confusion abounds

[mickeym]

This 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?

Comments

[between-names.livejournal.com]

I think Lou is often portrayed as the bad guy because he's the money man, and the one they had to sue, blah de blah. (My perception only is that...)Johnny was a workin' man, doin' a job for Lou, and when *NSYNC decided to leave Lou/Transcon, Johnny came along because he knew a ball of talent when he saw it, and probably figured (through personal experience) that the'd have a pretty solid case against Lou.

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!

[foxmonkey.livejournal.com]

(assuming it's incorporated. It might be an LLC or something),

Yep, according to Hoover's Online,

[Error: Irreparable invalid markup ('<a href"http://search.hoovers.com/cgi-bin/hol_search?siteid>') in entry. Owner must fix manually. Raw contents below.]

<i>(assuming it's incorporated. It might be an LLC or something),</i>

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::

[mickeym.livejournal.com]

Dude, you rock *g*

Cressy's (canalbaby) timeline for 1999 states this:

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.

[dick-grayson.livejournal.com]

I'll see your pocket protector, and I'll raise you one proctractor. Just looked up the incorporation info on WEG via Westlaw <== perk of being in law school. Wright Entertainment Group, Inc. was incorporated on April 6, 1998. There is also a Wright Entertainment Group, LLC, with a filing date of June 12, 2001. A David Pierfy is listed as the registered agent for both entities. Johnny Wright is the principal for the Inc. version, and Ronald Wright is the principal for the LLC version. They both list the same address, but the Inc. version is classified as a for-profit corporation, while the LLC version is classified as Other. Yeah, that pretty much clears it up for me as to why they needed a second corporate entity. Hmm, now I'm wondering what the timing of that was vs. the resolution of the lawsuit against Transcon. Once more into the breach.

[mickeym.livejournal.com]

okay, and at some point, in between when you posted (and it doubled it) and me posting to your post, your first one disappeared *g* My comments now appear under Foxmonkey's, that you were answering in the first place. Argh! *g*

[dick-grayson.livejournal.com]

I know -- LJ is being a huge beeyotch to me today. I've been double posting left and right. Not to mention that it took me upwards of 20 minutes just to get that little snippet up. ::sigh:: I should just give up and come back later when it does that. But no, I have to battle the damn thing. Stupid machines. Anyway, I will look for more data on the two other companies Fox unearthed. Very strange names -- those *NSYNC boys sure are wacky.

[foxmonkey.livejournal.com]

Just looked up the incorporation info on WEG via Westlaw <== perk of being in law school.


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.

[dick-grayson.livejournal.com]

Curiouser and curiouser. Will look up those companies next time I'm on Westlaw.

[mickeym.livejournal.com]

loooooooove research, myself :)

and this is the kind of stuff we can all benefit from finding and sharing :) (or, *I* think so, anyway.)

[mickeym.livejournal.com]

The stuff foxmonkey and dick_grayson found on WEG were interesting. It sounds as though Johnny contracted with Lou initially -- because in Driven, he says Lou invited him to manage Nsync, which to me, means Johnny didn't actually work for Lou; maybe for BMG? Transcon was a subsidiary of BMG, right? But Lou obviously had dealings with Johnny, since Lou financed BSB and Johnny managed them.

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:

[between-names.livejournal.com]

Have they ever said what, exactly, Lou's "title" was? If he was their Business Manager, that's different than their "Manager" (which is what I'm assuming Johnny was.) Maybe there's something in the court docs (aren't those on The Smoking Gun or somewhere?) from when they sued Lou.

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 ;)

[mickeym.livejournal.com]

Maybe there's something in the court docs (aren't those on The Smoking Gun or somewhere?) from when they sued Lou.

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 ;)