These Hollywood young guns gave BettyConfidential the inside scoop on the New Moon “bootie” shots, Jackson’s Twitter imposter and Taylor Lautner’s shirtless scenes.

BettyConfidential: Hello everyone. Nice to talk to you all. I am dying to ask some general questions about New Moon. The first one is about the camaraderie between the cast members. I have spoken to some of your fellow actors and they say that you are like one big family. I know you’re all around the same age, but what do you think the real reason is?

Kellan: Well, I really think that Catherine [Hardwicke, the director of Twilight] did an amazing job with casting people who are similar to their characters and talented, but really, what it comes down to is that we are all really down-to-earth and have a great head on our shoulders. So it is really nice for all of us to stay humble and not get ego-tripped with everything that comes with the success of Twilight and the fans who have shown so much love and support. We are just a great group of actors and we’re real and it is great to have that camaraderie and hang out on and off set in Vancouver, LA or Portland. It is a really close-knit family.

BC: I hear most of New Moon was shot outdoors so a lot of the cast ended up freezing even though they had to look warm. Did any of you end up in those scenes?

Kellan: Nikki’s good on this!

Nikki: No, not on New Moon. We were not really in New Moon that much; we only had two scenes. We tried to stay as true to the book as possible and we weren’t in the New Moon book. Um, so this movie is really about Jacob [Taylor Lautner] and Bella [Kristen Stewart] but I do know that Taylor had quite a few scenes outside, shirtless, in the rain and he is portraying a very warm-blooded character so I am sure that was quite a challenge!

BC: I am curious if there were any funny incidents that happened on the set. Like did anyone flub their lines?

Jackson: Well, we had a couple of things happen. It was funny because in the house we were filming the very serious, very dramatic birthday party scene, the owners were very concerned about their hardwood floors. So the entire crew and cast had to wear these hospital scrub-like booties that you had to tie around your shoes. So it was just kind of funny to see this bunch of vampires in these little boots.

BC: OK, I hope that they filmed from the ankles up so that no one sees the booties in the film!

Jackson: Yeah, we did see the movie and no booties were seen!

Kellan: Well, there are “bootie” shots but not of that type of bootie. [Laughs]

BC: So shooting on New Moon ended in April. When did you actually wrap and did you have a wrap party?

Jackson: As far as the Cullens go, we shot our stuff within a couple of weeks. The last shoot was in Italy, I believe, so I think they had a crew party before they left for Italy for that final week of filming, so I wasn’t there. We had a cast dinner when all the Cullens were together, though.

BC: So I know you recently finished shooting Eclipse, what have you been working on since then?

Jackson: We have other projects going. I am producing my first film this year so it is my first time being behind the camera as a producer. I will also be in front of the camera as a lead actor — our film is called Girlfriend. I also have a band called 100 Monkeys and we will be releasing our first full-length album at the end of November. We have our website up and running — 100monkeysmusic.com. We have a good following and are just kind of riding that wave.

BC: Very cool. Kellan and Nikki, what do you have going on?

Kellan: I have two projects that are happening in 2010, so it is going to be really fun to hit those, and hopefully we’ll be doing Breaking Dawn next year as well. So, hopefully New Moon and Eclipse will come out with a bang and all the fans will show the love and support they showed for Twilight with New Moon and Eclipse.

Nikki: I produced a new movie last summer after we finished Twilight. It is a tiny little movie but I look forward to seeing what happens with that. I actually discovered the joy of living this year. I’ve been working since I was a kid and it was always like constantly dreading ending a job because I didn’t know when I was going to work next and it was a lot of pressure on me. I moved out I was 14 and it was always a lot of pressure thinking about work. I actually lived in Greece for three months this year and I have been to Australia and Africa. I have been doing a lot of traveling and honestly, I am not concerned about work right now. I want to enjoy my life a little bit.

BC: Nikki, while I was researching you on the web, I read that you are the producer of The Princess And The Pauper, which is supposed to come out in 2010.

Jackson: Did you even hear of that, Nikki?

Nikki: No, I didn’t!

BC: OK, so you really didn’t do that?

Kellan: You know what, I have stuff on my imdb page that I have never done, too. It’s just funny what projects people put you on. The Internet is not perfect.

