Backstreet Boy A.J. McLean’s revelations of depression and alcohol abuse shook the pop world at its foundations, and perhaps no one can better understand the pressures of being in a multiplatinum pop group than the members of ‘NSYNC.
While J.C. Chasez didn’t claim to fully relate to McLean’s plight, he did offer his condolences.
“I really don’t know what to say about that, except for, you know, I hope he gets better,” Chasez said in a telephone press conference Friday (July 13). “It’s kind of sad that he’s got a problem like that, and I wish the guy the best. I hope he pulls it together. At least he’s admitted to himself that he has a problem. And that’s pretty much the first step.”
“Our prayers are with him,” Lance Bass added.
The intense schedule of ‘NSYNC’s PopOdyssey tour, which kicked off May 23 in Jacksonville, Florida, is leaving them little time to get anxious about the release of Celebrity, which hits stores July 24. The group’s most recent album, last year’s No Strings Attached, broke the record for first-week sales when it debuted to the tune of 2.4 million copies sold, so expectations are obviously high.
“We’re so wrapped up in the tour [that the album] is not the only thing on our minds,” Chasez said. “Right now we’re just getting the audience reactions, because we’re playing half of the album on the tour. We’re kinda looking at the audience to see if they’re digging it. So far we like the reaction that we’re getting. I don’t know if we’re going to break the [sales] record [with Celebrity], but then again, it’s a nice position to be in that you don’t have to break your own record.”