*NSYNC Murder Plot Thwarted By Concerned Mother
(10.18) Source - Launch: A concerned Tennessee mother has thwarted her own son's bizarre plans to murder the members of *NSYNC. Sumner County officials were called into action when the mother of the 17-year-old in question discovered a folder containing his outlined plans and drawings to ambush the boy band. In his plan, the unidentified youth was to rob a local gun shop, killing its employees if necessary, after which he would travel to Atlanta on the evening of October 21, the same night *NSYNC is set to take the stage at Philips Arena. His plan of action from that point on: kill the band and anyone who gets in his way.
Sheriff Captain Don Linzy suspects the boy was acting alone, and he tells the Gallatin News Examiner, "Everything in the writings indicates he was the only one. It was always 'I' this and 'I' that, there was never any 'we.'" Linzy is quick to give credit to the boy's mother for her actions, noting that if parents took more of an active part in their children's doings, tragedies like the one at Columbine High School more than a year ago can be avoided: "I know it's never an easy thing to do, but she did the right thing in alerting authorities. She found something disturbing and took action." As for why *NSYNC was at the center of this boy's hatred, Linzy references the boy's writings, which essentially said, "The group gets all the good girls." The 17-year-old is now undergoing a series of psychological evaluations to determine his mental well-being. Writer Roger Smith of the News Examiner tells Launch, "This boy has had previous psychological problems," and adds, "The mother reported her son as soon as she found the folder."
As their fame continues to grow, security has become a must for the members of *NSYNC. Although a majority of their fans respect the band member's private lives, there are always some who try to get too close. Joey Fatone recently told Launch. "I think sometimes certain people may take it a little bit too far, and try to get more into your personal life. Screaming, enjoying the music and, you know, wanting an autograph or a picture - that's cool - but starting to go into your private life or trying to lie about different things that may or may not have happened, you know what I'm saying? Its just things that have been stretched to far out - that's not a healthy thing. That's the scary thing about it."
*NSYNC Lined Up For Billboards
(10.16) Source - AllStar: *NSYNC, Faith Hill, and Creed are lined up thus far to perform at the 2000 Billboard Music Awards, set for Dec. 5th in Las Vegas. Britney Spears, Destiny's Child, Baha Men, and Joe have singed on as presenters for the annual awards soir�e. The 11th annual Billboard Music Awards will be broadcast live from the MGM Grand Garden Arena at 8 PM EST/PST on Dec. 5th. The nominees for event will be announced shortly.
*NSYNC Already Thinking About Next Album
(10.16) Source - Launch: The final leg of *NSYNC's No Strings Attached tour kicks off Tuesday (October 17) at the Charlotte Coliseum in North Carolina, but the group is already thinking ahead to its next album. *NSYNC got plenty of help putting together No Strings Attached from producers like Kevin "She'kspere" Briggs (Pink, Destiny's Child), who produced the track "It Makes Me Ill," and Richard Marx (Shedaisy), who wrote and produced the group's current hit single, "This I Promise You." *NSYNC member Lance Bass told Launch that for the next album the group will play a very large creative role, and will once again ask for the assistance of several of their talented friends. "We're definitely gonna produce more of this one," he said. "We're definitely getting into that side, more of it. There's been several people we've been talking about maybe getting with - She'kspere again, Timbaland, Missy Elliott. . .even Richard Marx would be great to work with again."
Singer JC Chasez added that *NSYNC will be looking to reinvent itself for the next album. "I just think we have to get creative again and reinvent ourselves, come out with a new style," he said. "After this tour, we'll have to kind of clear our minds of this stuff and really come up with something different and innovative. I mean, we still want it to be fun and everything like that, but we just have to come up with a new style."
Group member Joey Fatone joked about one direction the next album might potentially take. "This album was dirty-pop," he said. "Who knows what's going to be the next one - stinky-rap?" *NSYNC hopes to have its new studio album finished by February.
