DENNIS ODA / DODA@STARBULLETIN.COM The Neken boys, from left, Wayne Santos on drums, lead singer Jace Faufata, Ambrose "Stylee" Rapis on bass and Jarrod Bonser on guitar.

Neken pushing it
to next level

The band seeks to widen
its audience

It's been two years since Jarrod Bonser, Jace Faufata, Ambrose Rapis and Wayne Santos first started playing together as the alternative rock quartet Neken.

Pre-Kamehameha Day Rock Show "Rock Hits the Pipe" with Analog, Missing Dave and Neken Where: Pipeline Cafe, 805 Pohukaina St. When: 10:30 p.m. June 9 Tickets: $8 advance tickets available at the club, Jelly's, Hungry Ear Records and Hawaii's Natural High Call: 589-1999

During that period, they've discovered just how hard it is to build a following and stand out among an increasing number of performers with only a limited amount of gigs to go around.

In an effort to reach past its core following of Windward fans, Neken will join forces with Analog and Missing Dave next week Thursday for "Rock Hits the Pipe," a showcase of local bands at a venue normally associated with the mainstream club crowd.

"Jed said he wants to bring rock back to Pipeline, instead of having those hip-hop shows every single night," said Santos in reference to Jed Roa, vice president and general manager of the Kakaako nightspot. "We're trying to push our music as hard as we can, but it's tough."

INFLUENCED BY a variety of groups, including Sublime, 311, Steel Pulse, Pennywise and NOFX, Neken evolved from jam sessions during a music class they all shared at Castle High School. When their teacher added an electronic drum kit, Santos put down his ukulele and started pounding away.

Rapis, the band's bass player and primary songwriter, was easily the most experienced musician of the group. He had played with the likes of Soul Free, Ten Feet and Guy Cruz before deciding to focus on a band of his own.

"If I could gig every night out of the week, I would do it," said Rapis. "I don't play with all those other bands anymore because I just wanted to commit. It's better to put our own stuff out than play other peoples' material."

With Bonser playing guitar and Faufata assuming lead vocal duties, the four set out playing cover songs at house parties. Rapis, however, was adamant about expanding into more original music instead of just staying with the safe stuff.

"I can respect cover bands, but if you're going to spend that much time practicing something, you might as well come correct with it," he said. "Why spend all that time listening to a CD, when you could spend all that time writing something?"

So the guys got together and wrote a song of their own. When Neken made its official debut in February 2003, "Grote Road" was on the set list.

"We had that one original and played covers the rest of the night," Bonser recalled. "Everybody liked the song, so we decided to stick with writing our own music."

Although a full-length studio recording remains in the planning phase, Neken boasts more than a dozen original compositions. With Santos serving as the band's unofficial manager, they've played everywhere from the Wave Waikiki, Volcanoes Nightclub and the Hard Rock Cafe to Kualoa Ranch, Sea Life Park and on the Big Island.

The biggest roadblock, however, is getting more people to accept the band's reggae-tinged rock instead of the cookie cutter Jawaiian music that dominates radio playlists.

"There's guys that say they like our band and would produce (an album), but they cannot because they wouldn't know how to market it," said Santos. "They don't want to take a chance."

KICKING BACK at Starbucks in Windward City Shopping Center, Bonser reflects on two gigs they played on opposite sides of the island last weekend.

Much of last Saturday was spent on the sand bar at Kaneohe Bay, performing for an intimate group of friends of Vertical Junkies promoter Russ Inouye.

Later that night, the band rocked out at Gordon Biersch during the "Summer Sunsplash" block party at Aloha Tower Marketplace. While playing at the brewpub gained Neken some exposure, it was the sand bar party they enjoyed more.

"When we started playing, the crowd formed this perimeter around us," Bonser recalled. "We got a really good response."

But the people skanking in the sea to the band's "funky punky reggae-rock" aren't the only ones the band hopes will embrace their work. Encouraged by the success of Pepper and Jack Johnson, they'd like a shot at touring the mainland.

"It's a learning period right now, where you gain so much by just playing," said Rapis. "But I think there's a lot more opportunity ... living on the mainland."