“Tivemos muito drama de gravadora”, diz líder da banda Hanson

15 anos depois de despontar para o mundo, Taylor Hanson, 28, fala sobre problemas da fama e a expectativa da vinda para o Brasil

Rafael Bergamaschi, iG São Paulo | 28/09/2011 08:00

Foto: Divulgação

Zac, Taylor e Isaak; Hanson vem ao Brasil em novembro como parte da turnê do disco "Shout it Out"

Em 1997 era difícil ligar o rádio ou sintonizar a MTV sem se deparar com a voz de três adolescentes lorinhos cantando o refrão pouco reproduzível de “MmmBop”. De lá para cá, os garotos de Oklahoma, nos Estados Unidos, cresceram, tiveram um total de oito filhos e vivenciaram tanto o sucesso quanto o anonimato. “Tivemos muito drama de gravadora”, diz o vocalista Taylor Hanson em entrevista ao iG Jovem sobre o período mais difícil da banda, no início dos anos 2000. Os fãs brasileiros de Zac, Taylor e Isaac poderão matar a saudade em novembro, quando o Hanson desembarca em Porto Alegre e São Paulo para duas apresentações, nos dias 4 e 6.

Depois de alguns anos tocando em pequenos festivais municipais e celebrações religiosas, o trio foi descoberto em 1996. Após dois CDs independentes, o sucesso veio com “Middle Of Nowhere”, lançado pela gravadora Mercury.

Foto: Brainpix Ampliar

Em 2002 Taylor casou com Natalie Bryant, com quem tem quatro filhos

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Se, hoje, os fenômenos teen são Justin Bieber, Miley Cyrus e Jonas Brothers, na época, todos só queriam saber de Hanson. Assim como estes artistas tentam capitalizar ao máximo com DVDs e outros subprodutos, o Hanson também aproveitou a sólida base de fãs para lançar documentários, álbuns ao vivo e até uma revista, “MOE”, que, no entanto, não sobreviveu à décima segunda edição.

Taylor, porém, não gosta muito de comparações: “eles são quem são e nós somos quem somos”, diz sobre o Jonas Brothers, outro trio formado por irmãos que faz sucesso atualmente.

Apesar disso, problemas com fusões de gravadoras, em 2000, fizeram com que o grupo caísse no ostracismo da mesma maneira meteórica que chegou ao topo. Desde então, a Hanson criou o próprio selo - pelo qual gravaram três CDs - e segue contando com o vasto contingente de fãs.

Com a vinda do grupo ao Brasil em novembro, Taylor garante não ver a hora de desembarcar por aqui. “Só tenho lembranças ótimas do país”. Confira abaixo a entrevista na íntegra:

iG: Vocês começaram bastante jovens, agora, quando você vê pessoas como Justin Bieber e Selena Gomez no auge, você se sente velho?
Taylor Hanson: (risos) Isso faz eu me sentir um pouco velho, sim, quando percebo que faço música por quase 20 anos, o que é uma loucura. Mas, simplesmente, ver artistas mais jovens fazendo sucesso não faz eu me sentir velho. Isso me lembra como o início é difícil, como é complicado fazer sucesso, o que me lembra de quando começamos. Éramos apaixonados por música da mesma maneira que somos hoje. Eu só desejo o melhor para as pessoas, sucesso. É um trabalho duro.

iG: Você acha que os Jonas Brothers são o novo Hanson?
Taylor Hanson: (risos) Acho que os Jonas Brothers são os Jonas Brothers. Acho que há mais diferenças (entre as duas bandas) do que semelhanças. Não entendo por que as pessoas comparariam. Eles são quem eles são e nós somos quem somos.

iG: Com tanto tempo juntos na estrada, vocês nunca sentem vontade de matar o outro?
Taylor Hanson: (risos) Sim, claro. A gente incomoda um ao outro, mas estamos na banda e trabalhamos juntos há anos. Em algum ponto as coisas deixam de ser uma colaboração musical e se tornam uma amizade. É um relacionamento que construímos por anos, temos respeito mútuo. Se temos momentos em que estamos bravos com o outro, nós dizemos e lidamos com isso.

Foto: Getty Images Ampliar

Hanson em 1997; "tem muita gente interessada em tirar vantagem do seu sucesso", diz Taylor

iG: Vocês ainda têm que cantar “MmmBop” em todos os shows?
Taylor Hanson: Nós cantamos “MmmBop” na maioria dos shows, mas temos orgulho dela. É uma música que fizemos e que muitas pessoas conhecem. Para os fãs de verdade, esta é uma de muitas músicas nos shows. Não é um fardo, é uma música da qual temos orgulho.

iG: Como foi lidar com a fama tão jovem?
Taylor Hanson: Foi desafiador. Acho que o principal que você tem que saber quando começa a fazer sucesso é o que te levou a fazer música em primeiro lugar e quem você é. Tem que conseguir empurrar para longe as outras coisas. Tem muita gente interessada em tirar vantagem do seu sucesso. Outro problema é lidar com os autos e baixos, em um momento você é o favorito, o que todos amam, e no outro você tem que trabalhar e seguir sendo profissional.

