The brothers Hanson go indie — or so they claim

by Dayna Evans
Staff Writer

Indie music scenesters may be surprised to learn that there are a couple new kids on the block. And, in retrospect, these new kids can actually be considered veterans.

Eight years ago, when popular music and major labels were shoving boy bands down our throats (don't lie - you enjoyed it, too), there was one group that, despite their cutely feminine faces and catchy hooks, stood out from the rest.

Siblings Zac, Taylor and Isaac Hanson, then aged 11, 16 and 18, respectively, emerged onto our television sets and our radios as the band Hanson with their impeccably annoying hit "MmmBop." Equipped with instruments and not voice tracks, tambourines and not choreography, there is no denying that Hanson set themselves apart from the monotony of the boy-band world circa 1998.

How is it, then, that nearly 10 years later these boys are at it again? One would think that, by now, they would be worn out, ready to retire and live off the fat of the land (Lou Perlman?). Not even close.

Hanson is back, this time with an intense documentary, a live CD, an opening band competition, a new tour and yes - an independent label.

Unlike the Justin Timberlakes and Nick Carters of our generation, the Hanson boys are three gentlemen willing to accept the responsibility of handling their own music in order to maintain their integrity. Originally signed to Mercury, the Hanson brothers felt as though their music was taken care of and not manipulated, until recently, with the belabored release of their album "Underneath."

The album underwent a lot of trials before its eventual release in April 2004; the struggle can be seen in the band's new documentary, "Strong Enough to Break," which will be screened on college campuses across the country.

As a band that has seen the ins and outs of major record labels and the downfalls of the music business, it makes sense that these boys would want their freedom, which they finally have after starting their own independent label. Zac Hanson, the band's youngest member at only 19, spoke of the hardships inherent in this risky endeavor.

"Basically, we [have] become the guinea pig for our own record label," he said. "We get to act out our ideas on ourselves and see if they work before we use them on some other bands that we're signing."

The real question is: Does the indie rock scene choose to trust this newly evolved band as if they were one of its own? The decision is a tough one, but slowly and surely, fans will come around because, well, they're just too gosh-darned cute. When asked if it was hard to be around each other day in and day out, lead man Taylor Hanson responded, "You know, this isn't a band of brothers. This is a band of guys who love music."

How can you turn that down? •

Hanson is scheduled to appear at the Nokia Theater in Times Square on Nov. 2.