confusion abounds
Apr. 21st, 2003 05:19 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
mickeymThis is mostly for my reference, but if anyone else benefits from it, rock on :)
Okay. So, I've rewatched Driven.
According to the tape, in 1996, Johnny was over in Germany where he was managing (for Transcon) BSB, along with two other acts. Jan Bolz contacted him, said they really like all the american groups coming over, and were there any others Jan and his fellow execs could take a look at.
Johnny has a 2 song CD and a picture of the Nsync boys that he shares with Jan; upon hearing it, Jan indicates interest in going to Orlando to listen to the boys live. Johnny then flies back to Orlando himself to meet for the first time with the Nsync boys and let them know about BMG's interest. Major rehersing ensues.
Jan and one of his cronies comes to Orlando, meets with the boys, watches them perform (possibly the April showcase at Dr. Phillips High?). Really impressed, thinks they're very talented. Meets with Johnny, who then meets with the guys, tells them BMG is interested, but with two conditions:
1) must change the name; too difficult for Germans to say (and what the heck does it mean?)
2) drop Lance; he's not at the same level as the other guys.
Haggling ensues; Johnny says in Driven they all agree Lance isn't going anywhere -- presumably that means Johnny (and probably? possibly? Lou, as well).
The result ends up being the guys are offered a contract with BMG/Transcon.
At this point in Driven it's mentioned that Lou invites Johnny in to manage the group. Presumably goes along with the contract signing, since it's not mentioned prior, and the Driven timeline seems to be pretty chronological.
Possible/Probable timeline:
April '96 - Dr. Phillips showcase (possibly attended by BMG reps?)
June/July '96 - offer made for contract, with conditions; counteroffer made, haggling over conditions, etc.
August '96 - contract signed; Johnny signed as manager; boys go to Europe
~~~~~~~~~
I've noticed in fanfic, we've given Lou close to god-like powers; he's always around, there's always the 'if Lou hears', 'if Lou finds out', 'if Lou ______'. Can anyone confirm (or deny) that Lou was in Germany on a regular basis with the guys? Or Johnny? Obviously some sort of management guidance was required...why do we all assume it was Lou?
Anyone?
Okay. So, I've rewatched Driven.
According to the tape, in 1996, Johnny was over in Germany where he was managing (for Transcon) BSB, along with two other acts. Jan Bolz contacted him, said they really like all the american groups coming over, and were there any others Jan and his fellow execs could take a look at.
Johnny has a 2 song CD and a picture of the Nsync boys that he shares with Jan; upon hearing it, Jan indicates interest in going to Orlando to listen to the boys live. Johnny then flies back to Orlando himself to meet for the first time with the Nsync boys and let them know about BMG's interest. Major rehersing ensues.
Jan and one of his cronies comes to Orlando, meets with the boys, watches them perform (possibly the April showcase at Dr. Phillips High?). Really impressed, thinks they're very talented. Meets with Johnny, who then meets with the guys, tells them BMG is interested, but with two conditions:
1) must change the name; too difficult for Germans to say (and what the heck does it mean?)
2) drop Lance; he's not at the same level as the other guys.
Haggling ensues; Johnny says in Driven they all agree Lance isn't going anywhere -- presumably that means Johnny (and probably? possibly? Lou, as well).
The result ends up being the guys are offered a contract with BMG/Transcon.
At this point in Driven it's mentioned that Lou invites Johnny in to manage the group. Presumably goes along with the contract signing, since it's not mentioned prior, and the Driven timeline seems to be pretty chronological.
Possible/Probable timeline:
April '96 - Dr. Phillips showcase (possibly attended by BMG reps?)
June/July '96 - offer made for contract, with conditions; counteroffer made, haggling over conditions, etc.
August '96 - contract signed; Johnny signed as manager; boys go to Europe
~~~~~~~~~
I've noticed in fanfic, we've given Lou close to god-like powers; he's always around, there's always the 'if Lou hears', 'if Lou finds out', 'if Lou ______'. Can anyone confirm (or deny) that Lou was in Germany on a regular basis with the guys? Or Johnny? Obviously some sort of management guidance was required...why do we all assume it was Lou?
Anyone?
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no subject
Date: 2003-04-21 02:41 pm (UTC)Now that you've got me scratching my head for answers, I've got a question...
When was the Pleasure Island showcase? Wasn't that the one that was shown in Driven, that Lynn typed up all of the MMC fan letters JC & Justin received and invited them to?
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Date: 2003-04-21 03:26 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2003-04-21 02:43 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2003-04-21 04:08 pm (UTC)I have the American release version of the first album, but not the euro!version. Wonder if the liner notes are noticeably different? (And oh, my god, teeeeeeeeeny print. *squints at pages*)
*clears throat* and how goes YOUR epic? ;)
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Date: 2003-04-23 12:26 pm (UTC)I've got both versions of the first album. What exactly do you need? The "Thank You's"? I could type them up if you want.