*NSYNC Tour Kicks Off Tuesday In North Carolina
(10.16) Source - Launch: The second leg of *NSYNC's No Strings Attached tour kicks off Tuesday (October 17) at the Charlotte Coliseum in North Carolina. The 31-date tour is in support of the group's nine-times-platinum album, which sold more than 2.4 million copies in its first week of release. Opening acts for *NSYNC will include Soul Decision, the Baha Men, girl group Innosense, and Bad Boy Entertainment girl group Dream.
*NSYNC member Joey Fatone told Launch this outing will be very similar to the last. "We're actually kind of going to keep it the same as of right now," he said, "just due to the fact that there's a bunch of cities we have not hit yet. So people that never got a chance to see it yet are actually going to get a chance to see it. We start in North Carolina and just move on from there. Certain areas we will hit again just because we had a great response and the ticket sales sold out so quickly."
Launch asked singer JC Chasez if *NSYNC is planning to preview any new material on the tour. "No, we're still concentrating on this album," he said. "If anything, maybe towards the end of the tour we might throw a Christmas song in, but we're not even sure if we're going to do that. For the most part, yeah, it's just the No Strings Attached tour."
*NSYNC's Chirs Kirkpatrick Forms FuManSkeeto Inc. Teams Up With Mediax For On-Line Presence
(10.15) Source - FuManSkeeto.com: Chris Kirkpatrick, founder and CEO of FuMan Skeeto Inc. best known as one fifth member of the multi-platinum-selling music group *NSYNC, says the formation of FuMan Skeeto clothing is just the beginning of several creative and innovative projects under the FuMan Skeeto banner.
"FuMan Skeeto is proud to announce their partnership with internet technology mogul Media X (OTC:MXMX), best known for their leading edge work on the record setting *NSYNC.com. "We're very excited to be a part of a company that has been a part of the cutting edge of web design, development and on-line marketing since it's inception. FuManSkeeto is here to broaden horizons and show people's true potential and we believe that Media X can help us achieve this goal. First on our agenda is continuing to give back to our supporters by further developing our online community by giving them an opportunity to really be a part of FuManSkeeto and our dreams", said Director of Online Development, Ryan O'Brien.
You can find FuMan Skeeto's unique line of gear at Nordstrom stores across the US. To visit the FuMan Skeeto online community point your browser to FuManSkeeto.com or email [email protected]. If you would like to learn more about Media X and their contribution to the future of interactive marketing, please contact MediaX Corporation, 310.815.8002 or send your e-mail request to [email protected], or visit Mediax.com.
*NSYNC To Pull Own Strings On Next LP
(10.14) Source - SonicNet: *NSYNC plans to have even fewer strings attached on their next album, which the pop group will begin recording soon after its tour ends in December.
The new album, due next summer, will find the members of *NSYNC crafting their own sound on a number of tracks, while also employing some of the leading R&B and hip-hop producers of the moment, according to the group and its label, Jive.
"This one, we're definitely gonna produce more of it," group member Lance Bass said Monday. "We've been talking about maybe getting with She'kspere again, [as well as] Timbaland, Missy [Elliott] � even Richard Marx would be great to work with again."
Kevin "She'kspere" Briggs, who has worked with Pink and Mariah Carey, among other acts, produced the track "It Makes Me Ill" on *NSYNC's nine-times platinum No Strings Attached, which also includes the hits "Bye Bye Bye" and "It's Gonna Be Me."
Eighties pop star Marx, meanwhile, wrote and produced the hit ballad "This I Promise You," which *NSYNC have said they plan to re-record in a country version.
*NSYNC, who added harder-hitting R&B to their pop sound on No Strings Attached, hope to further evolve on their next release.
"I just think we have to get creative again, you know, and reinvent ourselves, come out with a new style," group member JC Chasez said. "So that's kind of what we're going to be � you know, after this tour, we'll have to kind of clear our minds of this stuff and really come up with something, you know, different and innovative."
"It's hard to say where the music's gonna go," singer Justin Timberlake said. "I think we found our sound this year, so hopefully we can grow with our audience."
In the meantime, *NSYNC will kick off the final leg of the No Strings Attached tour on Oct. 17 in Charlotte, N.C. The tour's opening acts are expected to include Bahamian pop group Baha Men � whose hit "Who Let the Dogs Out" continues to flood the nation's airwaves � as well as the pop acts Dream and SoulDecision.
