Fired Up
I’ve Got Soul
Where’s The Love
Cut Right Through Me
This Time Around
And I Waited
——————————————————-
With You In Your Dreams (Acoustic)
Mmmbop (Acoustic)
For Your Love (Ike Solo)
On And On (Zac Solo)
Save Me - (Tay Solo)
——————————————————-
Tonight
Watch Over Me
Waiting For This
Minute Without You
Thinking ‘Bout Somethin’
Penny And Me
Get The Girl Back
If Only
You Can’t Stop Us
Saturday, August 31, 2013
Friday, August 30, 2013
Isaac Hanson "Fired Up" to bring his brothers to Workplay on September 9
Photo: Hanson.
Hanson comes to the Workplay Theatre on Monday, September 9. Former American Idol contestant and Alabama native Paul McDonald will open. Tickets can be purchased in advance for $27 at www.workplay.com, or at the door for $30. Doors open at 8 p.m.
The three brothers, Isaac, Taylor and Zac, have been performing together for over twenty years, first achieving commercial success with the 1996 pop radio hitMMMBop and releasing its tenth studio record as a collective this year, Anthem. I spoke to the eldest, Isaac, about the band's charitable efforts, its venture into brewing with MMMHops and its loyal fanbase.
Blake Ells for Birmingham Box Set: Anthem is bluesy. It's almost soulful. And it seems with each record you guys do, you explore the boundaries of different genres. Why does that exploration appeal to you?
Isaac Hanson: As a band, we're a little A.D.D., unfortunately, so you can always expect something unique about each record. This one takes a bluesier direction than we have some times in the past and we called it Anthem - a word or song in support of a cause. Many of our fans of the last 15 plus years have shown their passions year after year and song after song. So the title felt appropriate for an album that was a big artistic concept.
BE: On the current tour, you're donating $1 from each ticket to charity. What's the charity and why was it appealing to you?
IH: The proceeds raised from this effort are being used to help poverty in Africa. In 2007, we started helping to provide shoes, building schools and using our shows across the U.S. and Canada to help fund those causes.
Since 2007, we've been a part of a project called "Take the Walk" - a way that we can connect with people. Issues in Africa may not be something that you spend the rest of your life trying to help improve, but "Take the Walk" is about overcoming your own fears. Joining us for a day. Taking off your shoes and walking a mile. Maybe that will inspire you to take on another local challenge that you're passionate about. Life is short and if you can make a positive impact, it's important to do so.
BE: The thing I've been most eager to speak to you about is MMMHops. What is distribution like right now? When can I buy it in Alabama? Is it affordable?
IH: Some of those details are still being worked out. We have 50 states and all of those laws are different. Some are easy, and sometimes, there are a lot of hoops to jump through. We have an aggressive plan to get into a lot of states quickly, but we also don't want to overextend ourselves and screw the pooch before we get going.
We'll start at home - in Oklahoma - and we'll begin looking into mail order options. We can't necessarily mail order to every state, but hopefully, that will allow the fans a chance to get it if they aren't local. If we already have this many people asking, it'll be a hell of a lot easier to get it to them if we can do it by mail.
The best part of this is that it's like having a song you like in your iPad - if you like it, you can just hit repeat. In moderation, of course. [laughs] It's a full flavor pale ale. I feel like it's a great introductory pale ale - it hits some notes of something like Sierra Nevada; perhaps even has some similar qualities to something like Anchor Steam. I think it is a beer that can be competitive with beer snobs, and I would consider myself a part of that beer snob category.
BE: You're all family men now, and I've heard that you each take a tour bus on the road and bring your families along. Is that true? [via: @cturnip]
IH: No. [laughs] That would be a very expensive venture. We travel relatively light, and it's been that way since the beginning. The most we ever had was - there have been tours with two busses to have have enough room. We've also learned over time that you can route the tours in a way that allows some time off for family.
BE: You have an incredibly loyal fanbase that has evolved with you. How has it felt to know that they were so willing to be a part of your maturation process?
IH: Music has got to change no matter what. If you make the same record over and over, why would people bother buying them? We've tried to make the most exciting and best quality record that we can make each time we set out to record. Our first concern is the quality of the songwriting, then everything else.
We feel lucky that we were able to connect with people at a young point in their lives. Hanson has grown up, but I think it's just a matter of keeping on making records. Bands evolve. If it's passionate, exciting and valuable to you, that is why it will be that way to someone else. It's like the beer. It I don't like my beer, I'm going to have a hell of a hard time convincing someone else to like it.
We have always been songwriters first. The pop fare is great, and everyone wants that. But it's not the goal. We've been lucky that all those songs we wrote when we were young were also very much ours, too. Both of those can equally connect with people. They can have the familiarity with those songs, but then they can also know you in a completely different way. We never expected this.
BE: Paul McDonald is opening your show, a man with Alabama roots. How did you guys hook up?