Jackson: I also want to clear up something — there is no Jackson Rathbone MySpace page or Facebook or anything like that. No Twitter, no MySpace, no Facebook!

Kellan: The same here! The same for all three of us, actually. So if you come across someone on the Internet saying they are one of us, they probably are really someone who’s 40 or 50 years old and lives in their mother’s basement! They are posing as us and then communicating between all our characters, so someone has a lot of time on their hands. [Laughs]

BC: Oops, the publicist is telling me to wind it up. Great talking to you guys!

All together: You, too! Bye!

Source: Betty Confidential

“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?

Source: Chicago Now

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: New Times

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BqwmRceeXvE

“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.”

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.

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

JACKSON RATHBONE: “Trying to let others in on your inner passion. To inspire someone with how much you love, I believe is the goal of the artist.”

1. Please describe your sense of style such as clothing brands you like to wear or accessories.

I like the southern gentleman look, with a bit of whatever-I’m-feeling thrown in. I don’t like sneakers… on my feet.

2. Jackson I really like your entrepreneurial spirit which apparently began at a young age. You mentioned a DJ gig you used to do as a teenager can you tell us about that and how you came up with that idea? Did you have a cool DJ nickname? You even DJ’d your high school dance. How’d you coordinate dancing with your date and DJing? What did you do with the money you earned from DJ gigs? Would you ever consider DJing events in the future?

Started DJing when I was 13 at friends parties. My buddy Jon and I had access to his older brother’s old, unused DJ gear ( a mixer and some speakers) , we decided to bring the gear to our friend Monica’s birthday party. That was my first gig… by the time we were 16 we were using turntables and making $150 an hour at big events, and charging friends $50 a show whenever they wanted. I think I went by DJ Joyride…. kinda lame now, but I liked it then. DJing prom was difficult… but my date was understanding… (Katie! Wherever you are, thank you for being so understanding!) As per money made, I mostly just saved it, or bought my girlfriends stuff, like corny engraved bracelets and “fancy” Olive Garden dinners. I would definitely love to DJ again… I did a year ago at a bar in Vegas, it did feel good. Shall DJ Joyride ride again? Probably, not… but I might consider it.

3. Where did you learn to tap dance? You are pretty good. If I had known you were gonna ask me to tap with you, I would have brought my tap shoes. Tapping in high heels is hard! My shoes kept slipping off. lol! Which brings me to the subject that got us on tap dancing in the first place. You were talking about a female artist that tap dances instead of using a drum or percussion section. That’s so innovative, almost tribal like, such as hand clapping or using your body to make the beats. Who is the artist, and how did you discover her?

I learned to tap dance in Texas, along with ballroom, jazz, and musical theatre. Thanks to the lovely Judy of the Pickwick Players of Midland, Texas, and Ruth Cole of the Midland Community Theatre. I just enjoy doing a little soft shoe every once in awhile, now.

4. You are definitely a person that knows how to keep themselves busy. What do you do when you have down time?

Interviews.

5. You mentioned that you may be releasing paintings and a book of poetry. Do you have any more information on that? Can you share a short sample of your work?

That’s still in the works… However, I just did my first painting project in a long time, and I feel it came out successful. Will Schmidt, director of several 100 Monkeys music vids (Ugly Girl, Kolpix), shot the painting process on video and is editing the footage into a new music video as we speak. That should be coming out soon on 100MonkeysMusic.com
Plus, the 100 Monkeys book is available for pre-sale now as well…

6. You also mentioned that you are planning on producing a bunch of bands and creating an internet based venue to showcase bands. Can you tell us more about that project?

It’s called Awesome Sauce Radio, it will be on the internet, more information will be available in the coming months. I like to keep people in suspense.

7. You talked about the music biz going back to the times of the 1960s where it was all about the song. Can you explain what you mean?
How about the 100 Monkeys? Are you guys trying to break a song? If yes which song?

I believe History is cyclical and time wraps around itself. A new Bohemia of the arts is just on the precipice, artists are finding their audiences directly, thanks to new media outlets and the fall of the giants. Over at 100 Monkeys, we aren’t trying to lead the charge, but we know that the coming time for music will be a New Bohemia for rock-n-roll and the people that love the music. It’s not just about a song, it’s about the public’s connection to that song.
You asked me if I watched Dylan’s performance at the Grammy’s. Yes of course! I never miss Grammy night, since I am a music lover as well part of a music biz family.

