Why I Love Those 100 Monkeys

Remember all those times you heard a song for the first time and it became lodged in your head all day?  Did you ever find that you liked it so much that you sought out the makers of the song, only to discover that every song they'd created was as extraordinary as the first one you heard?


That's how it happened for me.

Back in May of 2009, a friend played me Drunken Waltz off of the 100 Monkeys debut album, Monster de Lux. The music started and I couldn't help but tap my toes to the plunking of the piano.  Then the vocals started, and I was immediately immobilized because they are nothing short of hypnotic. The lyrics were intriguing and familiar, because I'd been there. You have, too.  Even if you've never thought to put your feelings into words, something inside you will recognize the lyrics as thoughts of your own. Thoughts that have crossed your very own mind at least once in your life.


That was all it took.  One song.  Hook, line and sinker.  I was sold.  The more I learn about this band, the more I find that I am helpless (and happily so!) to resist their charms.


The most impressive discovery to date was learning how the Monster de Lux album was created.  Each song was recorded only one time.  Once.  No second chances.  No do-overs.  They had one shot at recording their songs, and they nailed it every single time.  Yes, a couple of them sound like a bunch of guys tinkering with instruments in their garage after polishing off a six-pack each, but even the ones that sound like that are remarkable.  Because in them, you'll hear originality, innovation, and enthusiasm.  It's funky, it's fresh, and it's a relief from the sugar-coated pop that bloats the airways.  These monkeys are pioneers in a jaded industry, and therein lies the beauty of their music.


When Grape, their first studio album, was released at the end of November 2009, I actually found myself dumbstruck.  Less than a year had elapsed since Monster de Lux had come into being, and somehow, 100 Monkeys now sounded like a band that had been playing together for more than a decade. 


The music on Grape is polished.  The lyrics and both witty and heartbreaking.  The very first time you listen to the album, the vocals latch onto your soul and take up permanent residence inside you.  The songs vary so much in approach from one to another that even the monkeys cannot classify themselves into a musical genre.  And kudos to them for being able to have such a vast collection of musical stylings.  It not only allows them to appeal to a broader audience, but it shows their versatility while demonstrating the amalgamation of thoughts and creativity between the members of the band.

When the opportunity arose late last month for me to see 100 Monkeys perform live, I knew it was imperative that I be a member of their audience.


It was the least disappointing night of my life.


Seeing 100 Monkeys live is an experience that cannot be adequately described with mere words, though, as you'll see, I'll try to do just that. 


These men are bursting with life - dancing around, joking, crooning, laughing, and genuinely enjoying their lives.  They rearrange themselves on stage numerous times throughout each show, replacing one another on nearly every instrument.  That flexibility alone is enough to warrant praise.  Add into the equation that they opt to allow the audience to suggest a song title, and then they proceed to create an impromptu song with never-before-thought-of lyrics that often consist of record-worthy ingenuity.  It's indescribably exhilarating to watch.


Their concerts are intimate encounters, not ostentatious productions.  There is no extravagant lighting or pyrotechnics.  No maniacal costumes or flamboyant backup dancers.  It's just five guys, in their own clothes, who arrive in an assortment of unremarkable vehicles (sorry Cobra!), playing their own cherished, seasoned equipment.  There is no security detail.  No thronging, screaming fans with Beatle-mania-like reactions. (OK, so there is the occasional Beatlemania-life reaction from fans, but that's not the monkey's fault, so does it really require mentioning?) The combination of all that guileless sincerity is simply breathtaking.


They choose venues that allow them to be close to their fans, to interact with them. There is no pedestal on which they expect to be put on or perform from. They hold themselves in no higher regard than every other soul around them.  There is no trace of pretentiousness, no hint of obligation.  These are men who love what they do.  They appear to be fueled by passion and sustained by the love of their fans.  You can see in their faces the humility they feel down to the very marrow of their bones - that, or they're the best actors of our generation.


In short, I love this band because they are real. They're accessible.  They're a plethora of adjectives I'll no longer bore you with.


If you take one thing with you after reading this, please let it be this simple sentiment: I love 100 Monkeys because they make extraordinary music. Music that calms, that entertains, that soothes, that invigorates, and most importantly, music that makes me smile.


Don't believe me? Go listen for yourself: 100MonkeysMusic.com 


To see pictures from my 100 Monkeys concert at the House of Blues in San Diego, California on July 23, 2010, go HERE.


Serenityi




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