98° Chat/Interview Archive

From August 10, 2000

HostTPZena: Good evening! I'm Zena from TEEN PEOPLE Online and I'm sitting here with Drew, Jeff, Nick and Justin -- 98 Degrees! They're on the cover of this month's TEEN PEOPLE and here to take your questions live, so get them in now! Hey guys!

All: Hey!

Nick Lachey: Thanks for being here tonight.

HostTPZena: Let's get into the questions....MikeK102 would like to know...

Question: How did you come up with the idea for the video for "Give Me Just One Night (Una Noche)"?

Drew Lachey: Actually, Wayne Isham, the famous video director, came up with the concept and the location.

Nick Lachey: Long, hard, hot days! Lots of bugs!

Justin Jeffre: Incredible locations and ancient Mayan ruins.

HostTPZena: It looks fabulous! SPaRKLie HuNNi asks...

Question: I've heard you guys will be going on tour early next year, but that's too far away!! What can we expect from you in the coming months?

Jeff Timmons: We're going to promoting our single, "Give Me Just One Night (Una Noche)", doing promo tours overseas, a Disney special airing in October, Summer Music Mania...

Nick Lachey: That's a big summer concert that airs on September 15.

Jeff Timmons: Most importantly, we're going to be debuting the performance of the single, "Give Me Just One Night (Una Noche)", on the Teen Choice Awards on August 22 on Fox.

Nick Lachey: We're touring from January till 2004...the longest tour in history! Just kidding.

Jeff Timmons: No joke!

Question: When I met you guys, you smelled REALLY good. I gotta ask -- what cologne do you all wear?

Drew Lachey: I wear Allure for Men.

Nick Lachey: I don't really wear colonge.

HostTPZena: That's your natural smell?

Nick Lachey: It's my natural armpit! When I put deodorant on, it's a good day.

Jeff Timmons: I wear Armani when I have it.

HostTPZena: From Maia...

Question: Do you feel your group is considered a boy band? Because to me a boy band dances and sings you guys are more vocalists.

Nick Lachey: We never tried to classify ourselves that way, but if people call us that, they call us that. What differentiates us is the music more than anything. We write and produce a lot of our own stuff and don't focus on the dancing. We've stepped it up in the dance department, but I don't think that qualifies us as a boy band.

HostTPZena: From Lafrancaise77...

Question: Yo 98*!!! What would you say is the one most important thing your families did for you when you were young to influence your choices in life today?

Jeff Timmons: Basically, my parents just told me to always keep in mind the golden rule...treat others how you want to be treated. A lot of the success from our group, aside from the music, are the relationships that we've developed with people in the industry. We've developed a reputation for being regular and down to earth and that makes people want to deal with us more on a lot of differnet levels.

HostTPZena: And you are very down to earth! Trigham asks...

Question: You guys are so cool!!! My question is: on your new album, did you guys do any collaborating with other artists? If so, who are some of the other artists you worked with? Thank you! I love y'all very, very much!!!!

Justin Jeffre: We'd hoped to collaborate with Tito Puente on "Give Me Just One Night (Una Noche)", but right before he was scheduled to come into the studio, he became ill and passed away. Music lost a great legend that day. We decided to not have any artists featured on the album...just to go ahead and work with other writers and producers.

HostTPZena: From RLLjeff98...

Question: Nick, how did you come up with the idea to rap in "Dizzy"? Would any of you other guys consider doing a little rapping on future albums?

Nick Lachey: Well, it was a big blank spot in the song. Something had to go there, so my rap kind of fell in by default. I did it as a joke at first, but people kind of liked it, so it stuck around. And now I have to pay the price.

Justin Jeffre: I would have considered rapping in the past, but now that I've heard NL Cool Lachey, he's set the precedent...I don't even want to try it.

Nick Lachey: He's a wise man!

Question: Jeff, I think it's really cool that you talked about your daughter in the new Teen People...I think that's so cool that you're into your family. How have people been about your announcement?

Jeff Timmons: So far, the reaction's been terrific. We've always known that our fans have been more into our music than anything else, so I'm not surprised about it.

Question: How do you guys think you'd do on "Survivor"? -- Renee** I LUV U!

Nick Lachey: I'd be off the island in about...I'd voluntarily leave the island! Eating rats is not my idea of a fun time.

Drew: I'd fend pretty well.

HostTPZena: Who would you vote off first?

Drew Lachey: I have no idea. Whoever wasn't pulling their weight! Actually, I'd probably be the first one to get voted off.

Jeff Timmons: No, they'd vote me off because I snore too loud.

Drew Lachey: The monkeys and lizards wouldn't be able to sleep!

Question: Nick, what are the good and bad parts about dating a fellow celebrity? Are you sometimes uncomfortable having a public relationship?

Nick Lachey: The good part is that she understands what I go through. The bad part is that her schedule is just as hectic as mine.Sometimes it is uncomfortable being in the public eye.

HostTPZena: Overall, are you happy you guys are public?

Nick Lachey: Yeah, that's why we talked about it. Didn't want to have to sneak around.

Question: I know your new single has bits of Spanish in it. Do any of you guys actually know how to speak Spanish?

Jeff Timmons: I know the lyrics in Spanish since we did a Spanish version of the song, but that's about it.

HostTPZena: And you guys in the audience should vote for "Give Me Just One Night (Una Noche)" on TRL...after the chat, you can vote for it at mtv.com (that is, after you check out the 98 Degrees spotlight on TEEN PEOPLE Online!)

Question: How is "Revelation" different from your other albums?

Drew Lachey: First and foremost, we had a much more significant hand in the creation of this record , writing on 10 of the 12 songs. Secondly, we had a very focused vision for up-tempos, which we feel that we nailed on this record.

HostTPZena: Why the up-tempos?

Jeff Timmons: To balance it.

Drew Lachey: So the album wouldn't be lopsided...and it makes the live show that much more exciting for the audience.

HostTPZena: 98 Degrees' new album, "Revelation", drops on September 26...and it's great!

Question: How do you think your fans will react to your new album? And do you think it will reach the #1 spot? I sure hope so!!!

Justin: I think that our fans will be impressed. We definitely deliver the ballads that people expect, and they'll be impressed with the quality of the songs and the fact that we've done so much writing. It's such a well-rounded album. Each song is very different from the other...they all fill their own special slots.

Drew Lachey: We hope it goes to #1, but all we really want is for us to match and hopefully exceed the success of "98 Degrees and Rising".

Question: How did you come up with the title "Revelation?"

Nick Lachey: We've been through so much in the past two and a half years, being on tour and recording albums...we've learned a lot and it's been a revelation for us. We think that all that's reflected on this album...hence the title "Revelation".

HostTPZena: Wow, that was a fast half hour! Thanks so much for joining us. Any parting words?

Drew Lachey: Thank you to everyone for their patience in waiting for our new record...on September 26, when you go to the music stores, we hope you enjoy it! And I want to say happy 12th birthday to Wrestler950.... Michael Randazzo.

Nick Lachey: Happy birthday from everyone.

Drew Lachey: We love you all!

Justin Jeffre: Thanks for the questions and God bless.