100 Questions Answered by 100 Monkeys

100 Questions Answered by 100 Monkeys

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

New 100 Monkeys Interview with Media Mikes

New 100 Monkeys Interview with Media Mikes

New 100 Monkeys Interview with New Times

New 100 Monkeys Interview with New Times

If you ask just anyone about the band 100 Monkeys, they might look at you with a blank stare. However, mention it to a starry-eyed Twi-hard, and her heart will most likely skip several beats. But despite its ties to the massive Twilight industry, (main man Jackson Rathbone plays "Jasper Hale" in the films) 100 Monkeys is not just another celebrity band. Grabbing influence from the Motown era to Jimi Hendrix and Classic rock, 100 Monkeys brings a new sound to the music industry, making it nearly impossible to slap on a specific genre label. Most recently 100 Monkeys explored a different side of music and composed the soundtrack to indie film Girlfriend which stars members Jackson Rathbone and Jerad Anderson. On tour for most of the year, the band works hard, is known to have an outrageous stage presence and is completely all about the fans.

Recently, the boys took some time out of their bustling tour schedule to chat about new album Liquid Zoo, hotel slumber parties, and the special hugs they give one another before hopping on stage. Oh and girls, Jackson Rathbone's southern accent is real and yes it is that sexy.

New Times: So you guys started this tour a little while ago, how's it going for you?

100 Monkeys: Yeah we started about 3 weeks ago, and its just been great. Lots of energy from the crowds, and our fans are awesome. We have fans that travel all over the country following us to see multiple shows in different cities.

You recently came off a 100 city tour, what was that like?

Well we're still trying to hit a bunch of the cities from that tour. A lot of the smaller places didn't have venues big enough to hold everyone, so we're going back through a lot of them and we're just trying to play anywhere. Bowling alleys, roller skating rinks, you know wherever we can get our fans in.

Wow a rollerskating rink, you'd totally have to play on skates.

(laughs) Wow, that would be something. I'm not sure how we would do that, but we should try it. Yeah that'd be really out of control. Especially when we switch instruments.

So with such a crazy tour schedule, what is a typical day like for you guys?

Crazy. No seriously, it's like wake up, play, sleep, and onto the next town. We can't wait to get back to Florida, we've been there before and everyone is just real cool, laid back, and wants to have a good time.

You guys are really all about the fans. I mean you give out your hotel info and encourage them to stay there. Has that ever gotten out of hand?

Hahah whoa. You make it sound dirty, like some crazy slumber party. It's more like we partner with hotels all over the country and they offer our fans a discounted rate. Sort of like a Groupon. A lot of our fans are really dedicated to our music, and they travel all over just to see us play. So we want to give back to them, because without them where would we be? Once in Detroit, we did have a pretty crazy party in the lobby. Jello shots, whip cream fights, cookies. But you know, we cleaned up after because we're gentleman.

So I've been listening to the newest album Liquid Zoo, and in my opinion your sound is very Murder City Devils meets The Doors, and a little Johnny Cash. What would you compare yourselves to?

Wow, well you hit the nail on the head. But yeah, we listen to a lot of Motown, classic rock, and stuff from the past, so we like to draw our sound and inspiration from older bands. A lot of rock and roll and blues.

The song "Keep Awake" is pretty morbid, kind of makes me think about Patrick Bateman in American Psycho with Huey Lewis and The News. What movie killer could you picture humming that song while doing the deed?

The Joker. Definitely.

Liquid Zoo's release was just a few weeks ago, what was the creative journey like for this album?

Well we're always traveling and on the road. So we get a lot of inspiration from that. And in the process of recording, we would hangout at this local bar called Liquid Zoo, and the bartender would just let us go on stage and jam. We'd get loose and just go back to the studio and start recording. With this album we really wanted to capture that live energy that we have on stage. It's really hard to duplicate that through a studio album, so it's been a learning process. We played everything live and together in the studio except the vocals. It was definitely a new way to go, but we wanted to get that high energy that we have on stage expressed through this album.

You also recently composed the soundtrack for new movie Girlfriend. How was this process different in comparison to creating an album?

Oh it's completely different. We basically had to bring our studio with us on the road and set up in our hotel room with two screens. Watching the movie on one screen and pro tools on the other, just layering sounds and creating musical emotion to go along with what is happening on screen. It's different, but it's something we want to do. We're working on some more movies right now, and we want to continue to do this. Also, we're releasing an album called The Girlfriend Soundtrack which will be a series of songs that we created while composing for the movie.

When did you discover your passion for music?

I think for all of us it was at a really young age. I just remember visiting my mom in her hometown of New Orleans and seeing the street performers playing and I'd beg her for a dollar to give them. I just wanted to support what they were doing because I knew that would be me one day.

