The Honolulu Advertiser from Honolulu, Hawaii • 69

HISTORY Ll jI Lm iLi ILJ Keeping an eye on fate and his feet on the ground By Wayne Harada Advertiser Entertainment Editor icky Martin, pop star and Latin crossover idol, lives in fear. "Fear for me is not being in control" said Ricky Martin 7:30 p.m. Sunday and Monday Blaisdell Arena (relocated from Aloha Stadium; tickets need to be exchanged) $95, $65 (other price levels sold out) 526-4400 After Menudo, Martin co-starred on the TV soap opera "General Hospital." Then he played Marius in the Broadway musical "Les Miser-ables." "Richard Jay-Alexander (a "Les Miz" producer) got me the part and he's been someone I really respect, my teacher in theater. He taught me the word I keep searching for the meaning of it and it's always changing. "While I loved TV work, I need the immediate reaction of the audience.

So theater has been a great experience, because you have to create emotions of a character to earn a standing ovation. At my concerts, the fans know the music I will perform; in theater, they don't know what to expect so you have to sweat to earn the applause." His performance of "La Copa de la Vida (The Cup of life)," the official World Cup song, at the 1998 Grammy Awards triggered the same fury and fire as Loca-motion in 1999. Though he won a Grammy Award for a Latin album, with his first English disc, "Ricky Martin" (which has sold 17 million copies to date), he garnered a fistful of nominations but lost to fellow Hispanic superstar Carlos Santana. "Mr. Carlos Santana deserves it all, it was his year," said Martin.

"A Grammy is important shows acceptance of the audience but I can't give credit to the Grammys for my success. IVe been on stage for 17 years that's what matters." He's working on a new album, with Desmond Child and Robi Rosa (the latter co-wrote "Livin' La Vida and, he said, Santana may be on the album, too. On a rare day off, Martin said he has come to appreciate silence "something I used to be afraid of." Instead of turning on the radio or TV, he said, "Silence is my best friend. It's calming. Today, with meditation, I am on an eternal search for spirituality, which definitely makes me a better, stronger person." Martin, 28, in an exclusive telephone interview from Ottawa, his midweek concert stop before his two Blaisdell Arena shows Sunday and Monday.

"Fear is making mistakes. It's being human. It's part of life." Martin, of "Livin' La Vida Loca" fame, said nothing's a sure bet in a fickle entertainment world; his fate is beyond his control. And that's part of the fear factor. At 12, he was a member of the Puerto Rican bubblegum group Menudo, so Martin had already experienced the screaming fans, the mobbed stadiums, the life in a fish-bowl before his solo success.

"I couldn't get out of the hotel room," he said. It's been a case of deja vu and that brings on new fears. Associated Press photo "It could end, but to me, the end could be the beginning of so many other beautiful things," he said. His Menudo stint instilled discipline and appreciation. "When I was part of the band, I performed before 250,000 people," he said.

"I also performed before 15 people. Crowd size didn't matter. This taught me a lot about discipline, to not take things for granted, to take one day at a time. Yet I try to enjoy it as much as I can, keeping my feet on the ground." I Gettin' funky and hunky Ricky versus Mark Enrique Jose Martin Morales IV No one-hit wonder 28, Dec. 24, 1971 Shaking his bon-bon "Ricky Martin" The masses Latinpop Mark Sayers McGrath 30, March 15, 1970 Body tattoos "14:59" Pubescent girls California poprock Chin fuzz Whatever Brite Smile teeth, sexy derriere Armani By Catherine E.

Toth Advertiser Staff Writer Brooke Froiseth did the unthinkable: She gave away her Sugar Ray tickets. "Yes, it was a sacrifice, but I did it," said the 33-year-old manager at Town Country Surf Shop at Pearl-ridge Center. Sllgifar Froiseth gave her two tickets to her 14- ay year-old son, who is celebrating his birth- 7:30 pm day the night of the Sunday sold-out Sugar Ray Ful name Afe'e, brthdate Known for Latest CD Appeals to Specialize! in Noticeable feature Wears Common dress Hair Favorite food Past history Status Previous visits Grammy Awards Resembles Notable achievement Great cover boy Once described as Quotable quote Contribution to pop culture On TV Brownies" in 1995, McGrath has made the most of his frat-boy good looks and obvious sex appeal. "I think there's going to be more girls at the concert because he's so fine," said Sharon Loba, 26, merchandiser at Tower Records, whose boyfriend refused to go with her. (She's taking her best friend instead.) "But I like them because they're pretty funky.

They have that reggae vibe and they're fresh." Dubbed a one-hit wonder when its second album, "Floored," sold more than 2 million copies thanks to its reggaefied single "Fly" the SoCal band defensively named its latest album "14:59" (meaning its 15 minutes of fame are almost over). The album has gone double-platinum and has been on the Billboard 200 list since its January 1999 release. The band's latest single, "Falls Apart," holds the 47th spot on the Billboard Hot 100. The band's funky mix of pop, punk, hip-hop and rock has made it an MTV icon, reflecting the latest blend-trend in music today. McGrath's "got an interesting voice," Froiseth said.

"All their songs sound different. And I'm sorry, Mark McGrath's way cuter than Ricky Martin, 'Shake Your Bon-Bon' or not." GQ look; sweaters with leather pants No longer frosted Cuban, Italian Menudo, "General Hospital," "Les Miz" Ambiguous Four times (three with Menudo, once solo in shopping center freebie) One (Latin recording) Puerto Rican Fabio Hospital" days) Owns Casa Salsa restaurant in Miami Rolling Stone, Aug. 5, 1999 Candy "I want to give my parents grandchildren; I don't know if it's now." "Livin' La Vida Loca" With Barbara Walters Sunday Shirtless, or undershirt with jeans Frosted and spiked Fast Truck driver, Shrinky Dinx group Playboy None None Vanilla Ice Won "Rock Roll Celebrity Jeopardy-Cosmopolitan, summer 1998 Chimp-like "We're extremely hateable, I understand that. If I wasn't in this band, I'd hate it too. Yet to be determined Daily on MTV World Cafe Sold out "I really wanted to go," she sighed.

Reason? Mark Mc- 526-4400 Grath. The band's chis- niaCt- eled frontman has transcended his role as "lead singer," becoming a true "rock star" rambunctious, obnoxious, often childish and completely available. Since the band's debut album "Lemonade and Compiled by Wayne Harada and Catherine E. Toth The Honolulu Advertiser w-.