U-M.COM INTERVIEW With DS
UM: Dream Street was dubbed as just "another" boy band when it first exploded onto the music scene. Since the single's release, the band has transformed many anti-DS fans into fans. With the album out now, what major differences have you guys felt within the months between the two releases?
Greg: Yeah, we've at least doubled, or tripled, the amount of fans that we have. We used to do autograph signings, and you know, it'd take us an hour or two. Then just this last week we did one and it went out of the store, out of the mall, and out to the parking lot. So I mean, just the amount of fans that we had just pretty much, what...doubled? Tripled? I mean just from our single playing on the radio, Radio Disney.
Chris: Plus a lot more people have seen us now, and they're not just dubbing us as "another" boy band. First of all we are a boy band, so we're not like thirty-years-old.
Frankie: Yeah. I guess they kinda respect us for what we do, and they come see us perform.
Chris: We're younger, and our live performances, I think, are a lot different from *NSYNC and the rest of the bands. We just really show them what it's about. We don't lip-sync or any of that stuff.
UM: The album debuted a lot higher than some people thought. It's first week debut even beat Willa Ford's first week. Were you guys surprised at its position? Where did you think it would debut at?
Jesse: Yeah, we didn't expect to be as high as we were in the first week.
Greg: And our record company only expected us to sell about 10,000 records, and yeah...
Chris: Not within the first week, but 10,000 total.
Greg: And we totally just...
Matt: 30,000, 33,000 out or something the first week. And now it's like what, 100,000, over 100,000?
UM: Your album was originally scheduled to be released last Halloween. How well do you guys think the album would have done should it have been released back then?
Jesse: I think we all would have liked it then to have come out cause we were so anticipating. But since it came out now, we look back and we see that we probably definitely would have done a lot better if we released it now than back in October because we've had a lot more time to promote ourselves and to get out there to all the fans.
UM:Have you guys already begun thinking about a second album? If so, what type of sound are you going for?
Chris: Umm, since I think we've grown up - we're growing up just a little bit more. I mean of course...
Greg: Our producers really pick our music so...
Frankie: We're really just promoting our first album and getting it out there. I guess we'll worry about that once this one is kinda in the bag.
UM:If you guys were to do a song with another artist, who would it be?
Frankie: I know we're gonna have a few harmony songs and...
Greg: I think he means like with another artist.
All: That'll be cool and we're open to everyone.
Greg: Britney Spears!
UM:Your single has been doing real well on Radio Disney and Nickelodeon. How did you guys feel when you heard or saw that 'IHET' beat the A*Teens' 'Sugar Rush' on NVP?
Chris: It was actually nice. I dunno if we were all jumping for joy but we were happy about it cause that's our song. We felt really happy about that winning.
UM: Dhani from the A*Teens seems to still respect Dream Street, yet many of their fans don't. Is there anything you guys would like to try to help bring them over to your side also?
Greg: Nah, there's no competition between us and other bands. We think that any band that's out there - *NSYNC and Backstreet Boys - we look up to them, we respect them. We think it's great that they've succeeded in the ways they have. And so there's really no competition between us.
UM:Do you guys have any ideas for what to have as your next single, or any ideas for the video?
Matt: Uh, we're not too sure about that but um...We don't really know about that yet.
Greg: Nothing has been confirmed.
UM:Since Nick seems to be covered quite well, and your Street Team is really making a difference. Are there any other plans for promotion?
Greg: Right now we're in the middle of the West Coast tour.
Chris: Yea, we're going all over the West Coast. We're actually going to go for an audition with some radio.
Jesse: We're doing a tour for Health South. It's a charity for kids with eating disabilities and drug habits. We teach them what to eat and when, and like not to do drugs and stuff. Schools commute to big stadiums in that town and we perform there.
UM:There are fans from all over the world, such as Japan and Europe. Will you guys ever pay those fans a visit and treat them to a signing or performance anytime soon?
All: Yeah, definitely. Hopefully soon.
Greg: Our record company is actually really big in Europe and other places.
Matt: They're based out in Germany.
Greg: edel Records. We'll definitely be going out of the country.
