Finalists in the KFOX 98.5 Last Band Standing Competition 2005!

Band History:

What is The Cocktail Monkeys?
Besides being a little plastic monkey that can be hung from the rim of a glass, it’s the name of the hottest new dance-party band in the Bay Area.

Covering some of the most recognizable and danceable songs from a crossover of music genres such as Rock and Roll (classic and contemporary), Motown, Pop and Disco, the Cocktail Monkeys will guarantee to entertain and satisfy everyone in the house!

The Cocktail Monkeys song list is one where anyone can find the right selection of tunes for their party and special event. With the impressive range of lead vocalist Renee, the band specializes in female oriented music.

Whether it’s capturing the heart and soul of Ann Wilson on her version of Heart’s Crazy On You, or nailing down Selena’s medley of disco classics made up of the songs, I Will Survive ~ Funky Town ~ Last Dance~On The Radio there’s no doubt that Renee can do justice with any song that she sings.

Not only will you find songs from the 80’s on the list from female lead rock bands like Blondie (Call Me) Pat Benetar (Heartbreaker), Pretenders (Back on the Chain Gang), and Go Go’s (We Got The Beat), also included are Classic 60’s songs from the Motown and Soul era. Arranged and performed to have everyone dancing up a storm, the band tears it up on numbers like Dancing In The Streets (Martha Reeves and the Vandellas), Chain Of Fools (Aretha Franklin), Ain’t Too Proud To Beg (Temptations) and Mustang Sally (Wilson Pickett).

The Cocktail Monkeys are well aware that the sounds of legendary recording artists are always appreciated by audiences. All time classics from bands like the Rolling Stones, Led Zepplin, AC DC, Bachman Turner Overdrive, Lynard Skynard, Queen, Van Morrison and Steppenwolf are played with drive and enthusiasm. More contemporary artists such as, Maroon 5, Ashlee Simpson, No Doubt, Pink and Kelly Clarkson are covered as well to balance out the band’s diverse song list.

To see the Cocktail Monkeys is to know that you will be treated to a unique experience. The band combines great music, exciting stage presence, showmanship and audience participation to make each performance a memorable event for all involved.

Each member is an accomplished musician and entertainer from the Bay Area who has been in the business for many years and still enjoys every bit of performing for all audiences. On lead vocals is the dynamic Renee Leininger, on guitar is screaming Mark St. John, on bass is the explosive Bobby Asea and on drums is rock steady Will Diamond

Make it a point to be a part of a Cocktail Monkey show. Go see the band at any of the venues that they perform or have them play for your special event.

Good music, good people and good times is what the Cocktail Monkeys are all about!

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Renée
Lead/Background vocals & Percussion

Renée has been singing since she can remember. When she was five she was singing with a gospel group touring the East Coast singing at church camp meetings with her parents. As she got older, she sang in choirs in school, until she found the Folk Rock Group -- her dream come true -- a rock band for a class in high school. With this group she performed all over the Anne Arundel County School District singing both lead and background vocals. This group also gave her a chance to record 2 records at East Coast Sound Labs in Baltimore, MD.
After high school she found an agent in Washington D.C. that introduced her to her first full time Top 40 band, Touch of Class. She worked with them for one week while their lead singer recovered from voice trouble. While working with them she fronted the band in Ocean City, MD at a prominent night spot.
After she left Touch of Class she joined the army and was stationed at Fort Campbell, KY where she joined the Gospel Group the Faithfull Few Ensemble. Renée sang both lead and background vocals in this family group that toured all over Tennessee, Kentucky, and Alabama visiting churches of all denominations, State prisons, and local jails singing and sharing.
After she left the Army, she moved to California where she won the Coors Classic (Nationwide talent search sponsored by Coors and JVC), which won her a cruise on the Carnival Ecstacy where she competed in the Nationals.
Shortly after her marriage to Jack Leininger, she went back to her gospel roots and recorded a CD with her husband (The Leiningers Our Story). They toured all over California, Florida, and Maryland sharing their faith and their music. During this time Renée and Jack also had the honor of singing at John Lee Hooker's memorial service for their friends Ollan Bell and Zakiya Hooker.
Since then Renée has continued to sing in special programs with the church, as well as working with Double Vision and The Cocktail Monkeys

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Mark St. John
Music Producer, Guitar, and Vocals

As a native of San Jose, California, Mark St.John has been performing for over 30 years. Mark has played at most of the night club venues in the San Francisco Bay Area, including The Filmore, Slims, DNA Lounge, The Catalyst, The Berkeley Square, Berkeley Community Theater, San Jose Center of Performing Arts, and The San Jose Civic Auditorium. Mark has shared the stage with well-known musicians including Chris Isaak, Lyle Lovett, Dave Mason, and Johnny Winter.

