Southern Gypsey Queen

From the release of their first album Sweet Voodoo in 2004 to the recent recording of their latest album in 2010, SGQ has refined and crafted its sound from classic-retro to a more raw and edgy rock with a strong pop sensibility. Over the last six years SGQ has released three albums; 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 and enjoyed extensive airplay on South African radio and television stations.

SGQ has represented Rock n Roll at all our major festivals including OppiKoppi, Splashy Fen, KKNK, OppiAarde and many more. They attribute the way that they write and rock out to the music styles of Led Zeppelin, The Stones and Raconteurs to name but a few. It should also be obvious that their front man gets his on stage energy and high leg kicks from Angus Young and the other members of ACDC.

The Wilson Rock Trio is made up of Tammy, Paul and Gareth Wilson. All three members use their very individual voices and instruments to produce the unique sound that is SGQ. All three members originate from hardy Eastern Cape stock, born and bred in the tiny town of Molteno . While SGQ is based in Joburg, the band tour though out the year – both in South Africa and our neighbouring states.

The front man and lead guitarist of SGQ will stand out immediately because of his enthusiasm for tequila, tight pants and tattoos. Gareth Wilson re-introduced super skinny jeans and a passion for performance. His untreated approach to performing has become synonymous with impromptu jam sessions and the bringing together of unlikely musicians and their often converse music genres. When asked what career he would have perused instead of music, Gareth simply stated that, “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 SGQ’s live performances.
On the drums, on the vocals, Mr Paul Wilson...who is not only the talented SGQ drummer but also one of SA’s hottest male celebrities, as voted by Heat readers nationwide. As brothers, Paul and Gareth have been playing together for as long as they can remember. “Paul and I have been playing together and brawling for the last 20 yrs, it’s all we know”. Like the two other band members, Paul settled into his career as a musician from an early age, “Music just took over”. He can be described as a high energy drummer who pays equal attention to his technical delivery as well as his crowd pleasing performance. Like the legendary John Bonham and Keith Moon, he will never just be the guy at the back of the stage holding down the beat.
Don’t let the attentive brown eyes and petite frame of this dinky bass player fool you into a false sense of stereotype. The sheer volume and quality of this little lady’s voice brings the house down every time and makes Tammy Wilson an irreplaceable asset in this close nit trio. The trained ear will be able to pick up Tammy’s classical music background. She began her formal music studies in vocal and cello before taking up the position of bass player in SGQ. She started touring straight after school and hasn’t looked back since.
The personalities, passion and raw talent of each member converge together to ensure that this band’s sound remains fun, poignant and completely contagious.

In terms of contemporary favourites, the Band looked to the likes of the 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 is set to hit stores on 1 March 2011. This album is not only their most collaborative effort as a band, but also show case the individual strengths of each member. SGQ has a truly diverse and wide reaching audience. Their lyrics are well penned and pertinent, their stage energy is infectious and listeners all over South Africa can’t help rocking to the old school yet inventive sound of SGQ. After watching one of their performances...the gents will want to Be the Lion, while all the ladies wish they were The Girl Who Saved the World.

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

‘Delusions Of Grandeur’ is currently out in stores and the signature SGQ sound has been captured with an edge that only the Wilson trio can pull off!