IH: We knew Paul through his wife, Nikki Reed. She met us several years ago. Then, they started dating and we met him. He's a great dude. She was in a music video of ours and we said, "You know? Let's get Paul in the video, too."
He plays the role of "drunken guy at a urinal" very well. [laughs]
BE: Did you receive free Eggos for life when "Thinking of You" was included in that commercial several years ago? [via: @aimeebelcher]
IH: [laughs] Yes. We got a lot of free Eggos. Eggos do actually get freezer burned no matter what. They can't stay good forever.
BE: Tulsa is home, which is pretty big college football country. Are you guys Sooners fans? Oklahoma State?
IH: At the end of the day, I'm an Oklahoma fan. I'm more of a Sooner than a Cowboy. I only own OU hats. Other than that, I have an OKC Thunder hat I wear a lot.
BE: This is probably better suited for Taylor, but I wasn't sure which Hanson that I would speaking with. Will Tinted Windows ever happen again or was that a one time thing? [via: @BradfordSim]
IH: I've heard him answer this before, so I'll give it a try. I don't think it's a one time thing, but the timeline on when it will happen again is difficult to nail down. I know that it has been in discussion in the last few years.
BE: Who are the top five American rock bands of all time?
IH: Aerosmith is so insanely good. If they're not number one, they definitely belong in the top five. On some level or another, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers are on the edge of rock - they're kind of rootsy, but I'll include them because I love them so much.
I'm going to be showing my Southern bias here, but the Black Crowes are pretty amazing. As far as records are concerned, they can be a little hit or miss, but By Your Side and Shake Your Moneymaker are about as good as it gets.
I'd include somebody like Gov't Mule. They're really, really good, and I know that is more bluesy - it walks that line between blues, R&B and rock. And I think Little Feat, who aren't necessarily rock either, are really cool. I like them a lot. Definitely an R&B kind of vibe.
But then, I ask myself, should Rage Against the Machine be in there? Red Hot Chili Peppers? That's hard. You know what? I'm sticking with those five. Red Hot Chili Peppers - they're rock, but they're also funk. I'm gonna replace...
Nope. I'm sticking with that list. That's five. And man, now my brain is just churning...
Thursday, August 29, 2013
Woman spotted in crowd at Hanson concert arrested
A woman barred from being near the Hanson brothers was spotted in Des Moines at their events Wednesday and arrested.
A police report shows all three Hanson brothers have a protective order against Alexandra Martin, 26.
The brothers first spotted Martin during their charity walk in Des Moines Wednesday afternoon.
Hanson is a band made up of brothers Isaac, Taylor and Zac Hanson. They are best known for their 1997 single "MMMBop" from their debut album, "Middle Of Nowhere."
The group's tour manager and all three brothers saw "Martin within an arms' length of Jordan Hanson, while starting a charity walk before their concert," the police report reads.
Martin is required by the protective order to not come withing 300 yards of the Hansons.
Later in the day, Martin was spotted in the crowd at the group's concert in downtown Des Moines. Police removed her from the crowd, and she was taken to the Polk County Jail.
"Martin advised she recently moved to Oklahoma from Massachusetts solely to be closer to the Hanson brothers," reads the report.
She was charged with three counts of violating the protective orders.
Wednesday, August 28, 2013
DES MOINES, IA SET LIST 08/28/2013
Fired Up
I´ve Got Soul
Wheres The Love
Cut Right Through Me
Thinking of You
This Time Around
———————
Already Home (Acoustic)
With You In Your Dreams (Acoustic)
Deeper (Ike Solo)
On and On (Zac Solo)
Be My Own (Tay Solo)
—————-
Juliet
Watch Over Me
Waiting For This
If Only
Thinking Bout Somethin
Penny and Me
Get The Girl Back
MMMBop
In The City
——————-
Minute Without You
I´ve Got Soul
Wheres The Love
Cut Right Through Me
Thinking of You
This Time Around
———————
Already Home (Acoustic)
With You In Your Dreams (Acoustic)
Deeper (Ike Solo)
On and On (Zac Solo)
Be My Own (Tay Solo)
—————-
Juliet
Watch Over Me
Waiting For This
If Only
Thinking Bout Somethin
Penny and Me
Get The Girl Back
MMMBop
In The City
——————-
Minute Without You
Tuesday, August 27, 2013
‘MMMBop’? Hanson are singing a new ‘Anthem’
On hearing the name Hanson, most people will peppily reply by humming a quick chorus of “MMMBop.” But there’s more to the band of brothers – Isaac, Taylor and Zac – than long flowing locks and that hit released back in 1997. A lot’s changed for Hanson since “MMMBop.” They have 10 kids between them, their own label, they’ve released a beer called MMMHops and sold 16 million albums worldwide.
Tut tut to those of you who had them down as one-hit wonders. The cherubic trio are celebrating their 21st anniversary as a band with the release of their sixth studio album, “Anthem,” which includes trademark soulful pop/rock tracks like “Get the Girl Back.”
