*Group Articles*

*BOY POWER-Watch your backs Backstreet Boys! 'Nsync conquers charts, and teenage hearts, with sweet harmonies.*

• People Magazine 2/8/99 Jeremy Helligar
• Eight-year-old Justin Timberlake had just wowed his hometown Memphis crowd when he got his first taste of things to come. Singing live as the warm-up act for a lip-synching contest, the third-grader and future member of 'Nsync had hit all the high notes of a New Kids on the Block tune before jumping offstage into a screaming throng.
• Back to the future. As a member of music's hottest poster-boy band since the Backstreet Boys, Timberlake, 18, is getting used to hysteria. Virtually unknown in the U.S. just one year ago, 'Nsync-which also includes Lance Bass, 19, JC Chasez, 22, Joey Fatone Jr, 22, and Chris Kirkpatrick, 27-spent holidays ensconed in Billboard's top 10 with both it's 1998 debut album, 'Nsync, and it's Novemeber follow-up, Home for Christmas, which have sold 5 million and 1 million respectively.
• The year end double play topped six months of boffo buzz that began last July with the group's popular Disney Channel special. In addiction to the monster album sales that followed, 'Nsync merchandise, including T-shirts amd posters, has brought in millions and their official bio has sold over half a million copies. The only thing missing from 'Nsync's pop invasion is critical respect.
• Such perceived shortcomings don't deter their often shamelessely adoring fans.
• But comparisons to the Backstreet Boys are not misplaced. The two groups were launched by the same manager (Johnny Wright, who also guided New Kids), and Kirkpatrick attended Orlando's Valencia Community College, which he graduated from in 1993, with Backstreet Boy Howie Dorough. Although the two acts are duking it out on the charts 'Nsync denied rumors of rivalry.
• Like their bubblegum counterparts, 'Nsync came together in Orlando, where Kirkpatrick, a Clarion, Pa., native was singing and dancing in productions at Universal Studios theme park. Looking to start a group in 1995, he hooked up first with Timberlake, whom he had met at local auditions. Next came Chasez, who had appeared with Timberlake for two years in the Disney Channel's 1988-1995 revival of The Mickey Mouse Club and was seeking a similarly squeky-clean vein. I wouldn't go on TV grabbing this, that or the other and have my parents looking at that," says Chasez. "That's just the way I was raised." Next aboard were Brooklyn-born Fatone, Kirkpatrick's fellow performer at Universal Stusios. and Bass, a daycare worker in Clinton, Mississippi, who was recommended by Timberlake's vocal coach. Once they were in synch vocally Timberlake's mother, Lynn Harless, made then 'Nsync be rearranging the last letters of their fist names. Then in 1996 they teamed up with Wright and signed with German label BMG. Scoring international success with "I Want You Back" and "Tearin' Up My Heart," they spent the next 2 years touring Europe, Asia, and Africa with Harless and Bass's mother, Diane, as chaperones. "We took care of them, fussed at them if they didn't get enough rest or food," says Diane, 47, who is an English teacher back in Clinton. "It was exhausting." Still unknown back home, 'Nsync was introduced to U.S. audiences in April 1998 with the release of their debut album, 'Nsync. Nearly one year after hitting the teen scene stateside, the guys remain connected to their pubescent following. "Age doesn't matter," says Kirkpatrick who is twice as old as his average fan. "Especially with my hair the way it is. And I love kids." Perhaps, though he's not likely to father anytime soon, as he and the others remain steady single. "If you want to try and become serious," says Fatone, "you're like, 'I'll see you in a couple months, I have to go work.' That's the hardest thing." Nor is the schedule going to lighten anytime soon, 'Nsync is heading back into the studios to record their follow up album, due out this fall. And, carping critics be damned, they're not about to change. "We're not going to pierce everything that we have and paint our faces trying to get a different market," says Kirkpatrick. "We'll grow with our audience. We're just going to keep doing what we do."
