Cosmic Cowboy and The Incognitos | INTERVIEW + TRACK REVIEW
Some bands spend years carefully assembling their lineup, developing their sound and planning their first performance. Cosmic Cowboy and The Incognitos took a slightly different approach. What began as a one-off live performance for Brisbane songwriter Greg Eales' solo EP launch in November 2024 somehow evolved into a fully functioning band, complete with a growing collection of gigs, a wonderfully eccentric cast of musicians and a frontman dressed in an op-shop Elvis-inspired cowboy suit. There's something refreshingly unpretentious about the whole operation. The music wanders between country, psychedelic glam and dirty rock 'n' roll, while the band's identity celebrates the black sheep, the underdogs and anyone who's ever felt a little out of place in the ordinary world. It's equal parts musical adventure and an excuse to embrace the ridiculous, with Eales happily admitting that approaching 60 hasn't done much to diminish his inner child.
At the heart of the project is a songwriter whose musical history stretches back decades, with some songs originating from the early 1990s and others emerging from more recent observations about adulthood, conformity and the peculiar business of getting older. Tracks like On The Road carry memories of hitchhiking across Australia, while Cookie Cutter Cowboy finds humour in the contradictions of modern life, poking fun at oversized urban cowboys while acknowledging that even the most rebellious spirits eventually have to do the weekly shopping. Elsewhere, Cosmic Cowboy Theme ventures into stranger territory, drawing inspiration from the mysterious Min Min lights that captured Eales' imagination during childhood journeys through outback Queensland. There's a wonderful sense of storytelling running through it all, where personal memories, country mythology and good-natured absurdity are given equal room to roam.
Perhaps the most endearing thing about Cosmic Cowboy and The Incognitos is how little of their existence appears to have followed a conventional plan. The musicians initially came together through their individual friendships with Eales, only to develop a genuine camaraderie of their own, while invitations from fellow Brisbane artists have helped keep the band performing far beyond its original intentions. Even the prospect of taking their music to Tamworth comes with a healthy dose of uncertainty, limited finances and the possibility of relying on busking to make the journey worthwhile. But that unpredictability feels entirely appropriate for a band built around following the music wherever it leads. We caught up with Cosmic Cowboy himself, Greg Eales, to discuss the accidental birth of The Incognitos, the stories behind his songs, the joy of refusing to grow up, the mythology of the Australian outback and why being an outsider might just be the best place to belong.
TRACK REVIEW - COOKIE CUTTER COWBOY
There's something immediately infectious about Cookie Cutter Cowboy, with Cosmic Cowboy and The Incognitos launching into a wonderfully upbeat groove that feels almost impossible not to enjoy. The rhythm section establishes a playful foundation, while those shimmering, surf-rock-inspired guitar tones give the track an unexpected sense of space and adventure. It's country rock with a slightly psychedelic twist, almost as though the band is inviting us on a journey somewhere beyond the atmosphere. But what really caught my attention was Greg Eales' vocal delivery. There's an incredible amount of personality in his tone, balancing warmth, character and just the right amount of mischief. The backing vocals are equally impressive, sitting beautifully alongside the lead without ever competing for attention. And when everyone comes together for the chorus, the result is an absolutely satisfying release, with the harmonies opening everything up in a way that feels both effortless and carefully considered.
There's also a tremendous amount of detail hiding beneath the song's cheerful exterior. The production is full of little surprises, particularly the distant laughter appearing across the stereo field, almost as though someone is having a private joke in one ear while another conversation unfolds in the other. It's a wonderfully strange touch that keeps you wondering where the arrangement might wander next. Those playful production choices feel especially appropriate for a song that, as Eales explains, pokes fun at the contradictions of modern adulthood. Cookie Cutter Cowboy takes aim at the image of the oversized, four-wheel-drive urban cowboy while simultaneously acknowledging the humour in Eales' own relatively domesticated existence. There's something refreshing about a songwriter who can question conformity without pretending he's somehow escaped it himself. The humour isn't directed entirely outwards, and that self-awareness gives the track an extra layer of charm.
As the song progresses, the musicianship becomes increasingly apparent, with each instrument contributing something distinctive without overwhelming the overall arrangement. I particularly love the fiddle that appears towards the end, adding another wonderful dimension to a track already bursting with personality. It's those thoughtful touches that reveal just how much care has gone into the recording, from the balance of the vocals to the playful stereo effects and the way the instrumentation continues to evolve. There's a genuine sense of enjoyment running through Cookie Cutter Cowboy, but beneath the humour and eccentricity sits a group of musicians who clearly understand how to build an engaging song. The production is excellent, the performances are full of character, and the chorus is an absolute delight. Cosmic Cowboy and The Incognitos have managed to make something that feels simultaneously nostalgic, unconventional and completely their own. A brilliantly entertaining listen from start to finish.