Metro chats with the band’s oldest member, Isaac, on the run-up to their six-month world tour, about brotherly bickering, the industry’s failings and not giving in to groupie temptation.
Has making your new album been easier than making a marriage work?
I think it’s very similar to making a marriage work. (Laughs) It’s probably more complicated because there are three people involved. Going into this album we had to make some real adjustments. We had been hitting the ground pretty hard after touring for the previous two years.
It’s been publicized that the album nearly didn’t happen due to disagreements. Were you working too hard?
It was part of it. We had a different plan for the record – it was much more 2013. The current way of looking at music is just not working for the whole business and nobody is willing to reassess that.
What did you want to do differently?
We wanted to make it an ongoing musical experience but I’ll leave it at that. We’re hoping that we’ll look at that project again in the future.
Who normally incites the arguments?
(Laughs) All of us are perfectly willing to cause trouble. I will say I have a tendency to play devil’s advocate quite a lot, so that keeps me in the mix.
What happened during the recording of “Anthem”?
The initial blowout was because we were working on our fan club EP that we release every single year and we had been up really really late a lot of nights in a row. People were stressed about what was coming and we were working on the song “Tonight” at about 2 a.m. We were frustrated with the process and I said something to Zac, Zac said something to me and so on. It ended with a few fists being thrown and people walking out.
Has your enthusiasm for music waned at all since you first started?
Um, my enthusiasm for music has never waned because I think music is the ultimate expression of fear, joy, sadness and anger – it’s a great healer.
Is it the industry that’s at fault?
The music business is messed up. I compare the music business to the whaling industry. The music business is still trying to sell blubber to people who want kerosene.
That’s an interesting comparison. What’s the blubber and what’s the kerosene?
The blubber is, frankly, plastic: The CD itself is not the future; the relationship with the audience is the future. In the process of trying to hold onto plastic, the business has missed the opportunities that are right in front of them to provide future revenue, growth, profitability and sustainability.
And the kerosene?
I’m referring to the music business’s one-on-one embracement and partnership with the artist and not necessarily the ownership of the artist. Artists are to blame, too.
Are artists too dependent on the label?
Artists in so many cases become very insecure and need handlers to go through life because they allow themselves to perpetuate their own insecurity.
Is this happening to artists today?
It’s always trying to happen.
Justin Bieber is having a meltdown. Do you think that’s what’s going on with him?
I have no idea. But if you don’t know who you are, everyone will tell you who you should be. If you know who you are, the music you’re trying to make and why you’re there, then that’s sustainable, that’s your foundation. Even if the girls and the fame go away, you’re there for the music.
Speaking of girls, you must have got a fair bit of attention when you were younger, so were you ever tempted by the groupies?
There are plenty of attractive females in the audience but I was never the one who felt like that was the goal. My life was already plenty complicated and plenty challenging to fill it with a sloppy mess of one-night stands.
Hanson on Twin Cities Live
Wednesday, November 06, 2013
The Hanson brothers have been making music together for over 20 years. They took time out of their State Fair performances to visit us live.
Isaac, Taylor and Zac topped the charts back in 1997 with "Mmmbop" but they've been busy making music ever since. Their 6th studio album "Anthem" just came out. They've also got a new beer. And of course, it's called "Mmmhops".
For info on their State Fair performances, click here.
To buy their new CD, click here.
Hanson is also very involved in the charity "Take the Walk," donating money from their concert ticket sales to this charity that supports the fight against poverty and HIV/AIDS in Africa. For more info about the charity, click here.
ST PAUL, MN MN STATE FAIR 08/27/2013
Waiting For This
I´ve Got Soul
Where´s The Love
And I Waited
This Time Around
Fired Up
Madeline
Never Been To Spain
With You In Your Dreams
Already Home
Watch Over Me
If Only
Give a Little
Thinking ´Bout Somethin´
Penny and Me
Get The Girl Back
MMMBop
Minute Without You
Hey
I´ve Got Soul
Where´s The Love
And I Waited
This Time Around
Fired Up
Madeline
Never Been To Spain
With You In Your Dreams
Already Home
Watch Over Me
If Only
Give a Little
Thinking ´Bout Somethin´
Penny and Me
Get The Girl Back
MMMBop
Minute Without You
Hey
Monday, August 26, 2013
ST PAUL, MN MN STATE FAIR 08/26/2013
Fired Up
I´ve Got Soul
Where´s The Love
Thinking of You
Scream And Be Free
Minute Without You
Strong Enough To Break
Crazy Beautiful
Been There Before
Juliet
Waiting For This
Thinking ´Bout Somethin´
Penny and Me
Give a Little
Get The Girl Back
MMMBop
If Only
In The City
I´ve Got Soul
Where´s The Love
Thinking of You
Scream And Be Free
Minute Without You
Strong Enough To Break
Crazy Beautiful
Been There Before
Juliet
Waiting For This
Thinking ´Bout Somethin´
Penny and Me
Give a Little
Get The Girl Back
MMMBop
If Only
In The City
Hanson's Zac Hanson: I always look forward to fried food
 |
| Photo by Jiro Schneider |
Although their 1997 heyday was a long time ago, Hanson have managed to avoid the boy-band curse, and they still make music that actually means something. The brothers are set to play the State Fair on Monday and Tuesday at the Leinie Lodge, and "Mmmbop" will most likely be in the mix, but the men -- no longer boys -- are excited to share some new material with their ever-changing crowd.
