Ken Maples is Claremont’s very own fedora-wearing, gig playing, suave, hard-rock idol. When not belting out songs or diligently writing music, Maples holds the title of CUSD Groundskeeper. He plans to retire from CHS this June after a 25 year stint, to focus solely on writing and performing music. Maples is the lead vocalist of the award-winning hard rock band, Bonedust. Established in 2011, its members include lead vocalist Ken Maples, lead guitarist and vocalist Gary Rubenstein, keyboardist Frank Jansen, bassist and vocalist Rick Frost, and drummer Eric Tice. Their newest album, “Riches to Dust,” has been nominated for and won a number of awards. Maples has juggled his music career and grounds man life for over two decades. 2014 marks the year of his emergence as a full-on rock star.

Before joining Bonedust, Maples was most notably a part of the hard rock band G.I. in the early 80’s with current band mate Frost. Throughout his career, he has played gigs at political rallies as well as famous music venues, such as the Coach House and the BB King Club in California. The singer has played with other famed rockers such as Motley Crue, Stryker, the Scorpions, and Eddie Money.

The formation of Bonedust began when Jansen and Frost talked to Tice on doing a rock project. The three discussed ideas for months until they realized they needed more members. Then the trio recruited Maples, fulfilling their void lead singer position in the October of 2011. Rubenstein was the last to join, filling out the band. The musicians were quick to reconnect as they all had played with each other in their previous respective bands.

“It’s not about what can we play anymore, it’s about what we want to play,” Maples said. “Every time we play is like the last time we play.”

Each bandmate brought with him his unique background, such as Frost and Tice’s 20-year-old blues duo and Jansen’s doctorate in music, adding to the plethora of styles that Bonedust holds. Their experiences together and apart ingrain the band with a sense of history that new groups rarely have.

Their newest album, “Riches to Dust,” promises the classic hard rock sound inspired by a variance of other rock styles, showcasing the talents of the band mates. Each song brings with it an incurrence of head banging and a throwback to the golden age of rock.

“It’s edgy, a mix between Deep Purple and Kansas, with a [Led] Zeppelin feel. The songs are about people in life. In one of them, ‘Risky Business,’ it’s about mixing business and pleasure,” Maples said.

At the 2013 Los Angeles Music Awards, the group was nominated for best rock album and hard rock band of the year, and won the illustrious title of best musical group. Bonedust is currently finishing writing their new nameless album. They also plan to shoot a music video in April for an undecided song. The band has played and still plays shows at the Coach House, 601 Club, and Taste of Texas. With awards piling up, Bonedust has quickly lived up to their reputation as Claremont’s next great hard rock band.