By Angelique Moon
Soundings Staff

Hanson put teenage pop back on the map in 1997. Teen sensations like Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera and more recently Lindsey Lohan and Hilary Duff soon followed in their footsteps and made their way onto TV and into people’s stereos.

Pop, however — especially for teens — isn’t just for the ladies. The Jonas Brothers are stepping up to the plate to reignite male passion for pop punk rock.
The band of three brothers — 18-year-old Kevin, 16-year-old Joseph and 13-year-old Nicholas — may be young, but their music is powerful. Combined, they cover their instruments on their own: guitars, percussion and keyboard. Forget the fact they briefly mention issues like homework in songs, their lyrics have substance.

The Jonas Brothers began touring last summer with Jesse McCartney, The Click Five and Backstreet Boys, but the boys are currently on the road with the Australian twin sister sensation The Veronicas. They’ll be performing at the Norva Feb. 24.

Soundings caught up with the youngest Jonas brother, who goes by Nick, last week. After spending nearly 20 minutes on the phone with him, this intelligent, articulate and grounded teen can make serious music.

The band recently signed to Columbia Records and will release their debut album, It’s About Time, April 11. The biggest turning point to look forward to, however, is the band’s debut on MTV’s “TRL” with their single “Mandy” this week. With its upbeat, catchy vibe, vocal harmonies and mature, thought-provoking lyrics, it’s a great choice to introduce listeners to this up-and-coming pop punk rock band. It’ll be hard to not want to listen to the blend between Nick’s strong powerhouse voice, Joseph’s cooler, smooth rock pipes and Kevin’s killer guitar handlings.

Read below for part of Soundings interview with Nick and to learn more about this new band that’s sure to make a mark in music this year:

How is the tour going so far?
Nick: It’s going great. We’re having so much fun. We’re in Providence, R.I., today. We’re having a blast. We’re going to schools every morning and playing shows with The Veronicas. Then we go to the venue for the night’s show.

Is playing in schools something new/different for you?
Nick: No. We went on an anti-drug school tour for a month or two. It’s a good way to create a fan base. They see you in person and check out your Myspace and Web site.

Is it sort of surreal for you to still be teens but signed to a major record deal?
Nick: It’s so awesome. We’re so blessed to have this opportunity to be signed to Columbia. It’s awesome. We’re ready for the big stuff and super excited.

Do you think people won’t take your or your music as seriously because you are younger?
Nick: I think at first they do, but when we start playing, then they have a different mindset about us. We’re a legitimate rock band. We play our own instruments, and we’re good.

Why pursue a professional musical career now instead of waiting a few years?
Nick: Because we have such a passion for it. My own mindset never was, ‘When I get older.’ It was, ‘I’m going to do this now and get it done.’ I thought the same way with my musical career.

What was the first tour you were on?
Nick: We started touring this past summer. Our first show was with Jesse McCartney, and we had so much fun. That was in July. It started then and has been non-stop until now. We have a blast on the road playing every night. We’ve been to 45 of the 50 states of America. We’re super happy about that. My goal is to (tour) all of America in maybe two months.

Have you taken the time to check out the different cities you’ve visited for the first time?
Nick: We’ve had a couple of chances to go out and look at the cities, but we’re not big sightseers. We like to just act like we know what we’re doing at all times. We’re independent. We don’t ask for directions. I don’t get lost because we live in New York City and got used to the hard streets. It’s funny, my brothers get lost, but I don’t.

How do you juggle touring with school work and your social life?
Nick: It’s hard, but we find a way to get it done. You really have to be disciplined (about school work). We remember we have to get it done, but have a big opportunity, too, with music. We travel with one of our parents or our uncle, who is our tour manager. We got Side Kicks for Christmas, and it’s a good way to stay in touch. We do instant messenger.

How do you think you fit in to today’s music world?
Nick: I think we definitely fit in because we’re different. We’re not trying to be the next somebody. We’re trying to be the Jonas brothers, and people enjoy that. There’s nothing like us out there, and they appreciate our creativeness. I would think our music was cool if I had heard us before. We’ve been compared to old school punk bands like the Ramones and Sham 69 and modern bands like Fall Out Boy. The old school punk sound is definitely there.

What bands are you into at the moment?
Nick: Fall Out Boy, Motion City Soundtrack, The Starting Line, Panic! At the Disco and Relient K. I would say those are my top five. I like the big guitar punk rock songs.

Your first music video will be on MTV’s “TRL” next week. What’s your reaction to that?
Nick: We’re freakin’ out. It’s so exciting. We’ll be on TV, so we’ll be there freakin’ out. We have IO cable at home, so we’ll watch it later. We’re not yet on radio, but we will in a couple of weeks. I really hope it’s successful.

Anything else you want to tell readers?
Nick: Just mention the Myspace and “TRL” thing. Watch it, and enjoy it.