FEATURE: Hanson itching to begin Europe, American tour
By Dean Goodman

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - With Hanson-mania showing no signs of abating after a year in which the three young brothers criss-crossed the world promoting three albums, the group is finally set to launch its first concert tour.

The shows cannot come soon enough for Isaac, Taylor and Zachary Hanson, who have done hundreds of interviews and appearances and occasional mini-concerts since hitting the jackpot just over a year ago with their hit single "MMMBop."

"We really have wanted to tour very badly, and so this summer we're gonna do as many shows as we possibly can," Isaac Hanson, 17, said in a recent interview at a Los Angeles hotel, accompanied by his younger brothers.

Hanson is scheduled to play June 9 in Paris, June 13 in Cologne, Germany, and June 16 in London, before embarking on a 10-city jaunt through North America. This leg begins June 20 in Montreal and wraps July 21 in Seattle.

The nature of the record business is such that developing artists need to obtain maximum media coverage around the world in order to rise above the pack. Television and shopping mall appearances are usually more efficient at getting the message out than going on tour and playing largely unfamiliar songs.

And thus Hanson has been virtually ubiquitous for the past year: magazine cover stories here and awards show appearances there as the brothers live their own frantic version of the Beatles film "A Hard Day's Night" -- complete with screaming girls.

But it seems to have paid off. Hanson's major-label debut album, "Middle of Nowhere," has sold about 10 million copies worldwide, fueled by the success of the singles "MMMBop," "Where's the Love" and "Weird."

A holiday album, "Snowed In," sold strongly last Christmas, and the group has just released an album of early tunes called "Three Car Garage."

Along the way, Isaac, 15-year-old Taylor and 12-year-old Zachary have become international pop stars. But they also have used their experiences to supplement their home schooling.

In addition to visiting the historic sites their academic peers can only read about in textbooks, they have met almost everyone in showbiz, from their rock idols Aerosmith to Oscar-nominated director Gus van Sant, who shot the video for "Weird."

"I would say everybody's advice, no matter how big they've been, is that you've gotta love doing it, and you've gotta have fun doing it," Taylor Hanson said. "No matter how long you've been doing it, that's always the rule. You have to enjoy it."

Taylor, who plays keyboards and shares vocals with guitarist Isaac and drummer Zachary, has emerged as Hanson's main spokesman, deftly fending off questions that attempt to uncover the Tulsa, Okla.-based trio's inner workings.

Much has been made about Hanson's strict Christianity, its strong family ties and the efforts to preserve its wholesome image. A recent report that the group was happy to collaborate with Bible-destroying shock-rocker Marilyn Manson was quickly denied by Hanson's Mercury Records label.

On the other hand, Hanson does not necessarily want to be lumped in with the squeaky-clean likes of Donny and Marie Osmond either.

"I think it's kinda funny that people put us in a wholesome image, because it's not like we're angels," said the decidedly cherubic-looking Zachary. "A lot of people aren't Marilyn Manson, and a lot of people aren't angels."

Adds Isaac, "If wholesome equals not constantly swearing, not talking derogatory about women, then in that case I guess we'll take wholesome. But frankly, I think we're just pretty much average guys that got lucky."

Indeed, it's difficult to stop the conversation from veering onto such topics as vomiting on journalists, lame video games and the virtues of brass knuckles affixed with needles -- which are allegedly used to prevent anyone in the band from getting a big head.

But luck can carry a band only so far, and Hanson claims to be very focused on the job at hand, whether it be writing new songs, approving the fan club magazine or editing the "Weird" video with van Sant.

"I think we're always being creative like that," Taylor said. "No matter how popular you are, it's always up to you. Nobody cares as much as you."

Reuters/Variety