Foto: Reprodução Ampliar

No clipe de "MmmBop", trio vai até à Lua

iG: Qual você diria que é o lado mais difícil da fama?
Taylor Hanson: Acho que é diferente para diferentes pessoas. Para mim é lidar com a percepção de que, de alguma forma, você é diferente das outras pessoas e ser capaz de ter relacionamentos normais com as pessoas que você ama. Acho que quando você atinge certo sucesso em qualquer coisa, as pessoas pensam que você teve tudo fácil ou obteve tratamento diferenciado para conseguir.

iG: Depois de terem gravado “This Time Around”, em 2000, vocês passaram por momentos difíceis. O que aconteceu?
Taylor Hanson: Tivemos muito drama de gravadora. Nossa gravadora se juntou com outra, e depois com várias outras grandes gravadoras. Vimos-nos trabalhando com uma empresa que não era a mesma de quando começamos. O que passamos não foi incomum, é algo que aconteceu com muitos artistas. Muitas empresas estão mais interessadas em respostas imediatas, resultados rápidos, não, necessariamente sabendo o que precisam dos artistas. Trabalhar com essas gravadoras ficou pouco funcional, por alguns anos, então decidimos criar nosso próprio selo e eu fico feliz que fizemos isso.

iG: Você acha que algum de seus filhos se tornará músico?
Taylor Hanson: Não seria surpreendente. Teria que ser algo que eles realmente quisessem fazer, claro, não pode forçar alguém a ser músico, ele tem fazer as coisas com paixão. Eu vejo que minhas crianças gostam bastante de música. É uma possibilidade, temos que esperar para ver.

iG: O que é a música para você?
Taylor Hanson: É uma forma de se comunicar com as pessoas. Música é uma forma de arte incrível, que permite convergir ideias e histórias. É algo pelo qual sempre fui apaixonado. É incomparável com qualquer outra coisa, é um meio maravilhoso que afeta as pessoas.

iG: Como funciona seu processo de criação?
Taylor Hanson: Funciona de diferentes formas. Para mim, às vezes começa com palavras, outras com música. Para mim o principal na hora de fazer música é manter os ouvidos abertos, você nunca sabe quando a inspiração lhe atingirá, quando algo dará uma ideia. Tem que estar pronto para reagir a isso. Nós três costumamos trabalhar as letras e músicas juntos.

iG: Qual você diria que é o seu maior sonho hoje?
Taylor Hanson: De uma forma muito ampla, acho que meu maior sonho é criar coisas que inspirem as pessoas. Acho que o poder da música é que afetas as pessoas, faz com que sintamos algo,o que se reflete na vida. Meu sonho é ter uma plataforma para atingir o máximo de pessoas possíveis com arte.

iG: Você já esteve no Brasil antes, quais as melhores lembranças que guarda do país?
Taylor Hanson: Muitas memórias! Fizemos muitas coisas no Brasil. Andamos de helicóptero sobre São Paulo (risos), eu aprendi um pouco de samba... Eu passei um aniversário no Brasil, acho que fiz 23 anos. Foi um ótimo aniversário, estávamos no Rio e passamos o dia andando pela cidade, conhecendo os pontos turísticos, me lembro uma estátua enorme de Jesus. A comida era maravilhosa... Só tenho lembranças ótimas do país. Claro, tenho que mencionar também os fãs. Fizemos shows maravilhosos, o público era sempre muito animado. Foi uma ótima experiência.

Hanson brother opens up ahead of Chicago stop

By ERIC SCHELKOPF - eschelkopf@shawmedia.com
Created: Saturday, September 24, 2011 5:30 a.m. CDT
Updated: Monday, September 26, 2011 10:08 p.m. CDT

Zac (from left), Taylor and Isaac Hanson are performing in Chicago on Tuesday and Wednesday at the House of Blues. (Provided photo)

Buy Kane County Chronicle Photos »

It’s been quite a musical ride for Hanson, which struck pop gold in 1997 with the song “MmmBop.”

The three brothers from Tulsa, Okla. – Isaac, Taylor and Zac – will perform Tuesday and Wednesday at the House of Blues, 329 N. Dearborn Ave., Chicago, as part of the band’s “Musical Ride Tour,” where fans are given the chance to vote online to choose the album they want Hanson to play each night.

Meiko also is on the bill. The show starts at 6 p.m. and tickets are $32.50 in advance, $35 the day of the show, available at www.livenation.com.

The Kane County Chronicle recently had the chance to talk to 25-year-old Zac Hanson about the tour and other topics.

How has the tour been going?

It’s going great. It’s definitely something different than we’ve ever done.

It’s been surprising how well it has worked, and how it feels like a body of work. You don’t really reflect on things that much in your life, especially when you’re 25.

You guys perform two nights in Chicago. How is that going to work?

Each night we’ll play whichever album wins. An album is maybe 13 songs, but we’re still playing upwards of 21 songs in a show.

You’re still going to hear songs from every record, songs that you recognize, singles, stuff like that. You’re getting a variety. We’re just featuring an album as a centerpiece for the set.

“Rolling Stone” readers were recently asked to pick the worst songs of the ‘90s, and “MmmBop” ended up No. 6 on the list.

It’s amazing how a song can end up on the worst and best lists in sort of the same breath. That song has been highlighted as one of the best songs of the ’90s, and obviously, one of the worst.

How do you take that?

Oh, I don’t take it at all. The truth is, that song represents a really unique moment in time.

