Snowflake Challenge 9

[turps]

Challenge #9

In your own space, promote at least one canon that you adore (old, new, forever fandom). Leave a comment in this post saying you did it. Include a link to your post if you feel comfortable doing so.

I've been pondering on this, and while I have a lot of fandoms I could have gone for, I'm going for popslash, especially Nsync.

The weird thing is, Nsync were never that popular here, so it was pure chance I found them and the fandom. Basically, I'd always liked Kevin from Backstreet Boys, so was reading BSB fic. One day I read a fic where he was pairing with this guy called Chris from Nsync. I had no idea who he was, what he looked like, but decided to find out.

Nsync as a group changed hugely over the years, but my love for Bb!Nsync will linger forever, especially for Chris and his stupid dreads and braces. He was short and mouthy and never sat still and honestly, if I ever had to spend time with him he would have driven me mad. But in fic and footage, he was catnip to me. Brought up by a single mom with a load of younger sisters, living in such a way he had to snuggle under clothes to keep warm. Seriously, catnip.

Though that upbringing was good practice for when Nsync first toured Europe because you know, it always snows in Europe and that means huddling in beds together or DYING! of hyperthermia, because say it after me, it always snows in Europe.

Now, Chris was the oldest of the group by quite a few years, but somehow had this great relationship with Justin who was a lot younger. But this Justin wasn't the Justin Timberlake of now. This was Juppy with adorable curly hair or cornrows and bandanas and had a really really probably too close including creepy tatoos good relationship with his mom who toured with them in the early years. Whether she also got hyperthermia due to all that snow in Europe is unclear, but she probably did, being as they toured barren wastelands of frozen lands.



This relationship should be a bit squicky if you're writing/thinking about BB!Sync, but the thing is, Justin always had his head screwed on and Chris was ridiculous and childish, so it never seemed to matter. Though, Justin also had his moments of being childlike, which always makes me laugh when I think of him today. He also has sex with collects sneakers, lots of sneakers.



Added to this we had JC. Dreamy, beautiful voiced JC who wore penis pants and seemed to get turned on by a look and went on to write and release an amazing album that included songs about sex. Sex with aliens. Sex with himself. Dreams about sex. All the sex. Don't believe me, Watch the below.

Watch on YouTube

But back in bb!Sync days JC was also dorky and slightly mysterious with a past that wasn't elaborated on much but also included time on the Micky Mouse Club, along with one Justin Timberlake. Fannon says he also went to LA where he didn't make it but spent time working in burger bars and trying to make a living singing but something terrible happened! I'd say he got hyperthermia, but he wasn't in Europe so who knows?

I also loved Chris paired with JC the most. I'm not even sure why they just worked for me. And okay, Chris with anyone worked for me but trickc was special in all the right ways.



Then we have Joey with his strong family and parents who loved him and his bright red hair at one point. He has a lovely voice that tended to get lost unless you're looking for it, but miss if it wasn't there. Laughed often and was just this solid man who was the perfect friend. He didn't have the mysterious backstory, or sad backstory, or a mother he loved beyond anything. He was just, Joey with the thighs and the laugh and also Lance's bestie.



And oh man, Lance. You look at Lance now and he's a million miles away from BB!Lance. Back then Lance was all awkwardness and terrible hair and this amazing voice, as for his dancing. Let's not focus on that. But what we will focus on is behind that awkwardness Lance was an evil genius, and hints of that have been there since the beginning. He was the last to join the group but I can't think of them without him. I mean, he even made dungarees look good.

When Lance officially came out people in fandom clubbed together to send him flowers which remains such a lovely memory.



In fact, the fandom as a whole leaves me with lovely memories. I've never been in a more cracky, amazing fandom where anything goes. From serious to the utterly cracked out. Which reminds me, I missed out someone who is very important to the group and the fandom. Lamp. Lamp is a lava lamp. Lamp had its own archive of stories at one point. Lamp famously had sex with Chris, and then went on to pair with all of the others after. Lamp is a bit of a goer to be honest.



Yes, the lavalamp story is a real thing. Yes. Cramp is an actual pairing in popslash. Yes. The story has been read out loud, on occasions acted out, and on the best occasion, read from a pulpit at many Camp Sparkles. Lamp is amazing.

