N'SYNC looking forward to promo visit in Manila

If you're an avid N'SYNC fan (and if you're still not, you just might become one), you should know the following data about the Fabulous Five:

* The group is composed of (at random now) Justin Timberlake, 17; Chris Kirkpatrick, 26; Joey Fatone, Jr., 21; James (Lance) Bass, 19; and Joshua "JC" Chasez, 22.

* The name N'SYNC was taken from the last letters of their first names (Lance's nickname is Lanston).

* The group has sold more than 18 million records worldwide. N'SYNC the album sold more than 10 million copies (10 times platinum) in the US alone and has produced two "gold" singles, I Want You Back and God Must Have Spent A Little More Time On You.

* The group has been given an American Music Award as Best New Artist and acted as presenters at the recent 42nd Grammy Awards where they received three nominations (Best Collaboration with Vocals for Music of My Heart with Gloria Estefan, Best Song Written for a Motion Picture for Music of My Heart with Gloria Estefan and Best Country Collaboration with Vocals for God Must Have Spent A Little More Time On You with Alabama.)

* The new N'SYNC album, No Strings Attached (the first single culled from it, Bye Bye Bye, is currently a Top 20 hit in the Billboard Singles Chart), will be released in the US on March 21 and in Asia (the Philippines included, by MCA-Universal) on April 5.

The N'SYNC guys are often compared to the Backstreet Boys simply because, 1). Some of their music and characteristics are the same as those of the BSB guys, 2). They have the same manager (Johnny Wright), 3). They also come from the same hometown (Orlando, Florida), and 4). They also, like the BSB, made a name first in Europe before they did back home.

How did they get together?

The five Florida boys were originally from somewhere else: Justin from Memphis, Tennessee; Chris from Clarion, Pennsylvania; Joey from Brooklyn, New York; Lance from Laurel, Mississippi; and JC from Washington DC.

JC and a friend auditioned for the Mickey Mouse Club (MMC) in L.A. A few years later, he met Justin who joined the cast of the show which was soon canceled. The two remained friends. At about that time, Joey and Chris were both working at the Universal Studios where they became friends.

Justin went back to Florida to audition for a group. He met Chris. The group was never formed but Chris mentioned to Justin the idea of forming their own group. During a nightout, Justin, Chris and JC bumped into Joey. They became friends and started singing together, sharing a sound they liked. Then, Justin called on old vocal coach, Lance. The N'SYNC was born.

The good news is that the N'SYNC is including the Philippines in their forthcoming world tour itinerary to promote No Strings Attached. Funfare had a brief phone chat with Joey (as spokesman) last week while the N'SYNC was in United Kingdom for a promo tour. Here are excerpts:

It's nice to know that you're going to visit the Philippines soon.

"Our world tour will be sometime in the third quarter of this year. We'll start in London and proceed to Australia and from there, we're going to several Asian countries including the Philippines."

A lot of your Filipino fans can hardly wait for your visit.

"Oh, we've been hearing that we have lots of fans in the Philippines and other parts of Asia and we're very happy for that. We're looking forward to meeting them during our world tour."

How is No Strings Attached similar to or different from your previous albums?

"No Strings Attached is a lot different from our other albums. It takes us to the next step, the next level of sound. We used a variety of songs and arranged a lot of harmony and things like that. It's got a lot of heart and soul because we did most of the songs independently when we were still having legal suits between some company."

Does the song Bye Bye Bye have any special meaning or significance to your group?

"It's a touching song about breaking up, about a person wanting to be free. It sounds like our early songs and yet it's different, but it retains the distinct N'SYNC sound."

How does your group feel about being compared to the Backstreet Boys? How are the two groups similar to each other?

(Laughs) They're five guys and we're five guys. That's the similarity! (Seriously now) That's true. We've been compared to the Backstreet Boys but at this point, I guess people can tell which music is N'SYNC and which music is Backstreet Boys. As far as performance is concerned, I should say that our shows are very high-energy-packed and very theatrical as well. How we dress is totally different from how they do."

Are you N'SYNC guys friends of the Backstreet Boys?

"Oh, yeah. We've known them for quite sometime. We say 'Hi!' to each other. But because of our busy schedules, we don't get a chance to be the best of friends. (Sounding very humble) The Backstreet Boys are definitely bigger than our group but we're doing our best to give our fans the best music and the best performance we're capable of. The competition is non-existent, actually. It's only the press sometimes which makes it look bigger than it really is. Chris and Howie (a BSB member) know each other because they studied in the same school; they were members of the same choir."

Being friends, of course, helps you N'SYNC guys make more beautiful music together.

"Love for music brings us closer to each other."

No professional jealousy among the members?

"We have bickerings just like other people but when we work, we work as a unit."

One for all, all for one.

"Yeah. One for all, all for one."

How do you spend your free time ... still together?

"Yeah. We go to the movies or play bowling together sometimes. But since we work together all the time, we do try to spend some time away from each other. They spend time with their families and I do the same with my family."

With your busy schedule, do you still have time for yourselves?

"We don't. So we take advantage of our breaks; we try to make the best of them, such as during Christmastime."

Haven't you thought of any other name before you settled for N'SYNC?

"We did but N'SYNC, given to our group by Justin's mother, is perfect because we guys are in 'sync' with one another. We're in perfect harmony with one another."

One of your songs is called God Must Have Spent A Little More Time On You. Are you religious?

"Oh, yeah, we are! We went to Catholic schools. We believe in God and we're all pretty spiritual, very religious."

Any message to your Filipino fans?

"See you in Manila!"

FLASH: Cris Villonco has been chosen as Time magazine's Hero of the Planet, the only one who qualified from Southeast Asia. Cris is being cited for her concern for the environment. "You've helped make Mother Earth a better place for all of us to live," said the letter sent to Cris by Ford Motor Company which is sponsoring her (and two companion's) trip to San Francisco on April 15 where Cris will attend a special "Salute to the Heroes of the Planet" and grace a Heroes Parade and environmental dedication ceremony at the historic and beautiful Huntington Park.

Cris is the voice behind a song the reminds everybody to be environment-conscious.

She'll also participate at an exclusive concert at the Nob Hill Masonic Center (San Francisco) along with 14-year-old Welsh soprano Charlotte Church. In June, Cris will perform at a Jubillarium concert, led by Pope John Paul II, in Vatican.