VICTOR - DRUMS & MISERY

TERRY - GUITAR & UPTIGHTNESS

GEORDIE- BASS & ORGANISATION

Sometimes do tribute gigs as RADGE AGAINST THE MACHINE. (Radge? Radgie? geddit? doesn't matter...)

Thanx to ex-members Phil Milmore, Mick Thwaites, Roy Ash, Barry Pells...

SPECIAL THANKS TO ROB SULLIVAN FOR AMAZING PHOTOGRAPHY & SUPPORT!!! http://www.reflectedlight.co.uk/

Reviews by Riffs website.. http://www.riffsonline.co.uk/

"AKQ IN PERFECT FORM Well, what a wonderful two nights I've just had! The first on Friday was for the AKQ Stottin' gig (pronounced acky) at The Office where the band opened their second set with the Sensational Alex Harvey Band's 'Can I Put My Hands on You' and carried on with some loud, and I mean very loud, heavy rock with some great visuals, with lead man Marty putting on an extremely memorable show. Their playing was as tight as Nige's wallet and the overall musicianship was astonishing! "

"The band AKQ Stottin' (pronounced Ackee) formed in 1994 as a side project for Vic , who was drummer with Powerage, and along with good friend and singer Marty, and rhythm guitarist Geordie, got together for an occasional gig at hand-picked pubs around the area. About a year or so later Terry, the Angus with Powerage, joined the band as a replacement lead guitarist and with several bass players to date the band have the Duke as their favourite stomping ground. Val and myself caught this band way back when the Kings Head in Stanley was on the go, and when Val gets up to that issue on her 'back catalogue' then you can read that review on the web. But this time around it was at The Office in South Shields that we caught these loud and raucous wretches. And I mean loud, I can say that this has been the loudest band I've heard at the Office so far (hope to be outdone by FIST this week!!). And with the type of music they played, loud was the only way to hear it. From the searing opening of Bodies by the Sex Pistols, Sham 69s If the Kids are United through several Rage Against the Machine tracks and into the Sensational Alex Harvey Band's Can I Put My Hands on You, the sound was spot on and the musicianship was truly exceptional. The band played like a well-oiled machine and frontman Marty gave his all. And if you like some exciting visuals - then Marty delivers too!! Don't expect your usual covers here, the out of the ordinary, wild and wonderful are mixed expertly with some you may know just a tad better. No track sums up the band better than the awesom Bullet in the Head. What a tour de force! In some areas the Stottin' in AKQ Stottin' is replaced by Bashin' - and that's exactly what they'll give your ears! If you want the cobwebs cleared away, AKQ Stottin' will do it for you, no mistake!!"

REVIEW, BY "MOO!" pmsbull

"..Not kidding you man, these guys are totally AWESOME ! Everyone I know who seen them thinks the same. They did a BLOODY AMAZING gig at the three tuns the other xmas when the singer ( Marty? ) had a hilaroius stage costume during their sabbath number with extending skeleton arms and joked about drugs being bad while smoking the BIGGEST spliff you have ever seen! I think he must have rolled a whole bloody newspaper to make that one! Honestly - anyone who hasnt seen these NEED to go. Any RATM fans get to see their 'Radgie' incarnation and you will NEVER forget it. When I saw them Marty absolutely transcended the small gig in the tuns and drew you into a sweaty, moshfilled, giant festival experience with his intense stage presence. The absolute epitemy of being 'in the zone' - the band was laying down the riffs with the impact of some great pagan rock God bestowing a plague of biblical proportions on a crowd of unbelievers - all of whom transformed to loyal worshipers by the gigs end, the awesome RATM track "Freedom", after which the by now HEAVING crowd went freaking APESHIT demanding about three encores, and nearly causing a riot before finally being slain by a storming rendition of 'Maggies Farm' and a version of 'Bullet In The Head' that would have made Zakk de la Rocka bown down in awe screaming "NOT WORTHY!!" I tell you man, I hope one day to see RATM for real - but that night at the tuns....just wish I had it on dvd. I would have worn the disc out by now. I know you may think I'm going a bit OTT here guys but beleive me - THEY'RE THAT BLOODY GOOD ! If this band plays anyhwhere near you , even if you gotta drive for hours , sell your momma , rent your sister out to sailors for the weekend or do unusual sexual favours dressed in weird costumes to raise the money..... you MUST GO SEE THEM ! Heavier than the bastard child of Metallica and Pantera and more intense than Phil Ansemo on a bad acid! Oh and by the way , gigs at the Three Tuns are FREE ! It's the BEST place in the area to see a band, NO CONTEST. So now my bretherin, if you are STILL an unbeleiver - then I cannot save you. Here ENDEST the sermon. Cheers.." "MOO!" pmsbull

