RADIO TRANSCRIPTS Hot FM
North Carolina
29 March 2000GELLER: Turn on your tape recorders because right now on the line I have Isaac Hanson.
ISAAC: What's up Geller?!
GELLER: Hey man, do you know how many calls I get from screaming Hanson fans like daily about this interview?
ISAAC: I have no idea. It sounds like a lot though.
GELLER: Oh my, you have no idea, all these people! I wanna talk to Hanson! Man, if I could get them on the phone right now, you would have a headache for a week.
ISAAC: Yeah, well I know there are definitely a good amount of our fans that are really rabid.
GELLER: Rabid little monkey fans. Where are you guys calling from right now man?
ISAAC: Well, we are in New York right now.
GELLER: Well, what we want to know is are you going to be coming to North Carolina soon?
ISAAC: Well, we are going to start tour in July.
GELLER: Right.
ISAAC: So, it is highly possible that we will be in The Carolinas.
GELLER: In North Kakalaki?
ISAAC: Well, I think we, yeah, we played Charlotte in the summer of 98.
GELLER: You've gotta come closer, man, come to like Raleigh then you'll see these Carolina girls and you'll be like, "Oh my god, I’m never leaving this state."
ISAAC: Yeah, I’m sure. Yeah, the time we actually spent in North Carolina was great. We actually have some friends in North Carolina.
GELLER: Aight, man, let's talk about the album now. It’s a different sound. I was talking to one of my co-workers from the morning show and we were talking about how it's just like a different sound and you guys have grown and you can tell just by listening you know to the first single, have you guys worked on that or it just happened or what happened?
ISAAC: I think it's just a weird thing, it's just a natural thing it's just evolution. We are constantly writing material some of it is more mellow and some of it is more rock & roll and some of it is more pop and that's just kinda like whatever, I guess it's just the majority of stuff that comes out in a different way and some of the songs are a little more poppish. There is a song called, "If Only," which is actually the single that is released in Australia, Asia, and Europe and that's a little more poppy. I think just in general, the record This Time Around represents the album in a lot of ways very well because it's kinda taken a little more of a rock and roll sound more of a turn in that direction. It’s just a natural evolution of the band, I think you could hear some of the music on the last record and you can definitely see the evolution.
GELLER: You can tell the difference right away, really, you can. The sound is awesome.
ISAAC: Yeah, yeah, and if you're familiar with Middle of Nowhere you can kinda see where the band was going. There are definitely some songs on Middle of Nowhere you can see that it's not actually that far off in some ways.
GELLER: You guys play your own instruments, you write your own songs, you can't deny your talent. Do you ever get sick of critics talking about your music you know, talking down upon it or anything?
ISAAC: Well, you know, you always get that. From a certain amount of people, you know, you’re going to get that kind of thing but we've actually been lucky enough that we've had really, really, positive responses for the past record and this record, the reviews have been really great and the response from the fans has been excellent. The response on radio and all of that has been really cool. We’re very excited about what's to come. Your always going to get responses from people that are like, "oh, it's too this, or oh, it's to that" or maybe it's not credible or something like that. But the truth is, we're just making the music that we make and we're just being ourselves and hopefully it'll appeal to some people and they'll be able to enjoy it and take it for what it is.
GELLER: Well, definitely it is in the Hot FM. "This Time Around" has been a top five song for about a month and a half now.
ISAAC: Oh, on your guy's station?
GELLER: Yeah, on the Hot FM, it's been actually #4 or #3 on the nightly countdown for about a month and a half now.
ISAAC: Yeah, wow!
GELLER: Yeah, explain the hook-up with John Popper, how did you meet up with him?
ISAAC: It was actually, John Popper actually played on a couple songs and actually Jonny Lang kinda vamps on the end of "This Time Around" that cool solo, it's not me, unfortunately. I wish it was. I’m sitting there going, "Dude, you rock."
GELLER: *laughs* "How do you do that?"
ISAAC: This is so not fair.
GELLER: Hey, can you give me some dirt on your brothers?
ISAAC: *laughs* Can I give you some dirt on my brothers?
GELLER: Cos I saw you guys, recently, you were on Space Ghost. That was funny man. Zac was having lasers shoot out of his eyes.
ISAAC: Yeah, I know, it was very funny. It’s amazing how long it took them to do that. I mean, we recorded that in the summer of 98.