Before Hanson stop by the Great Minnesota Get-Together, Gimme Noise spoke with the youngest member of the band, Zac Hanson, about what he expects at the fair, Aerosmith, and traveling salesmen.
See Also:
MN State Fair 2013 Grandstand lineup & schedule
Gimme Noise: Does the band play many state fairs?
Zac Hanson: No, it's always a random thing. To be honest, it's the closest thing that most cities in the U.S. have to music festivals set in each city. It's something that we do once in a while. You do have a little different kind of crowd. You always have to do a fair; there's a variety of attractions, but I still think it's a good place for music. The way we look at it is it's a good place to find new fans. So often, you're playing to people who know you, but when you play something like this, you end up playing for people who came for a different attraction -- people who came to see another band or to just get a corn dog. It's a challenge and a way to meet new people.
GN: What are you looking forward to most about the Minnesota State Fair when you stop by?
ZH: We're Oklahoma boys, so we love state fairs. I always look forward to the fried food and goodies that come with any fair. Usually there are large spectacles, but fairs are fun. I've never been to the Minnesota State Fair, but fairs to me have a classic American feel -- there's something in the DNA. Like I said, doing things like the fair is about putting yourself in front of somebody else's audience. Other interesting things will draw people out to the fair, but you get a chance to make new fans, make new relationships, and have somebody want to come back to see your show then next time you're in town.
GN: Are people surprised that you guys have new music?
ZH: Yes and no. We've been a band for 21 years, so we definitely have history. That means that you have people come in and out of your sphere of influence. Being in a band for as long as we have -- this is our sixth album -- you have this strange experience. More and more in the last couple of years especially where you have this group who weren't there at the start. They're 18, and they started listening to Hanson maybe on our third or fourth album. They end up going back to our catalog. It's much like when I discovered Aerosmith on Get a Grip, because that was what came out when I was a kid, and then I went back and realized, "Oh, wow -- they've been a band for 20 years."
GN: "Mmmbop" was such a defining time for the band, but oftentimes musicians don't see times like that as what defines who they are. How do you want to be defined as a band?
ZH: I wouldn't say that song defines us.
GN: Why do you say that?
ZH: We're a band with a much deeper experience and culture. I'm sure for some people, that song defines us, because that song was number one in 27 countries at the same time. It was a phenomenon; people all around the world know that song even if they never liked our band -- or even liked the song -- they still know it. But I think what defines our band is a spirit -- or lack of fear. When you listen to our music, it's about overcoming adversity, and it's about taking these hard or great situations in life and maximizing them. I think when you look back at our career, hopefully people will look back and say that we were never afraid to take risks and to innovate. Maybe people never knew that.
You do all kinds of things all of the time, and some are successful and some are not, but I think our fans -- the people who follow the band -- see us as a band who is passionate and willing to take risks and everything. We do it because it's worth it.
The funny thing about "Mmmbop," if you read the lyrics, there's a line that says, "You have so many relationships in this life/Only one or two will last/You go through the pain and strife, then you turn your back and they're gone so fast." It's about the fact that you have to put yourself out there for the things that you want to last, because so many of these things are going to come and go. And so, if "Mmmbop" is going to define us, it may ring true, because it's talking about the same kind of things I'm saying that defines us as a band.
GN: It's interesting that you guys wrote such prophetic lyrics at such a young age.
ZH: [laughs] I probably wouldn't have thought that at the time we wrote it -- I was eight -- but it probably has to do with the fact that we're so young. As a young kid, I probably wouldn't have recognized it this way.
There was a feeling of being an outcast, because you're the only kid on the playground or soccer team who has a job or aspirations. So many kids at that point are only focused on getting to the next level in Goldeneye on Nintendo 64, but we're going, "Okay, we've got a gig next week. I'm writing a song, or we're recording an album." So you feel a certain sense of being alienated, and it gave you a perspective on the fact that so many things won't last.
Before Hanson stop by the Great Minnesota Get-Together, Gimme Noise spoke with the youngest member of the band, Zac Hanson, about what he expects at the fair, Aerosmith, and traveling salesmen.
See Also:
MN State Fair 2013 Grandstand lineup & schedule
Gimme Noise: Does the band play many state fairs?
GN: What are you looking forward to most about the Minnesota State Fair when you stop by?
