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The Boston Globe
Determined to play
The drummer for the band of brothers Hanson reflects on the pop group’s longevity and new album
By James Reed
Globe Staff / July 20, 2010

Q. You and your wife recently announced you’re expecting your second child, and both of your brothers have children, too. Has that affected your music?

A. It can’t help but affect your music because it affects everything you do, from literally what you think about to how you spend your time. It’s definitely a huge inspiration to be able to watch life from the perspective of another.

Q. Hanson has an extensive catalog, but what do you think distinguishes your new album, “Shout It Out’’?

A. People have known the band for 13 years, but when we first started, we were just singing a cappella — and that goes back 18 years. I think we feel there’s a certain amount of celebration with this record. There’s a long way to go and a lot more music to be made. But we’ve also come a long way together as a band.

Q. You were just 11 years old when “MMMBop’’ became a huge hit in 1997, but did you have any sense of where Hanson would be headed after that?

A. I’ve known for a long time what we were going to be doing. We’re going to be a band until the day our arthritis makes it awful for us to play drums anymore. We’re going to be sponsored by Bayer aspirin. [Laughs.] I didn’t know how any of the music industry stuff would turn out, but you battle through it. We have been bitten by the bug of rock ’n’ roll, and we want to live up to that and be a band that inspires the next generation of artists the way we were inspired.

Q. You guys have younger siblings. Have they expressed any interest in music?

A. None of them, I think, will be musicians, but they’re all musical.

Q. If they started a band, what advice would you give them?

A. I’d give them the same advice I’d give any band. This is way too hard of an industry to just be something that you think sounds fun or you like. If you want to be a musician, it needs to be something that’s so deeply ingrained in what you do that if you chose another career path, you’d wake up every night with cold sweats.

Q. What’s the secret to playing “MMMBop’’ every night and keeping it fresh?

A. One thing we do as a band is we never play the same set twice. That helps us keep every night fresh. The other thing is, “MMMBop’’ is something we’re able to look back on with pride. Obviously “Middle of Nowhere,’’ our first record, doesn’t represent me where I am today. But I can still be proud of it and enjoy it and don’t have to run away from it. When you run away from your past, you’re kicking your fans to the curb. It’s still us. It’s just us 13 years ago.

Interview was condensed and edited.

James Reed can be reached at jreed@globe.com.

Buffalo News

All grown up
13 years, 5 albums later, Hanson finds way to keep going
BY ALLISON ECK
News Staff
Updated: July 16, 2010, 6:36 am / 0 comments
Published: July 16, 2010, 12:30 am

“Every album is an evolution,” said Zac Hanson, the youngest member of the American pop rock band Hanson. Now in its 13th year, the band — brothers Isaac, Taylor and Zac — is still churning out catchy soul tunes reminiscent of old R&B and swing styles.

But their sound keeps changing, and the band is excited to gauge audiences’ reactions to its fifth record, “Shout it Out.” Club Infinity is the first stop on Hanson’s North American tour.

“What’s new about this album in particular is that some people would hear the sounds and think they’re actually old,” said Hanson, now 24. “We’re using elements that go back to our earliest inspirations to be a band, and the horns hearken back to something I think feels fresh because that sound has been lost on a lot of records.”

The album also serves to commemorate their success. “We’ve survived many reincarnations of the music business, so this record is a bit of a celebration,” he said.

For the tour, Hanson is teaming up with OurStage to host an opening band contest in each market where local indie artists can compete for a chance to be the opening act. The gesture reflects the band’s dedication to independent music.

“A lot of what it takes to be successful in the business is becoming more and more in the hands of artists,” Hanson said. “And it’s about the relationship with fans. We want to give local bands an opportunity to expose themselves to our fans.”

The group has come a long way since their days of being a local band, including Grammy nominations for its hit single “Mmmbop” from the 1997 album “Middle of Nowhere.” “It became more of a cultural thing than a song,” Hanson said. “That wasn’t a curse; it was more of a blessing because it shows how well we connected with audiences.”

The new single, “Thinking ’Bout Somethin’ ” has received good marks from both fans and critics, and the music video has had more than 1 million plays on MySpace. Hanson said that all the songs on the band’s new album hold important messages, but “Me Myself and I” takes on a special meaning for the group because of how it came to be.

“It took a long time to finish that song,” Hanson said. “It was nearing completion about two albums ago but wasn’t finding a home. Completing it now was just a part of what it took to make it what it was supposed to be. We were waiting to do the song justice.”•

PREVIEW

WHO: Hanson with Rooney

WHEN: 8 p. m. Wednesday

WHERE: Club Infinity, 8166 Main St., Clarence

TICKETS: $25

INFO: 270-4990, www.infinityconcerts.com

Cape Code Times

By CAROLINE HUGHES
chughes90@gmail.com
July 15, 2010

Being famous for a smash hit with a chorus that goes, “Mmm bop, ba duba dop/Ba du bop, ba duba dop,” could be a source of embarrassment for Zac Hanson, 24. But Zac — who plays in the group Hanson with older brothers Taylor and Isaac — relishes the memory of “MMMBop,” the band’s first hit from 1997 with that gets-stuck-in-your-head chorus.

