Tulsa World Article
IsisPanthr
Someone posted this on the AOL Hanson board (which is a lot better and more
informative than some people would have you believe). It's from Tulsa World,
and I'm not sure of the date it was printed. Enjoy. :)
Resistence Is Futile: Nobody Really Hates Hanson
By Thomas Conner World Entertainment Writer 12/26/97
Contrary to popular opinion, I don't hate Hanson. Sometimes I grow weary
of dealing with the story -- fielding daily calls from an endless stream
of pre-teen girls, foreign journalists and creepy sycophants who think I
have some inside track on the personal habits, bodily markings and
whereabouts of the world's newest pop triumvirate. One guy even offered
to snap infra-red photos of the boys in their secret rehearsal spot.
Yeesh. Nobody really hates Hanson. Even the ghouls who create web pages
glamorizing fantasies about assaulting our cherubic idols don't really
hate them. Real hatred rarely inspires such tribute. Cynics who
naturally rail against anything that becomes hugely popular can't hate
them completely. The songs are too good, the melodies are too sweet and
Taylor has too much raw soul. I can't tell you how many times such
people -- myself included -- have begun discussions of the pop trio by
saying, ``Well, I don't have anything against their music, but ...'' But
what? All other arguments are irrelevant. If you dislike a group because
of its look, you're shallow. If you dislike a group simply because of
its popularity, you have an inferiority complex that should be dealt
with. If you dislike a group because the members' personalities chafe
you, you're missing the point of pop music. As Diana Hanson, the Hanson
mom, told me early this year, ``All that stuff about what it was like
for them to play Legos together is diversionary. The music is what
matters, and that story is out there.'' Hanson's ``Middle of Nowhere''
album was a triumph for pop music. The melodies are catchy -- resistance
is futile -- and the words frequently nonsensical. It's bright, cheerful
and completely disposable. ``MMMBop'' sounds great every time you hear
it, even after a hundred listens, and it demands nothing intellectual of
you. That's pop. It could be gone tomorrow, but it will have served its
purpose well. For those reasons, I love the guys. I'm a power pop
fanatic, and this music fits into my personal groove. In my reporting
and criticism, I attempt to craft a more personal tone than your basic
national media outlet. In so doing, I often end up sounding more snide
than is warranted. The last thing I want to become is part of the Tulsa
music scene's problem. Tulsa's scene suffers mostly because area media
-- and fans -- consistently disrespect their own. I have infinite
respect for what these boys have achieved this year, and I hope others
join me, regardless of musical tastes, in puffing with just a bit of
pride in our hometown sons' accomplishments. Perhaps we could do the
same for numerous other impressive musicians in our talent-packed local
scene. Of course, there's the rub: Hanson may have been born and
home-schooled within our city limits, but they are hardly a product of
the local music scene. The 300-plus local gigs Hanson publicists love to
tell you about likely were as much as 95 percent private functions --
not exactly dues-paying circumstances. They made virtually no effort to
test their mettle in the Tulsa marketplace, where clubgoers choose to
pay for the performance. In the end, bypassing that probably helped
Hanson succeed better than anything. After all, Leon Russell --
previously Tulsa's most famous rock 'n' roll product -- usually charges
a greater fee when he plays Tulsa. Why? Because the audiences here
aren't as big, and they don't respect him. Had Hanson suffered in the
local concert scene, Mercury Records might not have mustered the
confidence to support the boys as heartily as they did. Therein lies my
only valid gripe against the group: since the album hit, Tulsans have
not seen hide nor hair of the boys. They have completely ignored their
hometown fans. They even canceled their scheduled appearance at Tulsa's
centennial homecoming celebration in September -- a bad PR move that
only made their heads look larger from the perspective of us little
people back home in Green Country. Then again, maybe this is why Tulsa
fans are so punchy; if we do help someone reach stardom, we'll probably
never see them again. It's something to think about the next time
someone complains about Tulsa's dearth of culture and fame. Suggest that
next weekend they blow their movie-rental bucks on a cheap cover charge
at a local club. Hear some music. Socialize instead of retreat. See what
happens. And thank you for your support
(:~*~Annie~*~:)
"Take my hand
You know I'll be there,
If you can I'll cross
The sky for your love,
For I have promised for
To be with you tonight
And for the time that will come."
---U2
GlenAmp
Thanks for posting the article here, Annie! I really enjoyed reading it. I've
always wondered how people in Tulsa feel about Hanson. Maybe that's already
been discussed sometime before, but reading this now makes me wonder even more
what the general feeling is on Hanson in Tulsa, considering what this reviewer
has to say.