And if you're ever in need of the euro!version I think I could one for you.
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Date: 2003-04-23 01:39 pm (UTC)As far as the liner notes from the euro!version--are there any names that stand out--as in, repeated, by more than one guy? Or are different from the US release?
And dude. Is the euro version still available? How much? Because, oh, my god, yes. I'd love to have a copy. *whimpers*
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Date: 2003-04-24 07:36 am (UTC)All the guys mention Thomas M. Stein, Jan Bolz, Andreas von Oerten, and Susi Menzel from BMG, well, except JC, he just thanks Jan ;-). Both Justin and Lance thank Brenda and Chuck, the tutors. Robin Wiley, Veit, Denniz, Max, Kristian, Robert, Toni C. come up a few times. They also mention DJ BoBo and other artists. And of course Lou and Johnny.
Is it just me or is it weird that they call Lou "Papa Bear"?
The euro version is still available, at least I saw it a few days ago at the store. I'd have to check how much it costs, but I guess it's about 10 - 15 Euro (the exchange rate Euro to Dollar is 1:1,1 I believe).
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Date: 2003-04-21 02:44 pm (UTC)As far as the whole "presence" in Germany, it's my perception that that was Johnny and his staff (whoever they are). He couldn't have been as awful as fic makes Lou out to be - after all, look who manages them now. I could see him being the one that did the in-Germany, more hands-on management, while Lou was the big guy who blew into town and got everyone all shook up. Maybe a viewing of Driven combined with The Reel *NSYNC - to see who's around in the backgrounds - could help figure that out.
It'd be interesting to find out when WEG was formed/incorporated (assuming it's incorporated. It might be an LLC or something), and to see how that ... um, Jives (*g) with *NSYNC's departure from Lou. If Johnny was an independent guy who was contracting with Lou, but had his own stuff on the side, or if he was Lou's Man, and left Lou, too.
I <3 speculation :-D
I doubt WEG is a publicly-held company, but there'd have to be a way to find out when it was formed, etc. I bet there's a whole story there we've never considered. (This was the part of being a reporter I really got into :D )
Hope you find something!
no subject
Date: 2003-04-21 03:10 pm (UTC)Yep, according to Hoover's Online,
Yep, according to Hoover's Online, <a href"http://search.hoovers.com/cgi-bin/hol_search?siteid=HBN&which=company&query_string=wright+entertainment+group&dir_top_id=7">it's an LLC</a>.
Now if I just had a subscription to Hoover's, I could get some info. ;-)
There's <a href="http://dodge.hoovers.telebase.com/cgi-bin/dandb.cgi?FIELD1=wright+entertainment+group&FIELD3=FL&P=P0020HX&Q=HOOVERSNOCHG&U=%28IP%29&SERVICE=HOOVERS&R=HOO&x=30&y=14">a pricing guide</a> for reports you can buy about WEG.
Yes. I am a Research Geek.
::polishes pocket protector::
no subject
Date: 2003-04-21 03:59 pm (UTC)Cressy's (
September - "‘N Sync is a BMG act and we enforce and protect our rights vigorously." In laymen’s terms, that could mean legal action."
October - Lawsuit initiated by Lou Pearlman/Transcon
November - Nsync (along with Diane Bass, Lynn Harliss and Johnny Wright) counter-sues. On the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, 1999, the judge denied Transcon/Pearlman's request for an injunction. They later settle the lawsuit out of court.
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Date: 2003-04-21 03:35 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2003-04-21 04:02 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2003-04-21 10:15 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2003-04-21 04:36 pm (UTC)Will disregard burning envy of your Westlaw access long enough to see your protractor and raise you a Franklin Covey planner (classic size, Simplicity page design).
That said, I found this tidbit (http://www.geneofun.on.ca/nsync/news/2000.html). Zeeks I'd heard of, but not Skeez:
[3 May 2000] News from Shell -- Jive Records award winning and multi-platinum recording group 'N SYNC have formed two companies to assist in administering future business for them. SKEEZ, LLC. will handle the group's touring and ZEEKS, INC. will oversee merchandising, recording and all other ancillary activities.
And something else I might have read but completely forgotten. From a Gotham Games (http://www.gothamgames.com/news/00000005.html) blurb about the Celebrity Deathmatch video game:
*NSYNC is a registered trademark of Zeeks, Inc.
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Date: 2003-04-21 10:16 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2003-04-21 04:05 pm (UTC)and this is the kind of stuff we can all benefit from finding and sharing :) (or, *I* think so, anyway.)
