Отправлено: 22.02.08 19:15. Заголовок: Печатное интервью (Свежак)(продолжение)

Ahh, it seems like just yesterday the Hanson brothers (Isaac, Taylor and Zac) were discovered at SXSW. However, the boys have been busy over the last 10+ years, recording, touring, having kids, and doing philanthropic work with The Walk Tour. Of course, they’re also still really cute.
When I told some friends they did The LP Questionnaire and Pick Three I got beyond excited responses from gals (and guys, too, like Flatiron Management’s Jamie Sampson who saw them play at a US Open Tennis Event in ‘97) aged 24-37, which proves the power of the Hanson is still strong.
We’re pleased as punch that the brothers are headed down for this year’s fest. In addition to their show at Cedar Door on Saturday night, the lads are also performing as part of SXSW Live on Thursday evening at 8 pm. This show is free to the public, space permitting.
And without further ado, ladies and gentlemen, Isaac, Taylor and Zac answer some probing questions from yours truly…
The LP Questionnaire
Names: Isaac, Taylor and Zac Hanson
Pro Wrestling Names:
Isaac: Primal Hellfire
Taylor: Booty Peacemaker
Zac: Lord Mysterio
1. Pretend you’re 15 (and tell us what year it is, if you don’t mind). Name three songs you’d put on a mix tape for your girlfriend/boyfriend.
Isaac: 1995, Two Princes (Spin Doctors), She?s Got A Way (Billy Joel), Rip it Up (Little Richard)
Taylor: 1998, Flower (David Garza), Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes (Paul Simon), Since You?ve Been Gone (Aretha Franklin)
Zac: 2000, Yellow (Coldplay), Writing to Reach You (Travis), Best I Ever Had (Vertical Horizon)
Which evil villain would make the best president?
Isaac: The Brain (Pinky and the Brain)
Taylor: Dr Octopus (he can do eight things at a time)
Zac: Brack from Space Ghost Coast to Coast
3. What was your favorite cartoon as a child?
Isaac: Duck Tales
Taylor: Animaniacs
Zac: Tiny Toons
4. What superpower do you wish you had?
Isaac: The ability to morph into animals
Taylor: X-Ray Vision
Zac: Super Strength
5. What would the title of your autobiography be?
Isaac: Words Of Wisdom With A Foot In My Mouth
Taylor: It?s Been A Long Road
Zac: 1 Man 40,000 Gamer Points
Pick Three
Isaac: Stephen Kellogg & the Sixers. We?re looking forward to touring with these guys later this year, they?re really great musicians.
Taylor: David Garza: David is super talented musician with a very unique style. Anyone who does not know his music is missing out on something one of a kind.
Zac: Kaki King: I saw her last year at SXSW and she was really great. I?m looking forward to hearing more finger tapping instrumental guitar madness.
Thanks for spending some time with us here at the SXSW Music Blog. I know I’ve enjoyed it. It’s lunch time, so I bid you adieu for now. Email bunny rabbits to musicblog@sxsw.com. Check out more LP Questionnaires here. Bon apetit, lp

 Отправлено: 10.06.10 08:11. Заголовок: A Conversation with ..

A Conversation with Taylor Hanson of Hanson and Tinted Windows

Mike Ragogna: Over the years, everyone--including you guys--commented on how close the Hanson brothers have been. So, now that you're all marrying, moving on, all that, is Hanson still tight?

Taylor Hanson: Relationships with brothers, especially when there are multiple ones, there's a certain connection that just goes deep because you share several childhood experiences. You know, venturing to the creek bed with your buddies in a Stand By Me moment, and just life lived together--scratched knees, fights here and there, and you just know each other.

We've made music together for our whole life, so you can never really take away that connection. But, I would say that, definitely, as everybody has settled into different areas of their life, having family and kids, it really changes your time. We're really pretty different, as far as things we're interested in...hobbies and things like that. We're definitely scattered in our own little worlds that don't cross so much with our wife and kids and weekend warrior projects that we have.