8. What did you love most about Dylan’s performance?

He teased us with that harmonica the entire song. When he finally played it, he was holding it upside down. Amazing. A. May. Zing.

9. What’s your educational background? How did you learn to play so many instruments? How many do you know how to play? Do you collect instruments? What is your favorite instrument?

Uhhh… I graduated High School from Interlochen Arts Academy. I learned to play different instruments out of a need to create my own band in Garageband when I was 18 and first moved out to LA on my own. I didn’t know any other musicians, and I was shy about my songs and recordings, so I just played all of the parts. Now, I play nearly ten different instruments confidently. I’m no prodigy, but I do collect instruments… I have too many, but my favorite is named Aurora, and she’s a Blonde ’57 Gibson semi-hollow body. I love her.

10. Explain the creation of the 100 Monkeys band? How did you guys meet and form the band? Can you give a short intro of each band member such as their name and instruments and what you love about them the best or what you feel they contribute to make your band complete?

We’ve all been friends for some time, and we always played music, together or separately. As 100 Monkeys, we started an open mic jam night on Tuesdays at a local bar, after we had an accidental show there the night before. By accidental, I mean we were jamming in the bar because we knew the owner and the bar was off that night, so we could jam without the police showing up at my apartment again. During that jam session, a couple walked in off the street, as the bar-owner had forgotten to lock-up, and they started dancing to the music. The bar owner, a friendly guy, poured them free drinks when they asked, and soon more people walked in, and we just kept playing. 100 Monkeys is the five friends who started jamming at a closed bar, and packed the place. The band is the five of us. Check out the website for info on the band members, everybody plays too many instruments for me to try and list. 100monkeysmusic.com

11. How did you guys come up with the name of the band 100 Monkeys? What’s the meaning behind it?

The name derived from a certain scientific theory of the collective conscious, as well as the 100 Monkeys Infinite Theory. I suppose we are kinda geeky, but cuddly as well, therefore the name works great. A greater meaning behind it is the Collective Consciousness ideal… but I like to pretend it’s because we each have 20 monkeys living in our heads.

12. I really want to know more about your involvement with the 100 Monkeys. I was blown away at your live show last October. You guys are amazing live! The entertainment and interactive with the audience is refreshing versus just watching a visual choreographed music video, because you guys actually get the audience involved. I like the songs you make up on the spot. That takes a lot of guts and talent. Whose idea was that?

The improv songs are part of our history. As I said before, our first show was accidental, so we played an entire jazz-rock set that we made up as we went along. We also recorded our first album as a concept of that, having one take for the final vocals, and only using one take of the base instrumentation. We love to play with our audience, as opposed to playing to them. Now we save one song a night as an improv song that the audiences chooses.

13. Who are your musical idols? What kind of music did you grow up listening to? How would you describe the 100 Monkeys style of music? What genre do you feel you guys fit in?

Spencer Bell is a huge idol. Check him out. Then there’s the popular artists: Ween, David Bowie, Muddy Waters, The Rolling Stones, The Who, Jack White, Daniel Johnston… the list goes on and on. Our eclectic taste in music fuels our eclectic set of genre-hopping songs, we have rock, funk, soul, jazz, country, ballads, and punk all within our set. As per genre we fit? I don’t really know… I guess at record stores you would look under “Indie” music.

14. I know you wish more people from this generation understood the history of music. In fact, it surprised you that you had to give a VH1 interviewer a lesson on the history of the Blues. Can you repeat that lesson, because I think it’s really vital that we know where our musical roots came from, so we can appreciate music on a deeper level not just something to bop our heads to but to really make us sit back and think.

That was a long time ago… But it basically goes along the idea of tracing your idols. Who do you love? Mine goes back to Robert Johnson… and then Robert Johnson to Muddy Waters, to Rolling Stones, to The Who, to the Ramones, to the Pixies, to Jack White. I love music.

15. Do you guys write all your own songs? How about you? How do you get inspired to write? What’s your creative songwriting process like?

