Trespass Against Us – Musicians Who Know The Score

By | July 3, 2017

CelebMix

Next time you find yourself at the cinema watching the latest hip feature, pay a little attention to the film score: there’s every chance an equally cool musician has composed it. Films such as The Social Network, Tron: Legacy and Trespass Against Us all have scores by bands or pop stars rather than traditional film composers.

A film score, as opposed to a soundtrack, is the instrumental music that accompanies a picture, setting the overall mood and tone. Written specifically for the film, it is not designed to stand out but rather to complement the action. Indeed, film-makers often say that the sign of a good score is that the audience doesn’t even notice it.

To celebrate the release of Trespass Against Us on DVD and Blu-ray (July 3rd), scored by Tom Rowlands of The Chemical Brothers, we take a look at some of the most stimulating scores by musicians you might not have guessed!

Dust Brothers—Fight Club

As producers, The Dust Brothers have created some of the most defining and celebrated sounds of the ‘90, from The Beastie Boys’ Paul’s Boutique to Beck’s Odelay to Hanson’s “MMMBop.” As the guiding musical hands behind David Fincher’s 1999 masterpiece, however, the group created a chaotic yet exhilarating score that reflected the mindset of that film’s disturbed protagonist.

Hanson – The Enmore Theatre, Sydney – June 21, 2017

By | July 3, 2017

May The Rock Be With You


Twenty five years as a band is no mean feat, I mean I guess when you’re brothers you’re stuck with each other but in terms of making music Hanson continue to do it, and while here on this twenty fifth anniversary of their existence as a band and twenty years since the release of their debut album this ridiculously packed sold out Enmore Theatre is ready to hear the songs they’ve essentially grown up with over the last twenty years and I have to say that I’m one of them and ready for some pop rock goodness!

Oh hello Jason Singh! You’ve gotta love a bit of Taxiride and here he is opening the night for us with ‘Everywhere You Go’ and tonight as a trio and more of an acoustic vibe he hits us straight up with one we all know and even gets the crowd joining in on the chorus which is a great way to start the set, leading straight into solo single ‘Hold On Forever’ which is a really great song in fact and one that the crowd latched on to, but following that up with ‘Get Set’ which they all know and the song suits this set up and it’s always good to be reminded of a perfectly crafted tune. Back to his solo album ‘Humannequin’ with ‘I Can Dream’ and it’s keyboard ridden goodness followed by a brand new ballad written for these shows called ‘Strangers’ which was damn good and I look forward to hearing that recorded after I grab one form the merch booth after the set. Then in the what I like to call the ‘Whoa! I never expected that’ files right now he’s covering ‘What’s Up?’ by 4 Non Blondes and well played Mr Singh as you have the crowd loving it right now. Closing his set with ‘Creeping Up Slowly’ which was a gimme he finishes the set strong and I have to say I wish it was longer but it’s also made me want to go home right now and bust out the old Taxiride albums, man they are good songs. Go Bombers!

It’s time, cue ear piercing screams.

Hanson walk onto the stage and start things off with ‘Already Home’ and that amazing musicality of the band instantly kicks into gear and you just know that this sold out crowd is gonna go nuts tonight and without even stopping to take a breath the band take it into ‘Waiting For This’ as we shout it out and you can tell they love that one, I particular I liked Isaac’s guitar solo but I can’t help but smile as the crowd goes nuts when ‘Where’s The Love’ starts and as I stand at the back taking it in, actually more like for my own safety I watch the crowd and just everyone around me dancing, singing, smiling and loving every second of this excellent pop rocker.

‘Look At You’ is a soul filled rocker and again the seamless transition into the next track ‘Tragic Symphony’ shows me just how good these guys are at their craft. It’s actually a pleasure to watch as they haven’t missed a beat, a note or well actually anything as they just did it again with ‘Thinking ‘Bout Somethin’ and if any first time Hanson concert goes still had any preconceived notions about the ‘MMMbop’ band then they’d be shut up by now as all it takes is a few songs to show people what they can do and do well. Isaac addresses the crowd but I couldn’t hear a word he was saying over the screams so I’m just going to assume it was to tell is how much San Dimas high school football rules. ‘Been There Before’ might just be one of my favourites of the band and it’s always a treat to hear live, but I say that and then Taylor hits the opening notes of ‘This Time Around’ on the piano as phones get raised and the hands that aren’t holding phones up clap along. As the band trade vocals they lap it up, but in terms of a big ballad this one powers up, hold the phone we just had a dueling guitar solo! Badass. Things just got a little ‘Weird’ in here, see what I did there?! We’ve just gone from power ballad to simply ballad with this one moving straight into ‘Go’ which has always been a standout for me in their catalogue, just one of those songs with a kick ass vibe to it and with Zac on vocals and Taylor and Isaac hitting it with underlying vocals it’s so well arranged.