It was No. 1 in 27 countries at the same time. There was a whole group of people who were sick of grunge music and torn jeans, and then we came out with the song.

Unfortunately, it may have opened up the door for a lot of crappy, synthesized pop music. That song was so huge, it became sort of a cultural statement, it became sort of pop culture, not music.

Last year, the band released it’s fifth studio release, “Shout It Out,” and you guys got to play with such music pioneers as Funk Brothers bassist Bob Babbitt and horn arranger Jerry Hey, who worked with artists like Michael Jackson, Quincy Jones and Earth, Wind and Fire. How was that experience?

It was awesome. Bob Babbitt played on records that we grew up listening to. Our original influences to want to make music were late ’50s and early ’60s rock ’n‘ roll and Motown records.

Whenever you sit in a room with someone like that, you are in a little bit of awe. And Jerry Hey is an amazing arranger.

So was the album a kind of homage to the music you grew up with?

When you look at songs from the album like, “Thinking ’Bout Somethin’ ” or “Give A Little,” they definitely harken back to those records. They sort of have a sensibility about them.

In some ways, I think it is. I don’t know if I would call it our homage. We didn’t try to make a record that way.

But it’s part of who we are. I think you do hear it in there.

Are you guys working on new songs?

Right now, the focus is obviously this tour that goes through basically the end of the year. But next year, we will be definitely working on a new project, a new album of sorts. We have lots of different ideas.

Are you guys going to go in a new direction, try something you haven’t done before?

I think we’re always trying to do things we haven’t done before. It’s not about being something different, for us, it’s about continually inspiring yourself.

If you’re not excited about the record, if you don’t feel like you’re pushing yourself, then you are not doing your job and no one else is going to feel excited about it.

Are you finding that people who grew up with your music have families of their own now and are introducing them to your music?

Absolutely. We are a reflection of a lot of our fans. People have followed the band for years and years now. We see a lot of familiar faces.

I think the core Hanson base has been with us for 15 years now. You see some of them with their husbands and wives and kids, which is cool.

It’s such a unique experience for me. I was 6 years old when we played our first paying professional gig.

Next year is the 20th anniversary of us being a band. To be almost 20 years into it and to have already done so much and have fans that are introducing their younger brothers and sisters and their kids to your music, it’s sort of surreal and amazing.

It’s sort of one of those things where you go, “Wow.” You go into it hoping for those kinds of results and to actually have them, you don’t know what to do with yourself.

Video: interview with Hanson

added by admin June 29, 2011 12:53

They've sold over 15 million records to date and had 8 top 40 singles in the UK and 6 top 40 singles in the US. We caught up with band of brothers Hanson during a recent visit to London where we chatted latest album 'Shout It Out', UK fans, their 'Take The Walk' charity campaign, 'Mmmbop', and more!
Take a look below to watch Hanson's video interview with Craveonmusic:

Hanson's album 'Shout It Out' is available to buy now. Hanson playing V Festival on Saturday 20th August at Weston Park, Staffordshire, and on Sunday 21st August at Hylands Park, Chelmsford. Tickets for V Festival have now sold out.
For more of the latest music news, plus exclusive interviews and competitions, follow Crave on Music on Twitter and Facebook.

HANSON ANNOUNCE SHOUT IT OUT WORLD TOUR

FOLLOWING FIVE TRIUMPHANT SOLD-OUT NIGHTS IN LONDON, HANSON RETURN TO UK AS PART OF WORLD TOUR INCLUDING EUROPE, US AND SOUTH AMERICA

11th July 2011 – Following a four-year UK hiatus, HANSON made a triumphant return to the UK in June and played five sold out shows in six days as part of the 5of5 concert series. With demand way outstripping the tickets available, HANSON are going to be returning to the UK in November as part of their Shout It Out World Tour, as well as performing at V Festival later this summer.

The Shout It Out Tour will feature tracks from their acclaimed 5th studio album of the same name as well as highlights from their previous four albums spanning nearly 15 years of music. The shows will also feature the infectious debut single “Give A Little” and the soul inspired follow up ’Thinking ‘Bout Somethin’.

UK shows:

August:

Saturday 20th    -     V Festival, Stafford (Arena Stage, Time TBC)
Sunday 21st    -    V Festival, Chelmsford (Arena Stage, Time TBC)

November:

Thursday 24th -    Manchester, Academy 2
Friday 25th    -    Edinburgh, Picture House
Saturday 26th    -    Newcastle, Academy
Sunday 27th    -    Birmingham, HMV Institute
Tuesday 29th    -    London, IndigO2


“5of5 in London was a great way to kick things off in the UK and say thank you to many fans who have stuck with us for years”, says Taylor.

Adds drummer Zac “We’re really excited to be coming back to the UK for a full run of shows, it’s been a long time coming, four years is too long”.

The tour also builds on the band’s reputation as a dynamic live act, with acclaim both sides of the Atlantic with The Village Voice calling them “The finest straight up rock band in America”, whilst the UK’s Sunday Times Culture described their sound as “As perfect a slice of summer pop you could hope to hear” and the Evening Standard as “… a gloriously soulful quality… Taylor was an electrifying presence.”