The whole fandom is amazing really, and while some of my best and long-standing friends are from that time, I miss popslash when it was mega busy. People still write now and I encourage anyone who wants to investigate to read the popslash SeSa stories because there are a load of them and they're great. really great

And you know if you get inspired you can write fic where BB!Sync tour Europe, get snowed in, have to huddle together for warmth while battling hyperthermia and wielding off a sex-crazed lava lamp. Because you know, if any fandom would read and embrace that story, popslash would.





But ultimately, those guys could sing and sing well.

Watch on YouTube

It's all true, honest. Really it is.

Well, maybe not the dungarees, even Lance couldn't make them look good.

Comments

[sperrywink]

You know I watched JC's video. Ahaha!!

[turps]

As well you should!

It's a fabulous video and I still remain amazed JC didn't make it as a huge solo artist. Think how many more sex songs we could have had!

[jacieleigh]

I'm still so very sad and baffled that JC didn't make it as a solo artist. He's so talented and I loved his CD. And dang, we'd not only have so much more amazing music, but also videos, concert tours and photos! *woe*

[turps]

It makes you wonder why Justin made it big and JC didn't.

I know a lot of it would be due to Justin having the personality he has, but JC had the voice and talent. Like you I'm sad we never got to see more.

[jacieleigh]

My guess is - Justin surrounded himself with the *right* people to be commercially successful. Justin probably consciously chose songs that he thought would be commercially successful and played in dance clubs. JC appeared to choose songs that were meaningful to himself. Artists (or rather their label) choose the songs that are made into videos and pushed as singles to get radio play. It appears that Team Justin chose wisely and Team JC chose...poorly. It may also be that many radio stations balked at playing a song like ADIDAS because most parents are not going to be happy to have their teenage child listening to that, especially as his fan base came from teens. Maybe some fans were ready for that, some may have been too young and it may have made them uncomfortable. I can't see parents buying that CD for their children and some may have even forbidden them to get it, which would explain low sales. If your fan base can't or won't buy your CD, it's way tougher to get it out there. I can see a lot of people being uncomfortable hearing ADIDAS on the radio - say carpool taking kids anywhere, most parents would be very quick to switch the station. Even a carpool with adults, I can see that being switched off very quickly (I can see radio stations refusing to play it because they believe people would change the station when it aired). Even though it's catchy, it's a little too in-your-face over-sexed up for most people. Perhaps he chose it because "sex sells", but I think it would have gone over better if it was a bit more subtle about the message.

Also true that while they're both seasoned performers, Justin has incredible charisma onstage. When I first became a fan, I was baffled as to why he was so popular (even Justin has admitted that JC has a better voice), until I saw a DVD of their concert. Then I understood.

But I know so many of us still love the CD, and JC. I always wished he had released more CDs - even if he did it non-commercially through his own website. I've known a ton of musicians who have done that - just sold their own stuff. They never get airplay and don't sell millions, but they're still getting their music out to their fans.

[turps]

I think you're right about everything in this comment.

I remember when JC released ADIDAS here and it got a lot of airplay and I really did think it was going to be the start of him becoming popular. But ultimately, it did have a limited amount of places it could be played publically. Which does suggest that JC/JC's people choose badly. I mean, it's great to record and release songs that you love, but you also need airplay and songs so blatantly about sex would never get that to a huge extent.

Meanwhile, Justin's song/video about being a creepy stalker to Britney was a hit, but I guess was more subtle. By a tiny amount, I still watch the video and think, wow, Justin. You had issues.

I've never seen any of them live but can well imagine Justin has incredible charisma on stage. You could see that even in his younger days, the cameras love him.

But yeah, I wish JC would release something, even if it is on his own. It's such a shame all that talent is being unheard.

[jacieleigh]

I think Justin's Britney one was so popular because everyone knew it had something to do with Britney. It was like tabloid fodder. Everyone was interested in Britney back them, Justin and Britney as a couple and why the relationship ultimately didn't work out. If he did a stalker video with someone totally different from Britney, it may not have been so popular. And if he'd never dated Britney, and he did a stalker video with a very random girl, it may have come off far more creepy.