*NSYNC To Star In 'Grease 3'?
(10.13) Source - Launch: The members of *NSYNC have revealed that they may star in the upcoming film Grease 3, the third cinematic installment of the popular musical that originally featured John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John in the lead roles on screen.
Group member Lance Bass told reporters that production will likely start once the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) strike is settled. "Most likely it's Grease 3. We're definitely going to do one. Everything just got put on hold because of the SAG strike, which is just very bad timing for us, but we're going ahead and getting the script written. We've decided which one we're going to do and it's a go from the studios, and we've just got to wait until the strike's over and then we'll start filming."
*NSYNC Hang With The Springfield Crew
(10.13) Source - Allstar: Like Aerosmith, Kid Rock, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, and Sonic Youth before them, *NSYNC is dropping by Springfield to hang with The Simpsons. The members of the boy band recently lent their voices to an episode entitled "New Kids on the Blecch," in which Bart and some of his buddies form a boy band called Party Posse. The guys in *NSYNC give Bart and company some choreography pointers while in Springfield for a show. Look for the episode to air in late February.
*NSYNC will appear on "The Simpsons"
(10.13) Source - Entertainment Weekly: TV News we know. We might as well start calling ourselves BoyBand Online. But there remain millions of teen *NSYNC fiends who need to know that their favorite harmonic hunks will be appearing on an upcoming episode of "The Simpsons." The boys recorded their voices for a show titled "New Kids on the Blecch," according to MTV News. In "Blecch" -- tentatively set to air in February -- Bart and his pals Nelson Muntz, Ralph Wiggum, and Milhouse Van form a boy band of their own called Party Posse. During the gang's debut concert, an animated *NSYNC drop by Springfield to kindly offer advice on choreography.... In other less pressing news, the U.S. presidential debates brought in more than 30 million viewers on Wednesday night. Just imagine the numbers if Justin had been the moderator.
*NSYNC Meets "The Simpsons"
(10.12) Source - MTV: In the great tradition of Kid Rock and Britney Spears, *NSYNC is set to appear in an upcoming episode of FOX's long-running animated series "The Simpsons." Producer Bonnie Pietila told MTV News that the guys recorded their voices for the episode on September 12, and that the sessions were even videotaped.
In the show, the characters of Bart Simpson, Nelson Muntz, Ralph Wiggum, and Milhouse Van Houten form their own boy band called Party Posse, and at their premiere concert in Springfield, *NSYNC stops by to give the guys some advice on their choreography. The episode, called "New Kids On The Blecch," is tentatively set to air in late February.
The boy band is just the latest act to get inked for "The Simpsons." Past episodes of the show have seen Kid Rock, Smashing Pumpkins, Aerosmith, Britney Spears, Cypress Hill, Red Hot Chili Peppers, the Ramones, Sonic Youth, and other notables share quality times and life lessons with the Simpson clan.
*NSYNC to Play Billboard Awards
(10.12) Source - Billboard: Pop music sensation *NSYNC, breakthrough country music star Faith Hill and the sonic rock band Creed are set to perform at the 11th annual Billboard Music Awards. They will join confirmed presenters Britney Spears, Destiny's Child, Baha Men and Joe at The 2000 Billboard Music Awards airing live from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas Tuesday, Dec. 5 (8:00-10:00 PM ET/PT) on FOX. The special will originate live from Las Vegas for its fifth consecutive year. Once again, the MGM Grand Garden Arena will play host as the stars of the music world gather for the 11th year in a row to honor the No. 1 performers of the year. Featuring performances by today's hottest artists, the Billboard Music Awards has been televised exclusively on FOX since the show's inception. Hosts, along with additional performers and award contenders will be announced closer to air.
