The Riptones

Hometown: Chicago, IL The RipTones have been making country, blues, roots rock since 1990. Their fourth record "Cowboy's Inn" was released on Bloodshot Records. After making waves on the rich Chicago music scene the Riptones have been spreading the word across the country. In a world of frighteningly rapid change, some things never go out of style. In a time when we're all so savvy with the newest electronic gadget and so at ease with music being reduced to a computer science problem to be solved, some things are just plainly good. The Riptones' brand of roadhouse rowdiness is just such a thing—a welcome ice-cold longneck in a world of designer martinis. The Riptones are that bar band extraordinaire that every town should have. Good times would always be just around the corner if they did. Together the RipTones are like a Kenworth truck with a tank full of nitro, and no brakes, high ballin' down the blacktop. A mainstay on the Chicago roots scene for well over a decade, that are also virtual encyclopedias of American roots music in all its forms. Jeb Bonansinga on vocals and guitar; Jeb writes most of the Riptones material and with a truck drivin' backwoods country gentleman swagger lays out a mixture of Ricky Nelson, Johnny Cash and Jimmie Vaughn. His songs represent the every man tale of lost love, including important subjects like girls, BBQ, and motorcycles. Earl Carter on upright bass and hollerin'; Earl is the Riptones' rodeo clown, acrobat, and visual dynamo. He slaps and pounds his bass as if hell hounds were nippin' at his heels. Don't be surprised if you hear designated 6-string torturer Michael Krasovech tearing off licks he's borrowed (stolen!) from the likes of Jerry Reed, Johnny Guitar Watson, or Merle Travis. A verified 'Tone-Junkie', he has more gear than Shania has costume changes. He assures us that his infatuation with all-things-Fender is completely normal; and that if Leo were still alive today, his relationship with him would be purely platonic. Read more on Last.fm. User-contributed text is available under the Creative Commons By-SA License; additional terms may apply.