate autograph seekers every chance they get. Occasionally, though, some fans expect too much.

"Sometimes they want you to sing at their prom or birthday. Or they want you to... well, it gets a little crazy," says Justin with an uncomfortable laugh. Then he continues: "We find it hard to believe that anyone would like us. We look at ourselves as the same old goofballs that we were when we started."

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