Oh good, I’m now somehow deafer, Zac just came off the drums and to the front which causes screams as Taylor talks about the first time they came to Australia twenty years ago and they throw in an acoustic rendition of ‘Madeleine’ where they again trade vocals. Hold on, what’s going on here, Zac just took keys and Taylor jumped behind the drums to play ‘Juliet’ as Zac takes lead vocals and hype man duties getting the crowd waving in unison. Taylor tells us “It’s not about the battles it’s about winning the war” which is a great way to look at things as that takes them into ‘Strong Enough To Break’ which is as good as it should be as a big acoustic driven hook laden, catchy little ditty. The ‘Underneath’ album is definitely my favourite from the band so it’s always good to hear songs from it, but as good as that one was ‘Penny & Me’ steps it up one. This was the lead single from the aforementioned album and still stands out to me as when the band came back, so this one seems to be a favourite for many here.

Isaac takes lead again on ‘Watch Over Me’ and harmonies run wild! This song should be a hit, damn this one is just so good. Time now for an acoustic interlude with simply a piano and three vocals giving us ‘With You in Your Dreams’ and some seriously impeccable vocal talent here and that continues with ‘On and On’ as three acoustic guitars come out this time. Ok so it’s time for the new single ‘I Was Born’ which after a long intro kicked off and is already a favourite for the fansons. Plus it has a bitchin’ middle 8 and I love the arrangement of this one so much. If this is a snippet of what’s to come then I find your songs intriguing and would like to subscribe to your newsletter.

‘Minute Without You’ and its catchy chorus gets plenty of love, I tell you what if this one had a key change in it I just may have needed a moment. Thankfully my moment was not required, but a big rock and roll ending that blended into ‘Get the Girl Back’ worked and this groover sees Taylor on lead tambourine. ‘And I Waited’ is a great addition to the set and a more mature song I’ve always felt as it gets away from the pop rock style but still maintains that Hanson feel. Then we get a little ‘Crazy Beautiful’ with some excellent speed clapping, followed by ‘Hey’ sticking back with the ‘Underneath’ album.

OK, so it’s time for the song, the one that 90% of the world think is the only song this band have and base their opinion of the band on by it. Yeah it’s ‘MMMbop’ and if you want to continue to do that then so be it but hearing a version twenty years since its release is pretty rad, the band have matured with the song and every single person here loved it, I mean how can you not? It’s catchy! Then from everyone’s favourite to my favourite ‘If Only’ which is pop rock at its best and if more bands wrote songs like this today the world would be a better place, the energy the band still have this far into the set is amazing, plus some excellent jumping while playing the harmonica gets Taylor a gold star. Time to get ‘Fired Up’ which sounds like an early 80’s rocker and I have no issue with that at all then straight into ‘In The City’ and again another groove type rocker, just full of soul. I dig this!! The band leaves the stage as the screaming and stomping begin.

The screaming continues, actually gets louder as they come back and kick everyone’s ass with their vocal talent with an acapella version of ‘Rockin’ Robin’ before Isaac McFly hits the riff for ‘Johnny B Goode’ and they belt out a little Chuck Berry. Back to the Hanson catalogue and ‘Lost Without Each Other’ is just so damn happy and brings a 2hr 15 minute, thirty song set to a close and with a well-deserved bow and that’s the end.

So the last two times I saw Hanson when they toured here they were great but I just feel they’ve gotten better, maybe like a fine wine (that they’re now able to drink) these brothers go from strength to strength as they mature and continue to make and play music. They may be celebrating twenty five years as a band and twenty years since their debut album but here’s to another twenty five more of this pop rock goodness. Sure I’ll be over sixty in that time but hey, good music lasts forever and I’ll still be listening if they keep making it, I might just have to turn it up a little louder by then…

 

Essential Information

Venue: The Enmore Theatre – Sydney

Date: June 21, 2017

Presented by: Chugg Entertainment

Support: Jason Singh –

Website: http://www.hanson.net

Photo By: Annette Geneva – Every Day Is Saturday – Check out our full gallery HERE