ZH: We're Oklahoma boys, so we love state fairs. I always look forward to the fried food and goodies that come with any fair. Usually there are large spectacles, but fairs are fun. I've never been to the Minnesota State Fair, but fairs to me have a classic American feel -- there's something in the DNA. Like I said, doing things like the fair is about putting yourself in front of somebody else's audience. Other interesting things will draw people out to the fair, but you get a chance to make new fans, make new relationships, and have somebody want to come back to see your show then next time you're in town.
GN: Are people surprised that you guys have new music?
ZH: Yes and no. We've been a band for 21 years, so we definitely have history. That means that you have people come in and out of your sphere of influence. Being in a band for as long as we have -- this is our sixth album -- you have this strange experience. More and more in the last couple of years especially where you have this group who weren't there at the start. They're 18, and they started listening to Hanson maybe on our third or fourth album. They end up going back to our catalog. It's much like when I discovered Aerosmith on Get a Grip, because that was what came out when I was a kid, and then I went back and realized, "Oh, wow -- they've been a band for 20 years."
GN: "Mmmbop" was such a defining time for the band, but oftentimes musicians don't see times like that as what defines who they are. How do you want to be defined as a band?
ZH: I wouldn't say that song defines us.
GN: Why do you say that?
ZH: We're a band with a much deeper experience and culture. I'm sure for some people, that song defines us, because that song was number one in 27 countries at the same time. It was a phenomenon; people all around the world know that song even if they never liked our band -- or even liked the song -- they still know it. But I think what defines our band is a spirit -- or lack of fear. When you listen to our music, it's about overcoming adversity, and it's about taking these hard or great situations in life and maximizing them. I think when you look back at our career, hopefully people will look back and say that we were never afraid to take risks and to innovate. Maybe people never knew that.
You do all kinds of things all of the time, and some are successful and some are not, but I think our fans -- the people who follow the band -- see us as a band who is passionate and willing to take risks and everything. We do it because it's worth it.
The funny thing about "Mmmbop," if you read the lyrics, there's a line that says, "You have so many relationships in this life/Only one or two will last/You go through the pain and strife, then you turn your back and they're gone so fast." It's about the fact that you have to put yourself out there for the things that you want to last, because so many of these things are going to come and go. And so, if "Mmmbop" is going to define us, it may ring true, because it's talking about the same kind of things I'm saying that defines us as a band.
GN: It's interesting that you guys wrote such prophetic lyrics at such a young age.
ZH: [laughs] I probably wouldn't have thought that at the time we wrote it -- I was eight -- but it probably has to do with the fact that we're so young. As a young kid, I probably wouldn't have recognized it this way.
There was a feeling of being an outcast, because you're the only kid on the playground or soccer team who has a job or aspirations. So many kids at that point are only focused on getting to the next level in Goldeneye on Nintendo 64, but we're going, "Okay, we've got a gig next week. I'm writing a song, or we're recording an album." So you feel a certain sense of being alienated, and it gave you a perspective on the fact that so many things won't last.
GN: Where do you think you learned that work ethic?
ZH: Our parents were great influences on us, talking about working hard and showing us that. We were home-schooled as kids. It's pretty popular here in Oklahoma to home-school, so I think we were a little outside of the "normal" influences, so there were doors opened to us that our parents encouraged and facilitated, so it just happened. Probably most of the credit needs to be given to Isaac [Hanson], because I was six when we started the band. At that age, there's not much conscious thought in doing what you do. You're doing something you enjoy, and you like doing the things you enjoy.
GN: Do you have any kids?
ZH: I do. I have two kids. A 5-year-old, a 2-year-old, and one on the way.
GN: How do the kids see you? Do they see Dad as a rock star?
ZH: They definitely don't see me as a "rock star." We don't treat it that way. I guess they could, but I think they see that Dad works a lot, but he really likes what he does. They see that there's a lot of opportunity, because they experience the benefits in moments like what it's like being backstage, seeing famous people, and coming to a concert. They're like, "Okay, okay, this is what you do," but there's no false expectations. They know it's work. We have a break in the middle, but we're about to leave for tour from now until Christmas. We're gone, and they know that. "Dad goes to work. He works works a long time. He's gone for a long time."
GN: I often compare touring musicians to traveling salesmen. You go from city to city selling your music to people.
ZH: [laughs] As long as we're not traveling snake oil salesmen, then I think we can accept that. It's a good reference for the kind of work ethic that you need to survive in music, and also the ability to accept rejection and go on -- not in the way that you're going out and being rejected -- what I mean is you're putting yourself out on the line and you may win or you may lose. It's not always about you. You might come to sell your vacuum cleaner, and it just so happens that they just got their roof torn off in a tornado, and they don't have any money. So you may have given your best vacuum cleaner speech -- "This thing can suck up a golf ball!" -- but you've got to move on to the next house, the next town, and hopefully keep selling something that is worth it.