*NSYNC Get Greasy
(10.12) Source - Infobeat: While no one is talking, it looks like Britney Spears may sign on the line to star opposite her *NSYNC sweetie Justin Timberlake in Grease 3. During a tele-press conference on Monday *NSYNC member Lance Bass revealed that the band is going ahead with plans to make a third installment in the retro musical. "We're going ahead and getting the script written," said Bass. "We've got a great cast in mind right now." Bass wouldn't name names, but insiders speculate that the boy band have convinced Spears to star in the film. But Grease isn't all the band has on their mind; they're also mulling over who will produce their new album, due out next February. "There's been several people we've been talking about," Bass said. "Maybe getting with She'kespere again, Timbaland, Missy Elliot. Even Richard Marx would be great to work with again"
*NSYNC Gets Around
(10.12) Source - Rolling Stone Daily: Faith Hill, *NSYNC, Busta Rhymes and
Barenaked Ladies have all contributed songs for the soundtrack to "How the Grinch Stole Christmas," due Nov. 7. *NSYNC will also be featured on the Nov. 14 compilation, "A Platinum Christmas," alongside the Backstreet Boys, Christina Aguilera and Britney Spears.
*NSYNC, Britney & Others Team For Holiday Album
(10.12) Source - LiveDaily: Original holiday songs from Backstreet Boys, Britney Spears, *NSYNC and a number of other artists will appear on "Platinum Christmas," a compilation album scheduled for release on Nov. 14, according to a joint statement from BMG Entertainment and Jive Records.
The disc will also feature new holiday compositions performed by Santana, Dave Matthews Band, Monia, Joe, R. Kelly, Pink, Donell Jones, Dido and Steps.
In addition to the new tunes, cover versions of traditional holiday songs sung by Christina Aguilera, Whitney Houston, TLC and Toni Braxton will appear on the disc.
Backstreet Boys' 1999 release "Millennium" has sold more than 30 million copies worldwide, according to the group's publicist. Spears' "Oops! � I Did It Again," which hit stores earlier this year, sold 1.3 million units in its first week, and has been certified sextuple-platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for sales of six million copies. "� Baby One More Time," Spears' 1999 debut, shipped over 12 million copies, according to the RIAA.
*NSYNC, meanwhile, holds the record for the largest seven-day sales totals of any album after selling 2.4 million copies of "No Strings Attached" during its first week of release earlier this year. That disc has been certified for sales of more than nine million copies.
Britney Spears, *NSYNC, More Contribute To 'Platinum Christmas'
(10.12) Source - Launch: Britney Spears, *NSYNC, the Backstreet Boys, and Christina Aguilera are just some of the acts that have contributed tracks to the new holiday collection Platinum Christmas, which is due out November 14 on Jive. Other artists featured on the album include Whitney Houston, TLC, Santana, Dido, Toni Braxton, Monica, Joe, R. Kelly, Pink, the Dave Matthews Band, Steps, and Donell Jones.
The Platinum Christmas track list is: Britney Spears - "My Only Wish (This Year)," *NSYNC - "I Don't Want To Spend One More Christmas Without You," Backstreet Boys - "Christmas Time," Christina Aguilera - "Silent Night," Whitney Houston - "Who Could Imagine A King," TLC - "Sleighride," Toni Braxton - "The Christmas Song," Santana - "Posada (Pilgrimage To Bethlehem)," Monica - "My Grown Up Christmas List," Joe - "This Christmas," R. Kelly - "World Christmas," Pink - "Give Love On Christmas Day," Dave Matthews Band - "Christmas Song," Donell Jones - "My Gift To You," Dido - "Christmas Day," and Steps - "Merry Christmas Everybody"
In related news, the fifth installment of the chart-topping compilation series titled Now That's What I Call Music will also arrive in stores on November 14. The new collection contains contributions from 98 Degrees, the Backstreet Boys, and Destiny's Child.
The previous compilation, Now That's What I Call Music, Volume 4, was the first collection of previously released recordings to climb to Number One on the Billboard album chart. The series is a cooperative joint venture from Universal Music Group, the EMI Group, and Zomba Music, and it is distributed by Universal's UTV Records.
*NSYNC, Britney, Backstreet, More Team Up For Holidays
(10.11) Source - MTV: If you've been waiting for Britney Spears and *NSYNC to come along and pepper your holiday season with a shimmering, sparkling dose of pop, then you're about to be a very happy reader.
