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| 3/26/04 |
Face no more In an age when most boybanders look for the predictive text feature on a ballpoint pen, JC Chasez is a cut above. Last month, when the editor of Schizophrenia Digest criticised JC for the title of his first solo album Schizophrenic, Chasez (pronounced "Sh'say") quoted the Merriam-Webster dictionary definition ("contradictory or antagonistic qualities or attitudes"), announced that "it was this meaning of the word that I was using to describe my work", and moved on. The *Nsync graduate's response to being axed from the post-Janet NFL Probowl was even more startling. "The NFL's shallow effort to portray my music as sexually indecent brings to mind another era when innocent artists were smeared with a broad brush by insecure but powerful people," he announced. A few days later he added, "The NFL's leadership has clearly become so disoriented it has reduced itself to bashing me and my music to divert attention from the fact that the NFL screwed up at the Super Bowl." And then, "What they are doing is hypocritical and it's stupid. They are smearing my name and I don't appreciate it." This is not the behaviour of a generic, spoon-fed, happy-clappy pop mule. Nor is JC content to take the easy route with his music. Trotting out a few Pharrell collaborations might have been the route to surefire success, but Chasez went for the likes of Basement Jaxx, Rockwilder, BT and Dallas Austin. OK, so JC's claim that Schizophrenic was put together entirely on his own terms might be skewed by the fact that only 12 months ago his label published a free-for-all online survey asking fans for pointers on what the album should sound like. And Schizophrenic only debuted at No 17 in the States, shifting just 52,531 copies in its first week. But Chasez has still come up trumps, creatively and artistically at least, with a dark and unusually adventurous collection of 1980s electro and Prince-type funk. This week JC celebrates his first sort-of-solo UK release: Plug It In, a frenetic Basement Jaxx collaboration first featured on last year's brilliant Kish Kash. JC ended up on the song by accident. Prior to Chasez turning up at the Jaxx studio to discuss their future production of one of his solo tracks, Simon and Felix had tried various vocalists on Plug It In, with disappointing results; JC was ushered into the booth and his vocal porridge was just right. One reviewer likened the Jaxx's choice of JC over Justin Timberlake as "kind of like choosing Ringo over Paul", and even Basement Jaxx briefly wondered what they were doing with a pop star on their record. In the end, common sense prevailed. "We used him," Simon Ratcliffe later reasoned, "because he can sing." Yet the great thing about JC Chasez isn't his singing voice but that - rare in a modern popstar, almost non-existent in an American one - he has a voice, and seems happy to use it. It might not sell him any records, but with hair that high who's complaining?
Live Review: N.E.R.D. and Black Eyed Peas at The Wiltern
LG, Los Angeles, CA Los Angeles is a hip-hop town, and on Thursday night (3/25), the city's Wiltern Theater played host to two of the genre's rapidly ascending bands, hometown favorites Black Eyed Peas and uber-hotshots N.E.R.D. Both bands love to party, throwing down shark-sized hooks and beats, and always demanding the audience play its part in the festivities. The two-hour gig opened with Black Eyed Peas' cartoonish MCs breakin' and poppin' across the stage and ended as N.E.R.D. blew up on a stage brimming with rappers, musicians, girls in mini-skirts and Justin Timberlake. ...And when Justin Timberlake--doing his best B-boy impression--hit the stage to join BEP for "Where is the Love?" the crowd went berserk. Is he for real? Timberlake impressed as he beat-boxed into his microphone with Will.I.Am, proving he can flow like anyone from Brooklyn to Long Beach... ...(N.E.R.D.) left the stage to wild applause. Just then, Timberlake returned to exhort the fans: "Will y'all please let N.E.R.D. know that you ain't goin' home yet!" Pharrell, Shay and Chad Hugo roared back with "Rock Star," its grinding guitars recalling the band's predecessors Fishbone and Living Colour. As the last measures faded, Pharrell shouted, "Are you ready for pandemonium?" Applause ringing out, he promptly peeled off his shirt, eliciting a robust squeal from the ladies down low. As they closed with the pounding "Jump," the band filled the stage with members of Black Eyed Peas and the girls from the audience all vying for space up front with Timberlake. It was a tried and true effect, proving that while hip-hop may evolve, it never strays too far from its origins.
Krispy Dreme So, you used to be in one of the world's most fancied boybands, NSYNC, you're now appearing alongside Basement Jaxx on their hit single 'Plug It In' and you have a demanding schedule. What do you do to stay fit and trim during these stressful times? Well, JC Chasez keeps himself happy by eating donuts. But these nuts aren't any old pile of dough. Oh no. They are the Porches of the pastry paternity. They've been nibbled by the girls on Sex And City and you can only buy them in the UK at Harrods. JC revealed to us last night that before his performance on the show, he'd scoffed a load for breakfast, saying "There were piles of them. Be careful, you will become addicted. They're rare in the States...people in LA drive for hours to get them." And judging by his performance on TOTP, we reckon he was on a bit of a sugar rush...