‘Shout It Out’ debuted in the US at #2 in the Billboard Independent charts garnering increased fan fervor from fans around the world. The album was produced and written exclusively by the band. The album features special guests: Funk Brothers bassist Bob Babbitt, horn arranger Jerry Hey, who worked with Michael Jackson, Quincy Jones, Earth, Wind and Fire.

Tickets go on sale to the public July 15th, and will be available through seetickets.com.

http://www.hanson.net/site/postings/8446

Katy Perry's 'Last Friday Night' Invite Thrills Hanson

'We thought we could bring the party — even if it was a fictional party,' Taylor Hanson tells MTV News of video cameo.

By Jocelyn Vena (@jocelyn1212)

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Katy Perry rounded up quite the cast of cameos for her "Last Friday Night" video. The Marc Klasfeld-directed clip featured "Glee" stars Darren Criss and Kevin McHale, "Friday" singer Rebecca Black, Kenny G, Debbie Gibson and Corey Feldman. Oh, yeah: It also had Hanson as the video's house band!

"We were flattered to be asked, and it was great to be a part of it," Taylor Hanson told MTV News on Tuesday (June 14). "We had a really good time. It was one of those things that worked out really well. They said [they] needed a band to play the party, and we thought we could bring the party — even if it was a fictional party.

"First of all, Kenny G's an icon, so it was pretty awesome to, in some ways, have been able to perform together," Taylor continued. "And, again, there's a little bit of the tongue-in-cheek element to the entire concept of the video. We went in there without taking it too seriously. [Kenny G] was a scholar and gentleman, and it seemed like Katy was fulfilling the idea. She seemed like she was pretty happy with how things were coming together."

Taylor said it was hard to get Perry out of character as the geeky Kathy Beth Terry on set. "She was completely in character and to the point of like, 'OK, where does Katy Perry begin and this character end?' " he recalled. "And, honestly, it seemed like she kind of is a Method person. She seems like she goes in all the way. So we hung out a little bit, and during the performance and everything, obviously, we were all there on set, but she was definitely inside of the character throughout the shoot, which sounds tiring to me."

So what would it take to get the guys to play your house party? "We work for Twizzlers and good times," Taylor said. "You'd have to have a lot of spandex, a huge tree covered in toilet paper, Kenny G — apparently that's what it takes to get us to a house party."

And now Katy owes the brothers a cameo in their next video. "I think she has some obligation to spread the love on the next round," he said. "I don't know. ... We might have to come up with another character."

What did you think of Hanson's cameo in Katy's new video? Let us know in the comments!

http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1665760/katy-perry-hanson-last-friday-night-video.jhtml?xrs=share_twitter 

Exclusive: Taylor Hanson's Advice for Justin Bieber

Credit: Jay West/WireImage

Monday – May 16, 2011 – 1:09pm

Comments (2) »

Who would have ever thought that teeny boppers Hanson would still be on top nearly 14 years after "MMMbop" topped the charts? But it's true.

The trio of bros now have not only eight kids among them but another number one hit (their new video, "Give A Little," is no. 1 on VH-1's Top 20 Countdown) and they just rocked the house on Dancing With The Stars.

I just caught up with frontman Taylor Hanson, now 28 (yes, ladies, the one you've long referred to as "the cute one") to ask about the band's longevity, his recent spinoff supergroup Tinted Windows and, of course, this year's teen sensation, Justin Bieber.

UsMagazine.com: You've outlasted so many acts. Do you ever look around now and think, 'I can't believe I'm still doing this!'?

Taylor Hanson: I'm not surprised we are here, but I'm proud of surviving for a long time. You take pride in doing what you set out to do. We've worked really hard to try and keep this as our day job and we still love it.

Us: What's your secret?

TH: We don't count our eggs before they hatch and never take anything for granted. Our job is to go out and to make music that genuinely gets you excited.

Us: Looking back now, what is your take on Hanson?

TH: You can say a lot of things about Hanson but I don't think anyone could say that we've ever been trendy, and as a band we are not capable of doing things we aren't excited about.

Us: What was the whole Tinted Windows thing? You got a lot of good reception and that was a great album. Was that trying something different or was it really trying to leave the band?

TH: Oh no, it was never about leaving the band. One of things that is sort of behind the scenes of Hanson is how much we write, and the last several years we set up retreats where we write songs with tons of different artists every year. Tinted Windows was partly was spurned by that process. With Hanson, we grew up listening to classic rock 'n roll and soul music, and that kind of shines in this record. It just really comes out.

Us: So are you guys going to do another one? Is there going to be another Tinted Windows?

TH: It really is a side project, and it's honestly just trying to keep it enjoyable and fun and not have it be one of the things that's hanging over everybody's head.

Us: So to get back to Hanson, "Give A Little" is Number One now on VH-1's top 20. How is that? The duration of the group's number 1's is pretty awesome.

TH: Number one anything is always nice! I think the record taps into something that is a very pure sense of what got us into music, and the record is recorded in a way that is of another generation. I feel like it's inspired by stuff we always wanted to try to live up to: classic pop, soul songs...simple stuff that leaves out anything extra except for just the essence. With the single last year we felt like we were just shining a light on a particular aspect and sound of the band that is just the essence of what particularly makes us tick.

US: So you also just did Dancing With the Stars. How was that?

