Buzz Interview
There's a bit of Broadway in Dream Street
December 6, 2001 Posted: 05:10:04 AM PST
By DANIEL CAVA, CHRISTINA MERRILL and ERIN VECCHI NEWSDAY
NEW YORK -- We interviewed Greg Raposo, 16, Chris Trousdale, 16, Jesse McCartney, 14, Matt Ballinger, 16, and Frankie Galasso, 16, the members of the New York-based pop group Dream Street, in a luxury box at Yankee Stadium. They have been together for three years and their self- titled debut album was released in July.
Q: How did you get the name Dream Street?
Chris: We all have a Broadway background, and Broadway is called the street of dreams, so we took that and became Dream Street.
Q: How did you become part of this group?
Greg: They held an audition, and about 200 people came out and auditioned. Personally, this is something I have wanted to do my entire life.
Jesse: We have been together for about three years. I was 11 years old when I started with them.
Q: Who are your musical influences?
Jesse: As a group, we all look up to 'N Sync and the Backstreet Boys. They are male vocalists and they have done very well. Personally, I like James Taylor and Sting. On car trips, my parents would listen to them.
Matt: We like Sublime and Red Hot Chili Peppers.
Chris: I like the Dave Matthews Band.
Greg: I've been listening to Jagged Edge.
Frankie: For an older influence, I like Earth Wind & Fire.
Q: How do you deal with school?
Frankie: We go to school, and we have rehearsals after school. On the weekends we do a concert or whatever.
Q: Do you have any good-luck charms?
Chris: We all wear the same necklaces, but they make us take them off before we perform.
Jesse: Before a concert or whenever we perform, we have little lacrosse sticks and we throw the ball around. It's not lucky, but it is something we do.