Justin Timberlake, Chris Kirkpatrick, Joey Fatone, Lance Bass, and JC Chasez. Five young guys who aren't related, didnt grow up together, and werent recruited by a music manager, meet by chance in Orlando, Florida. The're all talented, all busy paying their showbiz dues, all ambitious. Bonus: they have become friends.
In 1995 they decide to form a band.
By 1998, they are *N Sync a world wide platinum selling mega group. Sound simple? Reality Check:not
The New Mickey Mouse Club. Back when cables The Disney Channel hit the airwaves one of its first variety shows was THE NEW MICKEY MOUSE CLUB, a remake of a successful 1950s childrens TV show. The '90s version, quickly dubbed MMC, was a combination of music, dance comedy skits, and short films. It featured a dozen "tween and teen Mouseketeers who were excellent dancers, singers, actors and comics.
So whats that got to do with Nsync? Three words: JC, Justin, and Joey!
JC Chasez: all of 15 years old and an aspiring entertainer traveled from his familys home in Maryland to try out for MMC. Good move: he was cast on the spot, and quickly became and fan favorite. Aside from singing and dancing JC acted the of Clarence "Wipeout" Adams on the shows weekly drama, Emerald Cove.
Justing Timberlake: then only 12 years old, joined the show in 1993. A native of Memphis, Tennessee. Justin was already an accomplished dancer and singer who won a local "Dane Like the NKOTB" contest. The youngest member of MMC he too became and instant fan magnet, and more important and friend of JC.
Joey Fatone Jr: wasnt an MMC member exactly. This babe began his showbis career when he was 13and his family moved to Orlando. He not only snagged small roles in moves and the TV show seaQuest, he also performed regualarly as an extra who danced during the closing song on MMC. Thats how he hooked up with Justin and JC.
: was a kid from Pitsburg who always wanted to be a singer. He didnt get a chance to kick his into reality sone until after high school. He atteneded Rollins College in Orlando. There he got a job with Universal Studios music and dance group, Hollywood Hi-Tones. At that gigm he met Joey, who eventually introduced him to Justin and JC.
So at first there were four. They bonded over everything, including music, dance, and performing. When they would go to clubs, they would spontaneously erupt in mad-crazy moves and totally take over the dance floor. Soon regualar patrons were asking "whos the group with the mad moves?"
The Name Game
It was Chris's idea to pick up on what people were already assuming and form an actual group. Their strength would be singing which they already did on MMC and at Universal Sutdios, and naturally dancing.
The others aggreed to give it a shot. They also aggreed on a need: 1 more memeber to help handle harmonies. Justin had been working with a vocal coach for several years, and thats who suggested Lance Bass, a former client, who toured with a Mississippi singing group Attache.
And so the early wheels for 'N Sync were n motion. but they dint quite have a name yet.
It was Justin's mom who thought it up. "We thought it was a good name to represent us," says Justin, "because it described our personalities, our singing, and our dancing all in one. Shortly after we copyrighted it, we recognized that the last letter of our names [including Lance's nickname, Lansten] spelled *Nsync." JustiN, ChriS, JoeY, LansteN, and jC.