When you're not on tour or a film set what are you guys doing?

We always have an instrument in hand. Always jamming. In Toronto, we were in the green room waiting to go on, and we were just hanging out playing music. The lady came back to us and said "you know you can do that on stage now". I think we were late getting on stage just because we were jamming and in the zone.

What should people who have never seen you guys expect from a 100 Monkeys show?

A demented party. (laughs) Lots of high energy, jumping around, basically anything goes. Oh and on this tour we're offering anyone with a military ID get in for free. One of our band mates, Laurence Abrams is himself a veteran so we want to extend our gratitude for the people serving out country with a free rock show.

Do you guys have any pre-show rituals?

Well we generally a special hug. (laughs) and then Jackson and I often slap eachother as hard as we can on the back on the neck. (laughter) A special hug and a slap on the neck (laughter) wow, don't tell anyone about that though. . .wait. Uh yeah usually before that there is a little bit of whiskey, we always write out set list like a few minutes before our show so its always fresh, and it never gets stale

One word to describe you guys...

Funky

Source => JRathboneFB

100 Monkeys Answer Fan-Submitted Questions with @PattinsonPost

100 Monkeys Answer Fan-Submitted Questions with @PattinsonPost

We recently had the pleasure of interviewing the band 100 Monkeys at their show in Boston, Massachusetts on July 12th. 100 Monkeys is comprised of Jackson Rathbone, Uncle Larry, Ben Graupner, Ben Johnson and Jerad Anderson.

As part of the interview, we asked them questions submitted to our twitter @PattinsonPost by fans of the 100 Monkeys. What follows are the questions that were tweeted to us and the fascinating answers given to us by the band.

@MonkeyJunkie90: What song could you listen to and never get sick of hearing?

Jackson- “Ode to Joy”

BenG- You know, every time you hear “Happy Birthday,” it’s exciting and new…and it’s the same song (laughs).

BenJ- I’m gonna say “I Heard it Through the Grapevine,” covered by Creedence. That’s just one of those songs that’s so good I could listen to it over and over again.

Jerad- That’s a tough question. It would probably have to be something classic rock. Rolling Stones.

UncleLarry- Yes, the one that has not been written yet.

@TracyC25: Boston is a big music town. Is there a song you would like to cover by a Boston band?

BenG- I don’t know. Really, the only cover songs we play are by an artist named Spencer Bell. (Ed Note: Spencer Bell was a band mate of Ben Johnson who passed away from adrenal cancer. Read his story here and find out more about the Spencer Bell Memorial Project).

@100MonkeysNY: The songs on Liquid Zoo have a different sound. How did you come up with that?

BenG- Well, every CD is going to have its own sound. Liquid Zoo we were working between Los Angeles and Baton Rouge, Louisiana, so we kind of cut across the southern United States when we were making it. Being so close to New Orleans inspired us to use some brass and bring in some gospel choirs for “Modern Times.” And then just the way all of us change and grow as musicians as you move through life. There’s always going to be more on your next project than your last one because you are always moving through life into different space. So all of that kind of came together to make Liquid Zoo what it is.

@MindyCaley: You finally have a European tour. What are you most looking forward to on your European tour?

Jackson: Meeting new people, new places. New venues, new faces to have a good time with. We’re just excited to get a chance to play our music for our fans over there. We have a great fan base over there, it’s where we started out as a band and we’re finally going to get a chance to go play our music live for them.

@100MonkeysMD: If you could invent a musical instrument, what would it contain and what would you call it?

BenG- A guitar with a crank, that would be pretty sweet. With a guitar pick that would keep going kind of like a hurdy gurdy but the other way, it would be kind of like a tommy gun (makes machine gun noise).

Credit => Pattinson Post

New 100 Monkeys Interview with Chicago Now

New 100 Monkeys Interview with Chicago Now

When Jackson Rathbone and his band 100 Monkeys took the stage at the Cosmopolitan in Las Vegas last spring, the sound of squeals were the only sound that could be heard.  The crowd packed as close to the stage as they could, hoping to get a glimpse of the “Twilight: Breaking Dawn” star.

“You all look mighty tasty tonight”, Rathbone said to a crowd of teenagers and young twenty-somethings.  At this, the high pitched, faceless gaggle of screamers went nuts again, and the band started into their set.

The band 100 Monkeys consists of five guys, all of whom are pretty easy on the eyes. They are Jackson Rathbone and his childhood friend, Ben Graupner, a budding actor Jerad Anderson, Ben Johnson of Mt. Carroll, IL and then there is the head-scratcher and self-proclaimed “Uncle of the world”, M. Lawrence, 'Uncle Larry' Abrams.