Glenn
Keith
I never got Annie's original post, but I am reminded of something I wanted to
say. The Tulsa World newspaper is on the net at www.tulsaworld.com. It's a
logical place to go to when you hear rumors like "Mrs. Hanson has given birth to
the band's new bass player." If there's any validity to the story, I bet
Hanson's local paper would report it. :)
Keith
walde...@webtv.net
Wow! That was kinda sad to read. I hope the boys at Mercury Records
get their act together and stop all this "Conquering the World " crap.
Let the SpiceGirls do the every country with a CD player promo tour.
Hanson needs to be home, here in the USA, touring and showing people how
good they are. And Tulsa should be their first stop.
~rain
Of course they need to tour in England, Belgium, France, Netherlands and
(have I forgotten anyone?) too.
And there is Hanson...looking like The Pride of Norway. ~ Kathy Griffi
PJCindy
Thanks for posting the article, Annie. It seems that local music scenes are
the same everywhere: vicious. Is anyone from a place that doesn't have a
cut-throat local scene? If so, I'd like to hear about it.
* * * * * * * * * *
"There's a band called Hanson that I like very much."--Taylor
"I admire the drummer in that band. The drummer in that band--he's
amazing!"-Zac
Purple Twit
I have been, some how, trying to tell people that. Yes, I live in
Tulsa, no, I have never met Hanson. People just don't seem to relieze
that we don't get to see Hanson when we go to Wal-Mart, or when we are
at Bells or Big Splash, we don't get to see Hanson at church.
Alot of people say, "OH! You live in Tulsa! Have you ever met Hanson or
have their first two albums." No, they were pulled from the shelves on
Oct. of '96.
OH! Another thing, yes, Hanson was home for Christmas YET they did not
preform a concert here, they didn't do a interview for a Tulsa radio
station and we actually won't have know they were home unless my friends
and I hadn't read it on the ng.
So, I guess, that is why Tulsa really isn't so support of of Hanson.
They have great music and all but next time you hear someone say they
are from Tulsa, please don't always assume they know Hanson becuase I
sure don't! (All though, I am about one in 700,000 people here.)
Nicole
http://members.tripod.com/~NiJohn/hanson.html
MsRyter
>Is anyone from a place that doesn't have a
>cut-throat local scene? If so, I'd like to hear about it.
Cindy, I don't know about vicious & cut-throat or not, but Rockford, Illinois,
is the hometown of Cheap Trick (remember this 70s/80s rock act? Live From
Budokan, I Want You To Want Me, The Flame, etc) and Cheap Trick has never
turned its back on Rockford. The band still lives here, does benefit
performances at big area festivals and is visible in the community. For anyone
who cares, here's a funny Cheap Trick story: I was at a French jazz cafe the
other night and noticed a still life on the wall (fruit, wine goblet, etc) that
was hanging upside down. I asked the waitress why, and she said Rick Nielsen
(eccentric Cheap Trick guitarist with the shades & spiky goatee) had donated
two other very valuable Impressionist paintings to the restaurant, but only on
condition that the still life be hung upside down forever. Who knows why--guess
he hated it!
BTW, my husband said the other day that Taylor reminded him a little of Robin
Zander, Cheap Trick's lead singer. Their voices do have a similar quality...
Lorna
JoeRXA
Annie, thanks for posting the article. Very insightful...
Kris <><
Dreamtied
>Yes, I live in
>Tulsa, no, I have never met Hanson. People just don't seem to relieze
>that we don't get to see Hanson when we go to Wal-Mart, or when we are
>at Bells or Big Splash, we don't get to see Hanson at church.
> Alot of people say, "OH! You live in Tulsa! Have you ever met Hanson
obviously, people should realize that sharing the same town with someone, does
not mean you automatically know them. my town is much much much smaller than
tulsa, and ive lived here all my life, yet i dont know even 1/8 of the people
here. and i am by no means a shut in! people have their own circles, and just
because you are geographically near someone, doesnt mean you run in the same
circle
. still, you make it sound as if the hansons are completely reclusive. i would
think that it would be as likely to see them at walmart, or church, or anywhere
else, as it is to see anyone. perhaps now, they must keep a lower profile, but
before "fame" , and all its trappings/trials, slapped them in the face, they
must have been about as evident publically as any other family.
Dreamtied
*love without honesty is sentimentality;
honesty without love is brutality....*
*you have to be who you are, or people see right through you..*
PJCindy
Hanson probably doesn't do too much promo stuff in Tulsa because they want to
be treated normally there. I don't know how old you are, but if you've ever
heard of the Osmonds (70's singing brothers,) they didn't do concerts in their
home state at all in hopes that that could be a place where they could just be
regular people. Everyone needs a sane haven. Otherwise you end up like Elvis
and Michael Jackson.