100 Monkeys perform all originals, but occasionally we throw in a cover song by Spencer Bell. Whenever I get the feeling, I take out the black moleskin notebook I always carry and scrawl something out. Everyday I wake up is an inspiration. I mostly do my writing between three to five AM.

16. What’s the most rewarding thing for you about being a professional musician/recording artist?

An audience singing back words you scrawled down to describe some feeling at some un-Godly hour of the night, and suddenly realizing that you don’t own those words or feelings any longer, the audience now does.

17. Can you share some of your fondest moments while on tour with the 100 Monkeys? What’s it like traveling in a van/bus together? How do you guys keep from getting on each others nerves on the road?

The road is awesome… it’s also rough on the ole’ voice box. We’ve begun to drink more tea and less whiskey in the morning… though the whiskey helps not to get on each others nerves… joking. Mostly. Boardgames are also fun.

18. What is going on with your movie “Girlfriends”? You are fundraising thru a very innovative internet campaign. That’s really cool. Can you explain how we can get involved in helping you get your movie distributed? Are the 100 Monkeys songs used in the movie?

Go check out indegogo.com and type in “Girlfriend” to the search bar. All the information is right there.

19. Any favorite, memorable, and/or crazy fan stories you want to tell us about?

I forgot my ID before going to a bar, and once I got there, the hostess convinced the manager to let me in without the ID because it said my birthday on my IMDB page. Thanks nice lady hostess and thanks IMDB!

20. Jack White’s name popped up in a conversation you were having with my Dad. He got to attend an L.A. show featuring Wanda Jackson and Jack White which you missed, because you were out of town. But, Dad showed you photos from the show on my new camera that Ashton Kutcher convinced me I just had to have. Is Jack White someone you would like to collaborate with? Didn’t you mention you would grow your hair out long and you, Jack White, and someone else you mentioned named Jack could form a trio called Jack the Ripper? I think that would be awesome! Did you think of this concept off the top of your head because, you seem to do that a lot or was it already a thought in the back of your mind. You are really creative, and you have a knack for coming up with cool ideas on the spot. Where does all this talent come from? Were you just born that way or how’d you develop it? Anyone in your family musically inclined? What does your family think about what you do?

Jack White is very much someone I’m inspired by and would love to collaborate with… I think the band was Jack White, Jack Black, and Jack(son) Rathbone… That would be funny at least… I don’t really remember because I do come up with a lot of ideas at once, which is why I’m always busy, I suppose.

21. If you could have a jam session with any famous person living or dead who would that be and why? What songs would be on the set list?

Robert Johnson. I’d just watch his hands and learn.

22. You are such an inspiration to young people all over the world who admire all your successes and enjoy watching you follow and fulfill your dreams with such an intense passion and love for what you are doing. You really seem to have a positive outlook on life and are extremely driven to succeed. What advice can you share with them about following their own dreams and passions?

Passion is the greatest gift of all. To pursue a craft in the arts is noble, but to pursue passion for passion’s sake is the destination. If you love something, practicing should be no chore, the smallest gig could be the biggest, and others will love it too. Love inspires love. Happiness comes from within and goes without. Trying to let others in on your inner passion, to inspire someone with how much you love, I believe, is the goal of the artist. As Keith Richards said, “every artist wants ‘He Passed It On’ on his gravestone.” (paraphrased there a tad bit from an old Rolling Stone interview)

23. Thank you so much Jackson for hanging out with me and my parents at the M Bar. It made it a very special Valentine’s Day! I wish you the best of luck in all your upcoming projects. I highly recommend your band 100 Monkeys as a must see! Where can my fans find out more information about the 100 Monkeys?

Thanks very much for you and your family coming out to M Bar for the Word Theatre fundraiser, that was very sweet of y’all to support such a great cause. www.wordtheatre.com

As per 100 Monkeys, just go check out 100MonkeysMusic.com for more info.