• *BOP INTERVIEW* 8/29/98
• LANCE--> Lance was my first official interview for BB, so I was a little bit nervous. I really didn't know what to expect--a cocky, self-absorbed songster? But, no way! Lance turned out to be totally sympathetic to the fact that I was a novice interviewer and he didn't make me feel dumb if I made any mistakes. It was obvious from the start that Lance is the playful, experimental type who isn't afraid to take a risk on how he looks. Recently, he bleached his hair bright white. And I do mean bright! Many people might be afraid that a move like that would make them look super silly so they wouldn't even try it. Turns out, the risk was well worth it--his new 'do makes his skin look tan and brings out his gorgeous green eyes. And he likes it much better than before. "If you were to see my old hairstyle it was awful," Lance said with a southern twang. "It looked like I didn't even care." Well, the sweet singer may be more concerned with his looks now, but, believe me, there was no star-powered ego-mania in sight! In fact, he was much more excited to talk about his all-time favorite idol than himself. "I love Rosie O'Donnell. She is my favorite person in the whole world," he told me as he perked up in his seat. Well you'd think he would jump at the chance to meet the daytime TV diva. Wrong! "I don't want to meet her right now because I want her to actually know who we are first," he explained. How sweet. Well, judging by 'N Sync's swelling success, that may be sooner than he thinks!
• JC--> If I had to pick one word to describe JC, that word would be energetic. Oh, sure, when he walked into my office wearing blue jeans and a bright green and black polo vest, I thought he was cute, charming and majorly sweet. But when I really thought about it, energized is what this singer is all about. Even though JC hadn't eaten lunch when we talked at 3:30, you wouldn't know he was low on fuel. He was still totally animated and didn't skip any details when spilling the beans on everything from girls to sleeping habits--to his major fear of needles. It doesn't matter how small or painless it is," he said. "I'm terrified!" Needless to say, my 45-minute interview with JC just flew by. I was totally captivated by his storytelling style. The way he changed his voice whenever he imitated someone and used his hands to emphasize a point was so cute. It would have been great just to sit back and let him ramble forever. But, unfortunately, I had to rush him through because I had a list of questions to ask. JC is definitely one of the most personable and up-beat performers I have ever interviewed. Words really don't do him justice. You have to see him to really appreciate him.
• Justin--> Justin had every right to be cranky and crabby when he plunked down in my office for an interview. After all, in the last three days, the poor guy's hectic schedule had sent him zooming from Houston, Texas to San Francisco, California to Orlando, Florida to Los Angeles, California. He had criss-crossed so many time zones that I would have completely understood if he was a little zonked. Instead, Justin turned out to be a good-natured, outgoing guy who doesn't let a little thing ike jet lag put a damper in his totally cheerful attitude. There was only one that that Justin was bummed about: The singer told me that his tiring schedule causes his biggest beauty problem. "I get bags under my eyes," he groaned, "See?" I inspecte his beauteous blue eyes, but to tell you the truth, I didn't see any bags. In fact, I didn't see the teeniest thing wrong with him at all. Justin is just as cute--if not cuter!--In person as he is in his pictures. He's also so friendly and sincerely interested in what you have to say that before you know it, you find yourself chatting with him like best buds. "I've never had a problem talking to somebody to find out what they're about," he shared, "I like talking to people." It wasn't long before we were kicking back and dishing out personal details, like the fact that Justin only watches sports on TV, adores his dog (a Cairn terrier named Ozzie) and he's totally addicted to Cap'n Crunch cereal. Hmmm...maybe it's all that sugar that makes this guys such a sweetie!