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Date: 2003-04-21 04:15 pm (UTC)Hmmm. *g*
Anyway, I probably can go on what I found, as far as the timeline and people around them, but now I do need to rewrite bits. I'm trying to decide if Lou would've initially gone to Europe with them--when they first went over. Opinions?
Re:
Date: 2003-04-21 04:19 pm (UTC)As far as going over there - I could see him going the first time (this is TOTAL speculation, btw) - but once the significant touring began, leaving the day-to-day to someone else. He did have other businesses/groups to run, after all. He's a businessman - unscrupulous and Jabba-esque though he may be ;)
no subject
Date: 2003-04-21 05:20 pm (UTC)If they're there, I sure as hell can't find them. I've been poking around in the Smoking Gun website for like, nearly two hours now. Found some stuff on Justin/Nsync being sued by a teenager in St. Louis, but that's it. *grumbles* I was curious, too ;)
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Date: 2003-04-21 02:50 pm (UTC)*hits him with stick*
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Date: 2003-04-21 04:19 pm (UTC)See, that was more what I would've thought. A man with his own company...by the time he started funding Nsync, he'd be big enough he wouldn't be able to be over in Europe 24/7, even if he HAD with BSB -- which I also doubted. But so much fanfic has references to... it's hard to tell sometimes, if it's canon or fanon, y'know?
:)
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Date: 2003-04-21 05:49 pm (UTC)It's hard to know for sure, but I get the feeling Lou was around at least part of the time with Backstreet. He's in the footage of the basketball game of crossover love, for example, and the way the guys talk about their personal feelings of betrayal when it comes to him would seem to indicate that he was more than just the money man. (Kevin's said their "former manager" would talk about how they were like family and had to watch out for each other, which made the fact he was robbing them blind all the more painful.) And, speaking of money, Lou's said that he spent $3 million of his own money getting Backstreet started. I find it very hard to believe that he'd have made that kind of investment without being around to watch over it.
Incidentally, it's always surprised me that with all the 'N Sync complaints about abuse by Transcon -- the sixteen hour days, the fact their mothers had to insist on one day off a week, etc -- that they decided to keep Johnny on as manager after they left Lou. Even if Johnny wasn't directly responsible for their schedule, he would certainly have been responsible for enforcing it. Why was Johnny considered "good" when Lou was "bad"? I've always wondered.
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Date: 2003-04-21 06:33 pm (UTC)Maybe at the time, Johnny was just keeping things going, per Lou's orders? Or, he knew the pace they had to do (from working with BSB)... only this time, they had moms along a lot more (I know AJ's mom toured with them some, and Jane some, yes? -- but I got the feeling it wasn't nearly as much as Diane and Lynn did).
re: Lou and BSB, I copied this from Cressy's timeline (Nov. 02 '99):
Chasez also claims that Pearlman dissuaded the group from consulting lawyers, never showed them contracts for their BMG or RCA label deals, and pressured them to hire Wright and pay him more than the Backstreet Boys did in order to shift Wright’s focus to ‘N Sync... ‘N Sync’s Joshua "J.C." Chasez called Pearlman an "unscrupulous, greedy" businessman who "while hugging us and calling us ‘family’ was picking our pockets, robbing us of our future and even endangering our health."
Looks like JC said very similar things to what Kevin said, re: being family and being robbed. And the thing about hiring Johnny and paying him 'more'... who really hired him, Nsync, or Lou? Johnny said in Driven that he was 'invited by Lou' -- so did the boys not get a say (initially) in who their manager was?
Hmm. *g*
no subject
Date: 2003-04-21 08:27 pm (UTC)I think, if anything, the opposite is true. Jane has said she was there until Nick turned eighteen, and AJ and Denise were so close that she continued travelling with them well after AJ's eighteenth birthday. I believe she took some kind of job with the crew (catering?) to keep herself busy since she was going to still be around. There's a bunch of interviews over the years where AJ mentions his mother is 'there', and she even went on the 2001 B & B tour with them.
... who really hired him, Nsync, or Lou? Johnny said in Driven that he was 'invited by Lou' -- so did the boys not get a say (initially) in who their manager was?
Maybe Lou hired them on behalf of 'N Sync after getting their approval, hence from Johnny's pov, it was Lou who asked him, even though 'N Sync had given the go-ahead?
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Date: 2003-04-22 01:08 pm (UTC)for this one, 1) must change the name; too difficult for Germans to say (and what the heck does it mean?)
all i can say is that yes, NSYNC is very hard for a native german to spell right away. it does often like, *n- what? LOL.
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Date: 2003-04-22 01:25 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2003-04-22 01:33 pm (UTC):(
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Date: 2003-04-22 01:49 pm (UTC)But thank you :)