Nick Lachey Shares Shocking Detail About His First Tour With 98 Degrees
Boy bands took the world by storm in the late ‘90s.
While the concept of an all-male vocal group was hardly new (groups like Menudo, New Edition, and New Kids on the Block all achieved success in the ‘80s and early ‘90s), the new crop of groups, led by Backstreet Boys and NSYNC, were a cultural phenomenon like no other. With their catchy pop tunes, slick dance moves, and non-threatening vibes, they were tailor-made to appeal to young girls and women, who swooned over the various members.
Nick Lachey says 98 Degrees had ‘age of consent’ book on tour bus
That squeaky-clean image was key to the boy bands’ success. And protecting it was important. In the new documentary Boy Band Confidential, which premieres April 13 on ID, Nick Lachey of 98 Degrees opens up about the tool he and his bandmates received to keep them out of trouble while on tour.
“This is going to sound super shady,” he says. “But when we went out on our first tour, someone at the label gave us a book. It was the age of consent in every state in the country. And like, we kept that book on the tour bus.”
“Unfortunately, there were people out there looking to tear you down,” he adds.
Band members were also under pressure to keep major aspects of their lives under wraps, for fear of alienating fans.
“When I joined NSYNC, it was always alluded [to] that your private life needed to be hidden,” Lance Bass recalls. “If we were to come out as gay, if we were to come out as even having a girlfriend, that it would really hurt our career. That needed to be hidden.”
“And so that always translated to me as ‘Never come out,'” Bass, who is gay, adds. It wasn’t until 2006 that he shared his sexual orientation with the public.
The boy band world was intense
While the young members of the boy bands were warned to steer clear of entanglements with young fans and to hide aspects of their private life, they also had to contend with overzealous supporters. In the documentary, which is executive produced by Joey Fatone, highlights the time someone called in a bomb threat to an NSYNC concert. In another alarming incident, a girl pulled a gun on music manager Joe Mulvihill, who worked as an assistant to NSYNC. She demanded to meet one of the groups members. Fortunately, she ran away before the situation escalated.
“My behavior changed after that,” Mulvihill says. “You become more aware. You realize that at any moment, something could happen.”
The situation for everyone involved was intense. But stepping away from the whirlwind wasn’t an option if you wanted to stay on top.
“You went out there and you did the show,” Lachey says. “Then you came back after the show and you broke down and you cried and you kicked a hole in the wall. Or you did whatever you had to do. But you didn’t bow out. You work so hard to get there, you can’t let your foot off the gas.”
Boy Band Confidential airs April 13 and 14 at 9 p.m. ET/PT on ID. It will also be available to stream on HBO Max.
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