UM:Many fans were disappointed when they heard your O-Town show act was canceled. Who else would you guys love to tour with?
Greg and Chris: Britney Spears!
Chris: And another big band like *NSYNC.
UM:Rumors were that the O-Town show was canceled due to the fact that Dream Street was "getting big." Is all the fame beginning to really roll into effect? Would you ever think about just reverting to having a normal life?
All: (Laughs)
Matt: Yeah, that's what we heard. I dunno how true that is.
All: Yeah...
Frankie: Nah, definitely not. I think we're loving...We're finally breaking out and coming out into the real pop life. We've been doing it for three years together and waiting. So now that we're finally here we just hope that it'll keep getting bigger and bigger.
UM:Let's talk a little bit about your fans. Are there any specific moments that you've shared with a fan that have made a deep impact?
Greg: We remember a lot of our fans actually, cause they tell us to try to remember their names, especially those fans who come to a lot of our shows and follow us around a lot. We do pretty good with them.
Chris: Yeah, we remember most of them. We know our fans pretty well.
UM:Issues about personal contact information have gotten to become quite a problem. How do you guys feel about all the screen names being passed around and the fans that try to get them?
Chris: I mean if a famous person was sitting right next to me I'd probably ask for their Screen Name, and you know...So I know what they're going through and I know what it's like.
Frankie: Sometimes they get a little upset when we tell them like "No, we're not allowed. We're sorry!" They're like "Awww man!" They get all upset.
UM:This one is for Chris. I know you talk about it on the ECD portion of the album, but would you like to give some other pointers on how you do your hair. Perhaps the name of hair products?
Chris: Yeah. Okay um...I start off by putting gel. It's called Crew Gel - C-R-E-W - and I start that by putting it in the back of my hair. Then I brush it forward to...like down towards my face. And then I use wax. It's called Tigi Bedhead and um, I put a lot of that. I just keep on...what do you call it?...rubbing it onto my hair. Then I take a comb. Ya, I go through like two, three bottles of it. And so I take a comb and I take each...I do like layers actually. I just take the comb and then spike it up with the comb, starting from the back to the front. That's how I work it.
Matt: (Laughs) It costs him more money to do his hair than to dress himself.
Chris: Yeah.
UM:How long does it take for the entire process?
Chris: For the entire? Well, it depends. When I first get my hair cut, it could take a while because I'm not used to it. But then towards the middle when it's growing out, but still cut, it's easy. It takes like fifteen minutes.
Greg: Like me. Yeah, I know what he's talking about. I just got my hair cut. It took me forever to do my hair.
UM:Lastly, is there anything that I haven't asked that you would like me to ask?
Greg: Oh yeah. We're single.
All: (Laughs)
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Five Minutes With Matt Ballinger***
by: Katie Meck
1. If you could have one wish what would it be?
Matt: IF I could have one wish ha.... I'd have to say to spend a weekend in Hawaii since I haven't been there for awhile.
Have u been there before?
Matt: Ya once before its awesome.
2. What do you see in your future?
Matt: Do u mean in like 1 year or like in 5 years? Lets say in 5 years. OK then in 5 years I plan to be in college (Williams or Washington)
3. What do you wants to be?
Matt: I want to be an Investment Banker because u make lots of money and I want to be rich. If you don't know that is, its kinda like a broker explains matt to me because I was unsure myself.
4. Have you ever been in love?
Matt: NOPE..not yet
5. Do you have a girlfriend?
Matt: .... Nope..im single
6. Do you think crazy fans are scary?
Matt: I wouldn't say scarey...they all just make me and the guys laugh because they get so wild.
7. Have fans ever come to your house?
Matt: I think so but I'm not sure, like the other day there were three random girls playing kickball outside my house, I went outside in my yard but they just stared at me and didn't talk so I went back inside.It was pretty funny
8. What would you be doing it you weren't in Dream Street?
Matt: Probably just be normal, maybe do a couple movies... but I dunno.
9. Dow did you get so HOT?!
Matt: *laughs* All the genes... all the genes! *laughs again..*