• Chris--> If there's one thing that Chris will never give up, no matter where 'N Sync's fame and fortune take him, it's answering the hundred pieces of fan mail he receives every day on his computer. "I get them from all over Asia, to all over Europe, to all over the States," he told me. Obviously, Chris is sincerely dedicated and completely grateful and deserving of all his success. After all, he realiizes that if it wasn't for his relentless fans, he wouldn't be where he is today--and that also means being interviewed at BB! Chris also told me that when he's not busy answering mail en route from on destination to another while promoting his group, he is a Play Station guru! "I bring my video games everywhere," He beamed. But aside from answering mail, honing his video-playing techniques and tending to his dreadlocks (he confessed that he's extremely careful with them and washes them every single day), Chris is constantly trying to catch up on his sleep since he often works until 1 a.m. or 2 a.m. and then has to wake up at 5 a.m. to catch a plane! "I've learned how to sleep on airplanes a lot and sleep in vans," he said. "You find the weirdest comfortable positions. Luckily I am smaller than the other guys, so I've got me feet tucked into that airplane pocket." That is, he joked, "Until we get rich and famous and use first-class all the time."
• Joey--> Although I'd interviewed Joey on the phone before, I'd still never actually met him and I was curious to know if he was as sweet and outgoing in person as he was on the phone. Fortunatly, I learned that funloving Joey is the real deal. Frequently described by his other bandmates as the most happy-go-lucky of the bunch, Joey lives up to his reputation. He no longer sports his goatee, which we agreed made him look older, and whi his super casual look--a form fitting SuperFreak T-shirt (whick he wore in honor of his main passion, Superman) and baggy jeans--Joey was definitely the most laid-back and non-celeb-like of the guys. While waiting in our lobby to be interviewed, Joey spoke to everyone that walked by, and in between answering questions and posing for photos, he joked with the staff and his bandmates, keeping everyone in smiles. Yet it isn't just his personality that wins you over when you meet him--Joey is even cute in real life than he is in his pictures. However, he won't tell you that.
• *50 'NSYNC FACTS EVERY FAB SHOULD KNOW*
• **1. Have you seen the scar on Lance's left eye? He got it in the sixth grade when he and his cousin were pretending that they were American Gladiators.**2. Joey seeks all things Superman.**3. Talk about lucky: The reason JC auditioned for the Mickey Mouse Club was because, he says, "My mom read about it in the paper and I didn't feel like going to school, so I went."**4. Justin hasn't always been comfortable with his curly hair. He used to want to straighten it--can you believe it?**5. Less is more when it comes to crowning Chris' pizzas. He's a cheese-only type of guy.**6. Brothers in ink: Justin, Lance, Joey, and Chris all trekked to the tattoo shop and got fiery flame tats to symbolize their 'N Sync status.**7. The crooner who's most worried about the computer breakdown rumored to happen at the coming of the millennium is JC.**8. Chris' mom, Bev, gets asked for her autograph whenever she goes to 'N Sync's shows.**9. Here's a secret scoop: Joey sported a silver hoop in his eyebrow for a short time, but it closed up. When you see him wearing a ski cap in the "I Want You Back" video, it's because he had to cover it up!**10. When it comes to cartoon characters, the Tasmanian Devil is Lance's fave.**11. "I don't need it," Justin explains to BOP about why he doesn't have any good luck charm.**12. Chris' fave song on their Christmas album, Home for Christmas, is "Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays."**13. How does JC stay so slim? Not healthy eating, that's for sure! His daily diet consists of "McDonald's, donuts, cheeseburgers and Coca Cola," he dishes.**14. If you ever want to butter Lance up, feed him butter pecan ice cream--it's his fave.**15. Writer Nicholas Sparks, author of "The Notebook" and "Message in Bottle" is JC's fave scribe.**16. Joey hit his head on a light switch when he was a tiny tot and now he has a scar on his left eyebrow, where he got stitches.**17. Talking about his small feet makes Chris blush! "It's not fair," he says about his size 7 and 1/2 shoe.**18. Wanna give Justin a sweet suprise? How about a Caramello candy bar--that's his fave.