TH: The narrative of the song with the guy, the girl, the dancing, the whole thing, it was pretty surreal. I have serious respect for the work that it takes to pull that off. We were backstage with Ralph Macchio talking with him for a while and dude, the guy is just back there busting it. You have to respect the effort that it takes, and it definitely made me want to tune into the show after watching it all go down.

Us: Would you ever want to do the show yourself?

TH: I don't know. You'd have to consider it. In a vacuum, no I couldn't imagine dancing on national television like that, but a lot of cool people have gone on there and it's been fun to watch. A lot of the dancers were tugging on the coattails as we were there, going, 'you guys have to get on the show.' Maybe Zac should do it -- he's got the moves. He gets to hide behind the drums most of the time but maybe he wants to come out of the drummer cage.

Us: How was Kirstie Alley? Did you get to see her?

TH: She was super nice. We briefly met and said hello when we were sound checking. I don't have any dirt, but it was great and the whole production was amazing.

Us: You have four kids yourself, Isaac has two, Zac has two, are your kids going to have a band just like you guys?

TH: We could have never predicted we would have been a band and our parents never could have made it happen. That's something that has to happen organically. They're still under the age of ten so I give them anonymity at least until they hit double digits. I'm going to take the pressure off, but after double digits maybe we'll talk.

Us: How is being a dad? How do you juggle four kids as well as touring and everything?

TH: I have an amazing wife and I don't sleep a lot. You just realize that life goes by really fast and that this period doesn't last forever. Ten years from now we'll have teenagers, which is insane, and so you just have to realize the craziness of little kids and trying to figure out how to manage time. You have to make the most of every minute.

Us: Is it weird for you seeing your brothers having kids?

TH: It kind of makes sense when I see them with kids because I know where their heads are at. It's always surreal when people think I know everything and have it figured out.

Us: You guys started out so young, have you met Justin Bieber? Do you have any advice for him getting through this whole thing like you did?

TH: I think it's honestly hard to succeed whether you start out really young or you go into it at 20 or 40. You have to live and breathe music, and it has to be something you're just committed to. We met Justin at the start of his career at a Grammy event about a year and a half ago and he honestly seemed like just a nice kid that was really happy that people were paying attention to what he was doing. I will say that one of the hardest things to do is to survive success and in some ways it's easier than surviving failure because when you do succeed, and you reach a place you want to be, just figuring out how to maintain that and also just maintain focus and perspective is a challenge.

Us: Do you think he'll make it and still be making music at the age you guys are now?

TH: I don't know. It's rare to succeed like he has, so you have to give him credit for what he's done regardless of anything that's going on behind the scenes or how he makes his records. I will say there are young people, like Taylor Swift, who've had a lot of success in the last few years. She's somebody who I feel will be making records for years. You just can't take no for answer to survive. You have to stay with it.

Us: Any upcoming plans?

TH: We're going to be in London in a couple of weeks to do a five night engagement, which will be fun. We've had a lot of top ten singles there and toured there multiple times. It's going to be insane!

By Ian Drew for Us Weekly. To read more of Ian's blog, click here.

Hanson Interview

On the cusp of their new single release we caught up with Isaac from Hanson, direct from New York, to discuss influences, changes in the music industry, and the group’s relationship with the UK.

MTTM: You guys have a new single out called Give a Little, which like much of your work has a really positive, upbeat vibe. Is the sunny disposition of your music a reflection of your attitude, personalities and outlook on life in general?

Hanson: (Laughs) Well, by and large people do perceive us as a positive, upbeat kind of band, and for the most part our music does tend to go in that direction. However our upbeat nature could unfortunately be misconstrued as vapidity, which is probably unfair. For example, with Give a Little, it does have an important message – it is basically encouraging the protagonist of the song to seize the day, to make a move on the girl you like and give it all you’ve got. Within our entire career of making music I don’t think we have ever released a single like it… in fact most of our singles haven’t actually been love songs, and Give a Little is not even an obvious love song.

MTTM: And what about Shout it Out – what would you say the vibe was on your new album?

Hanson: Shout it Out definitely has an upbeat, motivated vibe. Indeed, the title Shout it Out certainly suggests that it is probably a fairly upbeat record. However there are some ballads too; the song Me, Myself and I, for example, which is the last track on the record definitely has some bluesy and gospel inspired moments, with some very broken down instrumentation, just keyboard and vocals – that type of thing. The album does run the gamut a little bit, but is essentially a soulful-pop type of affair.

MTTM: Your most famous track, MMMbop, was nominated for numerous awards, and could certainly be included in a list of the most memorable pop songs of all time. How does it feel to forever have a place in pop music history?

Hanson: MMMbop is the kind of song every band in the world hopes to have – a song that is enormously successful and empowers them to keep going for years to come. It was an enormous advance for Hanson as a group, but it was particularly special for us because we were also very young, and the songwriters too.

MTTM: As a band, over here in England, Hanson have often been labelled as a one hit wonder. Is it frustrating that your new material is often considered to be a comeback, especially when you have been releasing albums and touring pretty consistently in the US for the past 15 years?