GN: To play off that a little bit, why do you feel that the band has been able to survive and adapt to the changing music industry?
ZH: We've always had a healthy sense of individualism. We've never really been particularly trendy or interested in fame for the sake of fame. Fame has a purpose; the purpose is it makes you successful. You may want fame because it represents success, and success is what facilitates you to buy a brand new guitar or gives you access to a studio or do things that keep it going. I think we've always had a focus on what comes next, and I think you hear it in our music. Even though everyone suffers from the blues, there's a sense of optimism. I think that's reflected in all of our perspectives on life, so you hear it in the music. Often it's a hard situation and someone is crying out for the answer. I want to find the answer, not dwell in the situation.
We have a song off the new album called "Save Me From Myself" that talks about "I do all these things. I destroy these relationships in my life. Somebody help me, somebody show me how to fix it." It asks for that. I think that's probably how we continue to evolve and find new outlets and change and say, "Okay, ten years ago, we started our own label." We do things our own way, because we're always looking at things that worked or didn't work. We're going to try something else -- always looking for the next idea.
GN: That's so true. I was talking to my friend the other day about being comfortable in situations and how it's great, but maybe when you're comfortable, you're not pushing yourself to try new things.
ZH: Sure. I think that's true. You don't have to risk everything to be vulnerable and be stretching, but you should be risking something, because it's not rewarding if you're not risking anything.
ZH: Our parents were great influences on us, talking about working hard and showing us that. We were home-schooled as kids. It's pretty popular here in Oklahoma to home-school, so I think we were a little outside of the "normal" influences, so there were doors opened to us that our parents encouraged and facilitated, so it just happened. Probably most of the credit needs to be given to Isaac [Hanson], because I was six when we started the band. At that age, there's not much conscious thought in doing what you do. You're doing something you enjoy, and you like doing the things you enjoy.
GN: Do you have any kids?
ZH: I do. I have two kids. A 5-year-old, a 2-year-old, and one on the way.
GN: How do the kids see you? Do they see Dad as a rock star?
ZH: They definitely don't see me as a "rock star." We don't treat it that way. I guess they could, but I think they see that Dad works a lot, but he really likes what he does. They see that there's a lot of opportunity, because they experience the benefits in moments like what it's like being backstage, seeing famous people, and coming to a concert. They're like, "Okay, okay, this is what you do," but there's no false expectations. They know it's work. We have a break in the middle, but we're about to leave for tour from now until Christmas. We're gone, and they know that. "Dad goes to work. He works works a long time. He's gone for a long time."
GN: I often compare touring musicians to traveling salesmen. You go from city to city selling your music to people.
ZH: [laughs] As long as we're not traveling snake oil salesmen, then I think we can accept that. It's a good reference for the kind of work ethic that you need to survive in music, and also the ability to accept rejection and go on -- not in the way that you're going out and being rejected -- what I mean is you're putting yourself out on the line and you may win or you may lose. It's not always about you. You might come to sell your vacuum cleaner, and it just so happens that they just got their roof torn off in a tornado, and they don't have any money. So you may have given your best vacuum cleaner speech -- "This thing can suck up a golf ball!" -- but you've got to move on to the next house, the next town, and hopefully keep selling something that is worth it.
GN: To play off that a little bit, why do you feel that the band has been able to survive and adapt to the changing music industry?
ZH: We've always had a healthy sense of individualism. We've never really been particularly trendy or interested in fame for the sake of fame. Fame has a purpose; the purpose is it makes you successful. You may want fame because it represents success, and success is what facilitates you to buy a brand new guitar or gives you access to a studio or do things that keep it going. I think we've always had a focus on what comes next, and I think you hear it in our music. Even though everyone suffers from the blues, there's a sense of optimism. I think that's reflected in all of our perspectives on life, so you hear it in the music. Often it's a hard situation and someone is crying out for the answer. I want to find the answer, not dwell in the situation.
We have a song off the new album called "Save Me From Myself" that talks about "I do all these things. I destroy these relationships in my life. Somebody help me, somebody show me how to fix it." It asks for that. I think that's probably how we continue to evolve and find new outlets and change and say, "Okay, ten years ago, we started our own label." We do things our own way, because we're always looking at things that worked or didn't work. We're going to try something else -- always looking for the next idea.
GN: That's so true. I was talking to my friend the other day about being comfortable in situations and how it's great, but maybe when you're comfortable, you're not pushing yourself to try new things.
ZH: Sure. I think that's true. You don't have to risk everything to be vulnerable and be stretching, but you should be risking something, because it's not rewarding if you're not risking anything.
Friday, August 23, 2013
BATMAN
When I think of Ben Affleck I think good will hunting, hence my drawing. -Z #BetterBatmanThanBenAffleck pic.twitter.com/olfuOEHnw6
Friday, August 9, 2013
Ed Sheeran & Hanson Get Bromantic In Tulsa After Taylor Swift Show
Taylor Swift’s eating/touring partner, Ed Sheeran, got cozy with two-thirds of Hanson this week in Tulsa while he and Swifty passed through town to play a show.