Set List:
Already Home
Waiting For This
Where’s The Love
Look At You
Tragic Symphony
Thinking Bout Somethin’
Been There Before
This Time Around
Weird
Go
Madeline
Juliet
Strong Enough To Break
Penny & Me
Watch Over Me
With You in Your Dreams
On and On
I Was Born
Minute Without You
Get The Girl Back
And I Waited
Crazy Beautiful
Hey
MMMBop
If Only
Fired Up
In The City
Rockin’ Robin
Johnny B Goode
Lost Without Each Other

Hanson on Vinyl Soul Podcast

By | July 3, 2017

Ep 42: Hanson & Donnarumma

Released26 June 2017

How have 90s boy band Hanson turned out so normal?! Isaac, Taylor and Zac Hanson discuss their lives in the music world, how to have a long lasting career and Hanson the next generation, their kids! Speaking of three pieces bands, Donnarumma drop by too to tell you about their new EP.

The 100 Greatest Pop Songs of 1997: Critic’s Picks

By | July 3, 2017

Billboard

Pop music tends to evolve slowly, gradually swaying from one trend to the next without sharp turns or dramatic spikes. Some years, though, you can listen to the radio and really feel the ground shifting, if not outright quaking, beneath your feet. 1997 was one of those years.

The first half of the ’90s was largely defined by the fallout from the grunge explosion of Nirvana and Pearl Jam and the rise of West Coast hip-hop, as shepherded by Dr. Dre and Snoop Doggy Dogg. As late as ’96, alt-rock and G-funk still held serve as the dominant sounds of the moment. But by ’97, most of the leading lights for both genres had either faded, gone on hiatus or left the game altogether, creating a void at the mainstream’s center that badly needed filling.

What came along to fill it was the return of mega-pop: Massive, barnstorming, top 40-geared breakouts from groups like Spice Girls, Hanson and Backstreet Boys — artists that bore some of the sonic signifiers of decade’s beginning, but lacked any connection to the angst of grunge or the edge of G-funk. In hip-hop, the Bad Boy empire was springboarded to the top of the food chain, as label head Sean “Puffy” Combs was reborn as Puff Daddy, and quickly became the best-selling rapper in the universe thanks to a series of gigantic, top 40-recycling pop-rap smashes for himself and his labelmates.

Within a year or two, post-grunge had been replaced by nu-metal and pop-punk on alternative radio, West Coast had almost totally given way to East Coast in the hip-hop mainstream, and pop’s center was dictated daily by teen-pop soothsayer Carson Daly on Total Request Live. But while the core of top 40 was fundamentally evolving in ’97, a lot of other weird stuff was going on, from the rise of nu-soul and crossover country to the last gasps of trip-hop and hi-NRG dance. And of course, there were one-hit wonders: plenty of dance-pop novelty smashes, international flukes and alt-rock parting shots to give the year character.

Here are Billboard‘s 100 favorite pop songs — capping it at one song per lead artist, and broadly defining “pop” as music that either was played on top 40 at the time or could conceivably have been — from one of the most pivotal years in the genre’s history.

(Word of warning: To make our list more authentic to the experience of living through 1997 pop, we counted songs as eligible if they peaked on the Billboard Hot 100 — or if they were disqualified from the Hot 100, but peaked on our Radio Songs chart — within the 1997 calendar year. That means that some songs that came out earlier but crested in ’97 are here, but many songs that came out in ’97 but hit their mass-culture moment later on aren’t. So apologies, “My Heart Will Go On,” “Torn,” “Bitter Sweet Symphony,” “Gettin’ Jiggy Wit It,” “Good Riddance (Time of Your Life),” “Make ‘Em Say Ugh” and many more — see you all in ’98.)

3. Hanson, “MMMBop” (No. 1, Hot 100)

Despite literally being a band of boys, Hanson weren’t actually a boy band in the traditional sense — musically and structurally, they had more in common with Blues Traveler and the Spin Doctors than New Kids on the Block or Take That — but they did signal to anyone paying attention that the world might be ready for another round of ’em. “MMMBop” was alt-rock in construction but pure pop in impact, with a non-verbal chorus that stands as one of the most iconic of the entire decade, and an irrepressibly positive energy that disguised the fact that the song was three teens singing about the ephemeral nature of life and the inevitability of death. The debut single set the brothers Hanson up for both meteoric success and an extended post-phenom career, and it never stops being a jaw-dropping achievement: a perfect pop song that simultaneously marvels at the world’s wondrousness and sighs about how none of it lasts forever.

Hanson streams spiked 235% during Australian tour

By | July 3, 2017

The Industry Observer

Spotify streams for Hanson soared during the trio’s tour of Australia and New Zealand last month.

