Southern Gypsey Queens

Since the release of their debut album, Sweet Voodoo in 2004 until the recent recording of their latest album in 2010, Southern Gypsey Queen has crafted and refined its sound, moving from “classic-­‐retro” to be rawer: an edgier rock sound that also resonates with a strong sense of Pop. The past six years has seen the release of three Southern Gypsey Queen albums, namely, Sweet Voodoo, Rise Up and Be the Lion. Singles from each album including Song for the Captain, Rise Up and Radio Revolution were well received by local broadcasters enjoying extensive airplay on South African radio and television stations.

Southern Gypsey Queen has represented the Rock ‘n Roll genre at all major South African festivals, including OppiKoppi, Splashy Fen, KKNK, OppiAarde and many more. Their inspirations are the great Led Zeppelin, The Stones and Raconteurs to name but a few. Just watching their front man on stage, it’s quite clear that his energy and high leg kicks are definitely Angus Young (ACDC) inspired.

The Wilson Rock Trio is comprises Tammy, Paul and Gareth Wilson. All three members use their very distinctive voices and instruments to produce the unique sound that is SGQ. Hailing from the Eastern Cape, the three members were born and raised in the tiny town of Molteno. Although they’re based in Johannesburg, Southern Gypsey Queen tour throughout the year within South Africa and to neighbouring countries.

Front man and lead guitarist of Southern Gypsey Queen, Gareth Wilson cannot go unnoticed being particularly passionate about tequila, tight pants and tattoos. Gareth re-­‐introduced super “skinny jeans” and a passion for performance. His organic approach to performing has become synonymous with impromptu “jam sessions” and merging unlikely musicians and their often converse music genres. When asked what alternative career he would have pursued, Gareth simply stated: “when I realised that making a living from music was a reality, being a muso was an easy choice.” He believes that in an age when music can be over produced, “it’s important to give your audience a well rehearsed and honest show –“spontaneity adds an essential energy and dimension to all of Southern Gypsey Queen ‘s live performances.

As brothers, Paul and Gareth have been playing together for as long as they can remember. “Gareth and I have been playing together and brawling for the last twenty years; it’s all we know,” says Paul. Like the two other band members, Paul settled into his career as a musician at an early age and “music just took over.” He exudes a thrilling and evident energy as a drummer, who pays as much attention to his flawless technical delivery and to delivering a crowd-­‐pleasing performance. Like the legendary John Bonham and Keith Moon, Paul is more than guy at the back of the stage, merely holding down the beat.

The attentive brown eyes and petite frame of Tammy Wilson should not be categorised as the stereotypical bass player. The sheer volume and quality of Tammy’s voice causes audiences to erupt in unhindered applause and shouts of delight every time she performs, making Tammy an irreplaceable asset in this closely-­‐knit trio. The trained ear will detect Tammy’s classical music background. She began her formal Vocal and Cello training before taking up the position of bass player in Southern Gypsey Queen and having toured with the band straight out of school, she hasn’t looked back since.

The personalities, passion and innate talent of each member coalesce to ensure that this band’s sound remains fun, moving and completely contagious.

The band’s contemporary icons include Foo Fighters, Kings of Leon and Wolfmother as references for the sound of their latest album, Delusions of Grandeur. This much anticipated release was recorded and produced in Cape Town by Theo Crous and hit stores on March 2011.

This album is not only their most collaborative effort as a band, but also showcases the individual strengths of each member. Southern Gypsey Queen has a truly diverse audience. Their lyrics are well penned and pertinent; their performances are infectious and listeners all over South Africa can’t help rocking to the “old school” yet inventive sound of Southern Gypsey Queen. Gentlemen will want to Be the Lion and ladies will wish they were The Girl Who Saved the World, after being exposed to one of their live performances.

After recently signing a management deal with Southern Pulse Entertainment, 2011 promises to be a big year for Southern Gypsey Queen and South African rock music.

Delusions of Grandeur is currently out in stores with the Southern Gypsey Queen sound having been captured with an edge that only the Wilson trio can produce.