On April 12, Hanson is coming to Madison’s Barrymore Theater for a live performance as part of their The Walk Tour. But don’t be fooled by the nostalgia surrounding the band. In the 11 years since their hit single “MMMBop,” brothers Isaac, 26, Taylor, 25 and Zac, 22, have embraced change following their inspirational charity work in Africa — and have benefited greatly as a result.
“We were incredibly inspired by that trip, incredibly inspired by the kids who sang on our songs and really felt like we had to do something,” Isaac said in an interview with The Badger Herald.
Their sound has evolved from appealing bubblegum pop to sophisticated indie rock. When their former label, Island Def Jam, refused over 80 songs from Hanson for their third album, they walked away, started their own label and filmed a podcast documentary about their journey (“Taking the Walk”). Their fourth and latest studio album, The Walk, has been regarded as a success by numerous critics.
But it’s the Hansons’ recent travels to Africa that have served as the largest catalysts for change. Their journeys have inspired them to use music as a way both to educate and entertain. When close friends of the band developed technology that uses cell phones to connect doctors and patients to one another free of charge, the band became intrigued. The technology was to be donated to a hospital in Soweto, South Africa, where it would be used in the prenatal HIV research unit. With this, patients are able to gain basic access to their doctors in places where that may not be possible. The band wanted to better understand the issues facing countries such as South Africa that have been devastated by the AIDS epidemic and accompanied their friends.
“We really felt that it’s necessary for us to have some kind of direct connection to this and understand it on a human level, because it’s very important that you are educated, especially when it comes to dealing with an issue of this kind of magnitude and this kind of complexity,” guitarist Isaac Hanson said.
During their trip, the band brought along songs that they had been working on for The Walk. At one point, they were able to record with an African children’s choir for the album’s single, “The Great Divide.” The children sang the phrase “ngi ne themba,” which translates to “I have hope.” But it was after the band returned to their hometown of Tulsa, Okla., that the need to take action settled in.
After recording, the band decided “The Great Divide” would be used as a charity single. All proceeds from the single purchased on iTunes are donated to the prenatal HIV research unit in Soweto, a variety of community programs that educate children about the causes and transmission of AIDS, as well as programs that allow access to needed medicine. The single initially raised $25,000 toward the programs, and more has been raised since.
“We’ve tried to create other opportunities for people to do things, specifically with [“The Great Divide”], since it’s been the theme song of this mission,” Isaac said.
One of those opportunities involves a partnership with a company called TOMS Shoes. To Isaac, the partnership is a fruitful one.
“That’s just one of the first few steps that we’re taking beyond just the song that we’re excited about,” he said. For every pair of TOMS shoes sold, another pair will be donated to an impoverished child. A goal of selling 50,000 shoes was set by the band and TOMS. The shoes are being sold at every one of the band’s tour stops and are also available on Hanson’s website.
Along with this, the group participates in a one-mile barefoot walk with fans between 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. before every show.
“The idea with the walk is understanding what it is to be poor and understanding what it is to not have something as basic as a pair of shoes,” he explains. “It’s pretty profound when you walk a mile, whether it be hot cement, gravel, rocks or dirt. It’s amazing how your psyche changes and how much more cautiously you do it.”
The band reached their goal of 50,000 shoes when walking their 28th mile. By the time their current leg of the tour is finished they will have walked a total of 69 miles.
Musically, the band is going strong, with plans for this leg of the tour to continue into early May. Isaac’s enthusiasm is apparent when he speaks about touring.
“Whether you’ve ever seen a Hanson show or not, I can guarantee you will have a good time,” he says.
The band makes an effort to change up the set list and plays everything from “MMMBop” to “The Great Divide,” and anything in between.
“If you feel up to a rock ‘n’ roll show, we’re sure you’ll have a good time,” says Isaac. “We make sure that every show is a unique experience. We change up the set list all the time and we do our best to break it up as much as we possibly can.”
An obvious question pertaining to these set lists elicits a chuckle out of Isaac. “Does the band ever get tired of performing ‘MMMBop?'” Fortunately for fans, the answer is, “No.”
The band has also recently rerecorded a special acoustic edition of their debut album, Middle of Nowhere, which made this song so famous.
“What’s interesting about it is when we really sat down and played that stuff in that organic setting, you realize that despite that difference in age, the music sensibilities — the R&B and early rock ‘n’ roll influences, the harmony — all that remains the same,” Isaac says. “I think it’s more that people associate youth with us and maybe spend a little bit less time listening to what it meant on a musical level.”
Hanson is scheduled to perform at the Barrymore Theatre on April 12 at 8 p.m. Stephen Kellogg & the Sixers and Kate Voegele will open. Tickets are $30 advance, $32 on the day of the show.
