Nobody does it better Makes me feel sad for the rest Nobody does it half as good as you Baby, you're the best
Nobody does it better Though sometimes I wish someone could Nobody does it quite the way you do Why'd you have to be so good?
~Nobody Does It Better, Carly Simon
'I guess, in 25 years,' Zac Hanson says, 'we won't be [considered] a boy group anymore.'
~Catching Up With Hanson, Erie-Times News, 2000
"There was some divine reason for us to get that music. It wasn't like our parents were hippies," said Taylor. "They had the records, and we picked them up. Our parents were both musical, but really we were just driven. There was some innate musicality between the three of us. There was this one tape from 1958 we'd heard, and we began to sing around the house. Before we knew it, we were performing."
~Catching Up With Hanson, Erie-Times News, 2000
"There is that pressure [to equal the first one]," acknowledged Isaac, the oldest of the trio, at age 20. "Everyone wants you to, and you want to. But it comes down to the toss of the dice. You make the best record you possibly can and put your heart and soul into it, you take constructive criticism when needed, and you go for it. I feel we did make a very good record."
~Catching Up With Hanson, Erie-Times News, 2000
"It was self-perpetuated," Taylor added. "The next thing, before we knew it, we were writing. It just kind of happened. More and more, we began to realize how serious we were about it."
~Catching Up With Hanson, Erie-Times News, 2000
"Not to sound too corny and Partridge Family-ish," Zac added, "but we really get along very well."
~Catching Up With Hanson, Erie-Times News, 2000
The screams persist. Isaac said they use ear monitors, so they can hear their own music. "I really feel lucky to have fans who are that enthusiastic."
~Catching Up With Hanson, Erie-Times News, 2000
16: Tell 16 readers about the Hanson newsletter.
TAYLOR: Friends or actually, Jarrod Gollihare who wrote the official book, he wrote a few articles. And it will include pictures and merchandising that fans can't get anywhere else. It's really for the die-hard Hanson fans, the ones that can't get enough. It's cool because we get to be mad scientists and create all kinds of things for it, drawings or whatever we want to put in there.
~16 Magazine, Fall 1998
16: Are you working with a choreographer for your shows?
ZAC: Oh, we don't dance in the show, we play instruments. That's a misconception. We canīt dance for squat.
~16 Magazine, Fall 1998
16: How are your audiences different in other parts of the world?
TAYLOR: Itīs kind of weird. As far as music and audiences go, itīs pretty universal. Thereīs a lot of screaming everywhere. Everybody knows how to scream!
~16 Magazine, Fall 1998
In the midst of this popster's paradise, the Hanson brothers are reemerging. Taylor's got a new, rugged voice; Isaac has thankfully cut his hair; and adorable little Zac has grown as fast as the Incredible Hulk. But they're still cute, and the best news is that the only thing these guys share with their boy-band brethren is a demographic.
The Hanson trio write their own songs, play their own instruments and, on their second big-label studio recording, This Time Around, announce their intentions loud and clear: This ain't no dog and pony show. Hanson is here to stay.
~E! Interview, May 19, 2000
What did you learn from the last record that carried over to This Time Around?
Taylor: Working with people. We'd done numerous independent records, but in a lot of those situations, it's completely your ball game. It's just you putting your songs down. But when you're signed, it's your first record, and writing with other people is a totally alien thing.
~E! Interview, May 19, 2000
What do you do in Brazil when you're not tending to promotional chores?
Zac: I guess if we were doing something, we'd be going out to clubs and dancing. But it's hard enough to get out of the hotel room in one piece,much less have the strength to do the samba afterward.
~E! Interview, May 19, 2000
Your first act was a tough one to follow. Has that created a lot of pressure?
Taylor: There wasn't a lot of pressure in that way. We put pressure on ourselves just because we're perfectionists about making an album as good as it can be, the songs as good as they can be. You can't start freaking out about what everybody thinks, because in the end you've got to be happy with the album. Of course, you're thinking about how people are going to respond, and you're not going to make a punk album just because you feel like it on a whim, but in the end it does have to be about you feeling great about the record.
~E! Interview, May 19, 2000
Eyes as blue as Tulsa skies, Hair like Oklahoma sand, I could run my hands through forever.
~Tell Me Something Bad About Tulsa, George Strait
MODERATOR: Isaac: When are you going to be in Italy?
ISAAC: Soon I hope---there's lots of great food and lots of beautiful girls in Italy.
~Worlds Chat, 2000
MODERATOR: Where do you all buy your clothes?
ISAAC: All around the world--at thrift stores.
~Worlds Chat, May 2000
MODERATOR: Do you have any hints for aspiring musicians?
ISAAC: Practice makes perfect--and I'm not there yet. Play wherever you can and you gotta love it--you gotta love the music.
~Worlds Chat, May 2000
MODERATOR: What do your grandparents think of all this madness?
ZAC: the one that's left, loves it
ZAC: our grandma loves to rock
~Worlds Chat, May 2000
The crowd and Ratdog were having such a good time that Taylor Hanson couldn't resist subtly slipping behind Chimenti's keyboards during the highlight of the evening, "Saint Steven." Taylor made his presence clear, though, later on as he burned up and down the piano keys. Hanson's appearance wasn't a total surprise since Weir is a fan of Hanson, and he invited the Tulsa trio to play with him at a 1999 gig in New York City.
~Tulsa World, May 2003
Thanks to Marica for today's TAD!
What inspires any song? LIFE. The ups and downs--the emotions that you feel from day to day.
~Isaac, Worlds Chat, May 2000
MODERATOR: What was the most memorable thing that a fan has ever done for you guys?
TAYLOR: We get a ton of really cool gifts and letters. There couldn't possibly be just one thing. Probably one of the coolest things is to know that you helped someone.
~Worlds Chat, May 2000
All the music you listen to influences you in some way just because you like listening to it.
~Zac, Worlds Chat, May 2000
ZAC's gotta have long hair because he's the drummer--headbanging and all.
~Isaac, Worlds Chat, May 2000
MODERATOR: Would you recommend becoming famous to everyone else?
TAYLOR: Just go to getfamous.com- hehehehehe
~Worlds Chat, May 2000
MODERATOR: What excites you all the most about the release of 'This Time Around'?
ZAC: I think just getting the music out for all the fans to hear and tell us what they think.
~Worlds Chat, May 2000
MODERATOR: Do you prefer webcast or TV events? ZAC: web cast you get to sit around in your pajamas and no one can see you and you get feedback immediately.
~Worlds Chat, May 2000
MODERATOR: What do guys think about the whole MP3 issue?
ZAC: mp3's can be good as long as you buy the album!
~Worlds Chat, May 2000
MODERATOR: Were you riding the dirt bikes in the 'If only' video, or were they stunt people?
ZAC: They were stunt men.
ZAC: We rode a lot during the shooting of the video but the people you see are stunt men.
~Worlds Chat, May 2000
Thanks to Marica for the capture. :)
We go to fan web sites all the time. You guys are extremely creative!
~Taylor, Worlds Chat, May 2000
MODERATOR: When you guys go online, what web sites do you visit?
ISAAC: I like ebay and Worlds. I like ebay because I am a very big Lego connoisseur since I was three.
ZAC: The secret room that no one else knows about.
ISAAC: The space platform.
TAYLOR: I like the MOE room.
~Worlds Chat, May 2000