Hanson: Unfortunately because we haven’t lived, breathed and toured in the UK every single year like we have in the US, some fans in the UK have not be able to fully appreciate the subtleties of Hanson’s evolution. However, whilst many artists, especially those that started off young like we did could think of it as a weight around their necks we never have. With us being the songwriters first and foremost has allowed us to be 100 percent satisfied, confident and proud with everything that we have done and been able to do. I do not necessarily think that MMMbop is everything Hanson was or is though. If you listen to the album that contained MMMbop, Middle of Nowhere, people would still be really surprised by the diversity, rawness and intensity of a lot of the album. But MMMbop is a part of who we are, much like the new single is a part of who we are. These lead singles might be more upbeat than other tracks on the record, but that does not mean they are not a good way of getting audiences attention.

MTTM: On your website, you guys have stated that we are “standing at the crossroads of the analogue and digital worlds”. Is that past verses future concept quite a good metaphor for Hanson generally – that you are often determined by your earlier work, but also continue to push the band and your music forward?

Hanson: Certainly we are a band who in many ways have found ourselves at a weird crossroads in music. As far as our generation is concerned, our first record was being made on reel-to-reel analogue tape whereas our second record was made entirely on a computer. We have experienced the old school processes of record making right through to new technologies that are now involved. And with the emergence of social networking recently how we market ourselves has changed dramatically – for example many new bands these days do not have destination sites that are as evolved as ours is. Our website is the focal point of our presence online, where as Facebook and Twitter are more vital for new bands. We emerged in a world where you needed to have a website that was good enough for people to surf it and enjoy it and stay there for more than five seconds. We have continued this approach because it is important to interact with our fan base and the website is such a productive way of doing that.

MTTM: What with you guys being from Tulsa, your music has always had a classic Americana sound, but it also has a universal pop edge. What are your influences that have contributed to this sound?

Hanson: We have always found ourselves in an unusual circumstance musically – we were a band that grew up listening to music that belonged to an era that was older even than our parent’s generation. We were listening to a lot of 50s R&B and rock and roll – we have always had the roots of old school pop and old school R&B in what we do. That music was to us the essence of pop music, it was the archetypal two-minute song, and we used to listen to that stuff repeatedly. It was like the perfect lesson in pop music song writing.

MTTM: Finally, who are your favourite current artists? Have your influences changed, and are there any acts from the UK that have caught your eye?

Hanson: One of my personal favourite bands over the last ten years has been Travis, who have displayed absolutely amazing song writing. Their first two records especially were totally amazing. The music industry and pop music in general however is in a very unusual place at the moment, and it has developed into this strange new online space where you are exposed to new artists in obscure, fleeting ways. You think – “I know that artist, but I’m not exactly sure why”. But another particular favourite is Adele. She is absolutely enormous around the world right now – thank god – because she is really great, and I think her latest record is better than the first one. She is making great music and that is a really exciting thing. She is writing some great songs as well, and has a really expressive voice that is not being constantly altered by computers for the sake of an effect. It is nice to hear something fresh and real – there is a lot of artists such as Lady Gaga that are really controlled substances these days. There are songs in there, but a lot of what they are is a very synthesised, non-organic thing. With artists like Adele, and also Mumford and Sons, there is a kind of underground swell that ends up gaining a lot of momentum. Within the modern, social-networking world people can choose for themselves, and they appreciate honesty, which is what more stripped down, less produced artist such as these offer.

www.hanson.net

Single ‘Give A Little’ is out now and ‘Shout It Out’ is out on 3CG Records on June 6^th

^{http://www.morethanthemusic.co.uk/interviews/hanson/}

POSTED: Hanson Backstage at Dancing with the Stars

This month’s ever-busy VH1 Posted band Hanson just sent us another great set of photos. Unlike the Napa Valley photos they sent us last week, this batch is all business. Take it away, guys:

The last two days were a bit of a whirlwind in HANSON land, consisting of a two-day immersion in the epic Dancing With The Stars TV show. We had a great time being guests on the show two nights in a row and pulled out some old school and new school HANSON, from “MmmBop” To “Give a Little,” and also pulled together some random tidbits from pop culture past ranging from Quiet Riot to Vanilla Ice. We really had a great time, everyone on the show was welcoming, and it made for a great couple days of epic TV (and some serious tassel shaking). Here are a few snapshots from rehearsal and backstage. Enjoy!

Taylor Hanson believes working with Tinted Windows has improved his creativity with his own band

http://www.hansonews.com/2011/04/taylor-hanson-believes-working-with.html

Taylor Hanson believes working with Tinted Windows has improved his creativity with his own band

Posted by Rô on 2:46 PM

added: 28 Apr 2011 // by: newsdesk

Taylor Hanson believes working with Tinted Windows has improved his creativity with his own band.

The 28-year-old singer took time out from recording Hanson's album 'Shout It Out' to tour with the American rock supergroup created by former Smashing Pumpkins guitarist James Iha but despite loving the opportunity to work with other musicians, Taylor has no plans to leave his family band.

Speaking about the group he formed with brothers Zac and Isaac, Taylor said: 'We actually collaborate with other people all the time, mainly on songwriting but last year I went out and toured with Tinted Windows. You need to be inspired in other ways and with this side project while we were making 'Shout It Out', in between studio sessions I went out and toured with James Iha, Adam Schlesinger, Bun E. Carlos and Josh Lattanzi.

'What an amazing chance to get to collaborate but by no means does it take away from what I do with Hanson, we fuel each other that ability to write and be creative and to kind of know Hanson is where we each come from but I can imagine over the next however many years we're together we will work with other people but we'll always come back to Hanson, it's the centre of everything for us.'