It's a shame with JC, because you need airplay with songs with general appeal to get sales. I'm a huge Beatles fans, but their biggest hits aren't generally my favorite songs, but they are the ones with the greatest mass appeal.

I missed seeing them in concert because a friend who worked for a radio station was certain she could get tickets for us and didn't tell me until that night that she hadn't. Then I was going to go see JC open for Britney, but she hurt her leg and canceled that show. So the only time I saw the guys live was at Charity for the Children. Wherein, I was sitting with Sperrywink and someone who I guess has disappeared from fandom. Chris' mother walked down the aisle next to us and is much prettier in person than photos. Joey grabbed a box and was running through the aisles with a box to get more money, and he ran right behind us - so he's the only one I've seen close up...LOL. Oh good times. That was the day I met Ninjetti in person, too. We had lunch together with the I forget her name, she changed it and now I can't remember either one...

[dine]

oh man, this paean to bb!Sync is terrific! that group of lovable idiots, and the amazing people in the fandom, are still embedded in my heart. and happily I'm still in touch with some of them (like you)

[turps]

They really were ridiculous in all the best ways, same with the people in the fandom.

They're all great, and so are you ♥

[frausorge]

ADIDAS is so damn catchy tho!!!

Also I had never heard some of those a capella clips in the last video before. Their voices were/are stunning indeed.

[turps]

It really is!

They all have such beautiful voices. I very much enjoyed listening to them again.

[wenchpixie]

....so they were snowed in a lot?

[turps]

Apparently so. It's because they toured in Germany at the beginning, which was apparently as snowy as the artic *g*

It's always snowing in Europe was one of my favourite jokes from the fandom, especially so as it led to a lovely moment at one Camp Sparkle where someone said the infamous phrase, and we looked outside and it actually was snowing.

[brandywine28]

Oh, God, all that speculation about JC's lost Hollywood period! Each headcanon more upsetting than the last! Hnnnhgh.

Sometimes I wonder if it's at all significant that my two heart-and-soul faves just so happen to be the two with the fuzziest origin stories. There's so much we don't know about the both of them! Still! To this day! I like my men mysterious, I guess. Mysterious and quirky. :)

Mother-lovin', bandanna-rocking!Justin is the only version of him I'll accept. I have a hard time understanding people who are only getting into him NOW, or those who make a big deal out of liking him DESPITE his boyband roots. It must be exhausting, being that boring.

Seeing this put the biggest, dopiest grin on my face. Just like that, I'm in the best mood! Thank you so much!!

[turps]

Sometimes I wonder if it's at all significant that my two heart-and-soul faves just so happen to be the two with the fuzziest origin storie

That is such a good point. We know all about Joey, Lance and Justin with their supportive families and recorded upbringings, but not so much Chris and JC. And that not knowing does add some mystery.

I will forever think JC spent time working in dodgy burger places and having to sing on countertops while also going to multiple auditions where he constantly got knocked back -- because people are stupid -- and handing in demo tapes that were thrown to one side. I also feel casting couches were involved for that extra angsty touch.

Saying you like Justin despite his boyband roots is crazy. He was boy band through and through and I love that period of Justin. The man of now wouldn't exist without curly-haired bandanna wearing Juppy.

I'm glad you enjoyed :D

[brandywine28]

Oh, hell yes, casting couches were definitely involved! Because I say so. Because it's angstier that way. :)

And the demoralizing jobs -- that's an idea well that's never gonna run dry. Tacky '50s diners? YES, but also maybe he was briefly a singing telegram delivery, uh...person? In a series of increasingly stupid costumes?? The mind reels...

[turlough]

This is such an awesome post! They were the silliest and most adorkable boyband ever!!

[turps]

They were the silliest and most adorkable boyband ever!!

They really were.

I will forever love bb!Sync and all the stories/jokes/friendships they prompted.

[rikes]

because say it after me, it always snows in Europe.

INdeed.

Whether she also got hyperthermia due to all that snow in Europe is unclear, but she probably did, being as they toured barren wastelands of frozen lands.

Lolololol omg how did I never think of this potential Lynncest scenario before??? (Every now and then I think about uploading my 300 words of Lynncest to AO3, but I haven't quite been able to make myself actually do it...)

[turps]

You should upload it! The world needs more Lynncest!