Introducing The New Hanson
The Urbanite Talks With Zac

LINDSEY STEPHENSON
February 25, 2005

These are not the guys you remember that MmmBoped their way onto the music scene back in 1997. This extremely talented trio is all grown up and decided to take control of their music. With their new indie status, business savvy, and mature sound, it’s time to give Hanson another shot.

Promoting college radio

Since their farewell to the corporate music industry, Hanson has visited colleges across the country to promote indie music, suggesting that college radio in particular is an excellent vessel for this movement. Zac, the youngest member of the band, remarked, “college radio has an opportunity to bring out the originality [of indie music].” This is a time in people’s lives where they are seeking out music more than they ever will. He also encourages students to pay attention to what is going on in the world of music because the top 40 songs that are being played over and over again are defining our generation. Zac even compares it to voting, noting that no matter what we do someone is going to be president. We can let others decide for us, or we can choose to do something about it. The same is true for the music industry. “If [pop music] doesn’t define who you are and what you want to be represented by, then you need to let your voice be heard,” he said.

In fact, Hanson will actually be making a stop at two Atlanta colleges within the next few weeks to promote the importance of college radio. On Feb. 28, they’ll be at Emory, and on March 1, they’ll be at Georgia State on WRAS (88.5 FM) at 10:00 a.m. In addition to the radio interview, there is speculation about an announcement of a possible free concert on campus. They made Georgia State one of their stops because of its strong interest in the music industry and business as well as WRAS’ support for indie music. “We’re college age guys running our own business,” said Zac. They hope that if not for the music, Georgia State students will be interested in their entrepreneurship.

Stickin’ it to the man

When exactly did Hanson become an indie band you’re wondering? “We have always been a band with an indie state of mind, says Zac. “We’ve always been involved in what we do.” He said that the corporate labels are so gridlocked by the stockholders that “they don’t want to take any risks.” Their former label had no vision for the band, but they didn’t want Hanson to go in their own direction. This indecision took a serious toll on their fan base, which had to wait three years for the release of their second album and five years for their third. During their time at Island Def Jam records, the label recognized that they had sold lots of records and made lots of money, but this traditionally rap and hip-hop company had no idea what to do with Hanson, very much a pop-rock group.

So, the brothers decided to take matters into their own hands with the creation of their record label, 3CG Records. They fund the label solely with their money. Rather than investing in houses and cars, they decided to invest in themselves. A very articulate businessman, Zac explained that the corporate system is all wrong, investing here and there in thousands of bands and dropping them if things don’t workout after the first try. But the Hanson mindset is different. “ We’re not going to work with anyone who we don’t have a long-term vision for,” he said.

And this vision of the rise of indie music does not only include aspirations for themselves. Working to create a community of “musicians who are like-minded,” Hanson is creating a website devoted to independent bands, ones who don’t have major distribution. This upcoming website, Are You Listening, will work to connect bands of similar styles and broaden their fan bases.

Making the transition

“The hardest thing about being an indie band,” says Zac, “is that you have to be the artist and the businessman at the same time.” He laments that when you are only the artist it is easy to let yourself be the pawn in everyone else’s game when it comes to the business side.

Zac hopes that with the new record, audiences will take them for what they are; a serious, more mature and talented band. The biggest struggle they faced at the beginning of their careers dealt with people looking at them as too young. Zac says that this time, “people should take the music for what it is rather than for what we look like.” And going indie has allowed them to do just that.

Continuing with acoustic sets, interviewing with a plethora of local media, and playing at campuses around the country has given the band a new grassroots sort of appeal. “It is important to be here, instead of up on a big stage,” says Zac. They want to promote themselves in a different way than they have in the past, reintroducing themselves in an intimate more personal manner.

Underneath

Promoting their record Underneath, these boys from have been around the world and back making stops in the UK, South America Australia, Indonesia, Japan and all over Europe. When asked where home is, Zac replied, “somewhere between Tulsa, New York, and Newnan, Ga.”

They have found overwhelming support in the sold-out arenas they’ve been playing in on this current tour and have sold nearly 200,000 copies of Underneath in the states alone. On this album, they have proven once more their talent and song craftsmanship with their impeccable three-part harmonies and moving lyrics. Working together as musicians for 13 years and as professionals for over six, there is no doubt that as long as there is music these brothers will come together as three individuals to form a sound that is uniquely Hanson.