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.”

Read the rest of this article »

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.

Read the rest of this article »

Jackson Rathbone, known for his portrayal of vampire Jasper Hale in the “Twilight” movies, says long hours are required to be an actor and also a member of rock band 100 Monkeys.

“I usually work about 12 hours on set and rehearse about four or five hours a night,” said Rathbone, who will appear with 100 Monkeys Wednesday in the Egyptian Room at Old National Centre. “It’s not easy to break into the entertainment industry as an actor or as a band.”

The 26-year-old merges his careers in upcoming film “Live at the Foxes Den.”

“I play a young lawyer who becomes a lounge singer,” Rathbone said. “I’m doing standards like ‘Old Devil Moon,’ ‘I Get a Kick Out of You’ and ‘You Make Me Feel So Young.’ The style I’m going for is a mix of Frank Sinatra and Chet Baker.”

Rathbone’s baritone vocals, which have sparked comparisons to Jim Morrison, are showcased on new 100 Monkeys album “Liquid Zoo.”

“I’ve loved entertaining people since I was a kid,” he said. “In life, I’ve been driven by the ability to get on a stage and hopefully get a crowd dancing. Call it escapism or entertainment or just good old rock ‘n’ roll.”

Jackson Rathbone may be best known as Jasper in the Twilight films, but he’s taking on a new role in Aim High, Warner Bros.’s new web series produced by McG (Chuck) that premieres Aug. 1 on Facebook. Rathbone will play a high schooler, Nick Green, who moonlights as a U.S. spy when he’s not hitting the books. EW has the exclusive trailer for the series below, as well as some more details from Rathbone about the series.

Rathbone says his character Nick is all about leading a double life. “He’s kind of inundated with class work, and at night,” Rathbone explains, “he goes out and takes out terrorists. Nick is like a mix between Ferris Bueller and Jason Bourne. I played the awkwardness in school, and confidence out on missions. It was a blast for me.”

But why, pray tell, would the U.S. government want to use a high school student as a spy? Jackson explains: “He’s young, he’s fit, and he’s still kind of at that age where the idea of morality is still a little bit bendable. At the end of the day, he’s malleable. He can be taught, he can learn quickly, and it’s also the idea of the teenager — especially the modern teenager — being able to focus on so many different things at once. Nowadays you have the iPads and the iPhones and computers and all this kind of stuff, and kids are so amazing at multi-tasking. I think that’s what makes an amazing field operative, someone that can do one thing while doing 20 other things at the same time. If you can’t focus on whatever is right in front of you and everything else going on around you, you probably would be a terrible operative.”

Of course, Nick will encounter tough situations in both arenas of his life — in high school, and while out as an operative. “There is a general, overarching nemesis in this first season, but at the same time, it’s about following this kid as he tries to navigate faking a normal life in high school and hiding his operative element to the rest of the school,” Jackson says.

And because it’s a high school drama, too, there’s a juicy romantic element, natch. Friday Night Lights alum Aimee Teegarden plays a love interest for Rathbone’s Nick. “She’s fantastic,” Rathbone says of Teegarden. “She’s one of those girls who’s just so sweet to be around. Whenever she’s on set, everybody’s in a good mood. She’s not just pretty to look at but also puts a smile in your heart. She’s just an absolute sweetheart. It wasn’t too difficult to play in love with Aimee.” But the real question is: Will there be sparks? Apparently. “It’s going to be like smoking,” Rathbone says, with a laugh, “like Humphrey Bogart on screen.”

Source.

JACKSON RATHBONE”S TOP FAVORITES LIST

Favorite color – red or green
Favorite poet – TS Eliot
Favorite artist. Andy Warhol
Favorite hairstyle – just woke up
Favorite midnight snack – roast beef on cold cheese pizza
Favorite acting role – the one I haven’t done yet
Greatest concert you’ve attended or played
Pixies reunion tour, first concert back… Amazing.
How do you describe the color of your eyes
I don’t… because my driver’s license expired… and that said what color my eyes are… so now I don’t know.
Favorite motto/quote to live by
Give respect to get respect, give love to get love – my dad

Read the rest of this article »

The Cullens are the world’s most popular supernatural family, and while each member of the Cullen clan plays an important role in the ‘Twilight Saga,’ in the latest release, “Eclipse,” we get a glimpse of just how important Jasper Hale becomes. Jasper plays a crucial role in the battle between the Vampires, Werewolves and the New Vampires. The man behind the vampire soldier, Jackson Rathbone, is perhaps more mysterious and intriguing than any of the other Twilight actors.

Rathbone and the rest of the crew are currently on location filming “Breaking Dawn,” the final installment of the Twilight series, so acquiring an interview with him was no easy task. With a busy schedule and a never-ending line of interview requests, Rathbone took some time to give Fan Quarterly an interview. Through this interview we were able to learn much more about this sexy, mysterious and exceptionally talented actor.

FAN QUARTERLY: How has your experience with the Twilight fans been like for you since the first film made its debut?

JACKSON RATHBONE: Absolutely wonderful. I hope they feel the same.

FQ: I know you’ve done a few Twilight conventions; is there any moment that stands out in your mind most from the conventions?

JR: Having my parents at one or two… that was weird. I didn’t know they were coming. I look up to sign an autograph, and there’s dad!

FQ:  The Twilight fans are extremely dedicated to the series; was there ever anything growing up that you were as dedicated to?

JR: X-Men… and eating hotdogs with ketchup. Or ketchup with hotdogs.

Read the rest of this article »