Although all members of the band take turns playing instruments, something of a gimmick they are known for, it's the fifty-something that helps bring a little credibility to the group of twenty-somethings with just a jazzy tip to his high-hat.  He is a bad ass percussionist who grew up on south Spaulding in Chicago. I asked Uncle Larry if his friends come out for the shows with this group of young bucks and he says quite seriously, “I don't really have friends, I only have loved ones.”

From the back of their tour bus as they drove through Minnesota, I spoke by phone, or rather 'simultaneously had ideas and connected' with 100 Monkeys, who will be playing the House of Blues tonight.

Where does the name 100 Monkeys come from?

Jerad Andersen: It has to do with the idea of collective consciousness in the 100 Monkey Theory where one idea happens in one location and also simultaneously happens in a completely unrelated, separate location, and at the end we're all connected.   So what we try to do as a band is connect people through music and spread a good vibe and a good time with100 Monkeys band. In. E-ffect.

And what would you do if the band was attacked by 100 Monkeys?

Jerad Andersen: We would fight them off with music notes. And chords. And drums. And bass. I actually had a funny idea once about a movie where we fight an army of zombies in a similar fashion with music. Like Michael Jackson's Captain Eo if you ever saw that, he fights the bad guys with music.

How would you describe your music to fans who are coming out to your show at the House of Blues?

Jerad Andersen: Funky, super-exciting, rock n' roll.

How did this 100 Monkeys form?

Ben Graupner: We all came together in Hollywood when Ben Johnson came out form Philadelphia to do some recording for Jackson and myself. At the same time, Jerad Anderson was a close neighbor of ours and he would come over and jam with us in the afternoons. We were making these rough recordings in the style of our first CD “Monster de Lux”. We started playing shows at the 24K Lounge (RIP) where our live show formed into you know... where our band spent its baby years, its awkward teen years of live shows, and that was it. We recorded 'Ugly Girls' and 'Smoke' in Uncle Larry's studio and that's the story.

With a song title like 'Ugly Girls', some might immediately think you're fickle. Do you have something against those who aren’t' members of the Good Looking Club?

Jackson Rathbone: NO. “Ugly Girls” is more of a term about the people who keep their aesthetics on one level, and their personal and everything else on another. Ugly Girls does not describe the outside appearance, it describes the “inside”, the way the people kind of treat the world and take in the world. So its more so about the vain, those that don't focus on their spirit, on their soul.

It would seemingly be difficult to have a good majority of your fan base wearing “Team Jasper” t-shirts. With "Twilight: Breaking Dawn Pt. 1" hitting theaters soon, vampire fever must be at its highest. What I find interesting is that instead of shunning it, the band seems to play into it a little? What's it like being on that side that has the underlying theme of a band member being part of one of the most successful movie franchises?

Jackson Rathbone: Well, it's just one of those things. "Twilight" was a huge phenomenon. You know, I think everyone's been a part of it and has been wrapped up in it in a certain way. But at the end of the day, we're all just a bunch of artists in the entertainment industry. Our goal is to make people happy. Whether its for an hour and a half at a film or for an hour and a half at a rock show. At the end of the day, its about putting a smile on someones face, and a bounce in their step.

I've seen that 100 Monkeys sometimes brings guests on stage, has Rob Pattinson ever jammed out with you guys?

Jackson Rathbone: Oh, ah, you know, ah yeah. He has before. One of the reason he played with our band 100 Monkeys was because when we were first getting started, we had the idea that anyone could come up and start playing with us. For a long time we had a section on our band page that was “Other Monkeys”. People who have come up with us and jammed at long shows or people who jammed with us on recordings. And that is just part of us and what we do. We are always open to other musical acts. That's one of the reasons we love touring is b/c we get to see other bands. We get to see different styles of music from across the world and our doors are always open to anyone who wants to play music.

Who has been the coolest person you've jammed with on the road?

Jackson Rathbone: On this tour we have The Kissing Club joining us for all of our shows. And The Bleeding Horse Express. Those bands are both represented on the record label we formed this past year. One of the 100 Monkeys projects that we've got in the works is putting out records we think are good.

So on the road, you are on the lookout for musicians?

Jackson Rathbone: Every city, always and in between we are looking for musicians we want to collaborate with. Being able to travel this much, we get to see a lot of good music. I mean we have seen over 100 bands this past year and all have been just fantastic.

When you are in between movies, doing a non-stop tour that will lead into press junkets for new movies, what do you with your downtime?

