Essence Of Ape

Jon Benaderet has had beer poured down his throat, his pants ripped off by an adoring fan and played more than 15 shows this summer. You'd think he was a bona fide rock star.

Although he isn't quite yet, the no-preference sophomore and his band, Essence of Ape, are well on their way. The group of five from the Oakland County area will be performing at Mac's Bar, 2700 E. Michigan Ave., on Aug. 12. The group will open for Natives of the New Dawn, a group that recently was a part of the Vans Warped Tour.

Unlike most rock stars, however, the men have independence. Without a manager or public relations agent, the band has booked all of its own shows, as well as put out 1,000 copies of its debut album - which was recorded in two days.

Not bad for a group of college students and recent graduates.

The band, whose name is inspired by their "monkey-like" personas, got together in December 2006 and consist of vocalist Steve Baker, bassist Benaderet, guitarist Dan Polant, keyboardist Jeremy Smoot and drummer Blair Early.

The style of Essence of Ape is all the band members' own. Influenced by The White Stripes and Red Hot Chili Peppers, the group rolls the rock with a dash of reggae."It's a weird feeling being able to control the crowd, making them move," Polant said.

That crowd interaction is what might garner them the opening spot for George Clinton's Sept. 16 show at the Royal Oak Music Theatre. Anticipation is fueling the group, as theater officials will notify them of the opening act next week.

Benaderet comes from a musical background with his mother, Barb, being a "former hippie." She dated the lead singer of the 1960s rock band MC5. Musical talent also is in Baker's blood, as his father plays seven different instruments and attended high school with Red Hot Chili Peppers' drummer Chad Smith.

The group's lyrics come from Baker, a music recording sophomore at Western Michigan University, and are intended to be differently interpreted by each listener.

"You've got Nirvana, which was sort of that teen angst sound, but it was poetic," Polant said.

Baker's remarkable voice has garnered the group a steady handful of devoted listeners who come to every show. But like any great band, sometimes a gig isn't all it's cracked up to be.

At a recent show in a shifty Kalamazoo bar, the band discovered its style is more of a concert band, rather than a bar band, Baker said.

"People just started leaving," he said. "My roommate and her boyfriend even left."

But one bad show didn't get them down.

Polant brings a sort of maturity to the group. Unfortunately, the recent graduate from University of Michigan could possibly be exiting the group to move to New York - if the band doesn't land the George Clinton gig.

"If we keep rising or keep doing bigger things, then I'll stay," Polant said. "The future might be a little turbulent, but we'll see."

Either way, the band's drive will likely keep them monkeying around.

"I want to be famous," Baker said. "I wouldn't even care if I was rich." - Thea Neal