Thanks again!

much love,

-jackson

He’s open, kind and sincere, reaches out with certainty and instantly talks about everything. He’s beautiful with short hair combed backward so that his eyes stand out, as well as his remarkable smile which never leaves him.  He’s in capital of Mexico to promote a film “The Last Airbender 3D” together with director M. Night Shyamalan, and he enjoys in every moment during promotion.  Slides a few words in Castilian and he even gets red when asked some questions. Adorable!  I’m great, thank you (he ensures) I’m not tired, because I’m use to being restless, I always work, as soon as I get back to LA, I’ll continue to tour with my band. (100 Monkeys).

LT: Have you recorded an album yet?
JR: Yes, we already have few CDs, we did the first with impromptu topics, including lyrics, Ugly Girl, Smoke and Wastland Too, then we did another live session and our studio album called Live and kicking. We have two singles from it Kolopix and Future radio. The 20th of July we spoke about tour across US. From which we will record a live album. In 100 Monkeys there are Ben Graupner, Jerad Anderson, Lawrence Abrams and Ben Johnson.

LT: Is it hard to be an independent band?
JR: It’s hard but in the same time it connects us with our fans. If we were in a record label we would be more disconnected, tickets for the shows would be more expensive, we wouldn’t have intimate shows, and the connection that we have with our fans, being on stage close to people inspires us.

LT: I see, with the huge success of Twilight you would fear to let go the cable that holds you on ground..
JR: Ha ha ! Fortunately,  I have a wonderful  family and amazing friends. I’m in a small community, I work there and have my band. At the end of the day I’m my father’s only son and mother’s little baby, they keep my feet on the ground. The fame want change you, as long as you don’t change what surrounds you. When you have wonderful family like mine you can never change. I go back home, and I’m just one of many. I’m with my friends and just one of the guys.

LT: How do you feel working with fiction stories like Twilight and The Last Airbender?
JR: I like it. Since I’ve started this career I try to act characters that are very different between each other, I never was a typical casting actor who chooses a particular role, I like to do everything. I’ve traveled all around the world, I’ve met different cultures, lifestyles and I like to express all that in my art, whether through interpreting different types of music or acting various types of people. (Father is oil executive, that’s why Jackson was born in Singapore, from where the family moved and settled in Midland, Texas, where Jackson spent most of his childhood)

LT: Would you like to work in musical?
JR: I would love to, never was in any, but I hope to be in one someday. One of my life ambitions is directing children musical like Little Mermaid or Beauty and the Beast, with happy songs, those fiction stories, from time when you were a child, that softens you and leaves you a message. I grew up with all that stories and there aren’t many of those today. I do not feel identified with High School Musicals, not even my little sister Brittney likes them and they are made for her age. I want the fairytale stories to return.

LT: You want to get involved throughout the process..
JR: Exactly, that’s why now I have production company, Patchmo entertainment. With my friend from the band, Jerad Anderson, we produced the movie “Girlfriend” and the band composed the original music. These are the types of things that I want to do, together they are a hit, but they are separated in many ways, the rock band mentality is separated. One day I would like to write a musical and it will be great.

LT: And in private life, where are the girls? Is there time for a romance?
JR: Mmmmm (it’s difficult for him to answer) the worst part of my life now..

LT: Please don’t cry..
JR: (laughs) No, It’s hard to find time for a date and much harder to find girls, you know. It’s important to find time just for my mental peace and to have time to take out pretty girl to dinner. You don’t always have an opportunity in LA.

LT: You live in LA?
JR: Yes, the biggest part of the year.

LT: And you have that crazy life that we can see in Entourage?
JR: (laughs) No, in Entourage you go out to clubs in Hollywood, come out in tabloids, its very glamorous, they drink, they smoke and that sort of things. I don’t like to promote myself, just my art.

LT: It seems to me that Sokka is sillier in animated movie, and in film he’s a complete gentleman, Like Jasper and yourself, right?
JR: Definitely, in every role I play, there’s something of me, I try to find similarities between my characters and myself and to find out how world looks and fells for that character. It’s one form   of expressing myself and while I act I find it easy to get involved in either aspect. In Jasper that is my southern mind, my chivalry in his sensitivity. I can also mess with my inner torments to convey what he feels, his fight against his instincts. Sokka is very protective of his sister, he fights for what he believes and that’s what we have uncommon. I’m very protective of my sister, my family, I also fight for what I believe and I make sore not to bend over the wings of fame. My personal heroes are Johnny Depp and Clint Eastwood, they continued doing art but they made shore not to fall into social cues. I try to be successful while still remaining the same person.

