Tony Tonite
www.tonytonite.com
Performing in Southland bands since the early 1980’s, bassist Tony Tonite sets the rock solid pace of any band he’s been a part of. It is his gigging with PERMACRUSH band, as well as Big Hair 80’s Rock bands, that has drawn the greatest notice.
Tonite has been involved in such local heroes as Metal Priestess, Rattz, a tribute band to Ratt, Neon Knights,a tribute to DIO, Hair Force, Legends of Metal, Cheapest Trick, a tribute to Cheap Trick, Visual Thunder and Street Liegel.
Performing with various bands, Tonite has played at numerous major events, ranging from the annual Thunder Boat Races in Mission Bay, with over 50,000 spectators, to Chula Vista’s, Harbor Days Festival, as well as showcases at NAMM, 4th and B, and the House of Blues. He’s also sat in with singer-songwriter Rich McGee for his recording, “New York Vertigo,” as well as former Venus & The Razorblades guitarist, Roni Lee, for a series of showcase shows that has resulted in a live DVD.
Although today Tonite is known for his bass playing stage prowess, (AKA: The Man behind the Fan) things were almost quite different. “I wanted to be a drummer, then found out you have to do four different things at one time,” he joked. By seventh grade, he’d discovered the bass. “I started playing bass around 1978, on an acoustic guitar with two strings that my older brother Dan let me borrow,” he recalled. “I was heavily inspired by “Cheap Trick” and their Angelic chord structures.”
Tonite has certainly come a long way. Now a virtuoso performer, Tonite has 7 Endorsements, and one previous.
EMG Pickups: “The best sounding, top of the line pickups”
S.I.T. Strings: “I use them on all my 14 Basses”
Steve Clayton Guitar Picks: “My favorite Calling Card!”
WBGEAR: “My Go To Website”
Tsunami Cables: Great Sounding Life Time Cables”
Q-Parts: “I dig the designer Skull Knobs, Strap-Locks and Accessories”
Raxtand: “A guitar stand that mounts safely in your rack case”
and I was previously endorsed with Samick Bass Guitars, but their Bass line has been discontinued.
Through the years Tonite has opened for everyone from Michael Jackson guitarist Jennifer Batten, to glam rock favorites Poison, Quiet Riot, Faster Pussycat and played with numerous groups of his own. However, it’s his work with the band PERMACRUSH, that excites him most. “I went to jam with them, not knowing what would come out of it,” he remarked. “I heard the energy of the band, and was captivated by their Raw Passion. “It is right up my alley!” Tonite says.
With the PERMACRUSH band upwardly mobile, and decades of experience behind him, Tonite is no less enthusiastic for his life in music than he was the first day he picked up that two stringed guitar.
The future for Tony? More recording. More touring. More Music. It’s clear he wouldn’t have it any other way.
Bart Mendoza / Journalist & Musician