Jackson Rathbone or Ben Graupner (I don't know): We built a recording studio so we've been working in the back of the bus. We have been working on a score to a movie. In our spare time, we love to jam and to be honest, we really just want to get some sleep, you know?

100 Monkeys play an all-ages show tonight at the House of Blues.  Tickets start at $20 and are still on sale at the House of Blues Box Office and Ticketmaster.

Source => Chicago Now / Via => JRathboneFB

Q&A with 100 Monkeys; Liquid Zoo Coming Next Tuesday

Q&A with 100 Monkeys; Liquid Zoo Coming Next Tuesday

Indie rock band 100 Monkeys have been doubling-over fans the past few years with their unique funky sensibility and incessant comic creativity — the band writes and performs a new song on the spot at every show based on an audience member’s idea. They’re versatile and talented musicians with a common quick-witted sense of humor, and they’re clearly in a world of their own. Next week, the band will release a new album, Liquid Zoo. As they gear up for release festivities, members Jerad Anderson (J-Rad), Jackson Rathbone (J-Action), Ben Graupner (Ben G), Ben Johnson (Ben J), and M. Lawrence Abrams (Uncle Larry) were kind enough to answer a few questions for us:

New 100 Monkeys Interview with MF Magazine

New 100 Monkeys Interview with MF Magazine

100 Monkeys Transcend 'Twilight,' Keep the Legacy of Spencer Bell Alive

100 Monkeys Transcend 'Twilight,' Keep the Legacy of Spencer Bell Alive

New 100 Monkeys Interview with Popzine Online

New 100 Monkeys Interview with Popzine Online

PZO: As a band, what are your best qualities?

*laughter*

Jackson: Funkability.

Ben G: Our live show. It’s all about the live show.

Jerad: I second that because we all switch instruments and so it’s something unique and different. We all have instrument ADD, so it’s fun.

PZO: What’s a common compliment people give you as a band and individually?

Jackson: “We love your live show.” *laughs* It’s always amazing, you know, after the show we see people and they tell us how much they had an amazing time and how they met a new best friend of theirs or I think one of the best compliments we ever received was a CD from a fan who had been inspired by us to form her own band and that was a huge compliment right there.

Ben G: The Oh Noz!.

*laughter*

PZO: That’s what they’re called?

Ben G: Yeah, N-O-Z.

PZO: Individually?

Jackson: Well, I’m not wearing a hat right now, but usually they say that’s a nice hat.

*Jerad puts his hat on Jackson*

Ben J: Nice hat.

Ben G: People always tell me to change my clothes. I have a very slim selection of t-shirts that I wear.

Jerad: I thought he was going to say distinct odor.

Ben G: Well yeah, that too.

*laughter*

Ben J: They kind of go hand in hand.

Ben G: People are always like, “Oh man, you’re wearing the skeleton shirt again?”

*laughter*

Ben J: I haven’t taken it off, man.

Ben G: I get a lot of skeleton t-shirts. I’m very thankful for them all.

Jackson: I’m kind of jealous of that actually. You get all these awesome skeleton t-shirts.

Ben G: I got a stuffed animal today.

An New Interview with 100 Monkeys by Squidoo

An New Interview with 100 Monkeys by Squidoo

I recently had the opportunity to interview 100 Monkeys.....

Who is in the 100 Monkeys and what do they play in the band?

100 Monkeys is: Ben Graupner-Keys, Guitar, Bass, Drums, Percussion, Trumpet, Vocals, Ben Johnson-Drums, Bass, Guitar, Keys, Vocals, Jerad Anderson-Guitar, Bass, Drums, Keys, Vocals M. Laurence Abrams (aka Uncle Larry) -Percussions, Flute, Bass, Keys, Saxophone, Vocals Jackson Rathbone -Guitar, Vocals, Bass, Drums Keys, Trumpet, Mandolin, Harmonica

(100 Monkeys are known to switch instruments and vocalists nearly every other song during their set, an idea patented as the "Monkey Switcheroo"...)

We all have ADHD. (That's "Artistic Dependency, in High Definition")

Where are you based?

Los Angeles... and various couches around the world.

How did the band name come about, is it of any significance?

It was through a need to play music, all kinds of music without the limitations of the modern band format: the specified "band" and "frontman".

We all sing, write, and play various instruments to an eclectic variety of songs: funky, punky, bluesy, jazzy, and good ole' rock n roll. The name 100 Monkeys came about through the need to title an idea... the idea of constant creation and anticipation of the collective consciousness being the driving force of our music. Basically, each of us have 20 monkeys in our heads... And when the five of us come together, we become 100 Monkeys.

How would you describe the output of the band?

