AceShowbiz - In a revealing new docuseries, Nick Lachey shared that the boy band 98 Degrees kept a book on their tour bus listing the age of consent laws for every state in the U.S. This unusual precaution was given to them early in their touring career.

Lachey recalled the moment in Investigation Discovery's Boy Band Confidential, which is set to air later this month. "This is going to sound super shady but when we first went out - I remember in our first tour - someone at the label gave us a book," he said. "It was the age of consent in every state in the country."

He added, "We kept that book on the tour bus. Unfortunately, there were people out there looking to tear you down." The book served as a guide for the band to navigate the legal complexities surrounding age restrictions while on the road.

Nick Lachey was part of 98 Degrees alongside Drew Lachey, Jeff Timmons, and Justin Jeffre. In the same interview, he also reflected on how the pressures faced by performers today differ from those experienced by musicians of his era.

"You see [Justin] Bieber cancel a tour. You'll see Shawn Mendes cancel a tour because [their] mental health needs to come first," Nick said. "That was not an option when we were out there."

Lachey described the demanding nature of the music business during his time. "You went out there and you did the show. Then you came back after the show and you broke down and you cried and you kicked a hole in the wall. Or you did whatever you had to do. But you didn't bow out. You work so hard to get there, you can't let your foot off the gas."

Boy Band Confidential is an upcoming docuseries executive produced by Joey Fatone, a former member of 'NSync. The series will also feature interviews with other iconic boy band members including Lance Bass ('NSync), AJ McLean (Backstreet Boys), Wanya Morris and Shawn Stockman (Boyz II Men), Ashley Parker Angel (O-Town), Brad Fischetti (LFO), and others.

The series aims to delve deeply into the late 1990s and early 2000s boy band phenomenon, exposing the industry's mechanisms and the toll it took on young performers. It promises to reveal untold stories of abuse, addiction, and financial manipulation behind the polished image of pop stardom.

According to the synopsis, Boy Band Confidential "goes deep inside the boy band boom of the late 1990s and early aughts, revealing how the industry transformed young performers into marketable commodities while exposing untold stories of abuse, addiction, and financial manipulation." The show features "raw, unfiltered interviews with some of the biggest names in pop," highlighting the "secret machinery of manufactured superstardom and the devastating human cost of the era's glossy perfection."

Joey Fatone spoke about why he chose to participate in the project: "Being in a boy band was one of the greatest experiences of my life, but it also came with challenges we didn't always understand at the time. This project gave all of us a chance to reflect, to be honest, and to share what really happened behind the spotlight."

Boy Band Confidential will premiere on Investigation Discovery on Monday, April 13, and Tuesday, April 14, at 9 p.m. ET. After airing on TV, it will be available for streaming on HBO Max.

This series comes at a time when mental health and transparency in the music industry are more prominent than ever, contrasting how artists from the 1990s and early 2000s endured relentless pressures without the support systems common today.

Nick Lachey's candid remarks highlight the intense scrutiny and challenges boy bands faced, including the need to carry legal guides on tour due to the sensitive nature of their fanbases and the age differences involved.

By sharing these insights, Lachey and other former boy band members aim to shed light on a hidden side of the music industry that fans rarely see, revealing the human cost behind their fame and success.