A Few of My Favourite Tyneside Bands

Introduction

A lot of these bands are no longer with us but all of them were worth seeing when they were performing. A lot are still going as well so all is not lost. A couple such as Bon Jordi, Radge Against The Machine and Benwell Floyd are not included because they are from a decade back and I have not heard of them recently.

The bands I will give most coverage to are The Star Spangled Chestwigs and The Coyotemen because I am good friends with their lead singers (who are both pub landlords now) and have taken a lot of Youtube Video on my channel which you can check out here.

I am concentrating on the louder side of things, but sure you will tell me the many bands I have missed.

1: Star Spangled Chestwigs

I am not sure when I first saw the Chestwigs but they still had two lead singers and thanks you Youtube we can see them in action. The thing about the band is that they are beautifully ramshackle with Adas Cowan on drums who also designed their brilliant take on designer logos replaced with the word SHITE, which they used to adapt Ottawan’s “D.I.S.C.O” into “S.H.I.T.E”, and this is part of their pure genius.

One of the most engaging and funny live bands I have seen and they reformed after the lead singer Shev took over The Black Bull in Gateshead with his wife Maz. and have turned into a premier Punk venue but at the moment The Chestwigs are dormant.

2:The Coyotemen

They describe themselves as the best Mexican Wrestling Masked four-man tag team in the universe.

Apparently, they are very big in Spain, very loud and fast and with and huge rock and roll sense of humour. Lead singer David Campbell is one of the most quietly spoken people you will meet and landlord of The Mean Eyed Cat in Newcastle transforms into Helmut Bruiser as you can see in the videos that I share.

They also transformed into the Gramps for a Cramps tribute which was a more than entertaining afternoon at the Cluny 2 in Newcastle.

When Helmut rejoined the band at a gig in Brewdog in Newcastle the bouncer tried to throw him out as an intruder and then the bouncer got really huffy when he found out it was all planned.

I remember seeing them headlining a gig in Trillians in Newcastle, suited and wearing wrestling masks, six songs in ten minutes had gone. They were only on for half an hour but were definitely worthy headliners.

Their Facebook page is here

3 Ruby and the Mystery Cats

Our Rockabilly icons who recently flooded Facebook with some very funny memes. I have included an old Youtube Video but their more recent and in-colour videos can be seen here.

Their Facebook page is here.

4: AKQ Stottin’

Loud and aggressive and unbelievably I have never seen them live, but here is a link to the Facebook page.

5: Women In Revolt

We lost their leader Sheena Revolta to cancer five years ago but the other members are still active but not as Women In Revolt. You can check out more in the article below.

6: Gallery Circus

I first saw these at a burlesque night in Bar Loco and expected just a couple of students, but they have grown into a very impressive two-piece rock band.

Their Facebook page is here.

In Conclusion

I will have missed a lot of bands who are still performing in the Tyneside area, please let me know if you want your band or yourself added to this article, I do want to make it as comprehensive as possible.