Do you remember those kids from the band Hanson? The three brothers from Oklahoma?
Drummer Zac Hanson was 6 when Hanson hit the big time with brothers Taylor and Isaac. Zac turned 23 this past Wednesday.
The Trio from Tulsa 11 months ago played a sold-out show at The Chance in Poughkeepsie. And based on that performance and the solid legacy these kids have built before reaching the age of 25, Chance co-owner Frank Pallett invited them back to play again Saturday.
“I was impressed by the way the guys have matured into a talented bunch,” Pallett said. “A band that may have been labeled as a kid band that stands the test of time makes a statement in itself.”
During a recent telephone interview with the Journal, Taylor Hanson covered a lot of ground. He discussed:
- The Beatles, Sly and the Family Stone and Gov’t Mule.
- Raising money for cancer research.
- Buying shoes for victims of poverty in the third world.
- AIDS.
And during part of that phone conversation, a baby cried in the background.
Wait a second? The guys from Hanson are old enough to be fathers? Indeed they are – Taylor has three children, Isaac has two and Zac has one.
What about “MMMBop”? Remember that catchy tune? Hanson’s first hit?
That song didn’t even come up in the conversation.
Ever wonder just what happens when it’s a Hanson’s birthday and they are on tour? Here is a glimpse of what happened Wednesday night in Hartford for Zac’s 23rd Birthday.
1. Something Going Round
2. Higher (cover)
3. Been There Before
4. Thinking of You
5. Follow Your Lead
6. Great Divide
Acoustic Set
7. Strong Enough to Break
8. Go
9. The Walk (Zac Solo)
10. Believe (Taylor Solo)
11. Fire On The Mountain (ELECTRIC with Taylor on drums)
12. Blue Sky
13. Where’s The Love
14. Running Man
15. Soul Shine (cover)
16. Penny & Me
17. Crazy Beautiful
18. MmmBop
19. Minute Without You
20. Hey
21. Watch Over Me
It was most likely an oversight, says Isaac Hanson, one-third of the pop trio Hanson. He and his two brothers will also be in town and in concert at the House of Blues on election night.
“I am definitely bummed that it’s such an important political season and we’re on the road during it,” Hanson says. “Tour dates are scheduled well in advance and, as an artist, you’re usually not made aware of the dates until your promoters have figured out the logistics of the tour routing.”
Chicago has always been a good town for the band, though, and the band wouldn’t think of canceling the date, he says. “It’s not ideal to be playing on election night, but since Chicago is home to one of the candidates, I can’t think of a better place to be playing.”
Hanson says he and his brothers will vote by absentee ballot, and they’ll be watching returns come in backstage if they can.
“I feel honored to be an American and take the right to vote very seriously,” he says. “We’re very lucky to make these decisions.”
In all likelihood, both Dion and Hanson will have played their final notes before the election outcome is known.
Taylor Hanson says he and his brothers, Zac and Isaac, have never let themselves believe they couldn’t do whatever they wanted, as long as they put their minds to it.
This trait — along with some genuine musical talent — probably explains why this one-time teen pop group has done what is exceedingly rare in the music business. Hanson has built a career in a field where most teen stars see their careers flame out before they’ve reached an age when they can legally drink a beer — even at a venue at which they have performed.
With Hanson’s latest CD, “The Walk,” it appears the group is positioned for the kind of long-term career the three brothers have said they wanted ever since they catapulted to the top of the pop charts with the 1997 hit song “MMMbop,” when they were in their early teens. (Oldest brother Isaac was 16 at the time, and Zac was all of 11.)
Some 14 months after the release of “The Walk,” the CD still has enough life to allow Hanson to return to the concert trail for a three-month tour of the states this fall.
Isaac, Taylor and Zac Hanson have come a long way since their “MMMBop” days. Collectively, the brothers now have six children and middle brother Taylor is expecting his fourth child with wife Natalie this winter. Isaac, the eldest, admits it definitely gets chaotic at times, but jokes about maybe being able to start a football team.
“We’ve got a bunch of boys and we are in Oklahoma,” Isaac laughs, “so I think we might have an offensive line for the Sooners or the Cowboys.”
Go! reporter Sandy Tomcho caught up with Isaac via cell phone from Maryland and chatted about giving back through their various charities and about the Jonas Brothers.
The tour for your album “The Walk” still has you out on the road and you’ve also been doing charity work in Africa. What kind of work?