GELLER: Are you serious?
ISAAC: Yeah, we did that interview in the summer of 98. Actually, they didn't really use a lot of stuff that was really funny. They did an incredible job and it was very funny but I mean, the interview that we did was absolutely nuts. I mean, we were like, "C'mon, shoot us, I dare you."
GELLER: Exactly, yeah, it was funny. Can you give me a brack(??) impersonation?
ISAAC: Um... lets see...
GELLER: Can you just be like, "Give me a baloney sandwich?"
ISAAC: Um... yeah, "I like beans, how about you?"
GELLER: Now you guys have to admit that you were jipped on Celebrity Death Match.
ISAAC: Oh, yeah, I have to say that.
GELLER: Do you have it on tape?
ISAAC: I don't actually have it on tape but I’ve seen it several times though.
GELLER: You just scream at the TV when you see that.
ISAAC: I mean, you know, all I have to say when I see that is that we beat the Spice Girls. We ripped one of them in half. I mean, come on.
GELLER: Yeah, I know, and who is around now? Who is coming back and who is still in England?
ISAAC: Yeah.
GELLER: Some more dirt, can you give me any more dirt on your brothers. What’s the weirdest thing that Zac or Taylor does?
ISAAC: I have to say, I don't really think that there is that much dirt that I can spread on them particularly.
GELLER: I know you've got some brotherly love but give me something man!
ISAAC: Yeah, yeah, I know, well... I think we in general get along pretty well. I don't think there is anything particular that is really worth ragging on because everybody has there things here and there like maybe someone picks there nose or something. Nothing in particular. I will say that I bite my fingernails and it's horrible as a guitarist.
GELLER: Yeah, I bite my toes.
ISAAC: Oh wow!
GELLER: I’m just in to it. I dunno... I can't explain it.
ISAAC: *laughs* kinda like biting into a guinso you need a guinso or something, a guinso knife.
GELLER: This scares me my man...
ISAAC: It's like fungus and stuff.
GELLER: *laughs* Well, thank you. I’ve just been dissed from the dude from Hanson. Thank you so much ISAAC.
ISAAC: *laughs*
GELLER: Well, can you tell me. Music has kinda really changed. So far in 2000, we've had the whole boy band thing going on. It seems like, you remember back in the early 90s it started going towards that whole rock grunge thing? Where do you think music is heading like in 2000?
ISAAC: Well, it's funny. I might be wanting to ask you that. I really don't know. It’s hard to predict. There is a lot of the dance/pop stuff right now. I’m just not sure when the market is going to be over saturated.
GELLER: I think it's already starting to happen, honestly.
ISAAC: Yeah, I would have to say that myself. That’s the funny thing about music is when something becomes successful there becomes an over-saturation point and that's kinda the bummer thing of it and hopefully the good ones stick around. Like when the grunge thing starting happening and you had nirvana and then you had tons and tons of other bands like Sound Garden and Pearl Jam and all different ones and there were definitely ones that emerged as good ones and those guys did do well for themselves and they were good bands but there was definitely a good amount of over saturation as well.
GELLER: Well, you go from one to the next.
ISAAC: Yeah, exactly, they all started sounding the same.
GELLER: Then you get something new and I read this interview and I was like blown away by this because I’m originally from New York. You guys are fans of Billy Joel.
ISAAC: Right. Yeah, absolutely.
GELLER: Oh my god, you rock. I’m serious.
ISAAC: I love that. That guy is just amazing artist.
GELLER: He's a poet. That’s what it is.
ISAAC: Hang on a second, someone is asking me a question.
GELLER: Sure.
ISAAC: (in the background) Lucky, Dusty, and Ned Needlelender.
GELLER: *laughs*
ISAAC: Oh, they are asking me the 3 Amigos.
GELLER: Oh my god, are you serious? I love that movie.
ISAAC: Yeah, they were trying to figure something out. I love that movie, "Are there Pringles falling from the sky"
GELLER: *laughs*
ISAAC: *laughs* I love that movie. What’s that song that they do in the bar? Do you know that song?
GELLER &ISAAC: Sing, "My little buttercup has the sweetest smile, smile, smile."
ISAAC: Yes, exactly, it is very funny.
GELLER: Yeah, exactly, who was that talking? Was that your brothers?
