Ellenwood Live Review : 100 Monkeys at The El Rey Theatre Aug 15th, 2011

Ellenwood Live Review : 100 Monkeys at The El Rey Theatre Aug 15th, 2011

100 Monkeys returned to the El Rey Theatre Thursday night on the last string of their 40+ city US tour, promoting the Liquid Zoo album released June 28th. This is the second studio album group mates Ben Graupner, Ben Johnson, Jackson Rathbone, Jared Anderson, and Lawrence Abrams have released in the past 3 years. Their impressively eclectic sound mixes a wide range of musical styles, offering their audience an experience of timeless, passionate, rock & roll.

Mic stands, speakers, and percussion instruments attached to brightly colored balloons; purple streamers strewn all around, the vibe was set for 100 Monkeys to take the stage. The funky hit Wings on Fire opened the set, showing off samples of the jam band grooves that help define 100 Monkeys sound. The crowd sang along with Ben Johnson and Jackson Rathbone for an obvious favorite, Wandering Minds. Friend of the band, ThWilla made a guest appearance during The Sound, adding a rap break to the middle of what otherwise could be classified as a reggae rock piece. The band asked for song ideas from the amped admirers, and ended up improvising a piece dubbed Weightlifting Snowman. 100 Monkeys promise a performance like none that you have seen; classic sounds, unique songs, and band members switching instruments most every song; this high-energy group never forgets that its about that “good ol’ rock & roll.”

An Interview with 100 Monkeys

Backstage at the El Rey theatre, Los Angeles California.

EllenwoodEP(Gavin White)- How long have you guys been a band?

(100 Monkeys)- About 3 and a half years.

EllenwoodEP(Gavin White)- How did you come up with the name 100 Monkeys?

(100 Monkeys)- Its about the collective consciousness. It’s a scientific theory that we are all connected on this kind of like a wavelength that we can’t see. but its there.

EllenwoodEP(Gavin White)- What are your inspirations for your songs?

(100 Monkeys)- Death, the devil, drinking, women who cheat. Ya know but we like all kinds and manners of rock and roll, especially old school rock and roll, good soul and R & B, blues and just that good old rock and roll.

EllenwoodEP(Gavin White)- Your first album (Monster De Lux) was Entirely improvised. What made you decide to do that ?

(100 Monkeys)- Well it just kinda happened cause that what we were doing at the time. We were playing music in the living room and recording all of it, we would over dub things but we would just improvise the over dub take ya know, take the first take. You get one shot at it and that’s just what it is. That album was kinda the best of the bunch. it all happened in an afternoon.

EllenwoodEP(Gavin White)- Do you still record that way?

(100 Monkeys)- Sometimes, every show we do an improve song or at least want to pull an idea out from the audience and I think its one of our strongest methods of writing. Just layer caking and just kinda making up songs. We did one called Fro of Death.

EllenwoodEP(Gavin White)- what was Fro of Death about?

(100 Monkeys)- Its about being clean cut cause your girl friend wants you to be clean cut, but all you want is that Fro of Death back!

EllenwoodEP(Gavin White)- You released Liquid Zoo on June 28th this year. What makes it different from your other albums?

(100 Monkeys)- Well its our second studio album. We recorded it between Van Nuys California and Baton Rouge Louisiana. We got a lot of heavy influences from both locations that we were in and we tried to utilize that, especially when we were in Louisiana using the brass section and the LSU gospel choir that was fantastic for some tracks. And then, I mean, its really just a little more polished than Grape. We keep just trying to make new things, break new ground, try even more different eclectic styles of music. I think Grape had a little more of a country blues thing, and this has got more of a funky folk thing. Its interesting cause all of our albums are so eclectic and different and that’s just kinda how it is.

EllenwoodEP(Gavin White)- Do you have a favorite song off this Liquid zoo?

(100 Monkeys)- The one that has not been created.

EllenwoodEP(Gavin White)- Have you done any music videos from Liquid Zoo?

(100 Monkeys)- Two, the songs Wandering mind and Modern times both have music videos out Modern Times came out more recently. Wandering mind is kind of a funny sexy video and Modern times is more of like a 5 minute short film its really amazing Chris Buongiorno directed it he did a great job.

EllenwoodEP(Gavin White)- Is there anything you guys like to do as a group outside of the band

(100 Monkeys)- We all like to watch Jared do his mohock . its true. It takes about 5 minutes. Bur really we like to watch people watch Jared do his mohock. Like that’s my favorite, I just did it to you! Like the 2 girls one cup Reaction videos. I mean.. I guess its kinda like that.

EllenwoodEP(Gavin White)- So Jackson you were in Twilight? Can you tell me a little bit about that?

(100 Monkeys)- Well I’ve been acting and playing music since I was about 13-14 years old, Midland Texas, and I moved out to Los Angeles at 18 to become a song-writer. And I stayed out here and got a manager who wanted to get me out there as an actor and I got some work and put some food in my belly and I just kept working! I love entertainment whether its an hour and a half of making people happy in a movie theatre or an hour and a half of making people happy at a rock show. I just love putting a smile on people’s faces.

EllenwoodEP(Gavin White)- Do you have any other films in the works?

(100 Monkeys)- We just scored a move called Girlfriend which Jared Anderson and myself produced and both acted in and that is being released in small theatres across the country as we speak. And we are actually working on the score for another movie called Zombie Hamlet which some friends of ours made and we’re kinda doing the score and putting some music in there of our friends bands, all good good music we really like, independent music. And there’s always couple other projects in the works.

EllenwoodEP(Gavin White)- So your just finishing up a tour, how was it been?

(100 Monkeys)- Its been great so far got a few dates left and we’re really looking forward to those. Its been extremely hot! We blew out a tire on our big bus it was cool to see that, luckily we were safe. We beached the bus and had to get it towed off a curb. The bus broke down in Indianapolis on Jared’s wedding anniversary. His wife was with us, so we spent their anniversary in a parking lot, sitting in a circle, drinking water, playing catch… Happy third anniversary Jared! We’ve all been telling him it can only go up from here.

EllenwoodEP(Gavin White)- What’s next?

(100 Monkeys)- The Liquid Zoo Tour is going to continue in Europe after Thanksgiving. We’re really excited cause this is the first time for the band to get the opportunity to go over there. And so far the response has been great. We looking at more dates internationally but the schedule for the whole European tour is up on the website and you can buy tickets now.

Set List El Ray Theatre 08/25

Wings on Fire

Reaper

Orson Brawk

Future Radio

Aim High

Wandering Mind

Kolpix

Monkey Song

The Sound

Grocery Store No More

Ugly Girl

Weightlifting Snowman (Improve Song)

Invisible Monsters

100 Monkeys wrapped up their US tour August 28th at the House of Blues in San Diego, but will continuing the Liquid Zoo Tour in Europe at the end of November. All of 100 Monkeys music is currently available on i-Tunes.

Source => Ellenwood / Via => JRathboneFB