Exeter News-Letter
Apr 06, 2004 |
Just one day after their new single "Penny & Me" debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard Top 200 Singles chart, Hanson rolled into downtown Exeter in a white van on Friday.
Famous pop stars on the streets of Exeter are a rare sight, but the historic Ioka Theatre seemed a perfect venue for Hanson to show local fans they’re making a comeback.
The boys from Tulsa created a wild scene in town Friday when they showed up for a gig as celebrity judges at the Seacoast Idol 2 singing competition hosted by Portsmouth radio station WERZ.
While the show was really about 10 finalists competing for the title of "Seacoast Idol," Hanson stole the show with two performances on the Ioka stage, including their new hit song "Penny & Me."
Before their appearance Friday night, the Hanson brothers - Isaac, 23; Taylor, 21; and Zac, 18 - sat down with The Exeter News-Letter to talk about where they’ve been, their return to the pop music scene, and the American Idol phenomenon that is turning unknowns into instant stars.
On the day of their arrival in Exeter, Hanson had just learned that the debut of "Penny & Me" was the No. 2 song in the country. Beating them out for the No. 1 spot was newcomer Clay Aiken, the runner-up in last year’s American Idol competition who was a college student studying special education before the hit Fox television show transformed him into a pop star.
Despite America’s fascination with "American Idol," the Hansons said they’re not big fans of the show. In fact, they claim they’ve watched an entire episode of the just once or twice.
Taylor said he’s usually watching something else on the tube when "Idol" comes on, but admitted there’s little time for television with the band’s crazy schedule.
"We’re not consistent TV watchers," Isaac insisted.
Their music keeps them busy. "When we have free time, we make music," Zac said.
While they support the concept of the show - searching America for talented singers - the Hansons said "American Idol" is hardly reality for the 99 percent of artists who struggle for years to get their music heard.
"The idea of being auditioned by a couple of people and becoming a pop star is a myth," Taylor said.
Most artists face continual rejection before finally getting their big break.
So what do the Hansons think of their "American Idol" competitor who beat them on last week’s Billboard chart?
"I think Clay has a decent voice," Isaac confessed, adding that time will tell whether Clay can keep up the momentum.
Meanwhile, Taylor, who said Clay seems like a "really good guy," isn’t convinced the Idol craze will continue forever.
"Now it’s a frenzy, but it’ll fade out and won’t be as hot as it is now," he said.
The Seacoast Idol 2 competition was Hanson’s first shot at being celebrity judges. Since the brothers now live in New York, the trip to Exeter, they said, wasn’t that far.
Hanson spent last year performing at sold-out shows on an acoustic tour and recording their third full-length album, "Underneath," which will go on sale April 20.
The band was nominated for three Grammies after their No. 1 smash hit "MMMBop!" made them famous in 1997. Loyal fans have been listening ever since.
Though four years have passed since the release of Hanson’s last album, the brothers are ready to wow their fans again.
"There’s always going to be time in between albums," Taylor said.
The time since the last album gave Taylor a chance to marry wife Natalie, and have a son Ezra, now 17 months old. Zac, once the little boy on drums with the long hair, is now as tall as his brothers and has chopped off the hair. Isaac, the oldest of the group, has matured as well.
The Hansons offered some advice for singers with dreams of making it big in a tough music industry.
"The most important thing is to identify in your mind where you want to go as an artist," Taylor said. "You can’t walk around and say, ‘Give me the key to the castle.’ Before you get anywhere, you’ve got to figure out who you want to be."
Added Isaac: "As we always say, the job starts when someone says no."
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