Friday, May 18, 2012

15-Year Hanson Anniversary

Fox After Breakfast. One of the best Hanson appearances ever. Not my picture. I got this from a fan who was there.

Today marks 15 years of being a Hanson fan. How do I know that? My story began on a confirmation retreat in eighth grade, when a friend of mine was blasting her Hanson CD from her room. I knew of Hanson from hearing "MMMBop" on the radio, and I heard rumblings from different classmates about whether one or two of the band members might be girls, but that's about it. The next day, I decided I wanted to buy Middle of Nowhere for myself, and I haven't stopped listening to it since (not literally, but you know what I mean). Hearing that CD always brings me right back to the summers of '97 and '98 when it all began.

My friend E and me. This is October 1997, I believe. I was one ugly teenager. 

Here are some of my earliest nerdy fan memories:

  • Hearing them speak for the first time on the 1997 MTV Movie Awards where they presented an award (Best Fight, was it??) with David Spade. Robin Tunney and Fairuza Balk from The Craft ended up winning.
  • Watching the "MMMBop" video on repeat for hours straight and focusing on a different thing each time.
  • Seeing them in concert at the B96 Halloween Bash in Chicago in October 30, 1997 and again when they headlined their own concert in July 25, 1998 in Milwaukee.


A banner with the name and URL of one of our many websites. I'm the giant in the black. I kid you not, the caption I wrote on the back of this picture was, "You don't get much cuter than this." Luckily, we all did.

  • Creating our own music video to "Thinking of You."
  • Braiding our hair in tiny braids like Zac.
  • Having a rat tail like Taylor. Ew.
  • Dressing like them (and I wonder why I didn't have a boyfriend back then).

February 2008

  • Making homemade shirts because either there were no Hanson shirts out yet, or my parents wouldn't buy me one.
  • Having "dubbing parties" with my friends to trade Hanson TV appearances that we had taped. Ah VCRs. Life was simpler then.
  • Writing fan fiction and wishing it would come true. Looking back, I'm so glad I didn't meet them back then.
  • Creating the Psycho HITZ Posse and various websites to go with it.

First Annual PHP Christmas Party


  • Sending the guys birthday presents based on rumors, like how Isaac was writing a science fiction novel.
  • Believing Isaac and I were meant to be (...right up until the time he got married...). I mean, seriously, Isaac and Rebekah, hello!
  • Running after the bus and screaming a lot. So glad we don't do that anymore.
  • Wearing ALL my Hanson shirts at one time to school on Taylor's 16th birthday and taking one off after every class. I must've had like seven or so shirts on.
  • Wallpapering my room with posters from teenybopper magazines.

My room in 1999


I know I'm forgetting some good ones.

Fans of any band, what are some of your earliest fandom memories? Gotta any semi-embarrassing geeky ones?

9 comments:

  1. Haha, oh my god, this was entertaining :). Especially the part about wearing seven shirts at once.


    Target has some bright yellow rain boots on clearance for $8.74 right now and they only have size 10 left if you are interested: http://www.target.com/p/Women-s-Zetta-Solid-Rain-Boots-Yellow/-/A-11160096

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    1. You evil temptress! I feel like I have to have these now...

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    2. Haha, I totally bought a pair for myself. I've been wanting rain boots for a while but didn't want to spend $30+ on them when I probably won't wear rain boots much.

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  2. OOo Bekah i love you so much....

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  3. I forgot about you wearing all of your Hanson shirts to school at once! That was so funny.

    Definitely bookmarked this to return to when I feel reminiscent :)

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  4. Hi Bek,
    I remember when you wore all the shirts to school! You have a pretty cool quilt of all those t-shirts, too. I'm pretty sure you guys just enjoyed making the t-shirts.

    Oh, and here's a memory...your mom and dad driving you to concerts (even out of state) and having to go to work the next day after a late night out.

    Happy memories!
    Love,
    Mom

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    1. Well, just know that you made us very happy driving us around. I look forward to doing the same for Bridget someday if Nate lets her be as crazy as I was.

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  5. rebekah, fox after breakfast is one of my all-time favorite hanson tv shows too. wow, this brings back so many of my own memories. i was right there along with ya. what will always stick with me is running a hanson website for 10 of those years. i am still sad most days that it's gone (actually it's still up, but i don't update it anymore). and i am pretty sure i have done all of these same things. i wish i had all of my old pictures and stuff but they're not on this computer, but here is my first m&g picture with them, haha!

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    1. I'm really jealous of your M&G picture! Mine was in '08 during the era when they did group M&G pics. And actually it was in Minneapolis. Luckily, I got to stand by Isaac anyway, so I wasn't that bummed about it. But they seemed kind of off their game, and the whole experience was a little awkward. Definitely not my favorite Hanson memory.

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