hanson.net
version 2.3
July 2006

10% of your brain?
I have been MIA (missing in action) recently in my Hanson fan life. However, this past week I attended a Brain Institute in which I became more aware of the physiology of the brain. Day after day, I heard speakers challenge me to keep my brain healthy through sleep, exercise, diet--fish oil was mentioned several times--and, as a teacher, to nurture the young brains in my classroom.

Amidst all of this intellectual discussion, what thought flickered across my brain? If you are as devoted a fan as I am (or once was), you will be able to grin and nod when I mention that "Man from Milwaukee" crossed my mind from time to time. What percentage of the 10% of my brain that I'm supposedly using is devoted to Hanson memorabilia and random lyrics? Old habits die hard!

But hasn't this been the theme of "a hidden life" since 1999, for crying out loud?! My perspective for the past 7 years has been the teetering conflict of an enthusiastic Hanson supporter constantly battling the reformed fan version of herself. The angst. The constant retreading of guilt-laced regret and exuberant rebirth of Hanson affection, interspersed with periods of relative tranquility.

During such a phase, I received, the hanson.net dvd, "Version 2.3."

intro
The intro felt part formulaic, part reliable routine--the kind that makes you feel at home. Where you know what to expect because you've been there many times before. However, is this the "home" where I regroup and gain strength to face the world again or the "home" where I am sucked back into a vortex of Hanson inspired whimsy that may or may not be healthy for me? You decide:

Two impressions jumped directly at me:

1) Zac is looking much more like Taylor than I remember. Uncanny. Have I been away that long? Am I still able to measure my fan ardor by how much a band member has changed since the last time my interest in the fan culture peaked?

2) Isaac, as he is wont to do, mentions that the band is aware of how beloved "Lost without Each Other" has become. Isaac's comment sounded a bit like an adult acknowledging that a certain item has become popular among "the young people" . . .

Yet, it sparked a memory of the time I shared a moment with a couple of Hanson fans during a concert @ Navy Pier. Upon hearing the opening of a song, we instantly smiled at each other in pure recognition as we simultaneously held up all the fingers on one hand and a thumb on the other. The band had begun to play Track 6---the song the girls had come to hear.

miseryvideo
Is Hanson narcissism the 8th deadly sin? I identified "Misery" as an early favorite from "underneath acoustic." (September 2003) For Zac to have chosen to create a video for it felt a lot like--and I'm embarrassed to admit this, but it's true--when I secretly claimed the "Weird" video as either proof of the mind-reading abilities of Hanson or a personal tribute since that was originally my favorite song from "Middle of Nowhere."

Reality check: I'm still waiting for the "Sure About It" video--which is another of my obscure favorite songs. And I'm not so sure about ever seeing that one any time soon . . . (Why am I so easily amused? (c;)

Some things I noticed while taking in Zac's Flash animation / photo gallery creation (I'm sure I'm not alone in admitting this Misery video was the highlight of the entire dvd for me and something fans have waited for ever since we caught a peek of the cartoon sketches that Zac chalked near the Golden Gate Bridge in an early Hanson VHS tape):

• I was distracted by Zac's t-shirts in the intro (SpongeBob Square Pants) and during the video (Tron).
• Taylor's foot tapping below the piano, as conceived by his brother's key and mouse strokes, seemed a tad tame to anyone who has witnessed a live or video Hanson concert.
• The bold colors reminded me of the early days of the band, when green was supposedly Isaac's favorite color (again, a percentage of my brain occupied by Hanson flotsam).
• My theory on the eye-less Hansons--when the band is making music they are completely absorbed in the sound. Or else Zac felt that eyes were too personal to draw--like a window into the soul--and he unconsciously served as gatekeeper to that part of himself and his brothers.
  
  Maybe he just thought the drawings looked cool without eyes.
  
  
• For someone who doesn't always notice the composition of the music--when a baby grand or alternately when a synthesizer plays; what section of the drum kit is being struck; or for what parts are an acoustic or an electric guitar utilized . . . Zac provided a bit of a guide with his drawings and the clever editing.
• Why is Taylor playing the keyboard with only the index finger of his left hand and all but the pinky of his right?
• Is that a sepia-toned picture of the band in the background? If so, I have one tucked away that I created from my most memorable of Hanson shows, the Indianapolis concert.

college tour
Last fall, I was absolutely torn about attending a screening of "Strong Enough to Break" in Indianapolis on the Monday following the Cleveland concert. The moral dilemma involved 2 personal days that I did not have. The "college tour" resurrected the irrational pang of regret for having done "the right thing"--and yet also gave me a taste for the movie I missed by offering segments the band self-selected as most "intellectual"? Similar to when they picked "Man from Milwaukee," "Yearbook" and "With You in Your Dreams" to discuss in a Scholastic tape about songwriting years and years ago.

