Phil: I heard the new song. In fact in sounded a little like extreme, a little bit... in fact, Taylor is singing a little bit like Kurt Cobain! I know you're going to find that hard to believe...
Jackie: I do find that hard to believe! When can we all hear it?
Phil: Well, you can download some stuff off the internet, but I'm not allowed to say that on the air. But also er...
Jackie: Lucky you didn't!
Phil: ...a couple more days time until we find out more about Hanson. But yeah, Taylor's kind of singing like, like a Kurt. I mean it's not like you know Nirvana "Come as you are" (sings with heavy voice)...
Jackie: Sure, but we're gonna hear a difference though.
Phil: Exactly, he's got that really grungy kind of voice going.
Jackie: Cool.
Phil: On the phone I believe we have a Hanson.
Zac: Hello? (whispered voice)
Phil: Hello
Zac: How are you?
Phil: Which one is that? (whispering)
Zac: This is Zac
Phil: I can never tell with you guys anymore cos you all sound so
different.
Zac: Yeah I know. I don't think that I've gotten a single person in the
last like month when I pick up the phone to say "Hey Zac".
Phil: Is that right?
Zac: Hey Tay how are you?
Phil: Is that right? Cos I can never tell cause I've heard that you are a big
bloke now...you're going to be playing for the Steelers next season, is
that right?
Zac: Exactly!
Phil: Yeah?
Zac: Yes I've been working on my football!
Phil: I want to talk to you about that in just a moment. Jack's got the Goss
coming up...
Phil: How long has it been since you've heard some stuff, some new stuff?
Jackie: Its been years
Phil: Years?
Jackie: Hmm, since I've heard new stuff
Phil: The wait is over! The new singles are out...This Time Around and If
Only! In fact I had a listen to them today, while I was on the phone
and actually in the car with the guys from the record company. Let talk
the talk right now with the guys from Hanson. Zac! How are ya doing
dude?
Zac: I'm doing good
Phil: Good, good. I'm not going to mention that other thing any more cause I know
that it doesn't matter anymore.
Zac: What oh the rap act?
Phil: Yep.
Zac: Well you know, I think it just never quite materialised.
Phil: I know. You destroyed my dream.
Zac: I'm sorry maybe, maybe we can uh...well you know, now that we've
gotten some um.. recording equipment at our house, you know, that we use for
demoing the new record.
Phil:Oh, it's that whole, yeah. I'll be coming over. I'll be standing there knocking on the door for two days, I'll be there. Yeah sure "Zac, Zac", I'll be behind the door "Zac Zac, can I come in and do some rapping". You know?
Zac: Yeah I'll be like "Noooo"!
Phil: "It's him" (laughs)
Zac: Seriously!
Phil: I'm going to change the subject. I've moved on to Ice T man. I'm
going to bigger waters now.
Zac:Yeah, please, please do!
Phil: You'll be ringing me next, you know what I mean?
Zac: Exactly. I was actually thinking about it.
Phil: Yeah...sure! Ok. So listen, you've gone back in the studio. You've
got the album out. It's all going on!
Zac: Uh yeah! Um we are, the album, I don't know exactly when it's coming
out in Australia, but I believe its coming out May 9th in the States.
Phil: April 17th. Your record company here...cause they are going to let
me know everything that I need to know as we go along, so...April 17.
Have you got a title for it yet?
Zac: Um it's called "This Time Around"
Phil: This Time Around. Which is the new single in America!
Zac:Yeah that's the single in the States, Canada and I believe Germany also. Yeah
we've, you know, as far as the title of the album...I think it was just kind of...that
song represented the rest of the album pretty well. We thought the sound
of that song was a good representation, so we decided to go with that.
Phil: Well, and I like how Taylor's singing these days. He sounds like he's 28, you know what I mean?
Zac: Exactly. Thats nice.
Phil: Has he been listening to Rammstein or something like that?
Zac: Maybe. I don't know.
Phil: Has he got like..
Zac: Maybe he's been listening to that in a dark corner or somewhere.
Phil: Ah is that right? Does he still practice in front of the mirror? His
like you know, singing stances and stuff?
Zac: Uh, I guess. I don't think we've ever really done that.
Phil: Don't lie! Come on Zac...
Zac: Ok, I sing in the shower, you're right. (in a joking guilty voice)
Phil: There you go! (laughs). Don't you ever stand in front of the mirror
with your tennis racquet, you know, like jumping up from one bed to
the other doing guitar solos.
Zac: I uh... no.
Phil: Ok then, drum solos?
Zac: Yeah, maybe!