But, I would say yes, we are very close. We couldn't not be. That doesn't necessarily mean that you like each other all the time. It just means that you have a really good relationship, and have always had that, but we absolutely get at each other's throats at least once a week, you know?

MR: Yup. Taylor, let's talk about the new record, It was recorded in Tulsa, right?

TH: Actually, we recorded it partly in Tulsa, but the essence of the record was actually recorded in kind of a secluded ranch studio in El Paso, Texas. We have a studio in Tulsa too. We almost always record some portion of our music there. But the launch of this record was a couple weeks of sessions where we set up as a live band, just all of us in one room, and we tracked the record.

Each day we would lay down a song to try and capture the sound of this record, which was more about just remembering our R&B roots, as opposed to some of the more pop and rock things that we like. So, there was a sound that went with that, a little more of a Motownie thing. Going to El Paso was just a way for us to push away from the daily grind and to truly zone in. And, interestingly, there were also elements of that studio that pulled it together too. Half of the console that's there is a Neve that is one of the original Motown boards that was then customized and connected with another console. That was kind of a cool thing, that we had a little Motown history that we were using. And that was the launching pad, I think, of the sound.

At the time I was working on a side project, Tinted Windows, and I was going back and forth from that, so we did it in a couple different parts. After that session, we went back to Tulsa and did overdubs and layered vocals and all that kind of fun stuff. And then, the last piece of the record, the final chapter, were the horn sessions on the last couple of tunes that we added to the record. It was a big creative process, really, but it was kind of spread out over the last year.

MR: Now, Tinted Windows was a critical darling. I saw that reviewed everywhere really, really positively, and it sounds amazing. Obviously, from playing with different players and having different musical experiences, you're going to grow from that in some way. Can you pin-point what you learned from being in Tinted Windows that entered into the mix with the new Hanson record?

TH: Well, for one, of course it's great to make music with talented people. So, it was a very cathartic experience to perform with another band. It was clearly something we were just enjoying, and not having as much pressure on, just something we really were enjoying, and it's different.

Musically, it really brought attention to how much Hanson really is tied to more of an R&B influence, even just the way we sing together, and play. When writing for Tinted Windows, and when playing those records which are so much more, for lack of a better word, "caucasian," the influence is just more straight ahead. And, I'd always been a fan of everything...power pop is a broad swath, so, everything from Big Star to Todd Rundgren or the Buzzcocks and Cheap Trick, for instance. Great bands, love those, been a fan, but I've always been a little more directly inspired by R&B and old rock and roll. So, it did inform the sort of defined choice to see that feel on the record a little more, and to not resist doing the horn parts.

Look, this record is a sort of pop with a little bit of a throwback kind of sound, and for that matter, we're that as a band. We want that to come through though nothing sounds exactly like your influences, ever. But it definitely was apparent, so, it helped focus that in a little bit.

MR: Obviously, it's everything you just mentioned--pop with a more R&B feel. And the video is pretty cool with all those dancers, like Cecil B. DeMille casted it. Your dancers are professional locals, right?

TH: Yeah, they're professional, local dancers. Basically, there's a whole group in the front--about forty dancers are from Tulsa and around the state, and then that mass is just random people and bands that came from all over the country. So, the part that you're seeing more are dancers that were local, but professional, and then the crowd of waving hands and stuff, those were people that just learned it that day.

MR: Pretty cool. Hey, you've done something pretty bold, more than most other bands that are still trying to figure out how to do it. You've been incredibly successful at having your own label and marketing yourself. How does it feel to be taking your career in your own hands and having this kind of success with your last three albums?

TH: Well, when you're inside of stuff and you're working on it, you always sort of shoot for the stars and hit the moon, hopefully. So, on the one hand, it's the biggest part when you are a business owner. Essentially, you're an entrepreneur. They say about entrepreneurs that, like, ninety percent of them never stop working because it's your company and you just live it.

