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In tune with the times
Emerging
from the depths of Orlando, which is home also to the 
group’s
cross-town rivals the Backstreet Boys, the five squeaky-clean young lads
of ’N Sync seem destined to duplicate the success of musically like-minded
performers such as the Spice Girls.
Fittingly, perhaps, the group’s professional origins can be traced
to the Disney Channel’s Mickey Mouse Club, on which Joshua ‘J.C.’
Chasez (born on August 8, 1976) and Justin ‘Curly’ Timberlake
(born on January 31, 1981) appeared together, and where they worked with
future pop star Britney Spears for nearly three years. Following the programme’s
demise, the two headed for Nashville, where they shared a vocal coach
while working on respective solo projects. (The two also took dance lessons
from a former choreographer for Prince and Michael Jackson).
Fate soon brought Joshua and Justin back to Orlando, however, and, upon
their return, they teamed up with Pittsburgh native Chris Kirkpatrick
(born on October 17, 1971) and New Yorker Joey Fatone (born on January
28, 1977). At Kirkpatrick’s instigation, the quartet began working
on an act built around a cappella harmonies, and, with the addition of
bass vocalist Lance Bass (which is his real surname, by the way), things
came together.
| The teen-pop group has created a record of sorts by topping the charts for continuous 10 weeks with their latest album No Strings Attached. Here’s some trivia on the famous five... |
By late 1997, the quintet managed to land a contract with RCA Records.
Enlisting the help of several high-profile producers, among them Kristian
Lundin, who has worked with the Backstreet Boys, and the late Denniz Pop,
whose clients included Robyn and Ace Of Base, the newly christened ’N
Sync created a batch of crisp, radio-friendly pop songs, and issued its
debut album exclusively in Europe, a move that had worked to perfection
for the aforementioned Backstreeters.
Subsequently, the fivesome headed overseas, where they were fervently
embraced in Germany and the Netherlands. Returning home triumphantly in
the spring of 1998, the burgeoning dance-meisters felt confident enough
to unleash their self-titled debut on America. ’N Sync was slow in
getting out of the gate in the United States, but by early fall, a Disney
Channel special, heavy MTV exposure, and two Top 40 hits (I want you back
and Tearin’ up my heart) had propelled the album to platinum sales.
Publications such as Rolling Stone began playing up a competition between
’N Sync and the Backstreet Boys, and, indeed, in early August, the
two groups began vying for position on the Top 10 charts. Moreover, in
a true measure of ’N Sync’s success, teeny-bopper magazines
began shrieking out headlines proclaiming the group to be the Next Big
Thing.
In the fall of 1998, ’N Sync released Home For Christmas, a holiday
album that crept up the charts rapidly. ’N Sync are not just your
flash-in-the-pan teen idol act, and their latest release No Strings Attached
proves that. The single Bye bye topped the charts and so did the album
for 10 weeks, upstaged only recently by Britney Spears’ Oops! I Did
It Again. Show business veterans all, the group are accomplished singers
and dancers, and Justin, Chris, Joey, Lansten (Lance’s occasional
nickname) and JC have proved that they are ’N Sync.
THE GANG
JAMES LANCE ‘LANTSEN’ BASS: Describes himself as "rather
laidback and addicted to harmony." He is the shyest member of the
band. Listens to everything "from Boyz II Men to Offspring."
Likes to play video games. Earned his high school degree through a tutorial
programme offered by the University of Nebraska. Goals for the future
include "learning about music management, starting a family, and
driving a Toyota 4-Runner." Lives with his father and mother in Orlando,
and is a freshman in college.
JOSHUA SCOTT ‘JC’ CHASEZ: Served as one of the hosts
of The Mickey Mouse Club for four years. Likes to play football and watch
his favourite team, the Washington Redskins. Loves listening to "the
jazzy and soulful sound between Billie Holiday and Stevie Wonder."
Lives in Orlando with bandmates Chris and Justin, and Justin’s mom.
JOSEPH ‘JOEY’ ANTHONY FATONE JR.: Appeared in small roles
in movies Once Upon A Time In America and Matinee, and on TV series Sea
Quest. Sang in an a cappella group. "I feel most comfortable on stage,"
he says, "Or in front of the camera. No matter what I do, I go at
it full-tilt and can’t be stopped." Favourite activity aside
from performing: flirting. Lives with his parents and siblings in Orlando.
CHRISTOPHER ‘CHRIS’ ALAN KIRKPATRICK: The oldest member
of the group at 26, but the biggest cut-up. Discovered his singing ability
when he joined the choir in college. A big football fan whose favoUrite
food is tacos. His musical tastes vary from "Michael Jackson to hard-techno
music... The most important thing is you get the groove."
JUSTIN RANDALL TIMBERLAKE: At 16, he’s the youngest member
of the group and still in high school. His hobbies include playing basketball,
watching the Orlando Magic and dancing. "I’m a real party animal,"
he says, "When the others let me go to parties." His greatest
musical influence is singer Brian McKnight. He lives with his mother and
fellow ’N Sync members JC and Chris in Orlando, not far from the
band’s rehearsal studio, an old warehouse. "It really exhausts
you when you jump around four times a week, for three to five hours in
90-degree heat," he says.