'N Sync Gets 'Ntimate

By KYLE MUNSON
Register Music Critic
March 21, 2002

The five 'N Sync guys, by consensus the ruling kings of the teen pop realm, are using 2002 to minimize the madness that has become their professional and personal lives.

"This tour that we're doing right now, we've cut back a lot because we don't want the trend to keep going until the point it comes out and it's a fireworks display," said Chris Kirkpatrick, the member with perhaps the zaniest reputation and even his own fashion line, FuMan Skeeto.

He and JC Chasez, the introspective one, yakked a month ago in a teleconference with a panel of music journalists (this one included). The pair of self-deprecating, wisecracking pop idols distinguished their current "Celebrity" indoor arena tour, which stops Wednesday in Ames, from their previous, special effects-laden "2001: Popodyssey" trek that played to gargantuan outdoor stadiums.

"There are no dancers; there are no extra people involved," JC said. "It's just a band and us, and it's a very raw show.

"We've actually gone out of our way to do different things to the music to change it up so it'll be an interesting listen for everyone."

"Intimate" is the word that keeps cropping up in reference to 'N Sync's new tour, if a pop group that sold 2.4 million copies of its 2000 sophomore album (''No Strings Attached'') in a single week can hope to cultivate any kind of atmosphere short of mass hysteria. One of the chief tools this time out is a 360-degree, in-the-round stage configuration that helps the popsters play to every corner of the arena.

There are signs indicating that perhaps this is the proper moment for 'N Sync to pause, reassess and pull back.

The group's third album, "Celebrity," didn't break its predecessor's one-week record — but neither did any other 2002 release. ''Celebrity" went on to sell half as many copies (4.42 million) last year as compared to "No Strings Attached" (9.9 million) in 2000. Rap-rock band Linkin Park and reggae ladies' man Shaggy relegated 'N Sync to third place in overall 2001 record sales.

What's more, U2 staged the highest-grossing tour ($109.7 million) of 2001, which put 'N Sync in second place ($86.8 million). Dave Matthews Band immediately sold out its April 30 stop at Hilton, while tickets remain to 'N Sync's concert on Wednesday.

Then there's the group's latest product endorsement, less than glamorous: 'N Sync is selling ribs in TV ads for the Chili's Grill & Bar restaurant chain, sponsors of its tour.

JC said that he's simply being true to his nature by appearing in the ad: He actually dines at Chilis on a regular basis.

To him, any notion of "selling out" in 2002 seems to be highly subjective.

"I guess it all depends on the product you choose, or something like that, which I think is kind of silly," JC said.

Chris was more succinct and blunt: "We sold out about six years ago."

Still, 'N Sync seems to officially have dethroned the Backstreet Boys, its chief teen pop rival whose faltering towards irrelevancy has included a stint in rehab for A.J. McLean, the edgy one with the funky (read: ugly) facial hair.

From teens to eternity
According to Rolling Stone magazine the roles within 'N Sync break down thusly: Justin Timberlake and JC as musical architects, Joey Fatone and Chris as stage designers and Lance Bass as the businessman.

But JC said that equality and mutual respect always have been and always will be the key to keeping 'N Sync together.

"We run our ship like we always have," he said. "When we started this group we were a democracy."

Not that Chris and JC envision singing and bouncing to "Bye Bye Bye" for the rest of their lives.

"When we stop dancing we'll all pick up the instruments and become a band, maybe just a garage band," Chris predicted.

But would a plugged-in, older version of America's teen pop kings Sync or swim? If that was such a plausible idea, wouldn't New Kids on the Block or the Spice Girls now be on tour with the likes of Creed? Wouldn't the Monkees, for that matter, have reached greater heights once they became responsible for their own music?

After the ''Celebrity'' tour wraps April 28 in Orlando, Fla., 'N Sync will take time off to rejuvenate in anticipation of eventually writing and recording a new batch of songs.

Meanwhile, Justin is constantly peppered with questions about his solo work and whether or not he and Britney Spears still are an item. Lance and Joey have one movie (the dud "On the Line'') under their belts, and the latter has another (''My Big Fat Greek Wedding'') due in theaters April 19. Chris' fashion company is launching its first men's line in Australia.

It's a constant refrain from the 'N Sync members: Start thinking of them as more than gyrating teen idols. They grow tired of continually defending the relevancy of their sweet pop tunes as compared to rock, hip-hop or the latest newcomer. The first song on ''Celebrity," "Pop," belabors the point.

"We're popular music that people like to listen to," is Chris's ultimate definition.

'N Sync dreams of a musical future in which, in the words of their heroes in U2, "all the colors bleed into one."

"It'll be great someday when there's not any specific markets, specific colors, specific regions that are listening to a certain type of music," Chris said. "It'll be a time when the music speaks for itself."

In other words, heaven will sound a lot like 'N Sync.

JC, Chris and the rest will be preaching to the choir on Wednesday in Ames.