Review: Plug It In (XL) release date: 29 March 2004 Plug It In is a very funky slice of manic boogie action, and clearly has nothing to do with electrical appliances as the title would suggest. It’s something of a shame, as you’d think there’d be a few people who’d appreciate the advice. However, it’s the sex route they’ve opted for, and it’s one that works. Perhaps not to the extent of compelling every listener to instantly hump their furniture. Am enormous smash in a fair and just world - so around the No.17 mark then.
N.E.R.D., Black Eyed Peas Take Hollywood By Storm —
But Justin Steals The Show LOS ANGELES — Of all the things N.E.R.D. and Black Eyed Peas have in common — a progressive hip-hop sound, a talented live band, a vibrant catalog of songs — what most impressed Thursday's crowd was a mutual friend. That's what happens when you're homies with Justin Timberlake ... or, to his friends, J.T. The crowd at the sold-out Wiltern LG Theater went into an uproar midway through the Peas' encore of "Where Is the Love?" when Timberlake casually strolled onstage to sing the song's classic "People living, people dying ..." hook. At that point, the promoters might as well have added Justin's name to the marquee ... at the top. After "Where Is the Love?," Timberlake busted into some beat-boxing, which gave Will.I.Am a great excuse to show off his freestyling talents, even as a stagehand (probably with N.E.R.D.) standing nearby yelled at them to clear the stage. The second the lights came on for intermission, the questions started. "Do you think he'll come out with N.E.R.D.?" "Do you think he'll do any Justified songs?" "Do you think Cameron's here?" Timberlake's girlfriend never made an appearance (unless she was one of hundreds of blondes hiding in the shadows of their trucker caps) but it wasn't long before he was back onstage. After N.E.R.D.'s backing band, Spymob, awkwardly played a couple of songs (Will and Justin were kicked off the stage for this?!?), Pharrell Williams, Chad Hugo and Shay joined the players for an opening salvo of tunes from the band's just-released second LP, Fly or Die. Once Hugo led the band into material from 2001's In Search Of ..., J.T. reentered, crooning along with Williams' choruses on songs like "Things Are Getting Better" and "Provider." Timberlake took on the role of hypeman at times, encouraging the crowd to sing along, but he also often stepped out of the spotlight, letting Williams be the main ladies' man. The familiar material, like the bump and grind anthem "Brain," got the best response, although there was a surprising amount of singing along to some of the Fly or Die material, particularly the R-rated "Backseat Love." For "She Wants to Move," Williams invited a female fan onstage. Her look — she rocked a miniskirt and vintage tee — was Paris Hilton but her dance moves were pure Beyoncé, with a booty that shook so fast it had Hugo laughing. As for the shy musician of the group, Hugo mostly hid behind his keyboards and samplers, but occasionally donned an electric guitar and even showed off some dance moves of his own. N.E.R.D. left the stage after the sexy "Frontin'," prompting Timberlake to take the mic and request, "Someone tell N.E.R.D. we ain't goin' home yet!" (Sorry, no Justified songs.) Williams asked for pandemonium from the crowd, and that's exactly what he got as the band broke into the opening chords of "Rock Star." Things got even wilder once the frontman ripped his shirt off and started pulling fans onstage. Even Will.I.Am joined in for the finale, an infectious version of "Lapdance," adding a new verse of his own and earning a high five from Justin. It was an exciting ending, but N.E.R.D.'s performance was sloppy and slightly contrived compared with the Peas. After a warm-up set by Neptunes protégés Clipse, the Peas opened with the party-starter "Hands Up," immediately showcasing new member Fergie's voice and figure (which she not-so-subtly emphasized by grabbing her breasts). The band fused some reggae into their sound for "Hey Mama," during which Will, Taboo and Apl de Ap garnered huge applause for their dancing. "You got served," someone yelled after Apl finished with a back flip. The Peas then offered a treat to their "old-school fans" from their hometown in the form of their 1998 breakthrough single, "Joints & Jam." Then it was back to Elephunk tracks for the rest of the night, as the group ignored its second LP, 2000's Bridging the Gap. Will announced the next song would be dedicated to his mother and other strong women, which set up one of the evening's highlights, "Shut Up." Will and Fergie traded barbs and danced around each other like they were enacting a scene from "Rent." Taboo and Apl played along, backing up Will and brushing off Fergie. The song came to a dramatic climax when Fergie channeled her inner Mary J. Blige and repeatedly belted out, "Is that all there is?," holding the notes like a veteran R&B diva. The performance had the crowd screaming like girls at an 'NSYNC concert — and that was before J.T. appeared. The N.E.R.D. and Black Eyed Peas tour hits the Joint in Las Vegas on Friday (March 26) (see "N.E.R.D., Black Eyed Peas Line Up Tour For Their Fly 'Phunk"). For more sights and stories from concerts around the country, check
out MTV News Tour Reports.
Manchester Online 'Some Girls' Review JC Chasez - Some Girls (Jive) FOR a while, it looked like Justin Timberlake’s former colleagues were N*Trouble, languishing on the unwanted pop star pyre marked ‘Jamie Shaw’. Thankfully, JC’s emerged as the life and soul of the P-A-R-T-Y. Following up the AWEsome Plug It In, this is slinkily danceable, with JC’s voice the equivalent of an ice cube being playfully stroked over a naked chest on a sticky summer’s day. By the way, that’s a good thing.~ |
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