**19. Lance only likes cheese and pepperoni on his pizza.**20. Which two crooners go crazy over mint chocolate chip ice cream? That would be Joey and JC.**21. Joey and Justin have the biggest feet of all the fellas. They both wear a size 12 shoe.**22. Chris' fave ice cream flavor is Ben and Jerry's Chubby Hubby.**23. Are you still in stores shopping for surprises on Christmas Eve? Well, you join JC in being a procrastinating present picker-upper.**24.Did you know that Lance's mom is an English teacher? Boy, it sure would be fun to be in her class!** 25. JC's feet are size 11.**26. Lance looks to the number 4 to bring him good luck.**27. The 'N Sync songsters sing with the Backstreet Boys and other artists on the song "Let the Music Heal Your Soul," which benefits charity.**28. Although it was ultra-embarassing, the show had to go on when JC's zipper busted wide open, exposing his white undies. "I sung two songs with my fly open," he blushes.**29. Lance has a habit of biting his bottom lip.**30. Keep all the extra pickings off of JC and Justin's pizzas. They're pepperoni-only people.**31. One fabulous fan knew how to bring a smile to Joey's face. She gave him a watch with a glowing Superman logo, and he wears it all the time.**33. Traveling and touring hasn't stopped Chris from writing music whenever he desires. He carries a laptop computer with him so that he can compose his thoughts when he goes overseas.**34.Did you know that 'Nsync wrote 'Giddy Up' and Justin and JC wrote 'Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays?'**35. Musical magnificence runs in Chris' family. His great-grandfather, cousin and aunt have all been in bands. And his mom is a vocal coach.**36. As far as clothes go, Joey tells BOP that he likes to wear "stuff that people normally probably wouldn't wear."**
• 37. Chris affectionately describes his goofy groupmate Joey as a life-size Tickle Me Elmo doll.**38. Lance got his nickname, Lansten, from Justin. But he says no one really calls him that anymore.**39. Justin plastered posters of Janet Jackson on his bedroom walls long before 'N Sync lucked out and got to go on tour with the dazzling diva last October.**40. What's Joey's fave number? (Hint: Think about his birthday.) You guessed it, it's 28.**41. JC's favorite cuisine is Chinese food.**42. Before he struck it big with 'N Sync, Chris was a doo-wop singer at Universal Studios in Orlando, Flordia.**43. Wanna know a secret? Joey also has the Superman symbol tattooed on the outside of his right ankle. His flame tat wraps around it like a band.**44. Always an A-student, Justin freaked when he found out he earned his first B in middle school.**45. Lance wears a size 11 shoe.**46. Chris earned his Associate of Arts degree in college before he hooked up with the other way-cute crooners.**47. Joey likes pepperoni and just plain cheese on his pizza.**48. President Timberlake: Justin was prez of his middle school's Beta Club and the student council.**49. The one song JC is embarassed to admit that he still listens to is Chumbawamba's "Tubthumping," "because nobody likes it anymore."**50. One of Chris' first job was "shoveling sheep dung" on a farm in Ohio.

*BOP INTERVIEW (one of the first Nsync ones, I think THE first)*

• Q. What I'd rather like to know is what you want to tell about each other ... for starters- what's Chris like? Lance: Chris is totally crazy and will do nothing. he's very hyper! Chris: yeah, you can tell ... yawn ... (he's lounging on a bed in the hotel room and looks like he'll fall asleep any minute. ) Lance: Today's an exception. We've been traveling all night, so we're kind of tired. And Chris isn't feeling too well. But normally you got to keep him away from sugar, cause he'll go nuts. We travel in a small bus and he's like a hurricane. JC: He can be a real fool. Chris: Thanks guys, I can feel the love all around this room! JC: He likes going out and in the foreign countries he'll go explore the pubs and clubs. He's an all-niter! Joey: Now Lance!!! JC: Lance is shy, quiet. Chris: Until you get to know him. or unless you're a girl, cause he can handle girls OK. JC: Lance has the business brain of all of us. He's a real little businessman and is always thinking about a new little project, things we can sell and stuff.... Justin: he's always good with people. Now JC!! JC: No, we're going along the way we're seated, so you're next! Joey: Justin's the youngest. Lance: he's very mature for his