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:
How does Liquid Zoo differ from your previous albums?
J-Rad : There is a tad of extra special sauce—awesome sauce if you will—sprinkled into the music.
J-Action : It’s rebellious, new, exciting, and the best thing about us. It’s going to outlive us, and we’re extremely proud to introduce it to the world.
Ben J : We consider Liquid Zoo to be a leap forward for us as a band. We tracked the rhythm parts live as a band. Instead of spending time on overdubs, we were able to focus on getting the vocals we wanted and putting finishing touches on every track.
Comedy is an important part of your music — who are some of your favorite comedians?
Uncle Larry : Groucho Marx.
J-Rad : The old stuff; Richard Pryor.
J-Action : My dad is an extremely witty guy who can keep a room alive. He’s a big influence, as well as all the comedians my dad doesn’t like because of their use of profanity — George Carlin, Richard Pryor, Eddie Murphy, etc.
Ben J : I guess when I was growing up in the ’90s — Bill Murray always got me good. These days I love watching Will Ferrell.
Ben G : I guess Henry Fonda would be the fondest.
I’ve heard that acting and improv are a big part of your personal lives as well as your live show. Besides Twilight, what are you currently involved in on the side?
J-Action : Beer, BBQ, cheap whiskey, a new record label, good whiskey, new singles and old b-sides, expensive whiskey that other people pay for…and an upcoming world tour.
J-Rad : We are starting a record label, we produce our own movies, and we continually write new music.
What’s one of your favorite recent musical-improv moments?
Ben G : Playing the “Cocaine Blues” in an upscale hotel lobby with the Kissing Club. That put a grin on my face.
J-Rad : I liked when an idea was written on a pillow that literally hit me in the face on stage. It was called “Pillow Talk.”
Uncle Larry : Our recent improv song called “Jello.”
J-Action : “No Bueno” was the improv song in Mission, Texas at Smokin’ Aces, and that was a recent favorite because it stretched my improv lyrical ability to sing in both English and my limited Spanish… plus the groove felt good!
Best air guitar song of all time?
J-Rad : “Eruption” (Van Halen)
Uncle Larry : “Iron Man” (Black Sabbath)
Ben G : Jumpin’ Jack Flash (The Rolling Stones)
Ben J : “More Than A Feeling” (Boston)
J-Action : “Layla” (Eric Clapton)
Say you’re given the power to remove one album from the world’s collective memory…
J-Rad : Barney’s Favorites, Vol. 2 Featuring Songs from Imagination Island (purple dinosaur Barney).
J-Action : It’s a tie between Yoko Ono‘s Yes, I’m a Witch and Paul McCartney & Wings‘ Red Rose Speedway. Two things collectively broke up The Beatles: John and Paul’s ego. Should we just blame ego or was it Yoko? Either way, Wings sucked just as much as Yoko.
Ben G : My mom’s photo album of embarrassing childhood photographs. Seriously though, we should get rid of generic Christmas music. Shopping centers are tough enough as it is.
Ben J : Cher‘s Believe. It was the beginning of Auto-Tuned vocals, something I’ve never been able to get down with.
Uncle Larry : Any album that advocates hate.
What’s next for 100 Monkeys?
J-Rad: Mayhem.
Uncle Larry: Revealing new music to the new world…
J-Rad : There is a tad of extra special sauce—awesome sauce if you will—sprinkled into the music.
J-Action : It’s rebellious, new, exciting, and the best thing about us. It’s going to outlive us, and we’re extremely proud to introduce it to the world.
Ben J : We consider Liquid Zoo to be a leap forward for us as a band. We tracked the rhythm parts live as a band. Instead of spending time on overdubs, we were able to focus on getting the vocals we wanted and putting finishing touches on every track.
Comedy is an important part of your music — who are some of your favorite comedians?
Uncle Larry : Groucho Marx.
J-Rad : The old stuff; Richard Pryor.
J-Action : My dad is an extremely witty guy who can keep a room alive. He’s a big influence, as well as all the comedians my dad doesn’t like because of their use of profanity — George Carlin, Richard Pryor, Eddie Murphy, etc.
Ben J : I guess when I was growing up in the ’90s — Bill Murray always got me good. These days I love watching Will Ferrell.
Ben G : I guess Henry Fonda would be the fondest.
I’ve heard that acting and improv are a big part of your personal lives as well as your live show. Besides Twilight, what are you currently involved in on the side?
J-Action : Beer, BBQ, cheap whiskey, a new record label, good whiskey, new singles and old b-sides, expensive whiskey that other people pay for…and an upcoming world tour.
J-Rad : We are starting a record label, we produce our own movies, and we continually write new music.
What’s one of your favorite recent musical-improv moments?
Ben G : Playing the “Cocaine Blues” in an upscale hotel lobby with the Kissing Club. That put a grin on my face.
J-Rad : I liked when an idea was written on a pillow that literally hit me in the face on stage. It was called “Pillow Talk.”
Uncle Larry : Our recent improv song called “Jello.”
J-Action : “No Bueno” was the improv song in Mission, Texas at Smokin’ Aces, and that was a recent favorite because it stretched my improv lyrical ability to sing in both English and my limited Spanish… plus the groove felt good!
Best air guitar song of all time?
J-Rad : “Eruption” (Van Halen)
Uncle Larry : “Iron Man” (Black Sabbath)
Ben G : Jumpin’ Jack Flash (The Rolling Stones)
Ben J : “More Than A Feeling” (Boston)
J-Action : “Layla” (Eric Clapton)
Say you’re given the power to remove one album from the world’s collective memory…
J-Rad : Barney’s Favorites, Vol. 2 Featuring Songs from Imagination Island (purple dinosaur Barney).
J-Action : It’s a tie between Yoko Ono‘s Yes, I’m a Witch and Paul McCartney & Wings‘ Red Rose Speedway. Two things collectively broke up The Beatles: John and Paul’s ego. Should we just blame ego or was it Yoko? Either way, Wings sucked just as much as Yoko.
Ben G : My mom’s photo album of embarrassing childhood photographs. Seriously though, we should get rid of generic Christmas music. Shopping centers are tough enough as it is.
Ben J : Cher‘s Believe. It was the beginning of Auto-Tuned vocals, something I’ve never been able to get down with.
Uncle Larry : Any album that advocates hate.
What’s next for 100 Monkeys?
J-Rad: Mayhem.
Uncle Larry: Revealing new music to the new world…
musicblog.napster.com
~Robstenfan
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