Going Bananas:
100 Monkeys
The last thing you expect from a monkey is a good story, much less several all at once. But then again, 100 Monkeys will be the first to tell you that they are certainly not monkeys (who knew?). 100 Monkeys take their name from the hundredth monkey effect. You may be thinking, “what the hell does that mean?” but it’s something that we live in every day. Trends are a great example. Catching on yet? The effect points to the phenomenon of when an idea or ability spreads throughout an entire population once a smaller segment of said population already knows of it. Ah, now you get it.
Minutes before walking out the door to audition in L.A., Graupner called – a lot a bit late. “I’m so sorry, I apologize,” he said in a voice unlike the one heard throughout the recordings of 100 Monkeys. Labeled “psychobilly,” Japanese classic music and experimental, 100 Monkeys sound is as diverse as those who comprise it. Graupner along with Ben Johnson, Jackson Rathbone, Jared Anderson and a mysterious man named Uncle are hard to figure out. With bio’s that only point to their primate-like existence, it’s hard to wrap your head around who these guys are.
“I think in almost any interview you’re not gonna get much outta us, especially if we’re together. We just joke around so goddamn much,” Graupner says with honesty. Well, if that’s true, then it certainly was a treat to talk to Graupner alone. On more than one occasion a simple question was transformed into an adventure tale – it was quite refreshing. From an impromptu karaoke session at a snowed in bar to the time when Graupner called off working his day job and missed out on 48 bucks because the guys were in such a groovy recording session. Speaking with Graupner, it became clear that they are storytellers. Three of the chaps are actors by trade; all having attended Michigan’s own Interlocken Arts Academy, which makes perfect sense seeing as how the guys own their monkey-ness.
But what does 100 Monkeys mean to the guys? “Every concert, no matter how small it is, takes place in a little microcosm. Everybody shows up and they’ve all had different days, but come the third song everyone is on the same wave link and that’s what 100 Monkeys means to us.” Fans will be able to enjoy the little microcosm throughout the year and the band will release a live album sometime in July. Currently, the band is working on their first music soundtrack (how fitting!) for a movie titled Girlfriends. As far as future projects go, Graupner goes with the flow. “You never know what’s brewing.” Or in their case, peeling. ❦
