Joey Fatone’s decision to record an album of song parodies may seem odd, but it makes perfect sense to fellow ‘NSYNC star JC Chasez.
“I thought it was the best idea in the world, because he does that anyway,” Chasez said during a break from his own solo project. “People don’t know that Joey has spoofed every song that we’ve ever recorded. Every time we go into the studio, he sings the whole song off the top of his head, a whole stupid version of the song, and makes up his own words and does all these dumb things.”
The only problem with Fatone’s hidden talent is his past parodies are not exactly suitable for the majority of ‘NSYNC fans.
“They’re usually pretty bad,” Chasez said, laughing. ” ‘Tearin’ Up My Heart’ was ‘Tearin’ Up My Ass,’ you know, like, ‘When I eat spicy food…’ or something like that. That’s actually one of the more delicate ones.”
Fatone’s spokesperson had no information on the record, but Lance Bass said recently he knew of a parody of Justin Timberlake’s “Cry Me a River” in the works.
And it appears Timberlake won’t be the only ‘NSYNC singer spoofed. “He’s actually [asked], ‘Yo dude, if I did ‘Blowing Me Up’ but I did other words, can you give me the track?,’ ” Chasez said. “I was like, ‘Let me talk to Dallas [Austin, the song’s producer], dude.’ I definitely think he’s doing the right thing. He’s gonna do something that nobody else is doing right now who has the kind of spotlight that he has. And Joey does it as good as anybody.”
Fatone has until the fall to complete the project, since ‘NSYNC are scheduled to end their hiatus then and begin recording the follow-up to 2001’s Celebrity.
Chasez said the group is especially excited to reunite after singing a cappella together in a Bee Gees tribute at February’s Grammy Awards.
“The minute we start singing as a group it just sounds great – I mean, it sounds great to us,” he said. “There’s something in the room, you get chills when you start singing again. And we were happy to do [the tribute], especially to be honored like that, to be asked by the Bee Gees, one of the reasons that vocal harmony groups are doing what they do. They carried on a legacy, and it was kind of weird in a way because it was kind of like passing on a torch or something. It’s like, ‘OK, you get the next five miles.’
“There’s no question there’s magic there,” he continued, “and it’s weird to say, but we all knew it from the beginning. We never knew how far it would go or whatever; we always knew that there was magic between us, and there will be more. We’ll get back together later this year and start getting into the studio and life will be good.”
When ‘NSYNC do join forces again, JC and Justin will be armed with songs leftover from their solo albums.
“The guys might say, ‘Dude, that’s dope,’ and if not, I’ll start from the drawing board from there and write for the group,” Chasez said. “I’ve always been about what works.”