NEWSHanson on Their New Music, Tour and Why Kids Are Worse Than Rockstars!
April 16 2013, Published 6:46 a.m. ET
If Hanson the band was a person, that person would be legally able to enter and drink alcohol in bars all across the country this year. That's right. The trio of brothers have been a band for TWENTY-ONE years now. Don't try to question it, just accept it.
So I caught up with Isaac, Taylor and Zac last week at their iHeartRadio performance here in New York City to chat about their brand new music video, tour and so, so much more.
OK!: Alright be honest: which celebrity begged to be in your new video for "Get The Girl Back"?
Isaac: They didn’t beg at all! We were extremely flattered.
Taylor: The last person to get added to the video was Amy (Paffrath) who did the faint. But I wouldn't say she begged, it was a totally natural “Oh that would be so great, we should have her in this as well”.
Isaac: Because our director wanted to have a fainting girl.
Zac: He watched a Beatles documentary.
Taylor: Yeah he was like "Let’s go over the top! It’s a little cheesy but let’s just do it. Let’s have the total freak out." And Amy is a huge fan which is so great, we’re flattered.
Isaac: She’s super fun, she’s really sweet.
Taylor: She and Drew (Seeley who also appears in the video and is her real life fiancé!) are great. Honestly we really like the idea of bringing things, people together, having things cross, and that whole production... You know, whenever you see the making of movies I feel like it’s cliché when people are like “We’re like family!” and maybe it sounds cliché but it was a really, really good group of people that made the video. And Kat Dennings and Nikki Reed are longtime friends.
Isaac: Which we didn’t know at first!
OK!: Really?
Taylor: We didn’t find out until they both were cast! And they were like “Wait, Kat is going to be in this video, you know Kat and I are best friends!” And they both said the same thing about each other. So that was such a cool accident and in a way I think it says a lot about people who are fans of what we do, like a lot of times have things in common. I think most of our most devout fans, if I can say this, I think they tend to be like we are. I don’t know like a little bit off the beaten path. A little bit more interested in the slightly more quirky, maybe not the cheerleader, maybe the band kid.
Zac: Not to exclude the cheerleader.
Isaac: Oh, there’s definitely some cheerleaders.
Taylor: My wife is a cheerleader and she liked our band. What I’m saying is I think there’s a connection through music. We’re all music dorks and so it's cool when you meet other people that geek out about music.
OK!: You're getting ready to hit the road this summer—for all the other rockstar dads, what tips do you have for bringing kids on the road?
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Isaac: Don’t.
Taylor: Marry amazing women. Marry incredible women that somehow can handle it. I think pacing. Don’t overpromise when you have kids and you know it’s gonna be crazy. Look for your moments.
Isaac: That’s actually a big one, the overpromising thing. I’ve made that mistake a few too many times.
Taylor: “Oh yeah we’re gonna have a few days off!” Nooo….
Isaac: There was one particular time, where I promised something and I knew I was on the edge. It didn’t work out and my 6 year old was not happy.
Zac: You think rockstars are bad. Kids are worse than rockstars. They’re just pooping on things, crushing food, throwing up on things, overdosing on Skittles. Just turn off the worry because it's gonna be chaos. The other people that are on whatever bus you’re on, yeah they might have a miserable experience while your kids are on there but they'll pay you back later. They'll bring their kids on tour and you'll live through the Skittle crushing and the throwing up. So just don’t worry about it.
Taylor: It's a lot like being on the bus with Zac!
Zac: Yeah, I'm that way all the time.
OK!: You guys don’t seem to get caught up in any music fads or trends. How do you stay true to yourselves and keep your music sounding timeless?
Zac: I think we’ve always a been band kind of out of time and that’s played well to us.
Isaac: For better or worse! (laughs)
Zac: Well, for that particular point, meaning our music doesn’t sound current because we're a band that’s sort of like, out of time.
Taylor: When "MMMBop" broke and the first record broke and anytime we’ve had songs that’ve gotten a little extra rise or little extra attention, it usually is because it's different than what's actually happening, not because it’s like what else is happening.
Zac: Yeah "MMMBop" came out and had grunge before it...
Taylor: ...And hyper, hyper, hyper, pop after it. And we were basically a garage band that were young so girls were like "This is awesome!". And we were like “We’re just guys in a garage, thank you!” I do think that the people we admire are like that. We admire people like Paul McCartney and Tom Petty, Bruce Springsteen.
Isaac: Billy Joel.
Taylor: Yeah even Billy Joel and to me, and not that we are timeless but if we’re even scratching the surface of that, it just comes out in the song. If you write a great melody then it doesn’t depend on production and it doesn’t depend on some kitschy thing that you did. That song could be done 10 ways, and if it's got melody and a hook...There's definitely records that you'll hear of ours and you'll go that sounds more of an era. But I think if it’s more timeless it comes out in the writing of a song and realizing that it has to stand on its own. If we sit right here and play "Penny and Me" with a guitar or we play "MMMBop" or we play "Get the Girl Back", the new song I think they would all stand up because it’s a great melody.
Zac: A great recipe may be suited for like fall or summertime, but still great all year long.
Taylor: That’s right. We’re like chicken noodle soup, baby.
Look out for Hanson's next album Anthem out June 18th!
What is your favorite cameo in the "Get The Girl Back" video? Tell us in the comments below or on Twitter @OKMagazine.