I got a sense of the contrast between the band (inexplicably, Isaac, in particular) taking online college courses and speaking with authority among their recent peers . . . Naturally, I know nothing of the band's personal life, except what they've constructed on these quasi-personal dvds . . .

Yet, it felt again as if Hanson were interacting in their most authentic of ways--sharing their heart. But they continued to be a novelty--removed from their peers. by some kind of authority--notoriety--pseudo-wisdom that seemed absurd outside of the world of Hanson fanhood.

I won't deny the guys their one-of-a-kind life experience, musical talent and the sheer guts it takes to start and maintain their own record company before the age of 25. At the same time, in the college context, it seemed as if their early fame would meet a level playing field.

There's a certain brand of democracy that college offers people. It's at this moment when we all intuit that it is time, in fact we're ready to share our uniquely outrageous, deeply personal experiences that at once distinguish us and also draw us together. The band longs for this connection--while simultaneously being painfully aware of the weirdness that satisfying this longing entails when it comes to over-the-top fans.

In this segment the line between us and them remained quite distinct--except for the interview during "show day" (the following segment) with the curly-haired girl where Zac is sitting cross-legged on a table. This college paper interviewer seemed non-plussed by the band, herself a self-absorbed budding journalist. Although, I feel I missed part of her question so it seemed out of context . . . and the neutrality of anyone who appears in a Hanson produced video is somewhat suspect since the band has been so long out of the general public's eye.

show day
This felt very much like the article in an early MOE in which Ashley Greyson shares a glimpse into the life of Hanson on tour. It felt like a re-tread--only insert "documentary" questions instead of "early influence" questions.

The drive-through montage also made connections for me to an early, random Taylor comment about one of his pet peeves being mixed-up fast food orders . . . as well as the White Castle shots from some other recent Hanson video. I previously classified these fast food references as self-indulgent-- "We go to restaurants where even the most ordinary of experiences are magical when we arrive with our entourage."

Then I realized that the band's intent is probably just the opposite. These segments could also be interpreted as a glimpse inside their daily grind. Sometimes when I'm at the grocery store, I glance around and let it sink in that what I'm putting in my basket is what is KEEPING me ALIVE! Pseudo-profound.

pranks
My favorite part about the band's practical joke rivalry with the Pat McGee Band is that Hanson longs to have the "last laugh" but admits that playing last hinders them from doing so. Retaliation is out of the question.

And when you see the video, it becomes obvious that the Pat McGee Band simply outclasses the guys in creative hi-jinx--possibly honed at the expense of jaded high school teachers and classmates. (Another mark of a tragic Hanson fan who can't let go--the constant analyzing of Hanson's home-school experience.)

At the same time, the poker, the pinata and the mariachi band are priceless--another reminder that I chose to attend only one concert during the last tour. A show in which no pranks were pulled and I left with very little to tell, except for meeting up with Melanie again (which if you know her, makes up for the missing on-stage McGee pranks).

tour bus tour
The band's love for Tulsa shines once again as we see this fair city's skyline in the opening scene of this "tour bus tour."

Zac's "Action and coolness!" continues to amuse because of its sheer silliness.

Did the band consciously give this tour as a parody of past bus tours they've hosted (Complete with the "No #2 rule") or as a bookend to the familiarity of the intro? The answer to that question and many others remains behind the "compressed air powered doors."

3 tracks
These 3 "vintage" never before released tracks from an Australian concert are quite fun! I felt that they were an answer to the loudly voiced crabbiness associated with the "Live and Electric" album. True to form, my favorite was indeed "Lost . . . " My biggest regret--proof that Hanson is no longer reading my mind . . . I'm still waiting for the official concert version of "Thinking of You." How do I love this song in concert!! (c;

• Dancin' in the Wind: Brought me back to the windy city of Chicago where I caught the band years ago.
• You Never Know: It feels like a random choice, but the moral it contains bears repeating, I suppose.
• Lost Without Each Other: In another example of Hanson fan resurrection, I turned the radio up and played this one loud at stop lights today. It's a crowd pleaser as everybody has their windows down during the summer months--Hanson evangelism is back.

final thoughts
Recently some colleagues asked if I had a Hanson shrine in my home. I explained that my Hanson memorabilia collection resides in a box in my basement. They expressed disappointment, joking and implying that I may not be a true fan any more. Yet, I sensed an undertone of relief on their part--and mine.

Obviously this dvd resurrected the dark closets of my Hanson reserve. As I begin to take my fish oil to beautify my brain, I wonder if the percentage of my brain that I plan to continue to activate will preserve a portion--similar to the concept of a tithe--devoted to Hanson music and trivia. You Never Know . . .

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