Spotify Australia told TIO the band’s plays were up 235% on the service as they brought their Middle Of Everywhere tour to seven local stops, including two shows each in Sydney and Melbourne.

The tour marked 20 years since Hanson released their rarefied pop spectacular Middle Of Nowhere, 20 years since their maiden Australian visit, and 25 years since they started making music together at ages six (Zac), nine (Taylor) and 11 (Isaac).

On Spotify Hanson have 1,328,645 monthly listeners – most of which are in Mexico – and 90,323 followers. Their most renowned single ‘MMMbop’ has been streamed over 42.5 million times.

According to data sent to TIO, during Hanson’s local tour Australia was their #2 most streamed country (second only behind the US). And, surprising no one, the majority of listeners in Australia were between 28-34-years-old.

:: How Hanson carved out the perfect indie career after MMMBop

HANSON AT SUMMERFEST: OR HOW I LEARNED TO STOP WORRYING AND LOVE THE ’90S POP GROUP

By | July 1, 2017

Milwaukee Mag

I shed my preconceptions about the squeaky clean ’90s boy band and went to go see Hanson for the first time. This is my report.

“MMMBop” came out when I was 10 years old—you know, right at the start of those formative pre-teen years when musical tastes are molded into your brain and discovering a certain punk album can change the course of your high school experience for the worse. I remember hearing that infectious Hanson single constantly in 1997. Even with its radio ubiquity, I can’t recall my exact feelings about the song, however. I must have thought that the track was pleasant but maybe not meant for me. Instead, that its target audience was directed at the next generation of Backstreet Boys- and NSync-listening tween girls. Regardless, if I heard it today, I don’t think I would be put off or consider it a relic of the ’90s. I’d probably just sing along.

Still, I have only thought about Hanson twice since “MMMBop” ended its mainstream radio coup—aside from the spare “remember Hanson?” conversations, of course. In 2008 while on staff at The Marquette Tribune, one of the three brothers walked barefoot down Wisconsin Avenue to raise awareness for children throughout the world who lacked the most essential items, like shoes. And then in 2013, I thought about them again when the band returned to Milwaukee with their own beer, cheekily named Mmmhops. Both causes I could easily get behind.

Twenty years since the release of “MMMBop,” I decided to check out Hanson for the very first time at the group’s Summerfest gig at the U.S. Cellular Connection Stage on Thursday, June 29. Was the band simply a nostalgic act at this point? Did they have enough material to carry a set? Would I actually like them? I went into the show cold, without catching up on any of their albums beforehand. I wanted to get my first full Hanson experience live at Summerfest. Here’s what I learned:

Following the Big Bang fireworks, which were rescheduled from the previous night due to rain, five members of the band walk on stage. Worry sets in about how to differentiate between the three Hanson brothers and the two touring musicians. That turns out not to be that difficult because the touring members are a black guitarist and a bassist with long frizzy hair. Is looking drastically different possibly a requirement to tour with the band?

“We celebrate playing 25 years of music tonight,” the Hanson brother with long blond hair (but not as long as the drummer) says—I find out later that this is Taylor. Hanson is officially half the age of Summerfest, which this year enjoys its 50th Anniversary. But within the initial ten minutes, I can tell time hasn’t left Hanson in the past. The first couple songs the band plays reach into blue-eyed soul and heartland rock that invoke big sing-a-long choruses. Hanson comes off less like a pop band than a current take on a classic rock band only with prettier faces and better voices.

It’s surprising that the energy of the crowd can stay so high for so long. If things were slowing down a bit, Hanson kept the show moving by playing some crowd-pleasers. First each brother got a turn singing a cover in a three-song medley, starting with The Spencer Davis Group’s “I’m a Man” then seamlessly transitioning into “Gimme Some Lovin’” and finally The Doobie Brothers’ “Long Train Running.” This segment was both spirited and unexpected—the praise of Steve Winwood especially caught me off guard. Later, they would rip through a rendition of “Johnny B. Goode” and perform an a capella, three-part harmony of the ‘50s doo woop song “Rockin’ Robin,” later made famous by Michael Jackson.

Near the end of the show, I looked around the audience and saw that I was lost within a sea of women in their mid-30s. I became mesmerized watching the giant screen to the side of the stage for crowd shots. Every once in a while the camera caught a guy hanging on to every word. I feel like I am becoming closer to understanding that feeling. So many people think of Hanson as this ‘90s boy band with one big hit song—and they did play “MMMBop,” and it was fun for nostalgia’s sake. But in reality, in 2017, Hanson’s live show is dynamic and compelling. If more people lost their preconceptions about them, they might end up actually enjoying their music. I know I did.


