Translation:

With the power of three brothers

The singing Hanson brothers popped into everyone’s knowledge in the middle of the 1990’s with the hit MmmBop that wouldn’t leave you alone. The teen boys however didn’t submit to being child shooting stars. The wonder children who have become manlier still make passionate music.

Suosikki got a hold of the guys, now in their twenties in Madrid, Spain. The oldest singer of the band Isaac, 24, takes care of the talking on the phone while Taylor, 21, and Zac, 19, make noises in the background.
-We have never been to Finland, but we have heard a lot of good things about your country from our Swedish friends. On the European tour starting in a moth we won’t be coming that far up North, but we’d like to be able to visit sometime, says Isaac.
Hanson’s third album Underneath was just released in Finland. The pop/rock album shows a more sensitive side of the trio known for their happy pop. Although there are upbeat rock songs on the record, there is room for intimate and emotional songs, too.
-Broken Angel is one of my favourite songs on the new album. It’s the first song we have produced entirely on our own. We understood that we could do whatever we want from now on.
The guys have made their own songs from the beginning touching subjects close to their hearts. 21-year-old Taylor is a father and the others have had their fair share of heart throbbing.
-There are three songwriters and singers in our band. Everyone has their own taste in music and situation in life, so it’s a little hard to make an album that sounds consistent.
Isaac feels that it’s easy to write songs. A good theme can come across while walking in the streets or while hanging around in the hotel room and staring at the wall.
-I might come up with a song while I walk the streets of Paris or London. Songs are rarely based on actual events. You strive to get different feelings and states of mind. And you don’t have to experience everything yourself to be able to write a song about it. Although I have experienced quite a lot already.
The charming young man has got ingredients for his songs from his own heartaches and perfect moments. According to a rumour Isaac usually names his guitar after his girlfriends. How many guitars do you actually have?
-Pretty many. But only half of that story is true. Me and a friend of mine who is a roadie joke about it. He always asks me who this guitar is, but this is only an inside joke, Isaac laughs.
As his greatest idols Isaac who loves his guitars and girls lists Billy Idol, U2, Bee Gees and Crosby, Stills and Nash.
-Crosby, Stills and Nash is a great example of how the collaboration between three different singers can be more than just the sum of the individual artists. I think it works like that in our band.


Paparazzi distress strikes

The Hansons were young and inexperienced when success hit them, the youngest brother Zac only 11 years old. Sudden success has gotten a hold of many young stars, but Isaac assures us that the blond trio was speared of that.
-I didn’t think about it all and I didn’t let it affect my life. I didn’t want to be famous, I just wanted to make music, so I didn’t go crazy because of my celebrity. At one point I was distressed because of all the photographers. It was nerve-racking to notice that I was photographed even when I spent time on the beach with my friends. I started to feel a little paranoid.
-I have been in a fortunate situation because my smart brothers have always been there to get me back down to earth. I’ve done that to them, too.
According to Isaac working with your brothers doesn’t differ much from making music with friends. If it works, it works.
-Our personalities and musical goals fit. It’s easy to work with my brothers and I think I take it for granted how well we sing vocal parts together.
-Bono from U2 has said that holding a band together is like walking into the ocean and trying to turn the wave around. It’s a hard task, but we have succeeded. Every year I’m happy that we’re still together.
Isaac is the engine of the band who originally got the band together and convinced his metre-tall little brother to get behind the drum kit.
-I was a crazy 11-year-old kid with a great urge to make music. Luckily we had people around us to help us out.
The guys who have soon played together 14 years still stand to look at each other’s faces. They don’t hold back their feelings. When something is getting on their nerves, it’s said out loud and right away.
-Our bass player laughs at our straightforwardness when he hears us. We fight like everyone our age, but this is working because we are always honest with each other.


Shameless life after the hit

MmmBop made Hanson, Hanson. The brothers still perform the song at their gigs, but Isaac can’t hear another MmmBop joke anymore. He assures that he is proud of the song and playing the same song over and over isn’t tiring at all.
-Only few bands ever have such a big hit. That song somehow hit the core of that time. It’s impossible to explain the success of MmmBop, and it would be really vain to assume we would ever have another hit just as big.
-Thanks to MmmBop we got a lot of fans that follow our careers to his day. You can’t be anything but thankful for that.
The songwriters have taken a big leap into the unknown with their third record. They left their record label two years ago and created their own place, 3CG Records.
-It was hard, but the best option. The record company we made our last record, This Time Around, on merged with another huge company that didn’t show any interest in our music. We were just part of the bargain. We felt that our creativity suffered so we decided to try it on our own.
The record company execs future looks sunny. Their first release had more success than expected in the US and soon the guys can take new artists under their wings.
-I would like to help other bands and be a different kind of record company representative. The kind, that really cares about their artists, Isaac Hanson dreams.

(Text: Hanni Maula, Pictures at the courtesy of Bonnier Music Finland )