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Jeff Timmons has cornered Galaxie and is demanding to know why we do not like 98° - the boy band he once belonged to. To make his point to his manager, Chad Zimmerman, who is sitting nearby, he asks us to name a few 98° tracks to which we draw a blank. "Come on now, tell me the truth - why don't you like us?" he asks half-jokingly. We explain that at the time 98° hit the music scene, there were just one too many boy bands around. The 32-year-old is appalled at my answer. "You just called us a boy band!" he cries. "Well, you guys sure looked like one! I mean, look at the clothes," is Galaxie's response.
He nods and agrees. "Yeah, the clothes. That was something," he sighs. To his credit though, Timmons - who is being interviewed and photographed by Galaxie today - is dressed rather sharply. He strolls into the suite at the Crown Princess Hotel in Kuala Lumpur for our exclusive photoshoot wearing a blue Armani polo T-shirt that enhances his cobalt blue eyes. Then he changes into a pristine white Dolce & Gabbana shirt and jumps into bed for the shoot.
However, the concept of the shoot is to have Timmons look like he's just woken up from sleep - and that requires him to be topless. Though he is at first wary, Timmons agrees (after a brief but thorough explanation of the concept) and strips down to his Armani jeans and gets under the covers.
He has a request though. He asks whether any of us present at the shoot reads Chinese and if we could tell him what the symbols tattooed on his back, below his right shoulder mean. "Woman," our photographer tells him. "Man! I wanted something that says daughter! Not woman!" Timmons has four tattoos (the famous and most photographed one is the "98°" on his right arm) and he got the "Woman" tattoo when his daughter Alyssa was born.
Timmons looks comfortable during the shoot and poses effortlessly. Thus, it comes as a surprise when he later reveals that he hates being photographed. "I don't even think I look good in photos," he whines. Obviously, he is just being modest, as you can tell from the photos on this page.
Timmons, who is in Kuala Lumpur to promote his debut solo album Whisper That Way, exudes warmth and simplicity throughout the interview. He attributes it to being brought up in Ohio. "You see, in the Mid West, we are simple people. Just give us some beer and the sports channel, and we are good."
It was in Ohio that Timmons met and befriended Justin Jeffre, and brothers Nick and Drew Lachey, and then formed 98°. The group, that was signed to legendary label Motown, enjoyed moderate success around the globe with their easy-on-the-ear music and clean-cut looks. However, in 2001, 98° took a break. Only Nick Lachey, after his marriage to Jessica Simpson, stayed in the limelight thanks to the MTV reality series, Nick and Jessica: The Newlyweds.
Now Timmons is back in the game and plans to stay in the limelight, sans the help of a ditzy wife and a reality show.
It's been a while since we last heard from you. What's up?
Obviously, 98° had a lot of success and we were on the road for a long time so we decided to take a break. I have two kids and I wanted to spend time with them. I was married and now I am not anymore. So, those things that happened in my personal life took up a lot of time and it can consume you.
So, you're a daddy now!
It's the No. 1 priority in my life now. It takes precedence over anything I do. My career is what puts them in school, allows them to have clothes and live where they live. This is now more than just about me wanting to play music or be a celebrity. It is more like me being a dad and taking care of my kids.
Set the record straight for us. Has 98° broken up?
It's such a long time that we have been on this break that we seem to have broken up but really we haven't. We went our own ways. I got married and had kids, Drew got married too and Nick also wanted to get married. That kinda happened in 2001 when we stopped touring. Then Nick went on to do The Newlyweds which took on a life of its own. That kinda put the group on a longer hiatus. I was trying to do my own things, Drew did Broadway and Justin wants to run for mayor of Cincinnati. So, we are on an extended extended break, instead of a normal break.
So you guys will get back together then?
I think so at some point but not in the near future. I am actually going to meet the guys (after the Malaysia promo tour) and we are going to sing for the first time in years to raise money for Justin's campaign.
Speaking of singing together, you guys actually recorded Thank God I Found You with Mariah Carey. How did that happen?
We were a TRL staple at the time and were always on the show's chart. Mariah Carey had been out of the loop for some time. At first she went R&B then hip-hop then street. But it wasn't well received. I think she had this song and thought, OK, let's get somebody with some TRL credibility (to collaborate with). It was definitely a political and business move. It wasn't because she desired to work with 98°. Originally it was supposed to be Mariah and us and then all of a sudden, Joe (the rapper) was in it as well. I think she was afraid to leap completely back to pop so she added Joe in for some urban credibility.
I am a Mariah fan, but I thought that collaboration was somewhat weird.
I thought it was weird too but we definitely didn't push it away. That definitely put a profile on our group.
What do you think of Nick Lachey's success?
This is a tough question. I think it's great and I am happy for him.
When this writer shoots Timmons a disbelieving look, he laughs and says, "You are not going to get it out of me, man..."
Would you open your life to the public like Nick did?
I would open my life to the public with regard to how this business works. If someone approaches me and says, "We want to film you on a daily basis on pursuing your career." Yeah, of course I'd do it. I don't think people are aware of the music business and what it entails. It is not as easy as people think and it's a lot of work. Lots of business aspects to it. It's not just being creative, singing, getting the girls, making money. Those are some of the benefits. But there's a big business side to it where you have to hustle to stay on top of the game. But to be filmed being with my kids and my wife, I won't do it. Not that I look down at people who do it but I won't choose that.
Do you think Nick's success has eclipsed 98° completely?
His success or his celebrity? Those are two different things.
His success. He is successful.
In the music industry? Definitely not. Not as a music artiste. Then it has to be as a celebrity. His celebrity has definitely eclipsed 98°. No doubt about it. Does it bother me? No. I am not in this to be a celebrity. I am in this for the music, to make money. I am not gonna lie about it. I want to make music for a living as long as I can to support my kids. If celebrity comes along with it, then that's great. But I have already experienced being a celebrity. To me, that was never real and even then, I was pretty focussed the whole time that was happening. I am happy Nick is a celebrity and a huge star but I would wanna get there in a different way. I don't hate him or anything. I wouldn't be upset to have his celebrity, power and fame but I want to get there by doing something that has to do with my work ethics.
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