12 Photos from the Hanson Summerfest Show

Photo by Amelia Coffaro

Photo by Amelia Coffaro

Photo by Amelia Coffaro

Photo by Amelia Coffaro

Photo by Amelia Coffaro

Photo by Amelia Coffaro

Photo by Amelia Coffaro

Photo by Amelia Coffaro

Photo by Amelia Coffaro

Photo by Amelia Coffaro

Photo by Amelia Coffaro

Photo by Amelia Coffaro

 

Local Hanson superfan thrilled they played Summerfest

By | June 30, 2017

Tmj4

Fans flocked to Summerfest to see Hanson Thursday night, and though the headliner has a dedicated fan base worldwide, a Racine County woman might rival at being the biggest fan of all.

“I lost count at 70 shows,” said Midgee Andre.

Andre started following Hanson when she was 12-years-old.

“I almost feel like I know them at this point,” Andre said.

The 32-year-old has three Hanson tattoos. She said her obsession hasn’t gone away, but it’s changed.

“So when you’re young it’s kind of like Bop Magazines and ‘I love Taylor’ everywhere and ‘I heart Taylor’ and then as you get older it’s more of an appreciation for the music,” she said.

Growing up her bedroom was exactly what you would expect from a super fan.

“You would pull the shades down I had them on there,” she said. “I had them on the light switches.”

She has to have the “Hanson talk” with friends before they came over.

“I have to tell them about my Hanson obsession,” Andre said.

Her apartment is still decked out with memorabilia.

“No shame.”

Andre has driven as far as Oklahoma to see the band. She spent more than $2,000 on tickets and over $10,000 on gas money to get to the concerts.

“We would pretty much follow them from show to show to show,” she said.

And she got kicked out of hotels along the way.

“I followed them right through the spinny doors, right up the steps and I was like here this is for Zac and, yah know, I got carried out.”

Andre first saw Hanson at the Marcus Amphitheater in 1998.

“Being at Summerfest is the biggest deal just because that’s the first place I ever saw them,” Andre said.

Hanson terrifically tops off Throwback Thursday

By | June 30, 2017

On Milwaukee

If TMZ news updates and VH1 “Behind The Music” episodes have taught me anything, it’s that the story of Hanson – of three Teen Beat approved young brothers becoming one-hit wonders in the late ’90s – should’ve ended miserably.

There should’ve been juicy tabloid drama. There should’ve been very public in-fighting between the clan and embarrassing headlines. There should’ve been desperate attempts at recapturing past fame – maybe with music, but most likely with the help of some sad reality show. The uninitiated might assume seeing a Hanson show in 2017 would feature exclusively ironic enjoyment, some sad headshakes about the days that used to be and a lot of people just impatiently waiting to hear “MMMBop” one more time.

Yet Hanson’s story, unlike other child stars and pop idols, hasn’t ended miserably. In fact, judging by their fresh and energetic Summerfest headliner set Thursday night in front of a filled and enthusiastic crowd at the U.S. Cellular Connection Stage, the brothers’ story hasn’t ended – period. And after celebrating 25 years intact this year, it’s nowhere near to coming to a close anytime soon.

For those wondering how we got here, after the days of “MMMBop” and teen idol-dom in the late ’90s, Hanson’s follow-up album, “This Time Around,” underperformed – partly thanks to an untimely label merger, partly thanks to a shift in the band’s musical style and partly thanks to a music industry and audience that chews up and spits out young performers with reckless appetite. However, after that financial misfire and more troubles with its studio, the boys went and created their own – 3CG Records – finding a rarity in these kinds of teen star stories: normalcy and stability, away from the prying of studio heads and eager tabloid spotlights.

With creative control now theirs, the brothers kept producing records over the years – they’re now up to six, with 2013’s “Anthem” the most recent – while also building a genuinely passionate fan base, one that certainly showed up Thursday night. Perhaps most importantly, though, in 2013, Hanson created a beer called Mmmhops, a treat for both the beer lovers and pun lovers in the crowd – and I am both.

