press

'The brightest & best band around!... Combining punk attitude, pop - rock melodies with charisma, personality, energy and focus... the perfect madness for 2004' TOTALROCK

‘Goodtime Rock ‘N’ Roll, Gloriously Clichéd, The Sound Of A Big Night Out’ KERRANG!

‘Brilliantly cheeky, heavied-up glam… the tunes, attitude and live reputation are all in place.' CLASSIC ROCK

’10 tracks of superb raw-edged rock ‘n’ roll, its punky ,its rocky ,its infectious but most importantly its an album every rock ‘n’ roll degenerate should own’ 8/10 ROCKSOUND

‘Big, brash, modern day punk rock bolted to big ass metal riffs’ TRASHPIT

‘Malibu Stacey are the greatest pop punk band I have seen this century' LEEDS MUSIC SCENE

Remember when The Wildhearts were great? Before they were shit and then became good again. Oh Fuck it. I'm gonna use the same analogy again. Why the hell not? It's my review. Remember when Terrorvision were good? Just before, and culminating with 'Celebrity Hitlist'? Well, this second comparison actually has history to it, seeing as ex-Terrorvision bassist Leigh Marklew plays the rumble monster for the excellently-named Malibu Stacey. Although I'm sure Waylon Smithers would shit his cartoon pants if he heard this. It's 10 tracks of superb raw-edged rock n roll, with guitars so sharp they could slice open that annoying plastic wrap they seal cassettes in. And that ain't easy is it kids? It's punky, it's rocky, it's infectious. It's many things, but most importantly it's an album every rock n roll degenerate should own.
Rock Sound August 2004

GOODTIME ROCK 'N' ROLL FROM EX-TERRORVISION MAN.
KKK
THE LOWDOWN: It's anything but grim up north. For Yorkshiremen Malibu Stacey, life is all about the glitter and grime of sleazy, trend-free rock 'n' roll.
Gloriously unafraid to embrace a cliche, they combine aspects of earlly Ash with the bounce - if not the sound - of bassist Leigh Marklew's previous band Terrorvision, before piling into the filthy disco of 'Horses'.
'On Heat' is nothing new, but it's the sound of a big night out - and hang the consequences.
BEST TRACK: 'Horses'
WEB: www.malibustacey.com
Kerrang!, Issue 1009 (June 12th 2004)

Holy Shit! Talk about grabbing you by the balls, slamming you against the wall, setting you on fire but somehow finding you like it, is close to how you might feel by the time the first track ‘Invasion’ from ‘On Heat’ comes to it’s explosive end. Simply put – Malibu Stacey sound massive!
For those unfamiliar, this is the new band from ex-Terrorvision bassist Leigh Marklew and he’s traded the pop rock quirk of the Bradford chart toppers in favour of big, brash modern day punk rock bolted to big ass metal riffs and he’s all the better for it.
There’s still a great deal of humour with it’s tongue placed firmly in cheek and it’s made to rock all the more as ‘On Heat’ boasts a slick, fat production job from Apes, Pigs & Spacemen bass player Bart. The album has the feel of a power pop Sex Pistols complete with more than enough fire, attitude and passion to be huge.
There seems something of a recurring theme which takes a dig at current music trends and fads on tracks like ‘Init2winit’, ‘Grade A Fellini’ and ‘Rockstar’ but it’s all done in the most sleazy, cocky and thankfully British way!
As loud mouth, hyper active vocalist Jonny Wilson spits ‘Who the fuck are Malibu Stacey?’, I’m sure it’s only a matter of time before everyone around the country will know the answer.
10 /10
Trash Pit, June 2004

Having spent the last decade with party rockers extraordinare Terrorvision, bassist Leigh Marklew knows how to write a quirky rock ditty or two, a skill he hasn't wasted with his new act, Malibu Stacey. Their debut album is a whole lot sleazier and rougher round the edges than Marklews previous outfit, and there's certainly nothing on here as commercial as Tequila. But the tunes are in place, from the Rachel Stamp inspired 'Grade a Fellini' to the Wildhearts'y 'Invasion'. 6/10
Metal Hammer March 2004