Phil: Yeah, there you go. Taking your shirt off and all that sort of thing.
Zac: Exactly.
Phil: So how's it been received by the people that you've played it to?
Zac: Um, well so far we've gotten a great response. I mean the general
first reaction is "wow".
Phil: Yeah! Well it is different isn't it?
Zac: Have you heard the stuff?
Phil: Yeah, I've heard two tracks yeah. I mean I wasn't allowed to
keep it. Cos you know, they knew that I'd go straight down to 'Cash
Converters'.
Zac: Exactly. But uh (giggles as he gets the joke) You know, I think...
we've gotten a really good response from most of the people that have
heard it, and um, we've just started actually putting songs out on the
internet. So if you go to Hansonline.com you can hear, I believe a
minute of This Time Around, and I believe like a minute of, of uh, Dying to
Be Alive and If Only I believe should be being put up pretty soon.
Phil: Yeah, that's going to be the single in Australia. Cause we are going
to other way round over here.
Zac: Yeah, you guys are going for If Only...and we are going to be doing the
video this weekend.
Phil: Oh right. Tell me about that.
Zac: Uh, well, it's you know, it's just kinda out in the desert. It's kind of partying.
It's cool.
Phil: Ok, so you're not going to give anything away then?
Zac: Not really.
Phil: Ok
Zac: I'll let you see it and, and look at it.
Phil: Cause here's the thing right. The last time we saw you guys was, I mean really,
was you know, MMMBop and all that sort of thing. And then um, I mean we haven't
seen you really for about, what, three years or so now.
Zac: Yeah I know, I believe that it was in 97
Phil: Yeah so I mean, how much has the look changed now? I mean, have you shaved
your head and got earrings and stuff?
Zac: Well Ike and Tay, both have shorter hair. Ike has really short, and
Tay has medium. I mean I guess, Tay has an earring.
Phil: And you've got that big snake tattoo on the back now that you don't
want to talk about.
Zac: Oh yeah, that! That...I actually tattooed a shirt on my body.
Phil: (laughs) Is that right? Cause you just hate washing. I know! Your Mum told me
you just hate washing. There's so many Hansons that it's just easier.
Zac: "Zac take of that shirt"...noooo!
Phil: It doesn't come off! It doesn't come off!
Zac: Yeah!
Phil: So who did the song writing?
Zac: Um, we did. We actually ended up writing all the songs by ourselves on
this record, so I mean it was good. The last record, we kinda, it was
just kind of, you know, the first record...so we went through the whole thing
of writing songs with other people...trying stuff out. And I guess the new thing this time was that we co-produced the record...with Stephen
Lironi, again.
Phil: So, what happened? You had like three different producers I
heard. Rick Ocasek at one stage?
Zac: Well, what happened was, starting out we wanted to maybe try something
different and we uh, we looked at a bunch of producers and we settled on
Rick, and we tried some songs with him. I believe we did three or four
songs with him. And then you know, when we finished that, it was just kind of like
missing a sound that we all were hearing. So we decided to um, work
with Stephen Lironi again, which we did most of the last album with.
Phil: All right I want to talk to you about the last album. We also want to
find out what's happening with Tay and Zac, with Isaac rather I should
say. We'll get back to that in just a moment.
Phil: Hey I think we've got Ike on the line now.
Ike: Hello! ( deep voice )
Phil: Hey big fella, how are you?
Ike: I am very good. You know we just did an ID for you actually.
Phil: Oh is that right?
Ike: Yeah, we did an ID. We were like "Hey this is Hanson and you're listening to Australia's No. 1 interactive chart, "Hot Hits!" With Ugly Phil and Jackie O. (starts to put on voice) ...and man is he ugly!
Phil: But I mean, what about the personal touch?
Ike: Ah, the personal touch....
Phil: You know like...
Ike: You know, we, we tried, you know. We were just kind of, you know keeping it real.
Phil: Ike (chuckles) you've turned into Ice T man! Ike T! Keeping it real!
Ike: Yeah, you know, I'm just keeping it real! I'm talking to the peeps, you know what I'm saying! I'm in touch with the peeps!
Phil: Now listen I wanna tell you something. All the chicks in the record company, and they're here right now, have been raving about what a babe you are.
Ike: Oh, Oh my!
Phil: Yeah I know.
Ike: That's, that's frightening.
Phil: I know, because you know, the braces are off now, the hairs short, you've been working out at the gym, you've got that Ferrari now. (laughs)
Ike: (laughs) Well ok, maybe two of those things hopefully are true.
Phil: Well forget about the gym.