Thursday night, however, was about the music, and Hanson truly impressed, delivering a relentless 90-minute set (complete with three-song encore) of roots-inspired pop rock, opening up on the sparse, unflashy stage with “I’ve Got Soul” off “Anthem.” The trio – Isaac on guitar, Taylor on lead vocals and piano and Zac on the drums – may hail from the ’90s, but their live sound often harkens back even further into music history, headed more into classic Americana rock sounds featuring sturdy arrangements and tight vocal harmonies. And that retro feel came well before they started busting out the literal oldies in a brief medley tribute to Steve Winwood, The Spencer Davis Group and The Doobie Brothers.

From “I’ve Got Soul,” Hanson moved on to “A Minute Without Out” and “Already Home,” including a nice conversational note (one of enjoyably many scattered throughout the night) that this gig was the band’s first in the U.S.A. after just wrapping up an overseas tour. All the while, the animated and energetic crowd knew almost every lyric and went wild for each new song’s opening riff. They went nuts when drummer Zac moved up to the piano and lead mic for “Juliet” midway through the set, and they dutifully followed the arm movements on songs like “This Time Around” and clapping encouragement from the guys. These weren’t people waiting for just the hit; these were dedicated and devoted fans (or “Fansons” as they are technically called; no, I didn’t make that pun up).

The brothers easily matched the crowd’s energy. While the stage was nothing to write about – literally, there’s nothing to write; it was just the regular curtains and standard lighting – Hanson filled the stage and the entire area with enthusiasm, whether it was the brief conversational intros for several of the songs, getting the crowd into it with assorted claps and hand waves, or merely the smile constantly creeping onto Taylor’s face behind the piano. They seemed like a band with, indeed, 25 years of performing prowess under their belts.

It certainly helped that Hanson burned through songs like a wildfire, running through its mighty setlist of some of the band’s catchy popular tunes (but not THE catchy popular tune quite yet) with a really solid audio mix, bringing out the full-bodied vocal harmonies and the small differences between tracks, from the keyboard organ on “Waiting For This” to Isaac’s guitar solos on “Where’s the Love” and the funky riff on “Look at You.” There’s not much that’s “hip” or “edgy” to the band’s music; it is an unapologetically old school classic rock sound made safe, smooth and, in the end, satisfying – like sonic comfort food.

The closest thing to a misstep during the entire, constantly forward-moving set was perhaps “I Was Born,” a newer song that’s a bit on the corny, preachily inspirational side as far as the lyrics go, but rocks nevertheless. Plus, Taylor did his damnedest to get the crowd into the newer track, explaining the “follow your dreams” nature of the song (not that it was subtle) and teaching the crowd a fist-pumping sing-along.
Even if that registered as a quick faulty note, the fevered pace and genial nature of the setlist didn’t give the jaded in the crowd much time to harrumph, as they quickly moved onto their Steve Winwood/oldies tribute medley, “Get the Girl Back” (complete with a cute little two-step between Isaac and Taylor) and then – of course – “MMMBop.”
It was a final shot of delirious poppy energy for the crowd to get them to the finale – not that “Need You Now” or “Fired Up” need much help – and then to the encore. As a tribute to the band’s earliest days, even pre-instruments, Hanson opened up with a sweet and tight a cappella version of “Rockin’ Robin.” The tributes weren’t over either, as they then fired off a hat tip to Chuck Berry with “Johnny B. Goode” (alas, no Berry/Marty McFly guitar moves in sight) and, finally and fittingly, the rollicking “Man from Milwaukee,” a perfect personable closer to a perfectly personable night of pop rock.

I’ll admit that I walked into a Hanson concert skeptical, concerned I was going to get 90 minutes of “MMMBop” on repeat for a desolate crowd. But both the band and its fans convinced me that it’s a great thing that Hanson’s story didn’t end almost 20 years ago after its mega-hit and its quick time in the teen spotlight. It might have been Throwback Thursday down at Summerfest, but this wasn’t any nostalgia charity gig; Hanson’s performance would’ve deserved a headliner slot any night of the week.

Setlist

“I’ve Got Soul”
“A Minute Without You”
“Already Home”
“Waiting For This”
“Where’s the Love”
“Love at You”
“Tragic Symphony”
“Thinking ‘Bout Somethin'”
“This Time Around”
“Juliet”
“Penny & Me”
“Watch Over Me”
“I Was Born”
“I’m a Man” (The Spencer Davis Group cover)
“Gimme Some Lovin” (The Spencer Davis Group cover)
“Long Train Running” (Doobie Brothers cover)
“Get the Girl Back”
“MMMBop”
“Need You Now”
“Fired Up”
“In The City”

Encore

“Rockin’ Robin”
“Johnny B. Goode”
“Man from Milwaukee”

Hanson on MMMBop, success and life lessons

By | June 30, 2017

WISN

Band’s performance at Summerfest 50th is the second of their career

MILWAUKEE —
The trio of MMMBop fame spoke with WISN 12 NEWS ahead of their performance at Summerfest 50th about the song that became their launchpad, the longevity of their career and their passion for music.