The brothers have announced plans to play a series of five shows in London in June called 'Five of Five' which Taylor says are in order to 'give back' to their supporters because they feel like the music industry often doesn't appreciate the fans.

He told BANG Showbiz: 'We feel like London is a great gathering point for fans across Europe to come together.

'This industry is full of people who don't have integrity behind them, they're not in it because they love making great art. The industry in a way has turned its back on fans and real artists ' what keeps us together is that we're willing to take a hit for what we do. We'll work the extra hours and do the business stuff so we can do the music stuff that we love.'

Porra, Hanson! By PHB

Porra, Hanson! By PHB

PORRA HANSON!

Pq vcs nunca me contaram que foram embora? A banda acabou, vcs sumiram e a gente ta tirando notícias do além esse tempo todo? PORRA! Somos mágicos!

Já sei! Vocês fugiram com o Fernando, para visitar o Johnny que foi catar a Madeline! Aí agora ficam mandando sósias aqui pra gente! Porra! Jurava que tinha visto vocês em 2005!

Porra jornalistas! Não é possível! A titia Clecléia lá da 1ª série não ensinou vocês a fazer o dever de casa? Ta foda! Se um site posta uma notícia errada, todos postam juntos! Se é pra colar, então cola direito, porra! Nota ZERO pra todo mundo aê!

Porra dedinhos! Não caem agora não! Ainda falta uma porrada de site para publicar a VOLTA DO HANSON! Assim vou ter que arrumar umas 500 varinhas pra fazer o trabalho da tia Clecléia!

E que porra é essa de que HANSON está voltando para uma turnê especial? Vai ter ET saindo do palco? Pole dance do Taylor Hanson? Isaac finalmente vai cortar o cabelo e largar o terno? (pq convenhamos, tio Armani já deve ta se revirando lá de tanto show com esses ternos! Imagina o cheiro disso!)

Ah! Como se a volta especial (seja lá o que isso significa) não bastasse, ainda vi alguns sites falarem que é pro lançamento do Shout It Out em junho! POOOOORRA! Hanson inventou a máquina do tempo!!! E porra de novo, pq isso eles não vendem na Hanson.net! (antes que alguém reclame, não falaram absolutamente nada do lançamento em Londres).

E qual o problema de geral com MMMBop? Porque só falam disso né, o Give a Little ficou só no Little! Como proceder produção?

-Voldemort indignado com a imprensa.

Se você não faz idéia do que estou falando:
http://hansonbrasil.com.br
http://twitter.com/hansonbrasil
http://www.youtube.com/portalhansonbr

1990s music stars - where are they now?

1990s music stars - where are they now?

With the news that 1990s all-brother group Hanson, of MmmBop fame, are back, we ask what became of other stars from that decade…

Rex

It was one of the catchiest tunes of the 1990s. Who could forget Hanson's MmmBop? It's been 13 years since the all-brother trio garnered 3 Grammy noms and other major accolades for the catchy tune.

Now they're back...

1990s pop stars - where are they now?

With a new single, Give A Little, due for release on the 8th May, and their fifth album, Shout It Out, heading our way on 5th June, we decided to take a look at Hanson and what happened to other pop stars from the 1990s.

Hanson at Dancing With the Stars - MMMBop

Taylor Hanson forgets lyrics

Give A Little: Yesterday's Conversation with Taylor Hanson

Yesterday's Conversation with Taylor Hanson

Mike Ragogna: Taylor, it's been an exciting day for you and your brothers.

Taylor Hanson: Well, today is kind of a busy one for us. For months, we have been planning the release of a new single called "Give A Little." A couple weeks ago, our schedule and trajectory was affected around the world as they heard about the tragedies in Japan. We stirred up an all day, live streaming event when we were at the SXSW music festival. We created this all day set of sessions where people came and performed from all over the music world and used that as a way for people to donate to the Red Cross. That happened on the 17th. It was one of those things that was a crazy crunch we felt like, "How do we pull something together?" It happened we had over 40 artists there from Widespread Panic to Michael Stipe to Ben Folds to Boxer Rebellion, and so many great bands. So, today, we planned on doing one more re-stream of the whole day. So, right now, it's streaming all day, and it's on AOL and Myspace, so people can tune in. The whole thing is to try and encourage people to donate and encourage music fans to stay focused on everything in Japan. The other thing is that there is a benefit album. We've collected an album based on all of the performances--it's 47 songs and Amazon has given us some specific promotion and is really trying to encourage people to donate. They've made it a charitable product, so all of the proceeds are going to the cause. There is just a lot happening.

MR: The turnout for this year's SXSW was insane. You couldn't turn a corner without hearing a band you wanted to see. To be able to do a charitable event at SXSW under those circumstances is definitely a challenge.

TH: Obviously, a lot of people knew and were talking about the issue in Japan, but I think at SXSW, everybody is in their own bubble. We looked around and thought, "Oh my God, there are so many bands. How often do we have all of these people and all of our friends are in the same city?" It's actually easier to pull something off if we can. We got a lot of support from SXSW and SXSW Cares, which is their nonprofit thing on the side. A lot of people came to the ball game. Talking about charitable things, I don't want it to seem like we're serial charitable guys jumping on causes here and there. I think you have to be willing to respond, and that's all we've been trying to do. Sometimes, you have to be willing to put your hand up and say, "Hey, shouldn't we be doing this?" A lot of people respond when you can see a clear mission and focus.

