“It was an overnight success for us; from having nothing…to being on national tours…to having top ten singles…to traveling all around the world. Then all of a sudden the DJs weren’t feeling our music and were making fun of the ‘boy band’ thing. That is basically the end of 98 Degrees.” This is how Jeff Timmons described to VH1 the rise and fall of 98 Degrees - the R & B musical group that he founded over ten years ago.
After September 11, 2001, Jeff Timmons and the other 98 Degree members, composed of two brothers Nick and Drew Lachey, and Justin Jeffre all decided to pursue individual careers. Jeff says, “The timing was perfect, especially with a second child on the way. I was looking forward to just being home with my family, and taking a break from the hectic and chaotic tour life from over the past couple of years and returning back to the studio…but this time to learn it from the business side of the music industry.”
Jeff is a fan of all types of music and will take on challenging projects that he believes will help him develop and expose his additional musical talents. Now ten years later at the age of 34, Jeff says that he is the same person inside but is eager to learn other things in life. “Producing allows me to become fulfilled creatively while being in one place…instead of being on tour.”
More importantly, Jeff expresses that he is a happy guy who loves to make other people happy. He adds, “I like to know as much as I can about whatever I’m doing and then think outside the box.”
In thinking “outside the box,” Jeff was approached with an opportunity to be part of a new band. MISSION: Man Band, currently airing on VH1 (check local listings), joins together four former yet very diverse “boy band” members and places them in the lavish and spacious home of Chris Kirkpatrick (NSYNC). Included in the mix are Bryan Abrams (Color Me Badd) and Rich Cronin (LFO). After the first three episodes it became evident that Jeff was unwilling and had apprehensions about continuing to participate in the TV reality show. Jeff initially said, “I didn’t want to be apart of it at first… but later I saw that I was completely wrong. It ended up being one of the best experiences of my life and it really tested me. It took me out of my comfort zone…which is what I truly needed at the time. I would do it again in a heartbeat.” When asked about his first impressions of Chris, Bryan and Rich, his response was, “I immediately could see why they all sold so many records. Brilliant!”
What can we expect next from Jeff Timmons? Jeff says that he plans to stay busy. He has a solo album that will be released in late September or by early October. He also will continue to produce and perfect a model for non-traditional record distributions.
We often hear that we are what we make in life because of our life experiences. When asked about this statement, Jeff replies: “I would say that everything you are or experience in life is a result of your own actions. You create everything that happens in your life…consciously or subconsciously, good and bad situations alike. A lot of people don’t like that and want to point fingers at the world or the universe, God, or whatever…but ultimately you are where you’re suppose to be because of your choices.”
Jeff Timmons was a boy who truly became a man who is still evolving!
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