Tulsa pop rock band Hanson reflects on its 25-year career and looks ahead

By | June 29, 2017

News OK

By Becky Carman For LOOKatOKC| June 28, 2017

Twenty-five years ago, nearly to the day, Hanson — then ages 11, 9 and 6, respectively — took the stage at their first “real” gig, a set at Tulsa’s Mayfest, in the Brady Arts District.

“It was the first proper concert we did that wasn’t a family reunion or in a living room,” Taylor Hanson told LOOKatOKC.

Hanson’s precociousness was meteoric, manifesting in the release of two independent albums and the acquisition of a manager, whom they famously found busking while at South By Southwest in Austin, over the next four years. Then, in 1997, the release of “MMMBop,” the lead single from Hanson’s major-label debut “Middle of Nowhere,” charted at No. 1 in 27 countries, including the U.S. “Middle of Nowhere” sold 10 million copies worldwide and set ablaze a whirlwind period of international touring and press saturation.

And with that rise came the fall. After a turbulent break from Mercury Records following the label’s absorption by Island Def Jam — the process of which included 80 Hanson songs being rejected for their perceived lack of marketability, uncomfortably documented in 2006’s “Strong Enough to Break” feature-length film — Hanson went rogue, forming their own record label to release their music.

3CG Records, named for the three-car garage the band recorded in as children, is now housed in a former warehouse space in the Brady District. Hanson has released four albums on the imprint, most recently 2013’s “Anthem,” which reached No. 22 on the Billboard 200.

Hanson’s ostensible headquarters includes not only their record label but also a studio space and the operations for the band’s nonmusical passion project, Hanson Brothers Beer Company, which launched its flagship pale ale MmmHops, in 2013, a tongue-in-cheek nod to Hanson, the band, turning 21. That same year, Hanson launched its craft beer and music festival, The Hop Jam, which just wrapped its fourth installment in the Brady Arts District of Tulsa.

With an impressive array of international beer vendors and a music lineup that this year included John Fullbright and Mayer Hawthorne (and, this year, was headlined by Hanson), the festival breathes new life into an already-storied area of Tulsa.

“For the last 10 years, we’ve been set up on Main Street. This area is really a music hub in Tulsa, with the heritage of Cain’s Ballroom, the Brady Theater,” Taylor Hanson said. “Building on all those things, what better place to host our festival than the neighborhood where it all started?”

This year’s Hop Jam featured 65 brewers (Hanson was diplomatic but noted he’s particularly excited about Canada’s Unibroue) doling out samples of over 200 different craft beers. The craft beer portion of Hop Jam is ticketed, but the festival’s music is always free to the public. While partnerships between Oklahoma craft brewers and musicians isn’t new — COOP Ale Works has long sponsored musical events including a stage at Norman Music Festival, and Anthem and Mustang host concerts in their breweries, for instance — Hop Jam is the first beer-centric event of its scale in the state with music free to the public in a popular downtown space.

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“We saw the potential to create something greater than the sum of its parts,” Taylor Hanson said. “You have the craft beer community beginning to grow but without a larger forum to draw in new fans. We thought this event could bring out music fans who could then get exposed to the craft beer community. When you put those things together, you create a kind of happening, you create a moment. You kind of have to come up with a reason to not go.”

Hanson capitalized on the crowds to do some good as well. Proceeds from the raffle of a hop-shaped custom guitar as well as ticket sales from a curated brewers’ dinner benefited the Community Food Bank of Eastern Oklahoma, a tradition nearly as long as the band’s career.

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“All the way back to our first major tour, people would bring us gifts. At some point, we had to say, we’ll never be able to appreciate this much adoration, so we directed people to the food bank,” Taylor Hanson said. “We wanted to know that enthusiasm was directed in a way that made a difference. To us it’s just a natural fit to find a real, organic way to support the community when you have such a positive event bringing people together. It’s a way to channel some really good energy into something that makes a difference.”

Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame executive director Jim Blair joined Hanson onstage before their closing set to present them with awards marking the band’s induction into the OMHOF. They played a gamut of their more popular material to a thousands-strong crowd, many of whom waited for prime spots in front of the stage well before the festival was underway.

