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

[rosebee.livejournal.com]

Nice timeline!

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?

[trixiesfic.livejournal.com]

I've never gotten the sense that Lou was around that much in Europe. That was never his role. He's the money-guy, not the manager. I'm not sure about Johnny. He was obviously over in Europe with BSB, so I've always assumed he was with *NSYNC as well. On the other hand, I don't recall seeing him at all in Reel *NSYNC. I can understand Joey editing out Lou, but there's no reason he'd edit out stuff with Johnny. From what I've been able to figure out, there seems to be a team of people that handled them in the early days. If you have the first album liner notes, that may give you some clues. The people who seem to come up again and again in Reel NSYNC and other Germany footage I've seen are Wesley, Fritz (who seems to be a body guard), and Lynn, of course.

[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!

[lucylooo.livejournal.com]

I honestly don't think that Lou was very hands-on at all, at least not where Backstreet is concerned. He was very much into delegating when it came to day-to-day operations and getting the guys where they needed to go, and then he'd show up when pesky little things like contracts needed to be signed and money negotiated - negotiating it directly into his own pockets, of course. That's why he's the Spawn of Evil.

*hits him with stick*

[eponymous.livejournal.com]

Great thread. :)

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.

[su-perisi.livejournal.com]

have you compared it with the Diary I once made?

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.