According to Taylor Hanson’s Instagram, the boys shared some brews and billiards, and we’re sure the ADMIRING GAZES of every girl in the bar.
At first we wondered why the guys didn’t invite Taylor Swift to go out with them, and then realized because it’s CONFUSING to hang out with two people who share the same first name.
And calling Taylor Hanson “Hanson” isn’t a solution either, because his brother, Isaac, might answer!
So the moral of the story: Taylor Swift shouldn't marry Isaac Hanson, because the world already has a Taylor Hanson! (And also because Isaac's already married.)
Thanks for bringing this lesson in logic to our attention, Ed! LOLz!!!
P.S. CLICK HERE and HERE to see Hanson's EXCLUSIVE acoustic performance on PerezTV!
Source: PEREZ HILTON
Thursday, August 8, 2013
Wednesday, August 7, 2013
Hanson — Yes, That Hanson — on Their New Beer, Mmmhops
Sometimes I've wondered if the universe will reward me for the fact that I am actually a serious fan of Hanson — you know, the trio of singing brothers from Tulsa who became wildly famous in 1996 for their song "MMMBop" and who are also still making totally decent music. And then, lo and behold, two heavy boxes arrived at my desk, and the universe had responded: 24 bottles ofMmmhops, a new beer from Hanson. There was even a card exhorting me to try the band's "most fun new project, BEER!" But wait — Hanson beer? Is this a joke? Where did this idea come from? Luckily, middle Hanson Taylor and youngest Hanson Zac (who — get ready to feel old — is over 21 now) were free to talk about how Mmmhops came to be.
When did you decide, "It makes sense for Hanson to make beer"?
Taylor Hanson: About two years ago we first started talking about it. It’s a lot easier to work hard at something you’re passionate about. Whenever you have a new idea, you go, How passionate am I about this? Do I want to fight for this idea? We were talking about things natural to our evolving fan base, and at the end of the last album cycle, we said, "Gosh, you know, we should do a beer." Our fans are now of the age that many of them have been drinking for years, and it’s something we’re really into and know a lot about.
Taylor Hanson: About two years ago we first started talking about it. It’s a lot easier to work hard at something you’re passionate about. Whenever you have a new idea, you go, How passionate am I about this? Do I want to fight for this idea? We were talking about things natural to our evolving fan base, and at the end of the last album cycle, we said, "Gosh, you know, we should do a beer." Our fans are now of the age that many of them have been drinking for years, and it’s something we’re really into and know a lot about.
In what genius moment did you come up with Mmmhops? Were there alternative names on the table?
TH: I think technically Isaac came up with Mmmhops. Facetiously, we began taking titles from songs that could be the moniker for our beer. Where’s the Lager, from "Where’s the Love." Pilsner and Me, from "Penny and Me." Of course, hops is the ultimate ingredient that you think of with beer, so Mmmhops was set into the air, and everyone went, "You know, that’s actually kind of genius." Like, here we are at the end of a long day, you sit down at the bar and think, Mmm, hops. You can sort of imagine Homer Simpson saying it.
TH: I think technically Isaac came up with Mmmhops. Facetiously, we began taking titles from songs that could be the moniker for our beer. Where’s the Lager, from "Where’s the Love." Pilsner and Me, from "Penny and Me." Of course, hops is the ultimate ingredient that you think of with beer, so Mmmhops was set into the air, and everyone went, "You know, that’s actually kind of genius." Like, here we are at the end of a long day, you sit down at the bar and think, Mmm, hops. You can sort of imagine Homer Simpson saying it.
What do Mmmhops and Hanson have in common?
TH: We just all feel there’s this kinship between what we’ve been doing the last ten years, starting our own little label, and so many other breweries kind of fighting the fight in their own way. They’re going out there saying, "Hey, here’s my new beer, I don’t necessarily have a huge amount of capital, but I have this thing I’m really excited about."
TH: We just all feel there’s this kinship between what we’ve been doing the last ten years, starting our own little label, and so many other breweries kind of fighting the fight in their own way. They’re going out there saying, "Hey, here’s my new beer, I don’t necessarily have a huge amount of capital, but I have this thing I’m really excited about."
Zac Hanson: I feel like it’s a symbiotic culture to music. That’s what I feel is kind of full circle about doing a beer — it completes the sensory experience of your band.
TH: Let’s focus on what’s important here: We’re finally getting into addictive substances. What’s similar between Hanson and beer — they are both amazing?
So, please convince me I should drink Mmmhops.
TH: Ultimately this is about creating a very drinkable, very approachable pale ale. It has a lot of flavor, it feels good in your mouth, it’s a full-bodied beer. The kind of pale ale that allows the super beer hophead and the more causal beer drinker that isn’t aware of every kind of microbrew to meet in a very comfortable place, and then to open up that world. A gateway drug. This is the beer that will change the way you look at craft beer.