age. And the sporty one-he's crazy about basketball . Joey: But Chris likes sports too, although he's more into ice hockey. Justin's a Michael Jordan, he's from Tennessee as well. Chris: He really is mature for his age. Joey: People always go on about our age differences, but we're all on the same level really. Justin: Hey, I'm bigger than you ... quiet a different level!! Joey: Yeah, but you're already the tallest AND you're still growing, so when that keeps up, you'll look really strange!!! JC: OK let's do Joey now. He's our optimist, he's always happy and he's a big flirt! Lance: Yeah, he flirts like mad, but can never seem to get himself a girlfriend! Joey: I guess I try too hard then they don't believe me anymore. They go: Yeah right, see ya! JC: we call him our little blue flame, cause he can get a sparkle in anyone's eyes! Chris: Joey is our chick magnet. He attracts all the women. Joey: I don't know why, cause they can't tell me. Maybe it's because of....Justin: No Joey. We'll move on to JC now. Joey talks a lot too. Did we mention that? JC is also pretty quiet and shy, until you get to know him really well. And he sleeps a lot too. Chris: he's our goody two-shoes. he's always dancing and likes to go out. Lance: His favorite animal is a dog, his favorite city is Los Angeles. Chris: The funny thing about JC is ... well, say we're driving somewhere and we see a pretty girl on the sidewalk, the four of us will go: "hey check out that girl" ... and five minutes later JC will go: "wow check out that dog, what kind is it?".. He's nuts about dogs. Q: Three of you live in the same house, right? (this was awhile ago, can ya tell?) Chris: yep, Justin, JC and myself. Q. How come? Chris: We've moved in together! Q. Justin's mom lives there too? Justin: yeah, it's convenient, we also have meeting and things. Lance and Joey live only five minutes away. Q. Do you argue a lot? Chris: All the time! No, we all have our differences of opinion, but we're the best of friends. When there's a problem, we might clash, but we'll always talk it over None of us goes to bed angry. And none of us goes on stage angry, we'll talk it over first. We're not perfect, and everybody argues, but we keep the lines of communication open, as Oprah would say! Q: Justin, you're only 16. That means that you have to have a parent with you at all times. Does that bother you? Justin: No, not at all. My mother comes along and Lance's mom too, cause he's not 18 yet either. But to me it just means that my mom's always there, like she would have been, had I been home. Q: Does she treat you like a mother does, or are you more like friends? Justin: She's still my mom, and she'll tell me what to do, but she's cool.
• Q: Is she strict? Justin: No, not compared to a lot of other moms. Q: And Lance, what about your mom? Lance: My mom is.... not strict at all. I hardly see her, cause we're so busy. I'm just happy for her that she's getting the chance to see the world. Interviewer: Here at the magazine we get a lot of letters varying from "'N Sync are the best" to "They're a bad copy of the BSB!" Chris: That's because they haven't seen us yet! Lance: That happens in Germany a lot as well, comparing groups. In the beginning they also compared the BSB to Take That. But they've figured out that we are not just a BSB clone. Justin: They're really getting to know us there and we're successful! Q: What do you think is the difference between you and other groups? Joey: Just look closely. Do we look normal? Just kidding! We're five different people who dance and sing in five different voices. We sing live ...Q: But what is the difference between you and the BSB? When you started out you must have known you'd be compared to them? (settle down buddy, geez) Justin: When we started, we didn't know what a "boy group" was all about. All the hysteria only hit us when we came to Europe. Joey: We knew what the BSB were like because we have the same management . Lance: We like to compare ourselves to groups like Boyz II Men or Shai. (who?) Chris: We never expected endless photo shoots and loads of screaming girls! Justin: It's different in the states. They buy your records but don't put your face on the covers every week. Chris: Not that we mind! JC: It is sort of a compliment, cause who are we anyway? We don't even have an album out- yet! And they are comparing us to the BSB who have several platinum records. Cool! (yeah you'll change your mind about how 'cool' that is once it gets real old.)