LT: I come from Argentina, south of the south and my readers asked me to invite you to visit..
JR: I would love to. One of the things I want to do with my band is to go to South America, we have big support from there, especially from Brazil and Mexico, we want to return some of the love that you gave to us. It’s hard to be an independent band because it’s complicated to find financial support for travels, anyway, we will try to reserve all the money possible to visit you next year.

LT: 100 Monkeys is a long-term project?
JR: Yes, we are together 3 years and I hope we will be for a long, long time.  I think that one day, when every one of us gets married and has children the situation will be different cause there will be more things to balance. My life now is dedicated to arts. When I meet special lady one day, fall in love, I’ll get married and have children, which is an ideal situation for me it’s probable that Ill change the priorities.  But now, I only love art, I love going on tours and my principal focus now is work, I feel it’s important. It’s very good life and I want more, I’m writing short length movie and Ill direct it this year, so it is very important for me to keep moving, to be in constant progress and create more art. It makes me grow like individual and like artist, I want to keep all this as long as I can.

LT: Did you hear something about my country?
And he started singing Don’t cry for me Argentina… truly I’ll never let you.. the stanzas of No llores por mi Argentina, from rock opera Evita, with an excellent voice.
JR: (laughter) The truth is that its medium hard.

LT: Then I suggest you to investigate it a little.
JR: I will, I will, it was a great pleasure, thanks.

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.

FQ:  What can you tell us about GIRLFRIEND?

JR: I don’t have one… oh the film! Well, it will be going round the Indie Festival circuit and we hope to have a distributor for theatrical release within the year. Go check out the trailer http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7STrf72THdA and follow the film on Twitter @GirlfriendMovie.

FQ: What was the most difficult part of the filming process?

JR: Saying goodbye to our amazingly talented cast and crew who gave everything and took nothing.

FQ:  What was it about the script that attracted you to the role the most?

JR: I like dark characters having to face the light and getting burned in the process… That’s what I wanted to portray within Russ.

FQ:  What do you hope your fans will take away from the film?

JR: A sense of light and purity. There’s always hope for the honest and pure in life, so please make room for it in your hearts.

FQ:  On this film you work with Justin Lerner, who is making his directorial debut; is there a difference between working with a newcomer like Justin than some of the other, more experienced directors?

JR: The main difference comes within the editing room. A seasoned director tends to have more choices to choose from when editing his film; newbies tend to go for exactly what they see in their heads and never stray from their vision.

FQ: You’re currently in the process of working on your 2nd album “Liquid Zoo”; is there anything you can tell us about it?

JR: We just released our first single “Wandering Mind” on our Web site, 100monkeysmusic.com, and we will be releasing more, including music videos very soon. Our 2nd studio album is a further delve into genre splitting musicality and old school approaches to new school mentalities. We can go from the sunny side of a Jack Johnson jive into a darker side of the Ben Harper world just as soon as we can go from the bouncy joy of the Rolling Stones to the beast of Nick Cave. On “Liquid Zoo” we pull out all the stops and continue to write about death, the devil, and women who cheat and steal in a more centered album universe. We are very excited to share this new album with the world.

FQ: The name 100 Monkeys: how did you come up with it?

JR: Threw some darts at a wall.

FQ: Going from movies to a series in “Aim High,” what were some of the major differences in the filming process?

JR: We shot nine pages a day on Aim High… most films you never shoot more than three pages a day. We truly were “running and gunning” for Aim High.

FQ: What do you think of the show’s concept about a teenager living a double life as a spy?

JR: I think every teenager lives a double life to a certain degree; we just made them a little bit more discernable.

FQ: Have you ever had any fan-boy moments where you met any actor, actress or musician and got completely star-struck?

JR: That’s not in my nature to be star struck… but if I met Clint Eastwood…

FQ: As I am sure you’re aware, your characters and your career have really affected your fans’ lives in a positive way. Has there ever been a fan that has really changed your life?

JR: All of them have changed my life. I’m just as thankful for them as my family and friends. They have become a very important part of my life, and I thank God for them and for their love and support.

