SOUTHERN GYPSEY QUEEN

SOUTHERN GYPSEY QUEEN

SGQ are South Africa's most promising rock act since 'forever'. Guns n Roses, Led Zeppelin, Eric Clapton, Pink Floyd, Rage Against the Machine and the Rolling Stones are all influences and all four band members seems to be of the opinion that AC/DC's album 'Back in Black' is an all time favorite.

Southern Gypsey Queen can however, hold their own in the world of rock. They are willing to push musical boundaries to the limits but also understand that a classic rock hook or powerful pulsating drumbeats are as important as being innovative.

Originally from Molteno - a small town in the Eastern Cape, and now based in Johannesburg, Southern Gypsey Queen excel at every facet of their performance, with all the members performing their respective roles with absolute precision and dedication. The band considers growing up in Molteno the secret ingredient that gives their music a sound and feel of its own.

Drummer Paul Wilson plays with a pronounced sense of occasion and his epic drum solos have become characteristic of the bands performance. Tammy Wilson keeps a steady and interesting bass-line running through each song while Thys Smit fills the role of 'guitar hero' with his fast paced lead style. His vertical lifts, leaps and various solos contribute to a visually and audibly exciting performance. Offsetting this is the bluesy-rock tone of front-man and lead guitarist, Gareth Wilson.

From the release of their first album Sweet Voodoo in 2004 to their latest album Be the Lion in 2007, South African rock supporters have seen The Southern Gypsey Queen grow into a formidable rock band - ready to take on the international stage.
Sweet Voodoo is a straight forward blues-rock album with the ballad 'Song for the Captain' receiving massive airplay and enjoying a 6 week stint at Number 1 on the MK89 charts. 2006 saw the band releasing their second album Rise Up with the title track occupying the number 1 slot on UJFm for well over 2 months. It was also with this album that drummer Paul Wilson and bassist Tammy Wilson, joined in on vocals - lifting the dynamics of the band to a new level. Tammy Wilson - her voice often described as that of an angel, has very much worked in the bands favour - giving them a unique hard rock edge.

After a year of touring Rise Up, Southern Gypsey Queen entered the recording studio again with producer Lani v/d Walt. Be The Lion was released in November 2007. The album boasts a very raw and rocky feel with a live-type sound, capturing the bands' energy. The first single off the album, 'Radio Revolution' is still receiving an extensive amount of airplay with the music video, also enjoying high rotation on MK89.

Apart from touring with artists to likes of Karen Zoid, Bed on Bricks, Fokofpolisiekar, Piet Botha and American blues legend, Vasti Jackson, Southern Gypsey Queen has also enjoyed regular slots on high profile festivals in Southern Africa.

In 2007, the band also toured with the South African Rugby team performing before each home game to capacity crowds of more then 30 000 people.