Nicole wrote:
>>I have been, some how, trying to tell people that. Yes, I live in
Tulsa, no, I have never met Hanson. People just don't seem to relieze
that we don't get to see Hanson when we go to Wal-Mart, or when we are
at Bells or Big Splash, we don't get to see Hanson at church.
Alot of people say, "OH! You live in Tulsa! Have you ever met Hanson or
have their first two albums." No, they were pulled from the shelves on
Oct. of '96.
OH! Another thing, yes, Hanson was home for Christmas YET they did not
preform a concert here, they didn't do a interview for a Tulsa radio
station and we actually won't have know they were home unless my friends
and I hadn't read it on the ng.
So, I guess, that is why Tulsa really isn't so support of of Hanson.
They have great music and all but next time you hear someone say they
are from Tulsa, please don't always assume they know Hanson becuase I
sure don't! (All though, I am about one in 700,000 people here.)
Nicole
http://members.tripod.com/~NiJohn/hanson.html<<
PJCindy
That is so great that they still support their hometown. And that's a funny
story about the upside down painting. Do you think maybe he was just bored and
did that as a joke? lol
Purple Twit
Okay but if they want to be treated normally, they are not going about
it in the right way. Instead, most people are beging to hate them. The
reason is that, first, everyone is getting tired of being (somewhat)
refured to the "Middle of Nowhere," second, we are getting tired of
Hanson saying they know so much about Tulsa and they do this and that
for Tulsa when they really haven't. Most of my friends and I didn't even
know Hanson exsited until about '96 and then it was to late. Third, the
radio stations refuse to play their music. People have got on the air
and littlerly got angry becuase they wouldn't.
All I am saying is if Hanson wants to travel the world and all this, it
is fine but PLEASE don't say you support Tulsa and all. (I am not even
sure if they know what time it is in Tulsa.) It is a great place to
live but people here don't like it when you say on thing and do another.
Nicole
http://members.tripod.com/~NiJohn/hanson.html
hanson_...@hotmail.com
Dreamtied
> everyone is getting tired of being (somewhat)
>refured to the "Middle of Nowhere,"
i have yet to hear them refer to tulsa as "middle of nowhere" in fact, they
have actually made it a point to DENY that they named the record after where
they live, prefering to tell the story of how the song came to be written.
>Hanson saying they know so much about Tulsa and they do this and that
>for Tulsa when they really haven't.
ive heard them say they love tulsa. that tulsa is home. that they dont want to
live anyplace else. thats all ive heard them say about it.
all of this assuming its hanson youre talking about, as im missing part of this
post. if you are talking about them, i have to wonder where youve heard them
saying all this stuff. if youre talking about some other people..well....oops.
sorry.
GlenAmp
>Okay but if they want to be treated normally, they are not going about
>it in the right way. Instead, most people are beging to hate them. The
>refured to the "Middle of Nowhere,"
I was born in Tucson and lived the majority of my life there. So I know what
it is to live in a town that is very frequently referred to as the "middle of
nowhere". And I don't think there is any reason to be offended by that
reference.
> the
>radio stations refuse to play their music.
Just so you're aware, it's no different on that issue practically anywhere
else. A large proportion of us have great difficulty getting them on the radio
no matter where we live.
I guess none of this had much to do with the point of your post but I just
wanted to add those comments. :)
Glenn
PJCindy
>>>Okay but if they want to be treated normally, they are not going about
>it in the right way. Instead, most people are beging to hate them. The
>reason is that, first, everyone is getting tired of being (somewhat)
>refured to the "Middle of Nowhere,"<<
Hanson has never referred to Tulsa as the middle of nowhere. They refer to
Tulsa as: home; the neatest place on earth; and cool. If I were from Tulsa,
I'd be very happy with they way they represent the place, because I can't
believe any city is really *that* great. Since they were thinking of
Albuquerque (sp?), New Mexico when they wrote that song (MFM), people who live
there are probably the people who would have a complaint if anyone does. Call
your local dj's and tell them that.
BTW, the middle of nowhere is in the ocean, near Antartica and Africa. I have
a map that actually has it listed.
Purple Twit
> I am not offended by anything! All I am trying to say is, people are making
> Hanson out to be this big hero (in Tulsa) and I really don't care for it. I love
> Hanson with all my heart, that will never change! I don't want to make you think
> that I hate Hanson or wish they disapper because I don't. I am happy they made it
> big but I (PERSONALLY) think they should either support Tulsa or leave it alone.
> (Have you heard the old saying, "Poop or get off the pot?)
Nicolehans...@hotmail.com
http://members.tripod.com/~NiJohn/hanson.html
wiggum
> (Have you heard the old saying, "Poop or get off the pot?)
I think Mao Zedong (sp) liked to say that a lot...
--simon