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| Jeff Hanson on new album, Nip/Tuck and Gov. Sarah Palin | |
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by Albert Rodriguez -
SGN A&E Writer When the Republican National Convention rolled into Minnesota last week, Jeff Hanson was close to the action - very close. For this liberal-minded singer-songwriter, these were the worst neighbors to have convening under one roof just minutes from his St. Paul residence. It's the reason why nearly half of my interview with Hanson centered on politics, giving him an opportunity to lash out at the GOP and declare himself a member of the other party. Our talk eventually shifted to music, allowing him to speak about his most recent album, Madam Owl, featuring the leadoff track "If I Only Knew." Signed to Olympia-based Kill Rock Stars label, Hanson has enjoyed a quiet yet loyal following to his guitar-backed pop songs that parallel anything from the catalogs of Elliott Smith, Jeff Buckley, Josh Rouse, and Mason Jennings. Many of his fans were first drawn to the single "Behind the Moon," played during a threesome scene in the TV drama Nip/Tuck, something the budding star gets a kick from even to this day. He's also been profiled on NPR and alternative newspaper The Onion. As you'd expect a political lefty to be, Hanson approves of Gay marriage, firmly supports a woman's right to choose, and eagerly awaits election day in two months. While he and I differed on politics, I respect his opinions and truly admire his talent for creating great music. Hanson returns to Seattle for a live performance at Chop Suey (www.chopsuey.com) on September 15, where he'll likely play the above mentioned songs and his standout hit "This Time It Will." Visit www.myspace.com/jeffhanson to ear-sample his work. From his home in the Gopher State, this is what was on Jeff Hanson's mind when he stepped inside "The Music Lounge." Albert Rodriguez: There's a noticeable timeframe between Madam Owl and your previous album. Did you take your sweet time making the new record? Jeff Hanson: Basically, I just wanted to do everything different than I had in the past. Different studio, different producer, bring in different musicians instead of me playing most of the instruments, which I did on my previous records. I knew that I wanted to have a whole bunch of people coming in, I wanted lots of strings, I wanted to try brass instruments like trumpets. Getting exactly what I wanted to get, I knew it might take a bit of extra time to get that all together. And, a story on top of that is I cut my finger with a kitchen knife on the day I was starting to record because I was trying to put a hole in my dog's collar. I cut open my index finger and had to wait a couple of months before I could go back to the studio. Rodriguez: I'm guessing it's an easier process for artists to get their music heard these days, thanks to MySpace and YouTube. Hanson: I think there are pros and cons. & Music is readily available, to a degree that you're not guaranteed people are going to go out and invest $15 or $20 for an album. But as far as getting your name out there, getting people to know what you do, I think it's a really great tool for musicians to use. I have a MySpace page and a website, and I have a new video off Madam Owl called "If I Only Knew" that was just posted on YouTube and Stereogum, so I do like that. Rodriguez: Your single "Behind the Moon" was played on Nip/Tuck. Did you get a heads-up about that? Hanson: Well, they have to have my approval and the record company's approval. I didn't know what the scene from the TV show was going to be. The way these TV shows do it is you work out an arrangement of what they're going to offer, as far as compensation with the use of your song, and they will let you know they're interested and would like your permission. I agreed to them using the song, but I had no idea what the scene was going to be. Rodriguez: If I remember correctly it was a threesome scene, right? Hanson: Oh yeah! It was a threesome scene, I believe with two cheerleaders. Rodriguez: That's certainly a scene people would remember more so than someone gardening. Hanson: It was funny, too, because I had heard from someone, "Hey, did you see your song on that Nip/Tuck TV show?" because it was pretty new at the time, I think it was like the first season and I said, "No". So I actually had to look it up and see when it was going to air again. I thought it was entertaining, to say the least. Rodriguez: You're in St. Paul, so you were right in the center of all the political action this week. Hanson: Oh man, what a fucking nightmare! I live probably a mile and a half away from downtown St. Paul. The whole thing just ended yesterday and I'm still angry over a lot of it, so I'm not thinking clearly about anything. Rodriguez: As an artist, do you feel compelled to share your political viewpoints with your fans? Hanson: Absolutely. I feel incredibly politically motivated and involved, especially releasing an album in August and the election taking place in November. I don't think there's any secret of how much I despise the Bush administration and everything that they stand for, so I let that be known. I don't post it on my website, but I'm open to talk about it if anyone wants to. I have a new song on my record called "Your Only Son," and that song was written in response to what the media did and what the media continues to do with soldiers' families. The song isn't necessarily about Cindy Sheehan, but it's basically the idea of Cindy Sheehan, whose son is sent off to this awful war, the awful invasion of another country. When those in power decide to send our kids, our families, our brothers and sisters to die over there, and we know the war is about lies and we know it's unconstitutional, we know it's an illegal invasion of another country, and then a woman