Ike: I have no braces, I did cut my hair, but I don't know about the workout thing and the Ferrari.
Phil: Yeah that's right. Well you know, your Dad's got to pay the rent, there are so many Hansons. Where do you think the money has to go?
Ike: (chuckles)
Phil: Hey, so listen I was talking to Zac about the new sound. I mean it's completely different to the previous stuff that we knew.
Ike: Uh well, yeah I mean it's kind of interesting. I...It'll be cool to see how people respond. So far we've had a very positive response. I mean, I'm not sure, how uh, the fans will respond to it. I mean I imagine some will be really into it and some may be less into it. It's going to be cool to see what happens. But we are very excited about how the record turned out. We feel very good about, you know, the new sound of the record and just the songs and everything like that. So you know, hopefully it's going to be a positive thing!
Phil: Well, This Time Around, I wouldn't have picked as being you guys to be honest with you. You know, when I heard it in the car a moment ago I though, you know its such a different, much more mature sound. Its obviously the sound that you were looking for, but yeah, your fans are going to be really surprised aren't they?
Ike: Yeah, I, it was very funny because actually, there was some kind of call in show that was done...I'm trying to remember what radio station it was. It was somewhere in the states. And they said, you know, "tell us what you think of this song, and this is an anonymous artist and maybe you can let us know who you think it is!" And so, people called in and it was a really high approval rating. Everybody really liked it. And only about one third of the people actually knew that it was us.
Phil: Right, and what were they saying? Like which bands did they think it was?
Ike I don't remember what they said. I don't remember what they said, but I imagine they definitely didn't think it was us.
Phil: It sounds like a bit extreme. Do you remember extreme?
Ike: Oh yeah, I remember that band yeah.
Phil : Yeah, but better than them, of course.
Ike: (laughs) Well you know, I really don't know.
Phil: It reminded me of something off the (something) album of the Beatles.
Ike: Oh yeah?
Phil: Is that getting better?
Ike: Hey, yeah, that's a good problem to have.
Phil: Thank God, good. Cos I thought I was in trouble there for a second.
Ike: Yeah well no, hey, if we can sound like the Beatles, man! That's good!
Phil Yeah that's right. Beatles - who man? Hanson - whole different story, you know what I mean?
Ike: (laughs)
Phil: Not even in the same league!
Ike: I think your stretching it there!
Phil: Yeah, not even in the same league. Beatles - what? Get outta here. So how do you think people are going to perceive you now? Cause you had the sort of teeny bop thing last time round, and this time round and you are obviously looking for an older sound. Do you think there'd be that sort of old Hanson stigma going on there at all?
Ike: Um, I guess you never know what going to happen. We really love the fans that we have, that we have had. We look forward to, you know, what the response to the record is going to be. Yeah I mean, honestly, we'd love for everybody who bought the last record to buy this one! Because that's really, you really want the opportunity to kind of take everybody on a journey in a sense. You want these people, your fans, to be able to experience new things. And as you evolve and change and things happen, that they can appreciate everything for what it is. Hopefully they gravitate towards the new record.
Phil: I gues what I mean is, last time you were out here, you were a lot younger.
Ike: Yeah
Phil: Now you're older, and the sound is so much older as well. In what way have you changed to appeal to an older audience? I mean, I'm 21 and I'm really into it!
Ike: Yeah, yea...you're not 21! Liar.
Phil: Come on, just gloss over that bit. The chicks wouldn't have heard that.
Ike: (laughs) Ok. Ok yeah, ok. No, I just had to call you on that!
Phil: Yeah, come on, thanks a lot. Did I mention anything about anything like last time you were here with that stuffed bear? Hey? Nothing!
Ike: I...you know what? I thought that was between us man!
Phil: Well you know, you wanted to bring up my age. (laughs)
Ike: Ok, fine! You know what? If we are going to be cutting here, you know, I've got some stories man. I've got some stories.
Phil: No hey, listen lets just keep it between us. Hang on a sec. (cuts off Isaac) I'll have to hold it there for a sec. I can't believe that guy Jack.
Jackie: What?
Phil: He, he he...nothing's sacred! He just can't stop. You don't see me getting on the air talking about people's private lives.
Jackie: Oh, what's that about the bear?
Phil: Hanson! More of them coming up!
Phil: Hey, I got a haircut!
Ike: Wow, so what, is your brain exposed or something?
Phil: (laughs) No, but I've got a new hair colour! I've gone nude!
Ike: Oh wow. I, I'm afraid I'm going to have to opt out of coming to the studio then.
Phil: Thankyou very much. (laughs)
Ike: You know, we're friends and all.
