ABOUT

Lo-fi garage punk trio based in Berlin & Portland, OR. Rockin' and rollin' since 2015.

szim – git/voc, Jay Gard – drums, Chuck Struggler – bass/voc

BAND HISTORY

TOP DOWN initially started out in May 2015 in Portland, Oregon as an international trio with band members from the US, New Zealand & Germany featuring szim (git/voc, GER), Chuck Struggler (bass/voc, US) and Fiona Campbell (dr, NZ) – a musical globetrotter (Chain & The Gang, Vivian Girls, Coasting, The Coolies ...)

Shortly after the band formed Fred Cole (Dead Moon, Pierced Arrows, The Rats etc.) home-recorded and produced the band's first musical outcome that eventually turned into a 7" released by Voodoo Doughnut Recordings in May 2016. The complete 2015 recording session (6 songs) is available on tape on Chuck's label NO CHANCE.

In March 2016 Berlin based artist Jay Gard joined the band for a couple of live shows in Berlin & Leipzig and the band's first US tour in the Pacific Northwest in summer 2016. (photo: Chuck, szim, Jay)

Throughout February 2017 TOP DOWN was honored to be the support act for Fred & Toody Cole of Dead Moon. Our first European Tour took us to Germany, The Netherlands, Belgium, Denmark, Sweden, Norway and Finland. (photo: © Stefan Müller, from left to right: Chuck Struggler, szim, Fred Cole, Toody Cole, Fiona Campbell)

ON March 17th, 2017 Voodoo Doughnut Recordings released TOP DOWN's debut album ROUGH ROADS.

Fiona quit TOP DOWN in April 2017. Shortly after Berlin based drummer Cristian Prigoană from Transylvania (RO) – joined the band for a West Coast Tour in summer 2017 and since then became a full new member.

After the recordings for the 2nd full-length album HARD FEELINGS in February 2019 Cristian moved to London and Rayk Rolles took over the drum stool.

(photo: ©Andreea Dican: Chuck, szim, Rayk Rolles)

After finishing the recordings to the third full-length album BACKYARD THUNDER Ray Rolles quit the band. In summer 2021 Lucas Gutzschebauch started playing drums for TOP DOWN.