Fan club

Indeed, the healthy mix of beer and music fans at Hop Jam was trumped by the most dedicated of them all: Hanson fans. The band’s headlining Hop Jam performance marked the kickoff to their current world tour and was the capstone event to the four-day Hanson “Day” weekend, a retreat of sorts for people subscribed to Hanson’s fan club, some of whom have been in the inner circle for two decades now.

“It’s bigger than the three of us. A lot of the folks who have stuck with us … it’s pretty amazing,” Taylor Hanson said. “They’re good friends as a result of connecting through music and have known each other for 10, 15, 20 years.”

Events included karaoke, a dance party, a Hansonopoly tournament and an art gallery (with visual art by the band available for purchase), as well as songwriting lectures and special performances.

“There’s a sense of trust, where you know, if you’re interested enough to come this far, then we’re going to allow you to see a bit of why we are who we are,” Taylor Hanson said. The fan club membership includes access to an exclusive annual EP of five new songs unavailable to the public.

“There are live streams of us writing songs, recording, telling stories, and we’re sharing photos and blogs that we don’t really just put out to anyone. The connection these fans have to each other and the consistency are some of the things that have kept this community strong through many different seasons.”

Middle of Everywhere

Twenty years ago, “MMMBop” was lauded as both a timeless classic and a one-hit wonder, with lyrics as catchy as they were prescient: “So hold on the ones who really care / In the end they’ll be the only ones there.”

Hanson’s relationship with its fans has seen the band through six studio albums, with 40 top 40 singles and 16 million records sold, and decades of performing. For its 25th anniversary, Hanson is embarking on a world tour aptly called the “Middle of Everywhere,” as well as the release of a Christmas record (their first since 1997’s “Snowed In”) and a greatest hits compilation that includes one new song, “I Was Born,” released May 26. NPR called the song a “fantastic … life-affirming top-down anthem that’s virtually impossible to resist.”

“We chose ‘I Was Born’” — the refrain of which is, “I was born to do something no one’s ever done” — “because it is just completely to the vein, just true optimism, unjaded, unadulterated,” Taylor Hanson said. “This idea of really believing in what’s impossible is what’s kept us going, always being interested in the future.”

Somewhat ironically, the retrospective of Hanson’s most well-known material is the band’s way of ushering in what comes next.

“We’re giving people permission to celebrate the past, but we’re focused on the future,” Taylor Hanson said. “That’s why we’ve got 20 years behind us, because we were always looking forward. I think that excitement, that energy, that interest, that fervor is so important. We all need that encouragement to keep shooting for what’s ahead.”

Beyond the “Middle of Everywhere,” Hanson is uniquely positioned to have 25 years as professional musicians under their collective belt and still be young enough to look toward entirely new pursuits: Isaac is now 36, Taylor 34 and Zac 31.

“We have this great advantage of having so much history. At 34 years old, I have years and years and years of making music, producing, trying to survive the intense process of all that,” Taylor Hanson said. “I can bring a lot to the table as a collaborator with people we respect. There’s a lot we want to do to show deference to the reasons why we’re here.”

Unsurprisingly, Hanson’s affinity for Tulsa also plays a role. As likely patron saints for the second coming of the Tulsa Sound, a torch suggested to Hanson by Steve Ripley of the Tractors, the band has worked with several area artists representative of those same influences, including Paul Benjaman, JD McPherson and John Fullbright.

“It’s that fusion of melody and gospel and rock ‘n’ roll, rhythm and blues, a tinge of Red Dirt. A lot of these artists are part of that lineage,” Taylor Hanson said. “Tulsa’s always had a music heritage, but we see a real through point, a real organic heritage that a lot of us who grew up in Oklahoma feel, whether we mean to or not. It’s coming through in our songs.”

One collaborative project in the works celebrates the work of Leon Russell and other canonical Oklahoma musicians. “We were so devastated to lose Leon Russell last year. When he passed, it was just like a ton of bricks,” Taylor Hanson said. (Taylor Hanson performed at Russell’s memorial service, and the band performed a tribute to his music at 2017’s SXSW.) “It reminded us so vividly why you can’t wait.”

The forward-thinking boldness that catapulted Hanson to widespread success as kids has lingered. There are plenty of nostalgic laurels to rest on … one glimpse at this year’s interview headlines reaffirms that: Haircuts! The ‘90s! MMMBop! … but from Hanson’s point of view, there’s too much work yet to do: “I guess the short of it is that I’m excited to still be using all of our creative energy toward new challenges, new musical challenges. It’s not about replicating what you’ve done.”

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