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I concur: while I have never met them, I was always respectful of the fact that they write and play their music (with few songwriting exceptions). That point cannot be taken lightly in today’s musical climate.

Great little article.

Gotta agree with ya here. They are a great example of playing to your audience and not trying to please everyone. Despite the fact that most people wrote them off years ago, as long as they’re doing what they love doing, more power to them.

Whether you like this band or not, as Jason has pointed out, I think there’s something to learn from them.

Wow! My last name is “Hansen” and I still get teased because of those guys. “You mean like the old boy band?” “Should we just call you ‘Umm bop’?”

Thanks for the trump card. “Oh they’re more than Umm bop…”

Insane Clown Posse is another great example, on the complete other end of the spectrum.

Is this for real? I had to doublecheck that it wasn’t April Fool’s Day.

“They are part of the community, not just facilitators of the community.

That’s huge to me. I think a lot of acts get big, hire the pr machine, and check out of their fan base. People know it’s not genuine. They can’t even articulate why, but they know it, deep down.

Repping Hanson: the downfall of 37signals taste making.

Interesting story actually. Shows communities can thrive around anything.

i thought they were sisters?

I concur: while I have never met them, I was always respectful of the fact that they write and play their music (with few songwriting exceptions). That point cannot be taken lightly in today’s musical climate.

Actually, that may be as common than it was a few decades ago. The “chart breakers” (or those who attempt to become one) may rely more heavily on them than in the past, but a there is this relatively new and successful as in sustainable, indypendent movement, which encouraged more people than ever to play music—and create it, too.

“And they’ve done all this after being written off and largely ignored.”

Plus, of course, having massive amounts of record company money thrown at promotion early in their career. Would Hanson be in the position they’re in now without having had a record company playing for Dust Brothers production and full-page ads for their first album? I doubt it.

Peter: If you could be stranded on a desert island with any woman in the world, who would it be?
Quagmire: Taylor Hanson.
Joe Swanson: Taylor Hanson is a guy.
Quagmire: [Laughs] You guys are yankin’ me. “Hey, let’s put one over on Quagmire.”
Peter: No, he’s actually a guy, Quagmire.
Quagmire: What? That’s insane. That’s impossible.
Quagmire: Oh God. Oh my God. I’ve got all these magazines. Oh God.

re: Would Hanson be in the position they’re in now without having had a record company playing for Dust Brothers production and full-page ads for their first album? I doubt it

So… are we required to write them off because they once enjoyed major label status? I think the point here is that after making their millions from their first album, they could easily have retired and never worked another day in their lives. Or, they could have done the reality show circuit. I’m impressed with the fact that they decided instead to create their own record label, tour extensively, and work with their fanbase on social issues that are important to them.

Also an interesting case study on exactly how long it takes for a generation to turn over -

I believe Hanson is now combining their original group of loyal fans (folks who heard promise beyond MMMBop) with young fans who never heard the song in the first place and don’t hold it against them.

On a recent episode of House, MmmBop was the ringtone on House’s phone. I remember thinking, hey, cool reference to a defunct band. Who knew they were still around?

Thought you guys might like to know…

Both www.hanson.net and www.takethewalk.net are projects developed on Rails, with teams managed in Basecamp.

It’s nice to hear someone say nice (and TRUE ) things about them. I’ve been a fan since 97 and have heard so many negative comments that it’s ridiculous. For some reason people like to hate on them, but they definitely don’t deserve it. Thanks, this made my day!

Tangerine asks: “So… are we required to write them off because they once enjoyed major label status?”

No, not at all. The point that I was making was that saying they’ve made it “on their own terms” isn’t entirely correct – they had a pretty-big helping hand on the way.

Good for them for sticking with it, but their story isn’t one of success despite record companies.