| Two
years ago you couldn't turn on the TV or radio without hearing Hanson's
'MMMBop'. The album sold loads, then they disappeared to make a new one
and that was the last we saw of them. Until now!
We're holed up in LA's
glamorous Four Seasons Hotel waiting for the band that made long, blond
hair the must-have accessory for '98! Taylor's the first to arrive and
immediately starts chatting to anyone who'll listen. "Man, I've had
my ear pierced at the top and it's been really painful!" Isaac
arrives next, the first member to lose the trademark long hair, then Zac
saunters in, about a foot taller and looking altogether more grown-up.
Rest assured though, there's still the same cheeky grin all over his
face. "Sorry I'm late, man!"
Alright lads, where
have you been?
Taylor: Everybody's gonna think we've just been hanging out but
we've been pretty busy! We've done loads of touring and made an album
too so it kind of feels like business as usual for us. It slowed down a
lot for us last year cos we spent most of it in the studio working on
the new record. We're still kind of in studio mode - eating lots of
pizza, never going out in sunlight, that kind of thing!
Ike: It does feel like we've been away from the UK for a long
time though...
Are you the same
Hanson as before or are you all grown-up now?
Zac: We've all gotten a little bigger and the hair's changed a bit!
Ike: But we're the same goofs we always were!
Taylor: It's so funny for us. We were at this festival last year
and they announced, 'Here's Hanson,' and everybody was screaming at us
going nuts...
Ike: ...We all looked at each other and couldn't stop laughing.
It's like, 'Wait, we're just three dorks from Oklahoma', you know? it
blows your mind!
Still playing with the
Lego then?
Zac: We've kind of moved on from playing with Lego now, dude!
Taylor: Yeah we don't play with it anymore, we create and
collect! We goof around with it's like we're into the vintage stuff. We
find pieces that really get us excited, like, 'Wow, the orginal gold
castle with all the pieces, yeah!' We still fool around like we always
have done. I mean we have dirt bikes and we've taken up surfing since
we've been out here in California.
Ile: It's been cool to hang out with our friends again - just
going to the movies and doing normal stuff like playing soccer or
basketball.
Come on, own up, who
has a girlfriend?
Taylor: I knew this was going to come up! Well, at the moment we're
all free and single but sure we've had girlfriends over the past year.
OK, let's change the
subject. Are you nervous about releasing a new single after all this
time?
Taylor: I wouldn't say we were nervous. We're excited about it but
it doesn't give you butterflies.
Zac: I think it's gonna be great because 'If Only' is not really
like a lot of music around at the moment and that's cool.
Ike: You make the best album you can and you plug it as much as
you can and then it's out of your hands - it's up to the fans buying it.
Taylor: We had a big party for our friends to listen to the album
and tell us what they thought. It was pretty nerve-wracking but it was
cool, everybody really liked it.
So, you're a bit older
and wiser these days but has your music changed at all?
Zac: For me, it's still totally Hanson. The voices have changed a
bit - they're a little deeper these days - and we're kind of more rock
'n' roll now but we still have that pop sound. As songwriters we've
totally improved.
Everyone assumed your
brothers and sisters would join the band as soon as they were old
enough, any new additions?
Ike: No way!
Zac: We're not looking for anyone to join the band, especially
not relatives! If they want to pursue music we'll encourage them, just
as long as it's not in our band! It's just the three of us.
Have your roles in the
band changed?
Taylor: Well, I think it's pretty obvious that I'm the diplomat!
You'll be pleased to know that Zac's still the crazy goofball but he can
be extremely stern too. If there's a problem Zac's the guy to send in to
work it through. Ike's the creative, ideas guy and I guess cos he's the
eldest he's the leader.
Ike: Well, everybody's very creative. I see myself as the
scatterbrain, I'm always forgetting things!
Taylor: We take it in turns to be in charge and I think that
helps make it work.
Zac: Sometimes I gotta kick some butt to get these guys to do
stuff but hey, what can you do?!
Words: Dan Cleeve
See what
TOTP made of 'If Only' and 'This Time Around' in the reviews
section! |
