Blast from the past
CD:UK magazine
August 24, 2006

The world's been waiting for your PopOdyssey tour. Spill the beans!
OK! This tour is bigger and better than anything we've done before. In fact it's the biggest tour in history! You'll see some amazing special effects and brand new tracks from Celebrity. We're very excited.

Is it much different from the No Strings Attached tour?
It's bigger - it's huge!

The tour lasts a cream-crackering two hours! How did you train for it?
It was hard work! We rehearsed for weeks and weeks up front because there are so many new tracks, we had to learn a whole load of new routines.

Pop's got heaps of music styles going on, but there's a definite garage feel to it. Is the album two-steppin' too?
We've worked, experimented a lot on the album with different sounds and techniques. This album's more hi=tech than No Strings Attached. I guess you should say it's an advancement of our sound.

Do you reckon this album your best yet?
We've worked with load of different people on this album including the dance producer, BT, Neptunes, Rodney Jerkins and Max Martin but we've written or co-written all the material. Ther aren't any guests appearances, it's just us. Of course, we fell our music gets better nad better. (thinks) Yeah, I think it'd be fair to say it's our best album yet.

Follow up:

Just how spectacular is PopOdyssey tour then?
Our shows aren't just concerts - they're events. You've never seen anything like it!!

The show has loads of swanky special effects. Are you mad or just putting on an amazing tour?
(laughs) We like to give the audience the best show possible using all the lates technology and tricks. We have a competition between the five of us to see who can come up with the most unusual ideas. Joey's always going on about having a working roller-coaster on stage. I mean, that'd be amazing, but we haven't managed to make it work yet. I'm sure we will!

BSB's huge world tours must be tough to follow. Do you feel the need to do even bigger and better shows?
No, we don't look at other groups and say, "Gee, the're doing that so we'll have to go bigger." It's just that we always like to do the best shows possible, so we spend a lot of money on the production and the effcts in the hope that the audience won't be disappointed.

The band

Celebrity's been descibed as *NSYNC growing up - is that a good thing?
Yeah. Our music's evolving all the time so there will always be something to discover. Take everyday life - I don't think people ever stop learning. I mean, life would be pretty dull if we did, wouldn't it?

Who does the most work in the band?
(laughs) Oh, we're all equal within the group, but I think I'm the only one with an alarm clock. I think sometimes I should put a curfew on the rest of them - and even tell Chris he is grounded!! (giggles go ages) Seriously, though, we all have our strong points, and it wouldn't be fair to say that someone's more talented where singing or dancing's concerned. We just each have our own style y'know, Joey's definitely the best flirt, Lance is super-organised, Chris is very funny and Justin is the most ambitious.

You're very serious about the group, JC - does the label 'boy-band' bug you?
Not really - we realise that people refer to us as a boy-band because we're five boys in a band - but we like to think we're more than that.

Lance, Justin, Joey and Chris have been working on films clothing ranges and other non-music things. Have you tried your hand at pop-free projects?
Why should I!? (laughs) Nope, music is my love - I've always wanted to be doing what I'm doing and I can't even express how lucky I feel. I wrote and co-produced with the girl band Wild Orchid - that was fun, but it was still music. As a band, though, we all have our own projects, but leave the acting and designing to the others.

There 's been a bit of a slagging match between *NSYNC and O-Town - what's going on there?
Absolutely nothing. I like the single and they seem really talented. I haven't met them personally, but I hope it works out for them.

The love stuff

When Britney and Justin went public, did you and the other guys approve?
Well, that's their business so we didn't get involved.

Was Britney bothered when she went on stage with you and got booed by your fans?
You'd have to ask her that.

Why do you think the crowd were so miffed?
I suppose it's because they're sad Justin has a girlfriend and isn't available anymore. I dunno.

Bryan Westlife's girlfriend Kerry was stoned by his fans - are *NSYNC fans so obsessed?
(Looks shocked) No way!! I'd be really upset if that happened - nobody deserves that. Our fans are very important to us, but if they did something like that we'd be very disappointed. I couldn't forgive that.

You're a dark horse about your personal love life... is there a special lady?
I don't like to discuss my personal life! I like to maintain an element of normality. I think if you're too open, it becomes hard to keep your private life private. I don't want that to happen.

The down-time

You're doing tons of charity things this summer. Are you a bit of a goody-goody-gum-drops?
A what?! (CD:UK explains...) Oh, I get you. No, it's just that we all feel passionately about all the charities we work on. The Candie's Foundation project is one of them, to cut down on teen pregnancies. The charity's for young people and we think it's important for us to give something back to our fans.

Do you see yourself doing more solo projects or collaborations?
I've nothing planned right now, but no matter what, I'll always be a part of the band. If I did do other stuff, it wouldn't mean *NSYNC were going to split up!

You're performing with Michael Jackson in September. Is that a dream come true?
(Nods) It's been discussed, but the final arrangements haven't been confirmed. But yeah, it would be pretty cool. For No Strings Attached we worked with Lisa 'Left Eye' Lopez on Space Cowboy, but this album is purely *NSYNC doing our own thing.

Britney and BSB's sisters are getting into music. Any *NSYNC family plans too?
Justin's mom has a management company, but that's it. Obviously our families help us out with decisions and direction but none of them are 'in the business'. As far as making music goes, I'm not aware of any family stuff going on, but you never know!

Finally, the nation needs to know... who does you shopping?
(laughs) I do! Did you think I'd have a personal shopper?! No way! I may be busy, but I'm normal and busy!