I think from the point of view of being on that side of things, we're really, really proud of being a band as long as we have really strong, respectable success since that has allowed us to do what we do on our terms. That's always been the plan: How do we do what we do, and do it with as much respect in deference to what we actually want to be saying to people. So, it feels really good to be where we are, but you always sort of have to keep your vision focused forward. You don't get to sit around and go, "Oh yeah, that was pretty good. We did that. That was nice."

You're constantly in that mode of building and refining. I will say, from a slightly more broad perspective, this has been a changing business, and we've had a lot of choices along the way that were, I think, easier in the moment. We've just tended to be, really, in our own ideas. I guess we're just willing to say, "That's true, that we can do this, or that. But, I think this approach is better." And we're not afraid to be wrong. I would rather know why it didn't work and bear the brunt of it on the front end, than wonder why it wasn't working and ultimately bear the brunt of that lack of success or issue that came up, and not be able to get a grasp on it. It's a good time, I think, to be doing all the junk, in the world.

MR: I think it's like fourteen years since "MmmBop," right?

TH: Thirteen or fourteen, it was'97.

MR: Okay, thirteen years ago, "MmmBop" was a hit. You're so far down the pike at this point, though that was one of the huge records of the nineties that still gets played on pop stations, so you definitely left a mark with that hit. What are your thoughts about it in 2010?

TH: The first thought is it's a song we wrote and played that was nominated for awards, and we're really proud of, you know? That's the short answer. Part of what I'm proud of now is you hope you're making music that stands out in the industry. I'm hoping I'll want to play Shout It Out music in fifteen years, and I'll still appreciate it and feel like it's not nostalgic. It's music that I want to stand by, and, that's how I feel about that record and our early records...we still feel like it's us.

It's a lot of years ago, but it's still music that was you, and reflects you. So, I feel really proud of it, and I feel like I would really like for the Hanson story to be--not that we should be talking about retrospectives or anything--I would like the way people perceive our band to be that we were always a band that was sort of dedicated to the melody and songs that were not necessarily of the moment, but every once in a while, caught a moment.

That's why I think "MmmBop" was never written to be a hit. It wasn't marketed or concocted, it was something that came out of who we were, and it struck a chord for whatever reason. And, luckily, the meat of your career is what you do after that, what you do with that.

MR: And then there are the videos.

TH: The thing about some of these is that, wow it's awesome, a couple million people have watched this video. And, wow, there's kind of a good response and consensus, you know? Like with "Penny & Me." You're proud again, you have a video that people watch a lot, and you've got a song that survived. But, along the way, we're just doing what we do. And that's what "MmmBop" was, it was a strange little pop song that introduced us and had a strong impression.

MR: I wanted to talk about the writing on this record because on Underneath, you had Matthew Sweet, Gregg Alexander, Greg Wells, you some other guys chipping-in with the writing. Next, on The Walk, you had Chris Holmes and Shannon Curfman. But you guys decided you were going to write all the songs on Shout It Out. What was the approach for the writing on this?

TH: The approach was that we were writing a fair amount, and there were just enough songs that came into being that had a really strong direction to them. We found ourselves at the early part of 2008 and then the end of 2008, winding up to the recording, going, "Gosh, there is a body of work now already." And, we just felt like there wasn't a necessary cooperation, to be honest. Actually, before we were planning to record at the beginning of last year, I talked to a friend, Butch Walker, who is a great writer and producer that I still talk to about writing because I said, "Hey, we should try to write for the record." And I had talked about doing that with Mike Viola as well, and lots of different people that are friends and writers and just great people.

But, it just felt like we got to this point, and there was a body of work and it sounded like a record, it sounded like a certain head space. Shout it Out is the record that was really kind of written and made in-between a lot of intense things going on.