Working as a sound designer for a multimedia company, Mark has written, produced, and performed original productions for Apple Computer's World Wide Developer's Conference, corporate video soundtracks for Raster Ops and Cisco Systems and was nominated for Best Original Score of 1993 by the San Jose Video and Film Commission.

Recently, while living in Las Vegas, Nevada, Mark decided to go solo using sequenced keyboards and drums, while playing live guitar and singing. As a solo musician, Mark has also volunteered his time and talents to the national fundraiser events of the Leukemia Society and Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.

Since moving back to California, Mark has since combined his amazing talents with the powerful vocals of Renee to create a sound and impressive show of Classic Rock and Old School hits with both Double Vision, and The Cocktail Monkeys

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Bobby A.C.
Bass & Vocals

The phrase Awop-Bop-a-Loo-Mop-Alop-Bam-Boom! that came from the screeching lungs of Little Richard in the pioneering days of rock and roll music, can be considered the detonator that ignited the explosive force of that same music that races through the veins of Bobby Asea.

Born in the days that were the dawn of rock and roll, it wasn't long before Bobby's heart and soul conceded to live and breathe the music that he loved so much.
Influenced greatly by the attack of the British Invasion in the early 60's and in particular, the Rolling Stones, it was the bass guitar that Bobby chose to express his musical emotions. Bobby spent endless hours playing his bass with a determination that this was the way he would direct his life. As history would have it, that is what has happened and is still happening.

Bobby's travels with playing music have taken him through many bands that performed either cover or original rock and roll music. Within his journey he resided and became part of the music scene with his bands in West Coast cities like San Francisco, Los Angeles and of course the South Bay. Just being there enabled him to come across many encounters with many of his rock and roll heros. The likes of David Bowie, Alice Cooper, Iggy Pop, Blondie, Ringo Starr, Joan Jett, the Ramones, are just a few of the endless names that he has crossed paths with. With some of them he has shared the bill as an opening act.

When the Ramones blitzed through the South Bay in the early eighties, Bobby’s band, Dirty Looks warmed up the crowd with a rousing opening set. A footnote here is the lead singer for Dirty Looks was none other than Cisco, who currently has his own music out on Pete Anderson’s, Little Dog Records.

In the early heyday of Punk Rock music, Bobby’s then current band, Cyclops, rolled out the royal stage carpet at the world famous Mabuhay Gardens in San Francisco for the first British Punk band to attack these American shores. The band was the Damned and it was they who paved the path for other great bands from jolly ol’ England such as the Sex Pistols, Clash etc…

In 1980, while living in Hollywood, Bobby played in an original band named, Made In Japan. When Canon Pictures went scouting for a local act to record and perform in their latest movie, they looked no further after attending a Made In Japan audition. The band was hired to provide their songs for the soundtrack and to appear in the movie as themselves. The movie was called New Years Evil and it’s considered to be a B slasher film which was right up Bobby’s alley.

For Bobby, much music has been played and many stages have been performed on over the years. These days his driving bass playing can be heard around the greater Bay Area with the Cocktail Monkeys.

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Will Diamond
Drums, Percussion and Vocals

Will is a native of the bay area, where he has performed and recorded extensively. He began his musical training with piano at age 9, switched to drums at 18 and began playing professionally at 19. With bands such as Upside Down and Soul Commitment, Will has performed in such bay area venues as Fibbar Magees, Mountain Charlie's, Boswell's, and Fanny & Alexander's to packed rooms. His biggest audience however, was when he played on the steps of San Francisco City hall to a crowd of fifteen thousand. In addition, he has also performed on television and radio.

One of the highlights of his career was placing in the top 15 (out of over 1700 participants) in the Neil Peart/Modern Drummer drum solo competition.

Now he can be heard Rocking out with the Cocktail Monkeys.

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