FQ: McG has produced many of the most successful TV shows and movies; what was it like working with him on “Aim High?”

JR: It was an amazing learning experience. I hope to work much more with McG and Wonderland Sound & Vision.

FQ: What do you want your fans to know about you that they may not already know?

JR: I’m actually a little shy.

RadarOnline: Your character in Twilight, Jasper, is so withdrawn and cold. Do you think fans are a little hesitant to approach you in public? Especially compared with some of your castmates?

Jackson Rathbone: People rarely recognize me, which is actually pretty sweet. I try to change my look in every role I take on: clothing, hairstyle, walk, facial expression, and the way I speak. Sometimes it’s subtle and sometimes it’s not, but as I am not a blonde in real life, people often do the double look before approaching me.

RO: You said in a recent interview that all the Cullen guys worked out together in the hotel gym during filming. So tell us: who can bench press the most?

JR: That would be Kellan [Lutz]. He truly is Emmett.

RO: You live in a house with other members of your band, 100 Monkeys, in Hollywood. What’s the hardest part about being roomies with two other guys?

JR: The smell.

RO: When can fans expect 100 Monkeys’ new album to drop, and how would you describe the band’s sound in one word?

JR: Our EP should be coming out in two or three weeks on iTunes, with three singles from our full length album, and a special surprise if you order the CD directly from us! Our full length album is set for release in the fall of this year. 100 Monkeys sound is “onomatopoetic.”

RO: What’s the most embarrassing song on your iPod?

JR: There’s nothing embarrassing about “Ice, Ice Baby”. It’s just a great song.

RO: Your next movie is The Last Airbender, which is based on a Japanese animated series. Have you done any cool stunts for the film?

JR: I’ve been doing a lot of Kung Fu training and I’ve had to do a good deal of fighting in the last few weeks. It’s a lot of fun, but my band mates are tired of me trying to Kung Fu them before and after shows.

RO: You have a tattoo that reads “I’m Lost…” Is there a story behind it?

JR: Yes. Check out http://www.spencerbellmemorial.com and you’ll get a good glimpse.

RO: You’re the only boy among four siblings. Did any particular feminine traits or habits rub off on you after growing up in a houseful of sisters?

JR: No. I got stuck with all the masculinity. I taught my sisters how to fight.

RO: You’ve said the cast members of Twilight and New Moon are really close, so what’s one thing about each of your co-stars you think might surprise  people?

JR: None of them are vampires in real life! Gasp!

RO: When the cameras aren’t rolling, how do you and the rest of the Twilight crew blow off steam?

JR: I believe there are usually two or three guitars on set at all times. We all get down with a little music, though some of our styles and tastes are a bit different. I’ve been digging on Spencer Bell’s solo album, Feudal, Brutal, and the American Dream, (available on iTunes), number 13 is my favorite song.

“I play this crazy character and it has to be one of the best character developments I’ve seen,” Rathbone says of the new Darko. “I just jumped at the chance to play it. Chris Fisher is an amazing director. [Makeup artist] Christel Edwards did this amazing prosthetic effect on me, it was so much fun. It was a month in Utah and we just had a blast [shooting] up there.”

The story picks up seven years after the first film when little sister Samantha Darko (Daveigh Chase) and her best friend Corey (Briana Evigan) are now 18 and on a road trip to Los Angeles when they are plagued by bizarre visions.

Since Fox announced the production start of the sequel, there has been a palpable backlash from the fans. But Rathbone believes they should give it a chance. “Look at the original Donnie Darko. When it was first released, did anybody like it? No, it was a year later,” he says. “Through people talking, people got it. We’re in an opposite boat, because people loved the first one after a while. Maybe they’ll warm up to this, too. Or, they’ll hate the idea of it, but once they see it, I think they’re going to turn around.”

“It takes the idea of the film,” he adds, “and it goes beyond, answering and delving into more questions than Donnie Darko did. A lot of people are pissed that Richard Kelly is not involved, but he did sell the idea. He did give the license to do it. So it’s not like he’s opposed to it.”

Look for Rathbone in the anticipated tween adaptation Twilight (pictured) on November 21st. S. Darko arrives in 2009.