Back to the bop

The Hanson brothers return, but they never really went too far


When Hanson travels to Japan, Thailand, the Philippines or almost every other island where English is a second language, the '90s boy band phenom is greeted with what only can be described as mass hysteria.


Although Hanson hasn't been heard on the radio much since the late '90s, the Tulsa brothers haven't stopped making music. In fact, the band has released an astounding seven albums since its 1997 debut, "Middle of Nowhere"--led by the omnipresent "MMMBop"--sold more than 8 million records. Only two of those albums could be classified as studio albums, the rest being premature compilations, live albums or the always popular career killer--the Christmas album ("Snowed In").

"That's one of my favorite records we've done," the eldest Hanson, Isaac, said without irony.

Small-town mentality or media wary, the brothers aren't too revealing when speaking about their past and present. When asked if they still perform "MMMBop" because they like it or out of obligation, the youngest brother, Zac, simply said, "That's a song we wrote. It's a good song."

If you really want to get to know Hanson, you'll need to watch the documentary "Strong Enough to Break," which is being screened in cities where Hanson performs on its U.S. tour. After the screening, the band sticks around to field questions, primarily about the manic state of the record industry.

It's the consternation the band endured with its former label, Island/Def Jam, that's the primary focus of "Strong." For 40 months, beginning in early 2001, the band recorded some 80 songs, most of which the label rejected. In one scene, Hanson is crowded around a phone listening to their A&R rep Jeff Fenster slam their new material while the brothers give the phone the collective finger.

"We're on a rap label with the creator of Britney Spears and The Backstreet Boys as our A&R guy," Zac says in the film. "What the heck do you expect?"

Throughout the recording of what eventually became 2004's "Underneath," the band worked with six different producers and collaborated with everyone from Matthew Sweet to Carole King. Fenster and producers dissed song after song. Eventually Hanson's management company went belly up, and the band's new firm encouraged Hanson to procure the "Underneath" masters and go the indie route.

"Throughout working with the record company we became more and more disconnected with the people there and unable to really find music people," Taylor said. "We were working with attorneys doing creative jobs."

As he says in the film, "there's nothing left to lose except, you know, a lot of money."

Now recording for their own label, 3CG--shorthand for 3 Car Garage--the brothers have just issued their second indie disc, "The Best of Hanson: Live & Electric," which includes covers of Radiohead's "Optimistic" and U2's "In a Little While" and, of course, "MMMBop."

Asked if the band's earned enough money so that slumping sales won't sting as much, Isaac is quick to deflect the question: "I'm not really sure what the point is of asking that, except that I would say, 'Look, we've started a record company. We believe in the future of music. We're invested in this. We always have been.' "


- Hanson is only the latest in a long line of major-label castoffs to finance their own record label. Here are others:

Aimee Mann: After two well-reviewed but low-selling albums for Geffen, Mann formed Superego Records. She still gets rave reviews, but few sales.

Collective Soul: Hit singles and millions in album sales weren't enough to keep Atlantic interested. "Youth," the group's first disc for El Music Group, has fared well thanks to the hit "Better Now."

Prince: The Purple One went public about what he called a destructive deal with Warner Bros. and soon after launched his NPG label. His albums don't sell out, but his concerts do.

Charlie Daniels: "The Devil Went Down to Georgia" singer started his own Blue Hat label in the late '90s.

Presidents of the United States of America: They had a couple of hits for Columbia Records, broke up and reunited. On Election Day last year, the Presidents rereleased their major-label debut on the PUSA Record Label. Not even Bush bought a copy. (B.F.)


When: Wednesday and Thursday

Where: House of Blues, 329 N. Dearborn St.