like Cindy Sheehan stands up and says, "Wait, this is wrong. I lost my son for this and I'm not going to stand for it," how the country and the media turned on that woman, "Your Only Son" kind of deals with that. Rodriguez: Should the election turn in a direction you don't want it to, how do you feel about having this female vice president? Hanson: I feel terrible about it. I don't feel terrible about having a female vice president, if I was okay with her views. We don't know what any of her views are because the only thing she's done is her speech. No, I don't agree with [Sarah] Palin as a vice presidential pick. I don't believe in telling a woman that she doesn't have a right to choose what she wants to do with her own body. I don't agree with trying to ban books in libraries, which is what she was doing in Alaska. I don't agree with abstinence-only programs in a day and age now when sex education isn't just a moral issue, it's a health issue. And to deny people information on what to do to keep yourself safe, to deny people knowledge. I don't agree with any of that, do you? Rodriguez: I grew up in a traditional conservative home, so my viewpoints are not as liberal as others. Hanson: Let me ask you this question. As far as abortion rights go, she gave birth to a Down syndrome baby, which is fine. That's her choice, that's what she wanted to do. But she's gone as far as to say that she would deny an abortion even in the case of rape. Now, what if she had been forced to continue her own pregnancy against her wishes, what do you think her response would've been? Rodriguez: I don't know. I think every American voter needs to decide what's important to them and vote for the candidate who they think will carry out that agenda. I don't mean this to sound bad, but a woman's right to choose isn't a priority for me. As a Hispanic-American, immigration is way up there, as is the economy and a smart exit strategy for the war. Hanson: I'm only bringing these points up because it's the only things we know about her, as far as any policy or decisions she's made or any viewpoints that she has allowed to come out. Rodriguez: Some voters are not satisfied with either candidate, so they're not voting in November. Maybe that's the way to go. Hanson: For the last eight years, seeing what the Republicans want and what they're capable of and putting power into the hands of the wrong people and you see our Constitution slowly being destroyed - I don't necessarily know if you're part of that party that's been involved - but hasn't that been proof enough of what these people are capable and willing and wanting to do? Rodriguez: I don't know. It's unfortunate the last eight years have been challenging, but does that automatically mean Obama has all the keys to all the problems? Just because someone represents change doesn't mean they represent solutions. Hanson: I don't think Republicans deserve another four years; you just had the last eight. I don't think we understand how much trouble this country is in. Rodriguez: Change of subjects. You're a straight, married guy living in Minnesota. How do you feel about Gays being able to legally marry in California? Hanson: I think it's great. I'm for Gay marriage. I don't think anyone should be denied their right to be married. And again, this is a situation I feel wouldn't have been discussed for the last eight years if not for the Karl Rove machine and making the Gay issue an issue. To be discussing it in a political arena is just silly, it's nonsense. Rodriguez: Is there anything that comes to mind when you hear Seattle mentioned or you see it on your tour itinerary? Hanson: I always really like it as a city. I love visiting it, I have friends there. I've been there quite a few times but not as many times as I'd like to because it is a cool city. I like the air there; it's always so clean. Rodriguez: You'll be playing songs from all three of your albums at Chop Suey, and you'll have a band? Your last Seattle show was acoustic solo. Hanson: This tour is going to be a mix of both, for a few dates like Portland and Seattle I'll have a band. I'll play some of the shows solo but other parts of it I'll bring the band. And we'll do songs from the three albums I've put out, Madam Owl being the most recent. Rodriguez: Are you touring throughout 2008? Hanson: Yeah, we're touring the West Coast through September and then an East Coast tour in October, and then I go to Europe from the middle of October until the end of the month. Rodriguez: When did you realize you had a unique voice, that your vocals were different than anyone else's? Hanson: I actually noticed it pretty young. I was in a school musical at the age of 10 and the female lead wasn't able to sing her part because the vocals were really high, so I sang her vocal parts. So even at that young of an age, it felt natural and comfortable in that range for me. I write in that range, and it's comfortable. Rodriguez: For anyone seeking a music career, especially those who are young, how do you suggest getting started? Hanson: In the beginning, I took a little more of a risk by just sending demos out to record companies. I don't know if I'd necessarily recommend that to anyone else. The only thing I'd say to get anything going is to write songs you believe in, songs that you like. Not songs you think everyone else is going to like, just songs that you like and are proud of because you're going to have to play them a lot. You're going to have to play them at a lot of different places. And if you feel good about them, there's probably a chance somebody else will. And, call your local clubs or local coffeeshops to just get used to playing, then go on weekend trips to see what's like being away for a couple of days. Just do what you do, and don't worry what other people have to say about it. |
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