We've been involved, and will continue to watch a lot of charitable actions. There's one out there for the walk to raise money for poverty issues in Africa and HIV. So, every day, we're doing that on the road. We're planning the label, I'm running off to Tinted Windows, we're sort of building our team, the whole entrepreneurial "never stop working" sort of thing.

MR: So the Hanson brothers are tying everything together and revisiting their R&B roots for the new project.

TH: There was a certain thing that started happening for me, and everyone else as well, where there was sort of a breath of fresh air that came from sitting down and playing and thinking and sort of getting over the hump a little bit. Being able to say, "You know what I love? I love Ray Charles." We'd talk about it all the time, but I hadn't listened to that artist or that record for a while. So, these songs just sort of popped up, and the initial kernels came out of the air between the things that we are dedicated to. Like I said, at some point we went, "Gosh, there's a great group of songs here." And, it just didn't seem necessary to do the due diligence of, "Well, if we just write with some of the people that we like, we'll come up with great songs."

MR: You brought up the charity thing, and I also was going to regarding your recording "Great Divide." It was very ambitious, recording in Soweto with that amazing choir. I think that's one of the first things that I remember you working on. It tied to bring awareness to AIDS during a time when people keep forgetting about it because of every new disaster that we have to keep forming charitable organizations around.

TH: Exactly, yeah. I want to say one other thing about that. I was just talking to someone a couple of minutes ago about how there's a collision of time happening in our culture because we're the last generation to live in a world before this level of technology, where everybody has a cell phone and everybody's using the internet and all that kind of stuff.

With the charitable work, what we saw was kind of that same, strange meeting of worlds where you've got this extraordinarily overwhelming issue of extreme poverty in Africa, but you have an emerging world of technology and of possibility, of exchanging information. Our mission will now continue and evolve. People my age, it's our responsibility to set the bar for how we use our growing possibilities. The ways we can go more directly to a hospital in Soweto and say we're going to give directly to this group or we're going to build a company that is charitable, we're going to use that potential to set the bar.

So, that's what we set out to do with The Walk, to say, "Everyone has something." We can ask for accountability, and we're trying to sort of--well, it's a bad way to put it--but re-brand giving and charity, and turn it more towards how we put our talent and our capabilities and put those to work and ask for better accountability and not just give it away to a big fund to trickle down.

The issues in Africa, my children will still be talking about them, I'm sure of that, but my hope is that my kids, they will have said, "You know, there was a shift that happened. My dad's generation, they started to get on board with the issues in not such an arm's length way. Let me get my hands dirty, I'm going to start just being more realistic about this, more direct, more one for one, and not just talking about being charitable one day. We'll use the possibilities of connecting with one another and going direct to these issues and being more focused about it." Anyway, I think I might have lost the plot of the answer.

MR: No, you said it in a way that's quite inspirational. So, I normally ask all artists what is your suggestion to new artists that are up and coming. Not in your case. Because of the awesome stuff you just said, what is your suggestion to new artists, and people in general, on how to get involved in charitable organizations, and how can they tell which ones to participate in?

TH: That's a hard question. Only because I care about the answer and you want to give good answers to that kind of stuff. The essential part, without saying, "You should give to this group or that group"--because it's not about that--is to really internalize the message that might seem to lose it's meaning because it has been used in a way that has been disingenuous though it really is true. You really, really do just have to start.

I mean, I struggle with that. Everyone struggles with that question of starting and being honest to where you're not jaded and fragmented. And you really just do have to start. Start with something that is almost embarrassingly small, and you will find yourself being the person that others remember, "Hey, when you did that, that made a difference and that inspired me to do something." Really, that's what happens. And, regardless of what your passion is about--and I could talk a lot specifically about AIDS groups in Africa and our work--that's the essence of it. I think you've got to use what you have. Start thinking about what you do on the weekends, what you do after work, look at what you do already, look at the talent you have, look at the relationships you have, and try to orient with what they're going to do--something you can maintain, that connects with your life's work, what you actually do contribute to the world. Because that's going to be your best way to get things done that you care about.