NEW REVIEW BY PMSBULL

AKQ STOTTIN' : THREE TUNS, SHERIFF HILL, GATESHEAD. SATURDAY 17/11/07 It's been a long time since I saw this band. Too Long. The first time I saw AKQ was a night that remains burned into my memory so - following reports of bad sound at their recent comback gig at the Duke of Cumberland, I went along tonight with baited breath to find the Tuns filled with eager punters all hoping for a great show. "Anyone see us at the Duke last week?" asked singer Marty."I came on with a bloody chicken on my head - we were shite!" Dressed in an outrageous black and white dreadlock wig and full length leather coat accessorised with sunglasses and an enormous necklace in the shape of the band's name, Marty looked like he had just stepped out of the Chilli Pepper's 'Dani California' video, and that was just the start. Blasting into the opener 'New Rose' before steaming their way through 'God Save The Queen' it was obvious AKQ meant business tonight. The incredible soundscape of Alex Harvey's 'Faith Healer' proved it. By now in full stride, it was time to move into high gear and we were treated to an excellent version of 'Know your enemy' by RATM which got the crowd jumping. Geordie (bass) and Vic (drums) held the backbeat together like a well oiled machine and anyone who has seen ACDC tribute 'Powerage' knows what a good guitarist Terry is. Although by Terry's own admission he can let himself go a lot more in AKQ than he ever can in Powerage. Sham 69s punk classic 'If the Kids Are United' got a suitable airing along with a heavier than lead version of Fleetwood Mac's 'Green Manalishi'. Midway through the set Marty donned scary wig and extending skeleton arms for a hilarious version of 'Black Sabbath' during which when heckled, he stopped the show and got a roadie to bring on stage the 'chavometer' - a sort of clapometer with various ratings such as "waxa","double cushty" and "not bad for an old hippie" - which the crowd applauded until a score was decided upon. Laughed my ass off ! Tracks like Pink Floyd's 'Brick in the wall' - which started calm and gradually built up to a fearsome creshendo - were followed by hard and fast tunes with piledriver riffs as AKQ payed homage to their 'RADGE AGAINST THE MACHINE' alterego with awesome effect. Incredible versions of 'Bullet in the head' and 'Killing in the name' had a dozen or so punters moshing ferverently down the front until the end of the show brought another RATM track, 'Freedom' - which was delivered with all the power and intensity of a band that had refound itself to awe inspiring effect. Back at their best and face rippingly intense, AKQ Stottin' kicked my ass tonight - and I enjoyed every blow. Encore track 'Territorial pissings' by Nirvana was delivered to raptuous applause and rounded off another amazing night at the Three Tuns.This place really deserves the good press it gets and manager Paul Smith runs a nice relaxed pub with a cool atmosphere. Definately worth a visit and an excellent music venue. AKQ Stottin' and the Three Tuns, like Jack Daniels and Coke - a perfect combination if ever there was one. As for last week - I blame the chicken..... "MOO!" pmsbull. www.thethreetuns.com http://www.myspace.com/akqstottin

COMMENT BY PAUL FROM THE THREE TUNS

"...and the resurgent and inimitable AKQ Stottin' might be in the shake up. One last thought on that note. I've read loads about great frontmen but surely the nutter from AKQ Stottin' is the best isn't he? He can't sing like Brian from Riot Control Fingers, and he does't have the stagecraft of Gordon from Sticky Blues Gerbils, but he completely mesmerises our crowd and they talk about him for months afterwards and that's entertainment....."

NEW REVIEW BY THE MIGHTY BULL (WE'LL GIVE YOU THAT 50QUID LATER MATE..) ;-)

AKQ STOTTIN' : LIVE AT THE THREE TUNS : Saturday 5th April 2008 "Oh my God, AKQ's back !" That's all I could say when I heard they were doing another gig here at the Three Tuns in Gateshead. This band just continues to put on a fantastic show - despite anything that their PA troubles could throw at them, and it was something of a relief to realise that it was their smoke machine going off and not their amp blowing up that created the plume of white mist which greeted their arrival on stage. After sounding a little 'booming' on the first couple of tracks due to a (quickly adjusted) slightly off mike, Marty was soon blasting his way through their set like a man possessed. Wearing that outrageous black and white dreadlock wig-hat and bouncing around the stage with all his usual enthusiasm, he truly is a front man to be reckoned with and gets a crowd going like nobody else can. Openers 'New Rose' and 'God Save The Queen' immediately had the near capacity crowd jumping and by the time they slammed through 'Know Your Enemy' I knew we were in for a night to remember - especially for the drumming. Vic hit the skins so hard tonight I thought he was trying to burst his kit. Sweating buckets at the back of the stage, his headgear slipped down over his eyes and he played the entire second half of 'Faith Healer' effectively blindfolded - and never missed a beat. Truly awesome performance the entire night from this very shy and retiring yet immensely talented and much under rated musician. Vic rocks ! Staying on the subject of drummers, Marty brought 2 timpani drums and 2 crash cymbals onto the front of the stage for their version of the Fleetwood Mac classic 'Green Manilishi' , which he introduced by saying they were going to do some Slipknot - or "Hope not !" as he called it - and then proceded to bash the living daylights out of them, backing up Vic and making for one of the heaviest performances I have ever heard. Black Sabbath was treated to the scary wig and skeleton outfit, much to the amusement of audience first timers and some heckling, resulting in Marty's usual brand of outrageous stage humour to put it down. Geordie's solid base lines and Terry's lead guitar were in full swing for another amazing version of RATM's 'Bullet In The Head' and when Marty came back on stage wearing his Newcastle United dressing gown and scarf, the resulting audience participation for 'Kids Are United' must have rivalled the aftermath of goal No.3 going in at St.James Park this afternoon. Slamming through 'Killing In The Name Of' and laying waste to 'Freedom' , AKQ rounded off yet another legendary night with an encore of Nirvana's 'Territorial Pissings' still leaving the crowd begging for more - which is a good thing as they simply do not play often enough. I said it the first time I reviewed this band - their sheer intensity draws you into a festival like experience - and that is where they really deserve to be. You dont watch or listen to AKQ - you FEEL them, and were this band to play one of those side tents at Glastonbury it would be a night to tell your Grandchildren about. ..... www.thethreetuns.com MOO ! pmsbull

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