“I was 11 (when the song was released), and we wrote that song when I was 8, and I love that song. It’s not exactly what I am today (but) I’m still able to be proud of it because I wrote it,” he says.

The three brothers collaborate on their albums, sharing lead vocals. Zac plays drums, with Taylor, 27, on piano, and Isaac, 29, playing bass.

The band, which will perform July 23 at Cape Cod Melody Tent in Hyannis, has come a long way since the mid-’90s, when female teens gushed over the brothers and “MMMBop” played from every pop radio station. Now, the three brothers are married with children. But they still haven’t lost their unique pop/rock ‘n’ roll- inspired sound.

Released in June, “Shout It Out” is Hanson’s fifth studio album and has a sound clearly influenced by the brothers’ favorite performers. Sweet piano melodies and upbeat pop beats mask the seriousness of the lyrics. As the title suggests, it’s about getting through a tough time by letting loose and dancing, says Zac.

Zac cites Tom Petty, Otis Redding, Sammy Davis Jr. and the Temptations as influences behind the record.

Zac believes strongly in Hanson’s natural sound that’s unaffected by technology and by popular musical molds.

“‘Shout It Out’ definitely doesn’t sound like what’s on the radio. I mean, there’s no vocoder (a voice-changing piece of software in many current pop songs) on it, but it’s just what we do. We just figure you make the music you’re passionate about and people will respond to a passion in your music. But if you go and try and chase things, not only will you not be happy but you’ll be left without a career and nothing to show for it.”

Maybe it was the break with their major record label in 2003 and the subsequent creation of their own independent record label 3CG that have allowed the band so much freedom. Hanson has done some unusual things lately that major record labels might not have allowed, including covering the song “Furry Walls,” featured in the comedies “Get Him to the Greek” and “Forgetting Sarah Marshall.” The band also plans to play five concerts singing every song from its albums and stream live on the Internet.

Being on an independent label has its challenges, too, says Zac. Now, the three brothers are personally responsible for their successes and their failures. But at the same time, they have been able to transform the way they communicate with fans to keep up with a changing music industry, with events like the live stream and an active blog on their website.

Record labels make the mistake of not changing, he says. Instead, “(Record labels would say) ‘Hopefully we’ll sell a million records at Target.’ It’s not the future of music,” Zac says.

“I’m not saying I know exactly what it is, but it’s not that. We want to put ourselves in the position that we’re looking to the future. … It might take a decade before (record labels) start live streaming with bands.”

The Jonas Brothers appeal to young female fans like Hanson did in years past. But Zac says the only similarity of the brother bands is how they’ve coped with outside pressures and the “visceral reaction” of their teenage fans.

“I think in general they have really handled themselves well. … I always appreciate when people keep the dirty laundry not in public and keep it behind the scenes,” he says.

Unlike the JoBros, Hanson never wanted to be on TV or in movies.

“We just never felt like we were actors. Granted, I would love to star in ‘Star Wars’ because I’m a nerd,” Zac says, laughing.

The following stations have added Thinking ‘Bout Somethin’ to their rotation:
WAHR – Huntsville, AL
KVLY – McAllen TX
KLTG – Corpus Christi TX
KPEK – Albuquerque NM
KYKY – ST Louis
WWMX – Baltimore MD
WTSS – Buffalo NY

If you live in the listening area, request the song! If you hear it played – call and request it again and say that you appreciate the station playing the song.

The Stir at Cafe Mom

The Hanson clan is expanding once again. This time it’s Zac Hanson, who recently announced that he and his wife, Kate, are expecting the arrival of their second child.

“I am so excited about the new addition to our growing family and for the stories and inspiration this person will bring to the world,” he told People.

Zac is one of the boys from boy band Hanson, who exploded on to the scene in the 1990s with songs like “MMMBop” and has been hanging around making music ever since. In June, they released their new album Shout It Out.

The couple already has a 2-year-old son, John Ira Shepherd. Hanson brother Taylor has four children — Ezra, 7 1/2, Penelope, 5, River, 3 1/2, and Viggo, 18 months. Brother Issac has two sons — Everett, 3, and Monroe, 2.

So much potential for so many bands. Hanson may well be with us forever!

Are you a fan of Hanson?

TheCelebrityCafe

Drummer Zac Hanson’s wife is expecting their second child.
Michelle Vaccaro

The Hanson brood is getting bigger. Zac Hanson, the youngest brother in the band that brought you “MMMBop” in the 90’s, and his wife Kate are preparing for the birth of their second child.

The 24-year-old drummer told People, “I am so excited about the new addition to our growing family and for the stories and inspiration this person will bring to the world.”

There is no word on when the baby is due.

Zac and Kate wed in Atlanta in 2006. They have a two-year-old son, John Ira Shepherd.

The Hanson tour bus is already packed with kids. Lead singer Taylor and his wife Natalie have four children, 7-year-old Ezra, 5-year-old Penelope, 3 1/2 –year-old River, and 18-month-old Viggo. The two oldest are featured in the band’s latest video “Thinking ‘Bout Something.”

Older brother Isaac and his wife Nikki have two boys, 3-year-old Everett, and 2-year-old Monroe.