MR: It was great to see this side of Hanson. I really appreciated our conversation and your time and, of course, your music.

TH: Absolutely. Thanks for being aware of the music. It's always nice to talk to someone who's obviously digested it.

 Отправлено: 17.06.10 05:01. Заголовок: Zac Hanson Hanson h..

Zac Hanson

Hanson has been rocking the pop scene since "Mmm-Bop" hit MTV
in 1997. The boys are all grown up now but they're still together making music. Hanson's new album, Shout Out It Out, just hit stores. Zac Hanson spoke with TheCelebrityCafe.com's Cristen Kleindienst about the newest addition to the Hanson catalogue.

TheCelebrityCafe: Is touring more difficult or more fun now that you all have families?

Zac Hanson: It's just different. Our families don't tour with us all the time. But life's good.

TCC: What made you decide on the Blues Brothers themed video for "Thinkin' Bout Somethin'?"

ZH: We're huge Blues Brothers fans. All the music from the movie
we heard first as Blues Brothers versions. Someone had the scene from the Blues Brothers playing, and turned the sound off and put on our song, and it worked. It was really fun to shoot, and it really sets the tone for what we want from the album.

TCC: How'd you get Weird Al to be in your video?

ZH: Al directed part of a video for us about 10 years ago, and this video is a parody of a great movie, and Al is the king of all parodies. He really made an awesome addition.

TCC: How is this album (Shout it Out), different from others you've released?

ZH: Well, every album has unique elements. This is a very fan-driven record, and it's a pop record; a record that makes you want to smile and enjoy. "Shout it Out," is such a perfect title.

TCC: What inspired the songs on the new album?

ZH: A lot of things play into this album. The last three were heavier and more acoustic. Our charitable efforts with "The Walk,"[which helped raise funds for the prevention and treatment of AIDS in Africa] spawned this other album

TCC: How would the dynamic of the band be different if you weren't brothers?

ZH: I'll let you know when I join a band without my brothers! We're not a band because we're brothers; it's just that we found a mutual love of music. We're all connected, and we just started so early. Being brothers is underrated. There are naturally brothers in bands, like Kings of Leon. Brothers are everywhere!

TCC: Is there any one album or song that you're most proud of?

ZH: It's a hard thing to say. On this album, the last song, "Me, Myself, and I," has been around for a long time. We kept it around, and started it albums ago.

 Отправлено: 17.06.10 05:34. Заголовок: Weirdis пишет: Al d..

Weirdis пишет:

цитата:

Al directed part of a video for us about 10 years ago

Это Weird если я не ошибаюсь? хотя Weird вроде какой-то Гус сделал. Блин, забыла, что Эл делал

Weirdis пишет:

цитата:

"Me, Myself, and I," has been around for a long time. We kept it around, and started it albums ago.

уау! теперь ясно почему эта песня такая длинная вышла

 Отправлено: 17.06.10 13:43. Заголовок: runaway пишет: Это ..

runaway пишет:

цитата:

Это Weird если я не ошибаюсь? хотя Weird вроде какой-то Гус сделал. Блин, забыла, что Эл делал

нет, Март..имелось в виду, что Эл в своем улипе делал на них пародию или упоминал их. клипов он им не снимал. а Weird и правда срежиссировал знаменитый Гас Ван Сент

 Отправлено: 17.06.10 15:15. Заголовок: taytoy пишет: а Wei..

taytoy пишет:

цитата:

а Weird и правда срежиссировал знаменитый Гас Ван Сент

ДА?? Ппц!! Я не знала! Он же такой классный режиссер, фильмы у него просто афигенные! Арт-хаус, авторское кино.. даже не верится, что он участвовал в сьемках клипа Хэнов Wierd! Супер

 Отправлено: 17.06.10 15:34. Заголовок: AL в интернете даже ..