ISAAC: That was Zac asking me a question.
GELLER: I want to talk to Zac real quick.
ISAAC: Okay, let me get him. Hold on. Yeah, he's just on the phone in the other room.
GELLER: Oh, who is he talking to?
ISAAC: I don't know but he's talking to, someone for all I know...
GELLER: I’m curious what famous people do.
ISAAC: I think it's actually an interview of some sort.
GELLER: Another one, man, are you guys doing them all day long?
ISAAC: Yeah, we've got a couple of them.
GELLER: Do you get tired of doing it?
ISAAC: I dunno, you know, it's part of the job. It’s fun. I mean, you're a fun guy.
GELLER: Yeah, you're an awesome guy, bro.
ISAAC: There aren't that man people you can sing, "My Little Buttercup" with.
GELLER: That's one thing I can say. I sang, "My Little Buttercup" with Isaac.
ISAAC: Yeah, exactly.
GELLER: Have you heard anything about the hair?
ISAAC: Yeah, people are always asking me about the hair, "Was it an intentional thing?" or "Were you thinking 'I need to change my image'?" and no, I wasn't thinking about my image at the time. I just felt like cutting off my hair.
GELLER: Yeah, like your brothers went and cut off your hair. *screams* "Get away!"
ISAAC: I mean, I had long hair for like three and a half years or four years or something like that. I dunno, whatever.
GELLER: Man, oh, man.
ISAAC: So, okay, I’m going to actually pass the phone to Tay real quick. I think Zac will tag-a-long any minute.
GELLER: Cool, okay...
ISAAC: Okay?
GELLER: All right bro.
ISAAC: Here he is.
(Taylor never talked so I think he just passed it to Zac)
GELLER: See, I knew I could get him to do it.
ZAC: Yeah.
GELLER: I was just singing with your brother, "My Little Buttercup."
ZAC: Oh, somebody was asking me to name the 3 Amigos and I was just confirming cos I didn't want to screw up a very important question like that.
GELLER: Yeah, when it comes down to something like that now, you can't get it wrong.
ZAC: Yeah, Ned Needlelender I just didn't want to mess that one up.
GELLER: Yeah, I heard that and I was like, "That's the 3 Amigos. I know that stuff." Aight, let me ask you some fun question. Have you been able to see any movies lately?
ZAC: See any movies lately? Not really lately. The last movie I saw was I think, The Sixth Sense.
GELLER: That's a scary movie.
ZAC: Or I guess The Green Mile was the last one.
GELLER: I didn't get to see that but I saw, The Sixth Sense, that was scary.
ZAC: Yeah, I didn't think it was scary but it had a cool twist on the end.
GELLER: I didn't even expect the end. The end was just crazy. I want to compliment you guys on this album. I know you've heard this a million times. Honestly, you can hear the growth in the album. You can hear the progression. You guys are rockin'. You know what I mean?
ZAC: Well, thank you very much.
GELLER: It sounds really, really good! I mean, I told your brother that you guys have had a top five song at this station for about a month and a half now.
ZAC: Wow!
GELLER: On the nightly countdown. I mean people have been screaming and emailing me like crazy about you guys just going, "oh my god, you're going to be talking to Hanson!" I mean, thank you. You guys have givin' me God status some how.
ZAC: Cool!
GELLER: I really appreciate that! How do you guys work on your album? How do you write your songs and how do you come up with the ideas? Do you just all write them together or all at once? Or what's the deal?
ZAC: Generally it starts out as someone has an idea and the other guy… for instance, let's say like the song, "Save Me" Tay was writing on it and I walked in and I was like, "oh" and I thought he said something different and we ended up changing the lyrics to what I thought he said rather than what Tay said. So it's just, you know, then Ike will walk in and he'll hear it and he'll come up with something. Generally, sometimes, you'll just be jamming on a riff then you'll write the song right there like in an hour.
GELLER: Yeah, exactly. Are you guys tired now?! How long have you been on the road now? How busy have you been?
ZAC: Jet lag, definitely! We just came from Sydney so not exactly...
GELLER: *laughs* Are you getting tired of all the screaming fans?
ZAC: You know, it's cool too see that somebody actually wants to see the band and they are out there and really likes the music so uh, no, I guess that's just there way to express themselves.
"This Time Around" plays and that's it!