IN what appears to be a near perfect transition, the Jonas Brothers have grown from Mouse House gimmick to music phenomenon. They earned a nomination as Best New Artist at the Grammys this year, have mounted a popular tour, and today, release a new disc Lines, Vines and Trying Times thats all but guaranteed to be one of the year’s best-selling records.
The Brothers are young and on top of the world. Yet despite the Disney boy-band brand, what the trio wants most is respect for their hooks, rather than their heartthrob looks. Speaking from their home in Dallas, the Jersey boys want to cage the Tiger Beat questions they’ve been inundated with. For the Jonas boys it’s all about the music.
Your first two records are very similar. Is this one different?
Kevin: Definitely. I think the sound has weight, there’s complexity to the arrangements. One of the risky elements is the country influence.
Do you think you’re better songwriters because you’re older?
Joe: Sure, but the [Disney] show [Jonas] is a big factor. It’s really helped us. The [producers] say, “We need a song about a pizza-delivery girl,” and we sit down and write it. Writing to order is really hard but it’s forced us to grow.
The album is called “Lines, Vines and Trying Times” what are you getting at?
Nick: The “lines” part is about not believing all the lines you’re fed about how great you are.
Was gaining the respect of your peers an element of the “trying times”?
Joe: The respect level for the band changed this year when we played with Stevie [Wonder] at the Grammys. Until then, a lot of people thought we were just a boy band that danced around.
Brother acts fight a lot. How about you guys?
Nick: There are times when things aren’t always great, but I think it’s easier to be in a band with your brothers because we love each other so much that we can’t really hurt each other’s feelings.
Did you know that . . .
* Kevin was on the track team in high school: “I used to be a pole-vaulter. My top [jump] was 12-foot-6. It was a rush getting that high.”
* Joe’s favorite city is Paris.
Nick hates Beatles comparisons: The fan response is like what The Beatles experienced in [“A Hard Day’s Night”], but at the end of the day they’re The Beatles and we’re just three guys from New Jersey.
* On Kevin’s list of qualities for the perfect woman: “I’d like her to be able to cook.”
* Nick’s favorite songs are: Johnny Cash’s “Give My Love to Rose” and Elvis Costello’s “(I Don’t Want to Go to) Chelsea.”