Those acts are teaming up with the Backstreet Boys, Christina Aguilera, Whitney Houston, TLC, Toni Braxton, Santana, Monica, Joe, R. Kelly, Pink, Dave Matthews Band, Donell Jones, Dido, and Steps for a holiday collection titled "Platinum Christmas."
The collection arrives on November 14 through Jive Records, and it promises to find the aforementioned artists tackling holiday season classics as well as contemporary tracks. The collection marks Jive Records' first foray into the holiday market and brings a Christmas twist to the pop-compilation trend that sent the "Now That's What I Call Music 4" compilation to the top of the charts this summer.
When the album arrives, here's what you'll find:
Britney Spears - "My Only Wish (This Year)"
*NSYNC - "I Don't Want To Spend One More Christmas Without You"
Backstreet Boys - "Christmas Time"
Christina Aguilera - "Silent Night"
Whitney Houston - "Who Could Imagine A King"
TLC - "Sleighride"
Toni Braxton - "The Christmas Song"
Santana - "Posada (Pilgrimage To Bethlehem)"
Monica - "My Grown Up Christmas List"
Joe - "This Christmas"
R. Kelly - "World Christmas"
Pink - "Give Love On Christmas Day"
Dave Matthews Band - "Christmas Song"
Donell Jones - "My Gift To You"
Dido - "Christmas Day"
Steps - "Merry Christmas Everybody"
Platinum Christmas Track Listing Surfaces
(10.11) Source - Allstar: The track listing for Platinum Christmas, the filled-to-the-brim pop and R&B Christmas compilation we told you about on Monday, has finally surfaced. In addition to the previously mentioned groups (*NSYNC, Backstreet Boys, Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, R. Kelly, Joe, Santana, Toni Braxton, and Pink), the album will also contain tracks by Whitney Houston, TLC, Dido, the Dave Matthews Band, Steps, and Donell Jones.
*NSYNC's track, which was originally reported by Justin Timberlake as "You Don't Have To Be Alone" on Monday, will actually be a song called "I Don't Want To Spend One More Christmas Without You." Other tracks include Spears' "My Only Wish (This Year)," Backstreet Boys' "Christmas Time," TLC's "Sleighride," Santana's "Posada (Pilgrmiage to Bethlehem)," and Christina Aguilera's "Silent Night," among others.
Platinum Christmas is due Nov. 14 on Jive Records. Here is the track listing to Platinum Christmas:
1. Britney Spears, "My Only Wish (This Year)"
2. *NSYNC, "I Don't Want To Spend One More Christmas Without You"
3. Backstreet Boys, "Christmas Time"
4. Christina Aguilera, "Silent Night"
5. Whitney Houston, "Who Could Imagine a King"
6. TLC, "Sleighride"
7. Toni Braxton, "The Christmas Song"
8. Santana, "Posada (Pilgrimage to Bethlehem)"
9. Monica, "My Grown Up Christmas List"
10. Joe, "This Christmas"
11. R. Kelly, "World Christmas"
12. Pink, "Give Love on Christmas Day"
13. Dave Matthews Band, "Christmas Song"
14. Donell Jones, "My Gift to You"
15. Dido, "Christmas Day"
16. Steps, "Merry Christmas Everybody"
*NSYNC, Creed Lead Radio Music Nominees
(10.11) Source - Zap2It.com: *NSYNC thinks it's gonna be them at The Radio Music Awards, which will air Nov. 4 on ABC. The pop group had four nominations tied with the rock group Creed. Santana, the Dixie Chicks and Sisqo each garnered three nominations and Vertical Horizon, Macy Gray, Destiny's Child, 98 Degrees, George Strait, Tim McGraw, Smash Mouth, Third Eye Blind and Aaliyah all walked away with two nods. The two-hour special will hand out awards in such categories as Top 40/Pop radio, Pop Alternative radio, Hip-Hop/Rhythmic radio, Alternative/Rock radio and Country radio. In addition, awards will be given out for Most Requested Artist, Most Requested Song, Most Requested Party Song and Most Requested Slow Dance Song of the year by radio listeners. ABC will broadcast the awards show live from Las Vegas.