Phil: Yeah yeah yeah.
Ike: But I just don't feel comfortable seeing you nude.
Phil: Yeah, hold on I want to find out more details about when you're coming out, and I know it's very soon. And Taylor's on the way as well...back to the countdown....
Phil: Hey listen, you know how you were thinking about before Jack? You and Mark Anthony? And you were thinking to yourself " I get the same thing with Taylor Hanson you know when I hear him sing."
Jackie: YOU do?
Phil: No no no, that's what the listeners are thinking...
Jackie: Oh yeah, see they can relate!
Phil: Yeah, I get that with....what's that girl's name? Jessica Simpson.
Jackie: They're all out there thinking...I wish Taylor would dedicate a song to me on stage!
Phil: I think he's on the phone!...
(crackling noises as Taylor picks up the phone)
Taylor: Hey Phil. How's it going?
Phil: Hey Buddy! How are you doing?
Taylor: Very Good! How about yourself?
Phil: Good good.
Taylor: How is Australia?
Phil: Excellent man, listen, well done on the new stuff too. I was just saying how much different your voice sounds these days!
Taylor: Yeah well it happens! One of those things. We tried, there just wasn't anything we could do about it.
Phil: No no, I mean the Kurt Cobain thing you've got going on there, you know what I mean?
Taylor: I don't know! I hadn't thought that!
Phil: No no, it's a much different sound, and well done on that! I heard "This Time Around", which is the one you are releasing in America. And of course "If Only" is the single that people are going to hear here.
Taylor: Uh huh.
Phil: But I can't play it cause its in embargo at this stage. How would you describe it to your fans?
Taylor: What, "This Time Around"?
Phil: Yeah, no actually...
Taylor: Or "If only"?
Phil: Yeah "If only" initially.
Taylor: Well..I don't know. I think as far as the music goes I think it has definitely evolved and changed a little bit. It's pretty hard to pin point it. It probably has gotten a little bit more rock and roll than the last stuff, but we're trying to see what people think. "If Only" is definitely a very upbeat, driving rhythm kinda song. And John Popper played a solo in the middle of that. That was really cool. He's an amazing player. Um you know, you kinda have to hear it! We're excited to hear what people think, you know, what you guys think.
Phil: Well, Isaac was saying that they did a bit of a poll on an American radio station and no one could pick it as Hanson and it got a really good approval rating. That's the new single in America, "This Time Around". So, that's really good for you guys, you know what I mean?
Taylor: Yeah well, it is kinda cool in some ways. We are kind of excited about the fact that it's a little bit different because you can kind of... In some ways it's a little bit like you can reinvent yourself. You're able to come out and say "well here's this new sound" and kind of approach it from a different perspective. With Hanson, like, some people who weren't necessarily into the last album can kind of go "oh" you know, " I like this stuff".
Phil: I was saying that to Ike.
Taylor: Oh sorry?
Phil: I was saying to Ike that, you know, you've got that old Hanson sound, you've got the new Hanson sound. It's going to be completely different. I mean it's not the mmmbopping sort of thing at all anymore is it.
Taylor: Well, I mean, its hard to say for me you know. For us it's just like a gradual evolution, as far as the sound goes. I think it does definitely have a different vibe to it, but I would say it has a lot of the elements that the other did. It's still heavily vocal. I would say the big thing that's different is the song writing style, you know. You grow, you change, you try different things. And then the voice thing too. Voices have changed. But you know, it will be cool to see what people think. I think you can still listen to it and go " Ok that's Hanson. I connect with that." as you listen through the album, so...
Phil: Sure. Well I mean you're coming down here. You and I are going to celebrate out 18th birthdays. March 14!
Taylor: Oh yeah!
Phil: Which is going to be great!
Taylor: Your turning 18? You are only 17?
Phil: Yeah
Taylor: Yeah, that's wild! You are only a year older than me! That...that's interesting!
Phil: Oh, I thought you were older than I was!
Taylor: Yeah well
Phil: No.
Taylor: That...that's crazy!
Phil:Yeah well, anyway, that's going to be happening March 14. And Ike called me a liar too. Thanks for that!
Taylor: (laughs)
Phil: (laughs) So what can we expect? You're going to come down, you going to promote the new stuff, you're going to do a whole bunch of instores...and that's happening in 4 weeks time!
Taylor: Yeah! that's coming up very soon! And we are just really really excited to be going down to Australia, we really can't wait to come!
Phil: That's exactly right! Like last time.
Taylor: There has been a way too long of a wait, and we can't wait to be down there, and be talking to you in person!
