The Beatdown

Even so, in order to go forward, might the brothers need to make it clear that this isn't your little sister's Hanson? An Australian paper recently made the mistake of mentioning that to Taylor. "The guy was asking me all about what we're doing with the record,' he recalls. "And then he said, 'Don't you think you guys should be doing blow or doing something else like that to re-image yourself as a true indie band?' It pissed me off so much, because that's exactly the thing that's wrong. Everybody is so focused on all the peripheral crap -- whether you're wearing leather or whether you're wearing a mohawk or whether you're wearing your Gap jeans or whatever. And the last thing anyone thinks about is the kind of music people are making.'

Oh, yeah, the music. Regardless of how you feel about Hanson, the new album is pretty tuneful. And the brothers' fraternal bond is undeniable -- all you have to do is listen to their stunning ability to harmonize with one another. If Underneath was released under a different moniker, it might even be considered cool. But cool or not, Hanson is determined to take its music to the people, which is why the boys are hitting college campuses across the country.

"Our goal is, like Tay said, to gain more attention to the independent music scene,' Isaac concludes. "Because right now, one in four records sold are independent records.'

"And six in ten records released are independent,' adds Zach.

As I'm leaving the KRCX studios, Jason Spies, who helps run 3CG, Hanson's label, asks, "See you at the show?'

Whoa, let's not get carried away. Even I'm not that indie. Besides, my alt-rock heroes, the Pixies, are playing tonight.