Hanson Becomes Ultimate Alternative Group

Faith Important: The brothers from Oklahoma can be mischievous but value their
religion

By Wendy Case
Gannett News Service

So who are these three youngsters who draw hundreds of teenage girls to radio
station parking lots in the darkness of early morning, whose faces adorn their
lockers, whose songs are all over the radio?

With their shoulder-length flaxen hair, boyish charm and bubble-gum sound, the
musical trio Hanson appears to have the same effect on adolescent girls as
three boxes of Sugar Smacks.

And although there has never been any drought in the teen idol department,
Hansonmania has the earmarks of a phenomenon with staying power.

Hanson's climb to fame began this spring with the release of the trio's debut
CD, "Middle of Nowhere." Featuring the pop-as-it-comes single "MMMBop," the
album became an international smash, catapulting the three Tulsa
brothers--Isaac (17), Taylor (14) and Zachary (12) -- into superstardom.
"MMMBop" propelled Hanson to three Grammy nominations.

Equally irresistible to parents, the boys have an appeal that harkens back to
music idols of the '70s. Like the Osmonds, the Hanson boys are part of a
close-knit, religious family (evangelical Christians) with traditional values.
The product of home-schooling, the talented teens put a wholesome new face on
some of the more controversial elements of growing up in the '90s.

"Our faith is important to us," Isaac told Entertainment Weekly this summer.
"It keeps our heads screwed on straight."

But even with what some might consider an isolated upbringing, the kids are
savvy. A recent hosting stint on MTV showed the brothers to be clever,
well-adjusted and mischievous. Clowning for the camera, wrestling on the grass
and poking fun at "rock life," they were downright puckish.

It could well be Hanson's clean, unthreatening image that makes them so
attractive to young girls--and their parents.

Unlike some teenage boy supergroups of the '80s, Hanson is not a manufactured
hit-making machine.

You won't find them in tight pants, dancing suggestively to canned music a la
New Kids on the Block or Menudo. And although they do their share of headline
grabbing, it's unlikely you'll hear that one of the Hanson brothers has set his
hotel room on fire (like New Kids' Donnie Wahlberg).

While the British group, the Spice Girls, have made their bid for Monkee-dom
with pop confection, skimpy outfits, kinetic videos and endorsements galore,
their new release, "Spice World," is sliding down the charts. But Hanson's
visibility only seems to grow.

The seemingly parent-proof blond moppets have brought a ray of sunshine to a
business that has grown weary of grunge rock's "flannel anthems" and contrived
formula bands, and given pop music a much-needed shot in the arm.

Metro Detroit eighth-grader Christine Williams, 13, claims Zac as her favorite
Hanson brother.

"I think it's cool that he's so young and he's made such a good career for
himself. He's got a great sense of humor and he's very dedicated. Plus," she
adds, "he's really cute."

Remi Coin, 10, a Detroit fifth-grader, adds, "I wanna meet them and be their
friend or something. I don't just want to be their girlfriend like everybody
else."

Even rock critics, who love sinking their teeth into high-profile,
flash-in-the-pan artists, have left Hanson alone, probably because the boys
write most of their own material.

The unapologetic pure pop of "MMMBop" (composed by the boys) is the kind of
radio-friendly genius that hasn't been heard since Boyce and Hart penned "Last
Train to Clarksville" for the Monkees.

This has inspired comparisons to Hanson heroes the Beach Boys, not such a reach
when you recall that Brian Wilson was only 16 when he penned their first hit.

In an age when there is so much pressure on kids to grow up faster, Hanson
comes as a relief to parents, a boon to the recording industry and a message to
young people that it's OK to love your family, trust your faith, follow your
dreams and just be a kid.

This could make Hanson the ultimate "alternative" band.