MR: It's good to keep your eye on the ball of what's needed.

TH: Yeah, we're proud that part of what we do as a band is that, at times, we get a chance to highlight human issues, also talk about life, not just from the point of view of we are on stage and we have fans and talk to fans and encourage people to share. We like to see it as we are all human beings, whether you are a fan or an artist, wherever you're at. We are all in this thing together, so it's good to get to share that with fans, especially that have shown support for years.

MR: For your new single "Give A Little," you had a friend or two do some remixes.

TH: The song "Give A Little" is pretty rhythmic, it's a '60s sort of pop song. We always thought it had the ability to get remixed or turned upside down a little bit. So Rac, who's real name is Andre Allen, is out of Portland and does a bunch of underground dance stuff. Questlove from The Roots is renowned for his work on many different projects over the years, as well as being a part of The Roots. We actually meat Questlove a year ago when we were on Jimmy Fallon's show and we just hit it off. We talked music and talked about what was going on and asked him if he wanted to do a remix and if that made sense and he was into it. People can go on iTunes today and get the single as well as remixes. Also, there are a bunch of videos to correspond with the mixes, sort of alt versions of the song to match the vibe of the mixes. So, as a fan, it's a really robust package. It's $3 on iTunes and you get seven songs and different versions.

MR: The last time we spoke, we discussed your last album, Shout It Out, which still sports a lot of potential singles beyond what's been released. It still feels fresh.

TH: I mean, the album has been out since this last summer, but we want to take full advantage and maximize getting the word out. Also, not just throwing something out there and hoping it sticks--really spreading the word and doing cool things, finding ways to make exciting for fans. It's fresh and new as far as we're concerned. The way that makes it work is that you continue to do different things, you do projects where you do live recordings and songs. You get remixes by people like Questlove, you keep giving things that are genuinely interesting to do. I think it keeps the music fresh and keeps an album that was released 6 or 8 months ago feel brand new because people are discovering it every day.

MR: It used to be you would work an album for two to three singles and then let it die.

TH: Well, we're just trying to make the most of it and reach people. The album has been really well-received. We are a touring band, so touring constantly is important. Also, one of the things we are excited about is doing promotions outside of the U.S. this year, which is hard when you're touring a lot in the U.S. and when that's part of your core business. We will be in the U.K. doing this weeklong stint of shows, which is literally a handful of tickets away from being sold out. That's one of the kickoffs for the international release in the U.K. and Europe. We will then be in Brazil and a lot in America as well. (You) put the music first and cross your fingers that you can get successful enough that you can continue to do it.

MR: You've taken your careers into your own hands and that's applaudable, and you're selling these huge amounts of records by self-promoting. It seems like artists should be using you guys as the paradigm.

TH: What we've said is if you're really passionate about the music, you will take on the business so you can make the music you want--not in a way that's like I'm going to sit alone in my closet and be artist and make art for the sake of it, just understanding that you kind of have to know what your business is to save the art, which is kind of the irony. I will say that if people want to follow the Hanson model, you need to not like sleep very much and you need to be really comfortable right on the edge of, "Are we going to loose our shirts?" or "Are we going to listen to the opinions that say this is too hard or this isn't plausible?" I think the truth is, every great business risk is a part of the game. I think in our business, a lot of people know that. I would say a lot of artists are already closer to taking risks. There are a lot more soon-to-be entrepreneurs from the artist world than some people might think. Risk is a part of the game if you're an artist.

MR: This is like advice to new artists, isn't it.

TH: A little bit, I try not to throw around advice too much. If you're willing to know your business, you can protect your art. That's the only way to keep what you do alive, by embracing that. You can't turn a blind eye and hope your handlers can help you out and make sure it works. You have to be right in there and know what's going on.

MR: Okay, you're just about to jump on stage for a soundcheck, aren't you.

TH: Yeah, we are here at The Jimmy Kimmel Show, so yeah.

MR: All of the best and thanks for the time.

TH: Thanks so much for the talk and spread the word about the Japanese relief project. If people want to go get the Hanson single, they should know that it's also supporting that same cause. It's a little shameless self-promotion.

MR: Not exactly shameless self-promotion, Taylor. Have a great show.

Tracks:
1. Waiting For This
2. Thinking 'Bout Somethin'
3. Kiss Me When You Come Home
4. Carry You There
5. Give A Little
6. Make It Out Alive
7. And I Waited
8. Use Me Up
9. These Walls
10. Musical Ride
11. Voice In The Chorus
12. Me Myself And I

Transcribed by Theo Shier

DID YOU KNOW...?

Nine Inch Nails has announced a collaboration with Case-Mate for a line of iPhone cases through the I Make My Case program. The line will be a retrospective of the band's career with all art curated by Rob Sheridan, NIN's art director. A new case will be released each week and the line will culminate with a customizable case where fans can mix and max imaging to make their own unique case. Case-Mate's "I Make My Case" line also includes customizable designs from artists including No Doubt, Metric, Underworld, HEALTH and Yo Gabba Gabba.

Check out the first installment here: http://eat.casemat.es/nin