Chop Top Toronados

The Chop Top Toronados blend the swing of rockabilly with the roots of country and the angst of punk to form a unique and electrically charged sound that's lit up Wisconsin venues such as Toms Garage, Onopa Brewery, G-Daddys BBC, Points East Pub, Anchor Inn, The Inferno, Vnuks Lounge, Cactus Club and the Rock Shop, as well as festival stages at Maxfest, Locust Street Days, West Bend Classic Car Show, Center Street Daze, Milwaukees East Side Summer Soulstice, Bayview Bash, and Summerfest.CTT have warmed the crowd for national acts such as Nick Curran and the Nightlifes, Twistin Tarantulas, The Boneyard Brawlers, Split Lip Rayfield, The Lustre Kings, Bastard Sons of Johnny Cash and the Legendary Shack Shakers. They have shared the stage with hometown favorites the Uptown Savages, the Nelsonics, Five Card Studs, the Probers and the Sin City Injectors. The Chop Top Toronados debut CD entitled The Good Life receives regular air play on WMSE 91.7 FM which led to the invitation to play on the stations annual spring pledge drive.The current line up includes guitarist, The Colonel, whose Jazz-influenced chops and unique ear for hooks lend an original musical personality to the band. Mark E. Lee sings about heartache, heartbreak, and hangovers -- as well as the good times that make drinkin' and rockin' worth doin'. The rhythm section is lead by Rex Handsome, whose electric bass crosses a wide spectrum of tones ranging from cool jazz to a galloping rockabilly frolic that often draws comparison to an upright bass. Hot Karl supplies a high-octane drum style and offbeat stage presence required to crank the high-horsepower Toronado engine.