'N Sync Facts
Text below is from December 1998 issue of All-Stars Magazine.
Justin Timberlake and JC Chasez first met as cast members of The Mickey Mouse Club.
Chris Kirkpatrick and Joey Fatone Jr. becamse friends as co-workers at the Universal Studios theme park.
Joey knew JC threw a mutual friend and the four guys hooked up and began rehearsing together.
As a quartet they put together their own demo tape and video and shopped it aropund in search of a record contract.
JC, Justin, Joey, and Chris found themselves a manager, Johnny Wright, a well known music industry veteran who's also worked with the Backstreet Boys and Aaron Carter.
Lance Bass was the last member to join the group. He made the connection because he and Justin has the same vocal coach.
Chris is credited with coming up with the idea for the group.
Justin's mom was up with the "'N Sync," which stands for the last letters in each of their first names(with Lance's nicknames, Lansten)-justiN, chriS, joeY, lansteN, and jC.
As a fivesome, 'N Sync landed a record deal with BMG, one of the biggest entertainment companies in the world.
'N Sync had no time to celebrate their big break. They boarded a plane to Germany just one day after signing their recording contract with RCA/bmg.
"I Want You Back" and "Tearin' Up My Heart" were both recorded in Sweden.
"I Want You Back" broke records in Germany, where it was first released. It reached the Top in record time and remained there for eigth consecutive weeks.
Their debut album, 'N Sync, was first released in Europe in 1997, a year before in came out in the United States.
'N Sync became an overnight success in Germany and Austria and before they even released the album there, they even released the album there, they had bodyguards to get around in those countries.
After winning over pop music fans in Great Britain, 'N Sync promoted their record in Asia, South Africa and Mexico before finally coming back the U.S. at the end of 1997.
'N Sync was released in the U.S. on March 24, 1998.
"I Want You Back" spent six months on the Billboard Hot 100 Singles Chart.
'N Sync has gone triple platinum in the U.S. and in Canada.
When a few critics labled 'N Sync as "Backstreet Boys rip-offs," JC pointed out, "It's like when Toni Braxton cam out-everyone compared her to Mariah Carey and Whitney Houston. But, if you have talent, you'll stand out."
In the video for "I Want You Back," the guys show off their fun side. Joey and Lance water ski and JC driving around in a convertible while Chris and Justin play a game of one-on-one basketball.
The songs "God Must Have Spent A Little More Time On You," "Everything I Own," "I Just Wanna Be With You," and "I Drive Myself Crazy" did not appear on the European version of 'N Sync's debut album.
"Forever Young," "More Than A Feeling," "Together Again," "Best Of My life," and "Riddle" are on the European version, but not the American version of 'N Sync.
"Tearin' Up My Heart" was written by Max Martin, who also wrote 5ive's "It's The Things You Do" and Backstreet Boys' "Everybody(Backstreet's Back)."
'N Sync loves to perform the song "Here We Go" during the encore of their concerts. JC always gets the crowd to sing it along with the group.
"God Must Have Spent A Little More Time On You" was recorded and arranged in three different studios.
Want to know what "I Want You Back" is about? "The song is about suddenly finding yourself separated from the person you feel so deeply about because you've done something stupid and screw it up," JC explains.
'N Sync has two cover songs on their debut album, "Everything I Own"(originally made a hit by 70's folk group Bread) and "Sailing"(originally written and performed in the 80's by Christopher Cross).
"U Drive Me Crazy" was recently released asa single in Germany and the guys created a hysterical video for it featuring wild costume changes!
'N Sync co-wrote "Giddy Up" with famed songwriter, Viet Renn.
The song "Riddle," which appears on the European version of 'N Sync is about a guy trying to figure out what a girl is thinking.
Also on the European version is a cover of the Boston song "More Than A Feeling." 'N Sync puts their own spin on a hard rock song.
The 'N Sync guys consider "Forever Young" to be their most personal song because it's about their early days and all their hard work and persistence that went into getting discovered.
When 'N Sync was in Disney World to record their In Concert special for the Disney Channel, the guys brought some of their family members along. During down time, they checked out the rides and attractions with their own folks and sibs!
When the special aired in July, it got such good ratings that the Disney Channel aired it several more times over the summer. Meanwhile RCA Records credits that special for boosting sales of 'N Sync's debut album!
Although Mariah Carey, Matchbox 20 and Third Eye Blind all preformed at Z-100's Z-Day benefit concert at Radio City Music Hall last summer, it was 'N Sync who whipped the crowd into a frenzy!
'N Sync lent a hand with a number of other charities in 1998, including Students Working Against Tobacco's "Truth Train", KIIS-FM's "Wango Tango" and the National Institute of Health's "Kids to Kids" events.
'N Sync provided the music at the annual Miss Teen USA Pageant.
For the grand opening of the Virgin MegaStore in New York City, 'N Sync rode around town on a double decker bus, singing and greeting fans.
'N Sync made some Twix candy contest winners very happy when they sang for them atop the Twin Towers in New York City last September.
Justin, JC, Joey, Lance, and Chris donned matching basketball jerseys when they participated in the MTV's Rock 'N Jock Presents: "The Game."
'N Sync kicked off their current U.S. tour by serving their opening act on Janet Jackson's concert tour.
'N Sync is now wrapping up their American tour as headliners.
Opening acts for 'N Sync include Britney Spears, and Wild Orchid, who the group requested.
Britney Spears was a member of the Mickey Mouse Club with Justin and JC.
"We want the best live show," JC told us "We want people to leave going, 'Man, that was so cool!'"
Before the tour, 'N Sync appeared on The View, The Tonight Show, The Ricky Lake Show and Live! With Regis & Kathie Lee.
Last month the rode aboard a float at the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.
'N Sync has three different holiday specials that will be on TV this month-The Disney Channel Christmas Special, Kathie Lee Christmas and ABC Walt Disney World Christmas Special.
As a thank you to their fans, 'N Sync gave us all a Christmas present by releasing a home video all on November 10th.
Home For Christmas features 12 holiday songs and eight of them are original.
'N Sync also recorded their own version of Christmas classics including "This Christmas," "O Holy night," "The First Noel" and "The Christmas Song."
What's up next for 'N Sync? "We're pretty mcu booked until spring," Justin told us.
'N Sync just signed a contract with an apparel company to have a line of 'N Sync clothing. The guys are planning to help design some of the duds!
For their next album, the 'N Sync guys plan to get more involved in the song writing and producing of the songs.
What can you expect? "It will probably be R&B," Chris told us. "It depends how we are feeling at the time, what kind of songs we feel like writing.
'N Sync has already collaborated with Ginuwine on the single "Don't Take Your Love Away," which might find a place on their next CD.
In case you were wondering if 'N Sync plans on continuing to make music, JC, had to say, "We'll be around for a while, so hang with us."
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