Stand Up Chuck rolls with classic rock

By day, they’re young professionals in a button-down world, but on weekends they lose the suits and ties for their band, Stand Up Chuck.

Stand Up Chuck is booked at Bandito Burrito in Madison on July 21.

The band formed in September 2011. Members are Jeff Williams of Madison, keyboards, vocals; Adam Lones, Huntsville, guitar, vocals; Chris Howard, Madison, bass; Steve Sanders, Madison, drums, vocals; and Jonn Grochowalski, Guntersville, guitar.

“I’ve been playing keys since I was 13. Do the math and it’s been about 28 years,” Williams said. Howard started playing bass at age 20. Grochowalski has been in bands in Madison, Huntsville, and Tuscaloosa. Lones has performed everything from gospel to heavy metal.

They met in various ways — playing together in other bands, an audition for the band Java Junkees, mutual friends, even audition ads on craigslist.com.

The band name’s “is attributed to vice president Joe Biden’s gaffe in which he told Missouri State Sen. Chuck Graham to stand up … Graham is a paraplegic,” Howard said. The name also refers to cartoon character Charlie Brown’s falls after trying to kick a football, Sanders said.

Why did they form the band? “At first, I wanted fame and fortune. Now, it’s just for the love of music,” Williams said. Howard claims a “midlife crisis.” Lones summed it up by saying, “Nothing like coming together as a unit to make good music.”

“When younger, life consisted of both music and athletics,” Sanders said. “Time tends to rob you of continued athletic competition while music can be with you through the years.”

Their music leans heavy to rock with charts like John Mellencamp’s “Rain on the Scarecrow,” Tom Petty’s “Breakdown” and “Runnin’ Down a Dream,” Pink Floyd’s “Breathe” and “Comfortably Numb” and INXS’ “Never Tear Us Apart.”

The band’s favorites are Pink Floyd, Petty and Mellencamp. “They’re classic rock tunes that will always be around and fun to play,” Howard said. “Everyone knows them.”

Stand Up Chuck has performed at The Station, The Sports Page, Parker’s Landing and private parties. The band is booked at Bandito Burrito in Madison on July 21.

For more information, call 205-222-2013, send email to tiderolls@facebook.com or visit http://www.facebook.com/SUCHUCK.