Phil: Well of course! And, and, I've heard a big tour of a rumour, rather a rumour of a tour, round the end of the year as well for Australia!
Taylor: Yeah well that's. That's, the plan at the beginning of the summer, once we've been down to Australia, just done some promotion, we are then going to go back, and start, back to the states and kind of pull the tour together. Then we'll be touring around.. really the world, and definitely Australia. Absolutely!
Phil: Oh right! Good to talk to you. There you go! Taylor, Taylor Hanson! Also Zac and Isaac. We'll see them in four weeks time!
Phil: Taylor and Crystal - talk to talk.
Crystal: If you could be anybody in the world for one day who would you be and what would you do?
Taylor: If I could be one person in the world... Wow! Well, you know Phil, I am such a big fan of you...
Phil: Oh there ya go! Just cos I just wanna be you just for just like a minute, you know what I mean?
Taylor: I wish I could be you!
Crystal: Why would you wanna be him?
Phil: Shut up Crystal!
Taylor: Why would I wanna be Ugly Phil?
Crystal: He is bald and he's...
Taylor: (laughs)
Phil: Don't give that away! That is a secret!
Crystal: Where has all his hair gone anyway?
Taylor: Because I think it would be fun to be....I actually love... radio is really a lot of fun to do, so maybe for a day, that would be something crazy and of course, Phil you're my idol!
Phil: Oh come on! Stop that now! Stop it! If I was you...Taylor if I was you I'd just spend all day looking in the mirror going "Me, man, ME!"
Taylor: (laughs) Well if I was you I would walk around without a mirror!
Phil: With a bag on your head? Yeah I know.
Taylor: Exactly....
Phil: Hang on there a second Crystal. Hey Alex, do you wanna speak to Taylor quickly?
Alex: Oh, Ok.
Phil: Go on then!
Taylor: Hey Alex, this is Taylor. How's it going?
Alex: Hi Tay!
Taylor: Hi!
Alex: I heard that you'll be releasing "This Time Around" in the States and "If Only" for the rest of the world, and I was wondering why you decided to do that instead of releasing the same single everywhere?
Taylor: Um, well to be honest, it was kind of um...it was kind of the international, the label and our decision, because of the market, you know, just the international markets are different than the States. The States were really supportive of that as the first single. You know, the plan is that "This Time Around" would be the second single, so you guys will hear that very soon. But, I dunno, it's one of those decisions that... ah, you know, you can't quite figure that out but I... you know... it was just the that call we decided to make.
Phil: Hang on a second Alex ok hold on. Alright I've got one more caller hang on buddy...(voice fades for a moment)
(Ugly Phil listening to the replay: Oh jeez, I'm good aren't I. (sarcastic) Come on, get it together me!)
Hey Liv! You know that Taylor Hanson said that if he was ever to go out with a girl in Australia, he'd go out with a girl called Liv?
Liv: Well that doesn't surprise me, that's kind of what I figured!
Taylor: (laughs)
Phil: Say hi to Taylor!
Liv: Hi, how are you?
Taylor: Hi it's Taylor! How is it going?
Liv: I am really good, thanks! Are you good?
Taylor: I am very good! How about you?
Liv: Are you having fun?
Taylor: That's good. Are we having fun?
Liv: Yeah...
Taylor: Oh, always. Of course we're on the Ugly Phil show.
Phil: What's your question to Taylor, buddy?
Liv: I was just wondering if he feels that the evolution of that sound will influence a different audience this time around?
Taylor: Um, well I, you know, I guess you would hope so because that has changed a little bit, it has kinda taken a different turn. But I think you always hope you can gain new fans, you always hope you that can grab new people, that would say "Oh I wasn't necessarily into Hanson before, now I like them", or something like that. You hope so... You hope that you can... we hope that we can grab the fans that were into the last record! And that would be the first step. And if we gain new ones then that would be even better!
Liv: That's very cool.
Phil: Yeah and you can see the guys in 4 weeks time as well because Taylor and I are, like, gonna have a big birthday party to celebrate my 17th and his 18th.
Liv: Really?
Taylor: (laughs)
Liv: I wanna come.
Phil: Yeah, well, maybe you'll be able to. You'll have to wait and see. Ok?
Liv: Ok.
Taylor: (laughs)
Phil: Remember - the bigger the present, the bigger the invite!
Liv: Ah.
Taylor: Ah. See, that's...you see that's Phil's rule.
Phil: Come on now!
Taylor: I thought you were gonna take all the presents. (laughs)
Phil: I thought we were in leads of this whole thing! Hold on there a second...
THE END!
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