Neil Young Confirms Rock In Rio Jaunt
(10.11) Source - Allstar: A day after Beck and Sheryl Crow signed on, Neil Young has confirmed his appearance at Rock in Rio for a Better World, a 10-day Brazilian music festival in Rio de Janeiro from Jan. 12-21, 2001.
Young joins Crow, Beck, R.E.M., the Deftones, Foo Fighters, *NSYNC, Britney Spears, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Silverchair, Iron Maiden, James Taylor, Queens of the Stone Age, and Rob Halford on the non-Brazilian side of Rock in Rio's menu.
Rock In Rio will take place in the Barra da Tijuca area of Rio. Tickets for the event will go on sale in October. Check out the event's Web site for more information on ticket sales.
Beck, Sheryl Crow Head To Brazil For Rock In Rio
(10.10) Source - Allstar: The lineup just keeps getting bigger and bigger. Beck and Sheryl Crow are the latest acts confirmed for Rock in Rio for a Better World, a 10-day Brazilian music festival in Rio de Janeiro from Jan. 12-21, 2001.
The four new acts join R.E.M., the Deftones, Foo Fighters, *NSYNC, Britney Spears, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Silverchair, Iron Maiden, James Taylor, Queens of the Stone Age, and Rob Halford on the non-Brazilian side of Rock in Rio's menu. The festival's lineup is expected to swell to nearly 100 acts by its kickoff.
Rock In Rio will take place in the Barra da Tijuca area of Rio. Tickets for the event will go on sale in October. Check out the event's Web site for more information on ticket sales.
Saving 'Grease'
(10.10) Source - Entertainment Weekly: REEL DEAL *NSYNC has finally settled on a script to launch their careers on the silver screen. But -- alas! -- the impending actors' strike may be holding them back. The boys have greenlit "Grease 3," but because of Hollywood's oh so icky labor woes, teens may not be seeing it for a while. "We're going ahead and getting the script written," Lance Bass said during a teleconference yesterday. "It's a go from the studios and we just got to wait until the strike is over, then we can start filming." They were reluctant to say which female teen pop star might be cast in the lead, however. (Britney Spears is, of course, rumored to be attached.) "It'll definitely be more written for a group," Bass said. "We've got a great cast in mind right now." In the meantime, the group says they are trying to decide on a producer for their next album, which is likely to be released in February. "We're definitely getting into that side of it more," says Bass. "There's been several people we've been talking about. Maybe getting with She'kespere again, Timbaland, Missy Elliot. Even Richard Marx would be great to work with again." Oh to be part of that flawless spin machine!
*NSYNC Talks Movie, Tour and New Album
(10.10) Source - Wall Of Sound: *NSYNC has long talked about taking its act to the silver screen; the quintet even went to Cannes this year to promote its movie career. The only question that remained was which project the boys were going to pursue. It looks like they may have decided at last.
"Most likely, it's Grease 3," Lance Bass said in a teleconference today that also included his fellow *NSYNC mates JC Chasez and Joey Fatone.
"Everything just got put on hold because of the [Screen Actors Guild] strike, which was just very bad timing for us. We're going ahead and getting the script written. It's a go from the studios, and we just got to wait until the strike is over, and then we can start filming."
The group didn't detail which of the band's members would serve as the movie's male lead or who would be tapped to play opposite him. (Britney Spears, *NSYNC member Justin Timberlake's main squeeze, has also been rumored to be attached to Grease 3.) "I guess it'll be an ensemble," Fatone said.
"It'll definitely be more written for a group," Bass added. "We've got a great cast in mind right now."
Despite all the talk of a new endeavor, *NSYNC is not ready to say "Bye Bye Bye" to the concert stage just yet. The quintet is about to embark on a 31-date string of shows, part of its long-running "No Strings Attached" tour, which kicks off in Charlotte, S.C., on Oct. 17. Fans shouldn't look for any new wrinkles in the show (which has already sold out its entire run), just the same scream-inducing mix of pop songs, choreography, and special effects.
