During last year’s pandemic lockdown, musician Damien Stofka teamed up with his brother-in-law Matt Downey to record some material at Matt’s home studio in Katoomba. Two men then decided to send the resulting songs to Golden Robot Records under the name of their longtime shared project, Cousin Betty, first conceptualised by Damien in 2010. Much to their surprise, these tracks managed to secure a recording contract with the label, leading to airplay in Europe and America. The pair then developed a new live lineup for Cousin Betty, comprised of handpicked, statewide players. Along with Damien on rhythm guitar and Matt on lead vocals, whose combined band experience includes Death Mattel and Litter, Cousin Betty’s current lineup now features drummer Andi Dyson (Nitocris), bassist Tara Doyle (Spurs For Jesus), and lead guitarist Astrid Carr (Madam Fatale, Quiet Carriage). Cousin Betty plan to release their debut in late January or early February, as an EP called LEFT. Two later EP singles were recorded independently.
Filmed at Brighter Coffee in Stanmore, the music video for LEFT’s lead single ‘Drone’ was released on October 16th and amassed 1400 YouTube views in its first week of release. LEFT’s second single ‘Tape Hiss’ was recorded at Sound Studios in Marrickville and is set for release on February 1st. The accompanying 80s-themed music video was filmed at Leura’s Fairmont Resort on November 8th, based around a mock band backline in a marquee. For the video for LEFT’s third single ‘AWOL’, recorded at Tardis Studio behind Sydney’s Factory Theatre, Matt hand-built his most ambitious set yet – a replica WW1 trench in his own backyard. Filling the trench with authentic troops may have been a challenge. Luckily, Matt’s brother James Downey happens to be the President of the 18th Battalion Living History Group. “They’re the go-to guys in NSW”, he explains. “They’re historians.” So that Matt’s action-packed shoot could be completed in one day, November 22nd, the battalion had to congregate from miles around. One younger member came to Katoomba from Canberra. The youngest soldier was 13, and I was recruited too. Helen Flint was the director of photography.
Deepening this family affair, Matt reveals that the song is based on the incredible true story of his late grandfather, Kevin Downey, who served in Egypt, Greece, and Papua New Guinea in WW2 and went AWOL to marry Matt’s grandmother. As Matt explains, Kevin was promptly courtmartialed and returned to his duty before coming home a different man, as the song describes.
Matt hopes for the ‘AWOL’ clip to debut on rage on the ABC. Regarding the fate of the timber-reinforced trench, Matt explains, “I think the local hospital could use the [firewood] money…I’m a fiercely nice guy.”
• ORIGINALLY WRITTEN FOR THE BLUE MOUNTAINS GAZETTE, DECEMBER 2020
https://www.bluemountainsgazette.com.au/
Image courtesy of Helen Flint Photography, (featuring Corin Shearston on the background trench phone!)