AL в интернете даже есть интервью с ним, которое брали сами братишки))

 Отправлено: 18.06.10 03:41. Заголовок: taytoy пишет: Эл в ..

taytoy пишет:

цитата:

Эл в своем улипе делал на них пародию или упоминал их.

ооо, а что за песня и клип??? Хочу посмотреть!!!!

 Отправлено: 24.06.10 07:36. Заголовок: Hanson Covers Aldous..

Hanson Covers Aldous Snow's 'Furry Walls' From 'Get Him To The Greek'
Posted 16 hrs ago by Eric Ditzian in News
It's been three weekends since we got a full, sex-drugs-and-rock & roll-fueled introduction to Aldous Snow, the endearingly boorish frontman of Infant Sorrow played by Russell Brand, first glimpsed in 2008's "Forgetting Sarah Marshall" and given his own movie in this month's "Get Him to the Greek." The pop culture impact of Snow's music is still being felt today.

Hanson, those loveable "MMMBop"-ers, headed into the studio recently to record a cover of Infant Sorrow's "Furry Walls," the third track off the film's soundtrack. It's a catchy tune, combining Hanson's toe-tapping pop-rock sound with Snow's drippingly absurd lyrics. "When we think of the most iconic rock bands in history, it starts with Led Zeppelin, The Who, AC/DC and ends with Infant Sorrow," the band said in a post on their website.

This morning, Taylor Hanson — still very much keeping to the "Snow is a real person" narrative — called up MTV News to talk about the origins of the cover...

MTV: Thanks for hopping on the phone. I guess when it comes to Infant Sorrow, you've got to get the word out.

Taylor Hanson: Yeah, dude, this is one of those tracks where we just had a blast recording it in a blitz of not overthinking it and trying to capture the essence of the "Furry Walls."

MTV: How'd the whole thing come together?

Hanson: We just heard the album and we thought it was really great and it'd be cool to throw our flavor on it. We love different kinds of music and it was a great contrast, since we've been working to promote the new album, to throw ourselves into the studio and not overthink it.

MTV: There are some killer tunes on that Sorrow disc – "African Child," "Supertight," "I am Jesus." Why'd you guys go for "Furry Walls"?

Hanson: To me, "The Clap" is one that stands out. But "Furry Walls" just jumps off the track listing. The song feels like what Oasis and Brit rock stadium bands have been doing, packaged into a modern lyrical gem.

MTV: Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe the chorus goes, "Stroke the furry walls." Can you help me interpret?

Hanson: I have my interpretation, and I imagine everyone else does as well. The story I've heard from Mr. Aldous Snow, it's an out-of-body experience incited by a "Jeffery" [a drug-filled joint that basically drives you mad].

MTV: Aldous Snow is the epitome of a rock star where he's doing drugs, he's sleeping with groupies. Whereas Hanson, you guys are each married with children. You seem to come from opposite corners of the rock world.

Hanson: There's a certain reckless abandon that comes with music. Aldous personifies the size and energy of the sex, drugs and rock and roll guy. Everyone can't be that guy. There's only so many that can live that out in full force. For me, it's always been more about the music. As far as living out the lifestyle of waking up in a pool of your own vomit everyday, it's not my cup of tea. But musically, it's fantastic.

MTV: Who knows — maybe this is the beginning.

Hanson: I could have many years of lying in a pool of my own vomit after a night of raging.

MTV: Are you going to start covering other fictional bands? There are some great ones — Spinal Tap, Tenacious D, Hedwig and the Angry Inch, Stillwater...

Hanson: There's a long list. You listed several that have been in the running for Hanson set lists for a long time, because who doesn't want to break into "Big Bottom" in the middle of a show? This could be the start. It's not a bad idea. "Sex Farm" is a classic. And anything by Tenacious D.

MTV: I encourage Hanson to pick up the Pick of Destiny.