When Terrorvision split in October 2001, it's fair to say not too many people batted an eyelid. Which is a tad unjust considering that the likes of 'Celebrity Hit List', 'Oblivion' and 'Josephine', all of which sounded audacious and revitalising compared to the tired old arse-end of the Britpop era they were so obviously rallying against. Everyone has their own favourite Terrorvision moment if they're honest, and the sound of 'Tequila', squeezed in between 5ive and B*Witched on a Tuesday night at the Palais, happily brings my first year memories of University flooding back. After going their seperate ways, the smart money would have been on frontman Tony Wright relaunching himself in the spotlight, but as yet his Laika Dog project have flattered to deceive. So, enter former bass player Leigh Marklew and his youthful accomplices. Going by the name of Malibu Stacey, they've come to reclaim the Masters of Rock 'n' Roll crown from the Americans and, more recently, our Antipodean cousins.
'On Heat' is what Jet's 'Get Born' could have sounded like if it wasn't so soiled in nepotism and riddled with cliches. The opening twin-gun salvo of 'Invasion' and 'Initowinit' sound like the Wildhearts buggering the corpse of Johnny Thunders while 'Grade A Fellini' and 'Rockstar' could be paeans to the Young brothers or just exercises in wishful thinking... either way they offer a more palatable rock 'n' roll workout than anything Chris Cester has committed to vinyl to date, thanks in no small part to Jonny Wilson's half-man/half-Liam drawl, whilst sabotaging the D4's heads down, foot-to-the-floor blueprint.
Sure, 'On Heat' has its roots in other peoples' past glories, but like the most succulent bowl of choc-chip Haagen Daas, it'll leave a sweet aftertaste while the competition sours and coagulates like last week's milk.
Drowned In Sound August 2004

Fun, frantic rock and roll, with the FX disguising any threat that this could be pigeonholed as punk. Occasionally sleazy, sometimes bass-heavy, but mainly it glistens with glitz and rock glamour. In fact, considering that ex-Leafeater and Terrorvision form half of Malibu Stacey you won't go that far wrong by merging the two musically either. It never sits still enough to become tiresome and the fun upbeat element, coupled with the fact its also rather tuneful and sing-along, makes this a strong debut.
LeedsMusicScene Album Review March 2004

With ex Terrorvision bassist Leigh Marklew being involved in gig-aholic Bradford post-punkers Malibu Stacey the band have raised their profile. But while there's plenty to like among the haphazard kick-assery on this,the band's debut album,it sounds more like promising formative recordings than a safe career move after 13 years of chugging with one-time UK chart toppers Terrorvision. One year and 60 gigs down the line the Malibu's disparate musical styles can seem dislocated with Ex Leafeater Kes Loy's power-pop hooks crashing into standard power-metal tricks; likewise Jonny Wilson's punful lyrics sneared over the off-the-peg Oasis-style rock. 'Rock 'N' Roll Invasion' and 'Inittowinit' are speedy openers and reference 1978 in everything but Buzzcocks footnotes; 'We Rockin' launches straight into Eurometal and a luvverly la-la vocal melody; 'Grade A Fellini' is brilliantly cheeky heavied-up glam.And so on. The tunes,attitude and live reputation are all in place,but Malibu Stacey (named after Lisa Simpson's Barbie-type doll) need to develop fast before they threaten to take over as 'America's favorite eight-and-a-half incher'
Classic Rock July 2004

They kick straight into their first song, which summarises everything punk should be in the twenty-first century in two and half minuets. This band has it all. Jonny Rotten Sneers, aggression and power reminiscent of the Ramones, and yet no punk pretension. They look like normal guys, no crazy hair, no baggy trousers, and no outlandish tattoos. Malibu Stacey is the greatest pop punk band I have seen this century. Not pop punk in the New Found Glory sense of the word, but punk that is instantly likeable, Is catchy with memorable choruses. Is this the saviour of modern punk? 10/10
LeedsMusicScene Album Review March 2004

Malibu Stacey on the other hand, with all due respect to Payola, are in a different league! Having served time in numerous West Yorkshire bands and even done the whole pop industry thing, the spit and polish of over a year gigging in the worst toilets, has left this band on the brink of greatness.
With an album finally due out, I suspect people will start to look seriously at this band, who with the whirling dervish of a front man Jonny Wilson, every inch a showman, should be whipping up audiences everywhere shortly.
The remainder of the band are no slouches either. With both bass guitarist Leigh, and guitarist Kes, giving it loads in equal measure, it was a wonder how the stage of The Springhead kept them in.
Let's not forget some of the best, most grooving and danceable rock tunes this side of the late 80's, with a soundclash reminiscent of Cinderella (80's American Big Hair Metal band) meeting the Wildhearts.
I cannot say more than this was a fantastic Sunday night in Hull and from the rapturous response from the audience, I was not alone. If you haven't seen (or heard) this band, then I suggest you do so, as it is a premier league example of both performance, musical chemistry and song writing from the heart. 10/10
thisisull.com July 2004

'A class act' and 'Band of the weekend' were comments made to me as Malibu Stacey pumped out their good-time rock and roll and I’m not inclined to argue. After all, they even enticed the sun out. To borrow from one of their song titles, singer Jonny Wilson is a Grade A showman, while they’ve got stomping tunes and tongue-in-cheek lyrics off to a fine art. In lesser hands it could have been clichéd but this was simply fun by the bucketful.
Wakefield Express July 2004

About | Gigs | Biography | Press | Latest News | Pixs

MALIBU STACEY WEBSITE: www.malibustacey.com