TH: Ultimately this is about creating a very drinkable, very approachable pale ale. It has a lot of flavor, it feels good in your mouth, it’s a full-bodied beer. The kind of pale ale that allows the super beer hophead and the more causal beer drinker that isn’t aware of every kind of microbrew to meet in a very comfortable place, and then to open up that world. A gateway drug. This is the beer that will change the way you look at craft beer.
Will there be more varieties in the future?
TH: We’ve racked our brains about every possible way to go about building it. What are the next flavors we want to try, if we can get this off the ground — we’re planning to try some different beers in different seasons, limited runs. This pale ale doesn’t bite your head off, but we have a super-hoppy IPA recipe we love which is much stronger. We don’t know how much we’ll be able to do in the short term, but in time we’d love to have a lager and a pilsner and try a variety of different things.
TH: We’ve racked our brains about every possible way to go about building it. What are the next flavors we want to try, if we can get this off the ground — we’re planning to try some different beers in different seasons, limited runs. This pale ale doesn’t bite your head off, but we have a super-hoppy IPA recipe we love which is much stronger. We don’t know how much we’ll be able to do in the short term, but in time we’d love to have a lager and a pilsner and try a variety of different things.
You must have a lot of awkward moments when people see you drinking in public and think, Ahhh, the Hanson brothers drink!
TH: People definitely check themselves a little bit. There’s plenty of "Wow, how can Hanson be having beer?" Somehow there’s a global theory that anyone who becomes famous at a certain age is forever living that age, living in a bubble and not growing. I always find it funny when people are like, "You’re older? Oh my GOD!" Well, you are, too.
TH: People definitely check themselves a little bit. There’s plenty of "Wow, how can Hanson be having beer?" Somehow there’s a global theory that anyone who becomes famous at a certain age is forever living that age, living in a bubble and not growing. I always find it funny when people are like, "You’re older? Oh my GOD!" Well, you are, too.
Did you study other cases of musicians who have made beer? What goes well, and what doesn’t?
TH: We were more studying other breweries and beers. There are not a lot of musicians that have actually really done beer. A lot have done wine; some have done liquor.
TH: We were more studying other breweries and beers. There are not a lot of musicians that have actually really done beer. A lot have done wine; some have done liquor.
Seriously, when is your sketchy pink liquor coming out?
TH: You know, I think if that never happens the world will be a better place.
TH: You know, I think if that never happens the world will be a better place.
Do you remember what you did for your 21st birthdays?
ZH: I think we were in the studio? We would have been making The Walk. It was a relatively ordinary day. We worked. We made that record in sort of a live-in studio in Oklahoma, so it was relatively uneventful.
ZH: I think we were in the studio? We would have been making The Walk. It was a relatively ordinary day. We worked. We made that record in sort of a live-in studio in Oklahoma, so it was relatively uneventful.
TH: I don't remember how I spent my 21st birthday. Were we on tour? Let’s just say for the record I don’t remember. That's how good it was.
ZH: The funny thing about being in a band — most of the things about being 21 go along with being in drunken stupors — and when you’re in a band, not that I should maybe admit to this, but you have access to alcohol and all kinds of things for years. I’ve never gotten into cigars, but making our first record … I remember smoking cigars with our friend Mark Hudson. I mean, like, it’s part of the lifestyle. It happens once in a while. It wasn’t pretty, though.
Speaking of questionable decisions, do you suggest listening to "MMMBop" while drinking Mmmhops?
TH: I think a black hole would open up. The space-time continuum would be ripped, and we’d be cast into an alternate universe. Be careful if you do try that; it might be dangerous.
TH: I think a black hole would open up. The space-time continuum would be ripped, and we’d be cast into an alternate universe. Be careful if you do try that; it might be dangerous.
Tuesday, August 6, 2013
Monday, August 5, 2013
Friday, August 2, 2013
Thursday, August 1, 2013
Making Waves: Hanson Talk Business and Performs “Get The Girl Back”
ike their first big song “MMMBop,” Hanson are an extremely likeable band.
For years, brothers Isaac, Taylor and Zac have been flying under-the-radar making some infectious pop songs on their own. While they might not have had the same chart-topping success they first got with “MMMBop,” they haven’t let that overshadow their careers. The brothers even went so far as to naming their special craft beer “Mmmhop” (tagline: from the guys who brought you “Mmmbop”) after the hit, even bringing a couple bottles to The Hangover 3 premiere.
We ourselves couldn’t help but adore their infectious (albeit caffeine-fuelled) optimism when they last dropped by ANDPOP HQ. While here, they talked about the music business, what keeps them together as a band and even gave us an exclusive acoustic performance of their single, “Get The Girl Back.”
Trust us when we say you won’t be able to stop bopping your head to this beat.
Hanson’s latest album, “Anthem,” is out now!
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