Hanson: Yes, exactly! That would probably be too much enjoyment. It would be too unfair to actually try and capture that while our faces are melting.

http://moviesblog.mtv.com/2010/06/23/hanson-covers-aldous-snows-furry-walls-from-get-him-to-the-greek/<\/u><\/a>

 Отправлено: 24.06.10 10:01. Заголовок: уау, про каверы!!!!!..

уау, про каверы!!!!!!!!!!! спасибо!!!!

 Отправлено: 03.11.10 17:09. Заголовок: http://www.popeater...

 Отправлено: 03.11.10 17:47. Заголовок: :sm38: ну началось,..

ну началось, терь про шмотки будут рассказывать в интервью?
А кто такой Стивен Алан? я не знаю такого..)

 Отправлено: 03.11.10 20:59. Заголовок: ути моя крясотуля, м..

ути моя крясотуля, мне порой кажется что ты забыл слово дизайнер....

 Отправлено: 04.11.10 07:48. Заголовок: Боже мой :sm64: Тей..

Боже мой Тейлор!

 Отправлено: 18.11.10 19:09. Заголовок: Что зесь у Тэя с лиц..

Что здесь у Тэя с лицом?????? Скрытый текст

как-будто всю ночь бухал

 Отправлено: 19.11.10 05:57. Заголовок: crazy dr пишет: Что..

crazy dr пишет:

цитата:

Что здесь у Тэя с лицом?????? Скрытый текст как-будто всю ночь бухал

Да, что-то припух))))))))))

А вот теперь у них большинство интервью до конца жизни будут с содержанием про то, что они выросли?))) Такая ведь тема опять в этом заголовке?

 Отправлено: 19.11.10 06:47. Заголовок: :sm15: кстати эта т..

кстати эта та самая (не самая лучшая )фотка, которая была в российском ролинг стоун)) я была в ужасе, когда увидела, могли бы и посимпатичнее взять! ( а то они тут не очень.

 Отправлено: 24.11.10 18:19. Заголовок: crazy dr пишет: Что..

crazy dr пишет:

цитата:

Что здесь у Тэя с лицом??????

Да тут не только у Тея.. по-моему, все не айс вышли...

 Отправлено: 08.10.11 05:34. Заголовок: The West Linn Tidings, Oct 7, 2011

Hanson’s community loves more than just the music
Tulsa’s trio of brothers’ roots run deep – 14 years after “MMMBop”
BY NICOLE DECOSTA
The West Linn Tidings, Oct 7, 2011



The band Hanson performed in Portland on their The Musical Ride Tour to a packed Aladdin Theater and fans lip-synching to songs from the brother's nearly 20 year musical career.

ALICIA DECOSTA / WEST LINN TIDINGS

Taylor Hanson – keyboardist and lead singer in the band Hanson – said Portland’s fans might be as sweet as his favorite Portland tour stop – Voodoo Doughnut.

And when Hanson stopped off to play the Aladdin Theatre recently on their The Musical Ride Tour, the band of brothers – Taylor, 28, on keyboards, Zac, 25, on drums and Isaac, 30, on guitar – was reminded that they’re still doing something right, building a fan base that sticks around.

Since they hit the mainstream with 1997’s No. 1 hit “MMMBop,” they’ve navigated through childhood stardom without tabloid meltdowns – all the while building a community of devoted followers of their pop rock tunes. And yes, there are still screaming girls, but Portland’s show had a surprising amount of couples, swaying and lip-syncing in the asiles.

They’re Hansons are all married fathers now – with eight kids between them – and if taking to the road isn’t challenging enough with that many on board, they’re letting fans vote for which songs they should perform at each tour stop.

“We’ll still be throwing in the hits, so to speak, and taking songs from (three) different albums,” Taylor Hanson said. “Voting ends the day of the show, which makes things interesting.”

His favorite album to perform?