Cosmic Cowboy and The Incognitos were meant to be a one-night stand that accidentally became a band. At what point did the accident begin making decisions of its own?
not long after the first gig that was Nov 30th 2024 the release for my 'solo' EP my Col Barwick our drummer, approached me at an Open mic night we frequented and asked when we were playing again, I think that same night Dylan Ferrier our lead guitarist asked a similar question, they both said it was fun, then in Jan of 2025 our friend Brenda from the band Waiting for Brenda asked if we could play a support slot with them at The Triffid in Brisbane on Sunday 26th of Jan, and the gigs just kept rolling in, I think I actually book3 gigs that year but we played 12 and the other 9 were other acts inviting us to play support for their shows. which was amazing and lovely.
The Cosmic Cowboy wears an op-shop Elvis suit covered in sequins, rhinestones and tassels. Does putting it on reveal a more honest version of Greg Eales, or give him permission to become someone completely unreliable?
as a person I'm partial to dressing up for fun, I dress up for parties, football matches, sometimes for special work occasions, there are some stories, don't get my wife started on the subject, so I guess the cowboy suit is the inner child playing, I'm almost 60 but I am still basically a child
You describe the band as flying a flag for black sheep, underdogs and the lost herd. What makes somebody part of that herd, and how do they recognise one another when they enter the room?
strangely my band all have individual relationships with me and although they may have known of each other before the band none of them actually had a friendship with anyone in the band - now they are all great mates and have each others backs - they are all a little bit crazy in their own way - it's their quirkiness that unites them
Some of these songs have followed you since 1993 and 1997. When you sing them now, are you preserving the person who wrote them, correcting him or allowing him to interrupt your present life?
sometimes I go back to those days for example 'On The Road' was written in my hitchhiking days somewhere on a highway waiting to catch a ride I think I was in the middle of NSW - I like to tell that story before the song - I'm not persevering that person - I have a lot of songs and I offer them to the band - some are picked up and taken into the fold immediately - that happened with those old songs - there are still plenty more old or new songs but are not yet ready for the band - I see them as a continuum of a songline
Cookie Cutter Cowboy celebrates the urban cowperson navigating teenagers, love, friendship and “whatever the fuck the rest of that bullshit is.” What part of modern adulthood makes you feel most like an outlaw, and what part has completely domesticated you?
I still smoke pot regularly - that makes feel like I'm an outlaw - I don't go to the chemist or the doctor - it does have drawbacks (pun intended) as my dopamine levels oscillate wildly, I am a domesticated cat up at 5.30am to exercise work a 9 - 5 , Saturday I'm washing and cleaning the house and weekly food shopping
“Cookie cutter” suggests conformity, while Cosmic Cowboy appears determined to resist anything ordinary. Is the song laughing at people who follow the template, or admitting that even outsiders eventually find themselves living inside one?
yes that is the question, I'm glad you could determine my (our) truth of non-conformity - yes I am sniggering at the 4 wheel drive RAM cowboys, but also taking the piss out of myself at the same time
Your music exists somewhere between country, psychedelic city glam and dirty rock ’n’ roll. If those three genres were strangers sharing a car on a long drive, who would take the wheel, who would control the stereo and who would eventually be left at a service station?
The poor glam sweetie would possibly be forever scarred by the experience of being left behind ( but they are such a sycophant) dirty rock 'n' roll would take the driver seat while the stereo played Gram Parsons, George and Tammy, Johnnie and June songs about Jesus and booze
The Incognitos include musicians from established Brisbane bands, yet the collective’s identity is built around anonymity and the occasional unexpected cameo. Is that anonymity a way of escaping your musical histories, or of making room for all of them at once?
to be honest the band was named before I had recruited any of the players - as I said it was supposed to be my solo record and so I guess the Incognitos did not exist hence the name. This way to, they are interchangeable a bit like- oh you can't make the gig - I'll just pop this other person in - no one will notice hehehe
You’ve described Cosmic Cowboy Theme as a night drive through the desert with lights slowly approaching in the rear-view mirror. Have you decided what is following the driver, or is the song more powerful if nobody, including you, ever finds out?
Do you know the story of the Min Min lights? They formed a big part of my childhood musings as we traveled through outback Queensland - but set in Area 51 or Nervada
You’re heading towards Tamworth, a place with strong ideas about what country music is supposed to be. Does taking an urban Cosmic Cowboy there feel like a homecoming, an infiltration or a test of whether the costume can survive daylight?
Good question - I think if we do get to Tamworth
a) it will be a small miracle as any money I had set aside for that has been eaten up
b) I haven't been able to secure any gigs on the way there or actually in Tamworth, so our only income will come from busking
c) hey stranger ' What cha' doing in town?' - 'In a clown suit?'
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