Nick Carter Has Plenty Of Songs, Few Guests For Solo Album
From MTV News: While Justin Timberlake's solo debut looks to be a star-studded affair, another singer stepping out from a celebrated pop group is taking the opposite approach.
Of the 37 tracks Nick Carter has recorded for his first album away from the Backstreet Boys, only one features guest vocals. And that track, with dancehall reggae artist Mr. Vegas, may not make the final cut.
"I don't think you need to [collaborate]," Carter explained at Sunday's Teen Choice Awards (see "Nelly Outsurfs 'NSYNC, Ja Rule, Usher At Teen Choice Awards"). "The Backstreet Boys didn't really ever do any collaborations on the albums. For me, personally, I would love to. But I think just for the first one it would be cool to just show who I am — let everybody see what I'm about." (Click for photos from the Teen Choice Awards.)
On Now or Never, due October 22, Carter will reveal rock influences that are not so obvious on his group's material (see "Backstreet's Nick Carter Ready To Go Solo Now").
"People are going to be shocked," he said. "That's what I want. That's the way I am. I'm unexpectable."
Carter has worked with several producers on the project, including Backstreet Boys and 'NSYNC associate Max Martin and several up-and-comers.
"It's cool to spread it open a bit and go underground," Carter said. "That's where you find some really cool producers and writers."
Carter is currently narrowing down the final track list for the album and assembling a band that he'll likely take on the road.
"It's hard when you sit back and listen to your music in your car and you just want people to hear it so bad," Carter said. "It's gonna get there. I'm so excited."
Timberlake's album, which will likely include collaborations with P. Diddy, the Neptunes and others, does not have a release date (see "Justin Timberlake Working 'NSecret On Star-Packed Solo LP").
—Corey Moss
Mini-me Gets Big Thrill Out Of Britney
Even with his sunglasses on, it wasn't hard to tell where Mini-Me was looking the other night as he stood eye-level with Britney Spears' chest at the 2002 Teen Choice Awards in L.A. The "Austin Powers" character - played by Verne Troyer - couldn't have seemed happier as he and the blond pop tart, his co-star in "Goldmember," traded quips. Sarah Michelle Gellar received the Choice Movie Actress Comedy Award, as Susan Sarandon and 17-year-old daughter Eva made the scene. The show aires on Fox on Aug. 19.
Britney is Once Again, the Teens’ Choice
From Britneyspears.com: Britney won two Teen Choice awards at the August 4th taping of the show in Universal City, California. She won for “Choice Female Artist,” the highest honor in the music category, beating out Christina Aguilera, Mariah Carey, Missy Elliott, Macy Gray, Jennifer Lopez, Mandy Moore and Jessica Simpson.
Britney also won for “Choice Female Hottie” blowing away the competition that included Lil’ Kim, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Rachael Leigh Cook, Christina Aguilera, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Jennifer Lopez and Jessica Simpson.
See Britney collect her awards and catch her special appearance with sister Jamie Lynn on the Teen Choice Awards, August 19th on Fox (8:00pm ET / PT).
Lance Bass to Turn Comic Strips Into TV Shows
from Variety: "'N Sync singer Lance Bass' production company wants to make television series out of popular comic strips the Duplex, Heart of the City and Cleats.
His Venice-based banner A Happy Place Prods., which last year produced the Bass vehicle "On The Line" for Miramax, has pacted with Universal Press Syndicate on the new projects.
Glenn McCoy's "The Duplex" will be a live-action half-hour comedy that follows the lives of a man and a woman and their respective talking dogs.
Mark Tatulli's "Heart of the City" will combine live action with animation in the story of a city girl with a vivid imagination who lives with her single working mother and her Italian nanny.
Bill Hinds' "Cleats" will be an animated children's show grounded in the world of kids soccer.
Universal Press is the largest independent newspaper syndicate in the world. Among its comics and features are Garfield, Cathy, Doonesbury, FoxTrot, Ziggy, the Boondocks, Calvin & Hobbes and Dear Abby.
Bass runs A Happy Place with 'N Sync and Britney Spears manager Johnny Wright, producer Rich Hull, and executives Wendy Thorlakson and Joe Anderson.
'Funnest, coolest' Teen Choice
from USA TODAY: "Britney and Justin together again? Not exactly.
The question at the Teen Choice Awards, taped Sunday for broadcast Aug. 19 on Fox (8 p.m. ET/PT), was whether Britney Spears and Justin Timberlake would cross paths. They didn't, at least not on camera. They were seated in different sections of the Universal Amphitheatre and never took the stage together. The closest the former couple probably came to reconnecting was in a remark by Kobe Bryant.
''I look around and you've got people like Justin Timberlake and Britney Spears and all these people who are like 19-, 20-year-olds,'' the L.A. Lakers star told the media after winning the male athlete award. ''I'm the old head.'' He turns 24 this month.
Oh, well. So much for that intrigue. On stage, Spears shared moments with little sis Jamie Lynn and with Verne Troyer, aka Mini Me of Austin Powers fame.
Tobey Maguire called the evening ''the funnest and coolest award show I've been to.'' The show honors the hottest teen icons in film, television, music and sports. Maguire won for movie action adventure actor and lip lock (with Kirsten Dunst), while his movie Spider-Man won the action adventure award.
Some of the other multiple winners: Sarah Michelle Gellar (comedy movie actress for Scooby-Doo and TV actress for Buffy the Vampire Slayer); Mandy Moore (breakout actress performance for A Walk to Remember and chemistry with Shane West in Walk); and Spears (female hottie and female artist).
Female athlete award winner Michelle Kwan wore a bikini and sarong. When her car pulled onto the lot she noticed, ''No one is wearing beachwear, so I said, 'I'm not getting out of the car.' '' She decided to be brave.
Also on hand: Ben Stiller, Adam Sandler, Reese Witherspoon and Tim Allen.
Kelly Osbourne, named female breakout TV star, likes the fact voting is done by fans, in this case Seventeen readers.
''That means more than anything because it's not a bunch of rich people who are biased,'' Kelly said. ''It's the people who really care.''
Kelly was with brother Jack. Some celebs made it a parent-child event. Master P and his rapper son Lil' Romeo were a team, as were Susan Sarandon and daughter Eva Amurri. They play mother and daughter in The Banger Sisters, in theaters Sept. 20.
Nelly got the crowd going by opening the show with his hit Hot in Herre, which won song of the summer. Jennifer Love Hewitt made her nationally televised singing debut, performing her single BareNaked from her forthcoming album of the same name.
''I couldn't look at any celebrities because I didn't know whether to pee or sing when I saw them,'' she said. ''I just pretended they were not here and sang to the kids who wouldn't throw things at me.''
One celeb Hewitt did look at was Smallville hunk Tom Welling (male breakout TV star). As they crossed paths backstage, she professed her admiration for the guy who plays the young Superman.
Maybe the six remaining American Idol finalists, all on hand, picked up some singing tips from Hewitt. One thing they didn't do was try to bribe judge Paula Abdul.
''Oh, my gosh, no. They're afraid of us,'' Abdul said, referring to fellow judges Simon Cowell and Randy Jackson. She had a second thought. ''They're not afraid of me.''
More Exclusive Brit Pics! Pics with links you can click to enlarge!
A big thankyou to Britneyspears.com & Shockyourmind.org