“The new one. It’s fresh and really cohesive,” Hanson said. “‘Shout it Out’ is a top to bottom cohesive project.”

And cohesive could also describe the community surrounding the band.

-- Nicole DeCosta: You had a No. 1 radio hit with “MMMBop” when you were 13 and your fans seem just as loyal today. Hanson, it seems, has always been about giving fans an experience, not just an album.

-- Taylor Hanson: “It’s about building a community. It just goes in line that we feel it’s important to build something around your band and don’t take yourself too seriously.”

-- ND: Right, it’s working. I’m guessing that’s why you guys are constantly updating your website and offering new merchandise through your label Three Car Garage Records. What’s this Hansonopoly I saw online?

-- TH: “For years we’ve been trying to come up with cool products that aren’t just, ‘hey, I got a T-shirt.’ We have a lot of friends who travel and who will see several shows. And we were talking about what fans do when they wait in line, if they want to be in the front row (at) general admission shows. … The thought came to create some games and something people can do. You have to ‘geek out’ to get all the Hanson jokes. There are so many layers to the game. It’s fully customized. The whole idea is like Monopoly, but in instead of being a real estate mogul, you’re trying to be the biggest band in the world. Instead of hotels you have to work your way up from a club to an arena.”


-- ND: How do you get ready for a show? Any pre-show rituals?

-- TH: “We’ll put our set list together a half hour before a show. Part of that is for the experience for us and for fans. One of the rituals is usually the final decision on the set list and then just a huddle, a reminder to not miss your cues here and there. And you turn off the distractions 15 or 20 minutes before the show.”

-- ND: What’s the difference between the music in America to your other tour stops around the world?

-- TH: “In the U.S. there’s more heritage, ‘rootsier’ music. The blues here and Americana come out when we’re on the road in the U.S. The biggest difference, in general, has to do with the frequency. This fall we’ll be in Latin America and the U.K. after the U.S. stuff and it’s been probably four years since we’ve been in Brazil or Argentina or Chile and so there’s this catch-up that you need to do. Their connection with pop music is different. People are less self-conscious about it outside the U.S. – being a band that likes pop songs. It’s seen more as the norm. There’s a lot more emphasis on live music in the states as a craft.”

-- ND: You guys held some flash mobs in New York City, etc. – letting your fans bust some moves. How did those go?

-- TH: “(They) went great. The blessing of having fans that are excited and willing to try things in a major city (is cool). You can get together enough people to make something happen. We had an amazing group of fans that put together a series of flash mobs that they did all over. If you go online you’ll see people dancing in front of the Eiffel Tower.”

-- ND: In addition to the music, you guys have made your humanitarian efforts a priority – donating proceeds from your previous album “The Great Divide” to raise funds for reducing mother to child HIV transmission in South Africa and partnering with TOMS Shoes, which donates a pair of shoes for each pair purchased. And for each fan who participates in your one-mile barefoot walks before concerts, you donate $1 to help alleviate poverty-related issues in Africa. Why these efforts?

-- TH: “Playing shows and building something … it’s who we are. It’s what we do. Walks are still happening. Some of the schedule will depend on the tour schedule. Go to takethewalk.net and it’s where all the times and events are announced and where people can set up their own events.”

-- ND: Since you guys started your careers at such young ages, when was the first time you were ‘star struck.’

-- TH: “We’ve met so many people we’ve been blown away by. Billy Joel was a big one. I don’t think there’s ever been a better songwriter than him; He sets the bar so high. We met Paul McCartney and sung on stage with him and with Brian Wilson.”

-- ND: How do you guys want to be remembered?

-- TH: “I’d like to be remembered for the quality of the music … ultimately that the songs survive. … When you make a record that’s what you hope – that the songs and the music itself is just seen as something that stands the test of time. That’s poignant. … Next year we will have been a band for 20 years. This is all we’re qualified to do. We couldn’t do anything else. For one, we love what we do and we love making music together.”