O-Town: On Top Of Pop
If you missed it, or just want to see it again, MTV is airing the Making the Band Marathon on November 24th and 25th. Check it out!!!
When you think of pop music, the first groups that pop into mind are probably Nsync and The Backstreet Boys. Two pop groups have very well dominated the charts for the past two to three years, and setting a standard for pop acts.
In the summer of 1999, TransContinental record agents Lou Pearlman was approached by Ken Mok of MTV Television. Mr. Mok gave Lou a new and risky idea : create a TV series that follows the lives of boy band hopefuls. Lou, a bit apprehensive, decided to jump on the boat and help create the new group. First however they had to be accepted by a network. Instead of first airing the show on MTV, they chose to put it on public television from a major network. ABC appealed most, and they were signed for a thirteen episode season which would air. The next step was finding the group members.
A nationwide search began in eight major US cities, Honolulu, Hawaii; Los Angeles, California; Las Vegas, Nevada; Dallas, Texas; Nashville, Tennessee; Chicago, Illinois; New York, New York; and Orlando, Florida. Over 2,500 guys showed up ready to show their skills. They chose 25 to go to Orlando to see if they could make the cut. The Final 25 were as follows:
Ashley Parker Angel*
After weeks of dance training and singing performances, the 25 finalists were cut and formed the ‘final eight’. Now things began to heat up. It was getting down to the wire, and final eight finalist member Paul Martin, 22 from Clinton, Mississippi decided to leave his friends behind. He left the making the band crew to become a country singing sensation. And now there were 7, and for five of those seven their dreams were going to come true.
A few weeks after Paul left, the final cut was made sending Bryan Chan, 26 from Santa Barbara California and Mike Miller, 20 of Coral Springs Florida back home. Everyone was just beginning to make the adjustment when the band became shaky and unstable.
Ikaika Kohoano, 22 of Honolulu Hawaii was apprehensive about being in the group. He missed his girlfriend and his family, and did not get along well with the his band mates. After Christmas of 1999, Ikaika left the group and returned home. Now with only four members, they were in search of the missing piece.
Jay Marose, one of otown’s publicists took the guys out to the movies. He asked each guy who they thought would make the best new member. All, unanimously without any discussion decided on Dan Miller. Unfortunately, Lou had other ideas. He had called Jackie Salvucci,20 of Medford Massachusetts, a day or two after Ikaika quit, pretty much guaranteeing him the position in the group. After the group discussed their decision, Dan was called and flown to Orlando. He fit in perfectly with the other guy’s voices, and the four performers were now Otown.
Now, almost 2 years later the group is topping the charts, putting up very stiff competition up for acts such as BSB or Nsync. Their album, Otown has gone platinum and gold several times and continues to rise on the charts. Their new single “We Fit Together” has been on TRL charts since its October 10th release. Overall, Otown have truly proved themselves the new princes of pop.
All information was gathered from the book Otown: Making the Band By Otown with K.M. Squires
David Brooks
Bryan Chan*
Antonio Dennard
Erik-Michael Estrada*
Christopher Gonzalez
Roy Harcourt
Ikaika Kohoano*
Sam Lacy
Jesse Littleton
Rik Mapes
Paul Martin*
Mike Miller*
Steve Mooney
Junior Mika
Dan Miller
Clifton Oliver
Trevor Penick*
Earl Robinson
Justin Roman
Jackie Salvucci
Jacob Underwood*
Jason Waldrep
Jason Yeager
Matt Yoakum
*all starred names were part of the ‘final’ eight
