Trans Continental Records held auditions
to cast young men for an ABC series
on the making of a pop band.
NO. 1 is a classical pianist aiming for a doctorate in music composition. No. 5 plans a career in music education. No. 6 is studying for a master's degree in science information systems and No. 10 is a teacher.
But each would chuck it all to become a Backstreet Boy, or something like one. To get their shot at fame they were lined up outside the Local Motion store in Waikiki Wednesday to audition for a king maker.
Louis J. Pearlman, who assembled and shepherded to success the hot young bands Backstreet Boys and 'N Sync, was kicking off an eight-city search for his next proteges.And this time, it's not just a recording contract at stake, but TV stardom as well. Pearlman is working with ABC Television to produce a prime-time show that will chronicle the making of a boy band. He already has a 13-episode commitment from ABC and a tentative air date of mid-season 2000, said his public relations representative, Jay Marose. Plus, Pearlman's company, Trans Continental Records, will help the new group chart a course toward recording stardom, Marose said.
Heady stuff for the 50 or so twentysomethings who sang for Pearlman in a room normally reserved for the selling of surfboards and skateboards.
"If I could sing and get paid for it -- what a rush, what a dream," said Jason David Wells, 24, also known as auditionee No. 6. Wells is a master's degree student at Hawaii Pacific University, selling T-shirts at Hard Rock Cafe while in school.Pearlman has basically perfected a formula for making young girls scream. He assembles compatible musicians, helps them achieve a style (musical and personal) and builds them into pop idols that pre-teen/early teen girls shriek for in concert, spending their allowances for their records, bios and other merchandise.
The Backstreet Boys and 'N Sync earned $160 million in record sales last year, and millions more in concert ticket sales and subsidiary products. And those are only Pearlman's top acts. He also is guiding the careers of the Latin-influenced C-Note, the even younger Take Five and the girl group Innosense.
"Doubting Pearlman's pop instincts these days is akin to questioning the frothy powers of puppy love," the Los Angeles Times said in a profile of Pearlman in January.
His previous groups were built through referrals and personal connections; this is the first time he's held open auditions. Keep in mind, the Monkees started out this way.
Between auditions Wednesday, Pearlman said he's looking for vocal skills and dance ability as well as "the look," which he defines as "agility, charm, the typical good spirit and charisma."
The filming of Episode 1 of the new TV series began with the Honolulu auditions, Pearlman said. It continues through tryouts in Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Dallas, Nashville, Chicago, New York and Orlando, Fla., Pearlman's home base."We want a multicultural band," Marose said, "so we're reaching out to as much of the country as we can."
The 25 top performers will go to Orlando for a second look, and from that group eight finalists will be chosen, Marose said. Those eight will move into a home in Orlando in the style of MTV's "Real World," TV cameras rolling all the while. "They'll work together, live together and from that eight we'll take five."
Episodes will follow the Lucky 5 as they develop their style, choose a name, rehearse, cut two singles and perform.
Wednesday's auditions were conducted with machine-gun repetitiveness. Young men were ushered in before the TV cameras to sing, first a capella, then to taped music (out of a selection of pop songs, most chose 'N Sync's "Tearing Up My Heart.")
Kim Dawson, production coordinator, asked each candidate to spell his name, specify his ethnic background and outline his musical credentials.
"Do you speak any other languages?" was the final question.
Singer No. 5 succinctly gave out all the answers: Myron Kimo Maon Carlos, he spelled. Filipino, with some Chinese and Spanish. Plays percussion, guitar, bass, ukulele and piano, but as a music education major dabbles in many other instruments. Speaks a little Spanish.
Carlos made it through a slightly rocky "Star-Spangled Banner" and a solid version of "Tearing Up My Heart."
"That's awesome," Dawson said, as he did after each performance.Each young man also filled out a "Pop Band Audition Application Form," which asked, among many things, "What will make you an interesting roommate?" and, "If you had Aladdin's lamp and three wishes, what would they be?" Personality, after all, is a big part of this.
So much to gain, so little to risk -- that seemed the message most of the singers carried with them as they waited their turns on the stairs leading to the audition room.
Candidate No. 1 was Jason Waldrep, 22, a music major at the University of Hawaii-Manoa, studying piano and working toward an eventual Ph.D. in composition.
He'd stayed up until 4 a.m. making an audition tape -- just himself on the piano and himself singing with guitar, in front of a mounted camcorder. At 7 a.m., Waldrep was at Local Motion, first in line.
His training may be classical, but he knows of Pearlman's pop successes.
"He must be doing something right. I'd just be happy to get a chance to work with him."
At the end of the audition day, five performers were called back to sing again, and out of that group, one was given a firm invitation to be one of the 25 going to Orlando for the next cut (his identity will be kept secret until the show airs next year).
"We were so positive about him," Marose said. The group also came away positive about the talent level here and may ask a few more to join the Orlando 25. Out of a pool of 50 to find 10 percent worthy of a callback was exceptional, he said. "It's really a good ratio."
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