"We're actually going to keep it the same as of right now, due to the fact that there are actually certain cities, a bunch of places that we have not hit yet," Chasez said. "So people that never got the chance to see it yet are actually going to get a chance to see it. If anything, maybe towards the end of [the tour] we might throw a Christmas song in, but we're not even sure if we're going to do that. For the most part, yeah, it's just the 'No Strings Attached' tour."
The members of the band also addressed such things as their ongoing rivalry with the Backstreet Boys (Chasez doesn't see it as a competition but does think it makes both groups work harder and do positive things), the media and fans prying into their private lives (surprise, they don't like it), and the still-controversial use of taped backing vocals at their shows.
"We never use them on the lead vocals," Chasez insisted. "Sometimes we might use them on the background a bit. We never use them for a cappellas. For the dance numbers, sometimes we use them in the fast songs, yeah. But that's not what rides in the forefront. Everybody wants to hear how the song itself and the leads and everything like that [sound], and those are always live."
"When you're performing, you do get sort of winded, as far as doing background vocals, since you're dancing so much," Fatone said. "The good thing about it is, if all else fails, we can sing the background vocals, you know what I'm saying? It's not a big help to us, but it does at least give us a little backing so [the sound is] a lot fuller and a lot thicker."
If *NSYNC has any spare time these days, it's spent thinking about its next album, which it hopes to finish by February. At this point, the band is still mulling over potential producers to work with and claim that it's likely that Chasez and Timberlake will take a greater hand in shaping the record's direction.
"We're definitely getting into that side of it more," Bass said. "There's been several people we've been talking about. Maybe getting with She'kspere again, Timbaland, Missy [Elliott]. Even Richard Marx would be great to work with again."
Even before that, the group is planning to do a song for the country market � Bass declined to disclose who it will work with on it but said that the band has narrowed it down to "a couple of artists" � and will continue to seek out new venues for its music, like the Latin Grammy Awards, which it played last month.
"We just want to prove that music is music," Bass said.
"We want to challenge ourselves," Chasez added. "Music, it's fun. It's a journey, and I don't think that any artist likes just one kind of music. They're usually very creative people and they like a little bit of everything. There's part of them that wishes that maybe they could do this, that, and the other, and we've just been lucky enough to push the boundaries and do it, instead of wondering about it."
*NSYNC Switch Places
(10.10) Source - Launch: *NSYNC's Chris Kirkpatrick revealed a rock star obsession while Justin Timberlake admitted a need to stop dancing, even if for a minute, when asked if they could switch places with any other performer, who would it be and why during *NSYNC's teleconference on Monday.
"Somebody who didn't dance," said Timberlake. "Because I'm tired." (Don't worry girls, he was only kidding. Timberlake would actually trade places with Stevie Wonder if given the opportunity.) "He's my idol," said Timberlake. "He's awesome. He's the greatest. Ever. In the whole world."
"Gwen Stefani and I'd look in the mirror all day long," announced Kirkpatrick. "She's just a hottie." How lucky for Wonder and Stefani...
*NSYNC Motivated By Friendly Competition With Backstreet Boys
(10.10) Source - Launch: The *NSYNC-versus-Backstreet Boys rivalry may be going strong, but that's only in the minds of the fans, according to *NSYNC. The group harbors no ill will toward its labelmates and says that the two acts are pitted against each other by outside forces, as *NSYNC member JC Chasez tells Launch. "I think everybody puts us in direct competition with them," he says. "We really don't care either way. We just do our thing day to day and we're thankful that we've achieved what we have. We don't want to take anything away from them--I mean, hey, they're just trying to do their thing, so we have nothing against them. We know what it's like to try and make a living at this."
While *NSYNC denies any negative relationship with the Backstreet Boys, there is a healthy sense of competition that produces positive results, as Chasez explains. "I guess people set it up that way, and in a way it's a good thing, 'cause it really kind of helps drive everybody and it motivates everybody to do positive." *NSYNC is gearing up for the second leg of its No Strings Attached tour, which will kick off in Charlotte, North Carolina, on October 17. The tour will wrap up on December 1 in San Diego, California, after which the group will head into the studio to record its next album. *NSYNC is hoping to have the new project completed by February.