There's a lot of it. For a young band, just around three years old now, we have put out a copious amount of material. We still have much more brewing as well. We are constantly writing and developing new sounds and styles... and our live show is truly raucous and fun. 100 Monkeys is a group of entertainers who love to do what they do.

Have there been any major changes since the band started?

Our first album, Monster DeLux, was an improv jam session, and we just had three members. Then, Lawrence officially became a monkeys Uncle, Jerad's wife finally let him join the band, and we started composing songs. We keep the improv ideology in our live shows by making up a song a night...we have plans to make another improv album with all five of us, and our fans from around the world will get to participate.

How are the songs composed?

It depends. Sometimes in a day or sometimes over the course of a year, a song will be born. Like a child, songs constantly change and grow, sometimes they are perfect angels and sometimes they are precocious little monsters. We all write independently, but we often write as a unit... there's no clear through line in 100 Monkeys composition in-and-of itself, but rather, it is the growth of the artist and the art, together.

Who or what are the main influences?

Everything and anything. Mostly unadulterated love of music. Music has it's own soul, we're just along for the ride.

You have a loyal following, who really seem to appreciate all the Charity promotion you are involved with, how did that first come about?

We support projects we believe in, and so do our fans. The closest to our collective monkey hearts is the Spencer Bell Legacy (or SBL). Spencer was a friend of ours who was a talented musician, artist, poet, etc. He died suddenly at age 20 from Adrenal Cancer.

Fans support the SBL because they love Spencer's music and through supporting the music, they are supporting a greater cause, giving a home to Orphan Cancer awareness. Through fans support, SBL has pharmaceutical companies developing new medicine for

Adrenal Cancer (the first since the 60s) and we owe it to our fans love and support. Dr. Gary Hammer, the SBL, the bands, and the fans have shown just how much a group can change the world.

I am based in the UK and have been specifically asked - are you coming over soon?

We are taking swimming lessons, so... be there as long as it takes to swim across the pond.

Any upcoming tours?

We are planning a world tour for this summer. Keep checking our website for more information. 100monkeysmusic.com

Any upcoming releases?

Liquid Zoo (our sophomore studio album) is coming out late spring of this year. Plus! We gonna be releasing various singles, books, and secret messages in bottles. Constant creations.

What drives the band to keep playing?

Bananas, coffee, and a guy with a license to drive buses. Plus, a serious love for music and for our fans.

What should I have asked that you want people to know?

How much we love our fans. We would say, "this much!" and we all would extend our arms in a row. That's a lot of monkey love.

Find out more about 100 Monkeys 

Source => Squidoo / Via => Jackson Rathbone Online---Twilightish

The Daily Citizen Interview with 100 Monkeys Publicist

The Daily Citizen Interview with 100 Monkeys Publicist

100 Monkeys Interview by 100 Monkeys Army

100 Monkeys Interview by 100 Monkeys Army

How did you come up with the title for “Liquid Zoo”?

Jackson: Liquid zoo has a couple of meanings actually. Its a commentary on the album to a certain degree. Its pulling and forming a structure and its the flowing of one instrument to another, it has the quality a zoo has. Its fun and you get to see all these different animals and different genres of music that we get to play. Also we recorded most of the album in a studio in California and the local bar there that we go ti is called the Liquid Zoo. So its kind of a neat thing, we would go there to kinda refreash ourselves after the night, grab a quick beer and they had these jam band nights and we would go up and jam on stage like our original days just jamming and kinda making stuff up, just playing with good people, so it seemed kind of appropriate.

100 Monkeys Interview by Newpaper NEISD

Encounter with 100 Monkeys

You’ve heard about Team Jacob and Team Edward, but what about Team Monkeys?

Best known for his role as bloodthirsty Jasper Hale in the hit film Twilight, Jackson Rathbone is also a member of a funk rock band called 100 Monkeys.

The band includes Rathbone, Ben Graupner, Ben Johnson, Jerad Anderson, and Lawrence Abrams. Each member can play every instrument involved in the performance, and frequently take turns on the different peripherals during their set to keep things interesting. Now, celebrating the release of singles “Ugly Girl” and “Future Radio”, Rathbone has a few inspirational words about his band’s legacy.

“We continue to grow as artists, and as individuals, and as a band. Today is always going to be better than yesterday; tomorrow is always going to be better than today. That’s how we like look at it,” Rathbone said.

Click here to read the rest.

Source => Newspaper Neisd / Via => Jackson Rathbone Online---Gossip Dance

100 Monkeys Interview with 29-95 Music

Small Talk : 100 Monkeys

New Jackson and 100 Monkeys Interview by Flutter Zine

New Jackson and 100 Monkeys Interview by Flutter Zine