The Audreys Return With First New Music In 10 Years

Australian country, blues and roots band The Audreys are back with their first new music in ten years, sharing their single Secondhand Boots today.

The ARIA Award-winning group are celebrating their 20th anniversary as a band this year.

The Audreys, formed in 2004 by singer Taasha Coates and guitarist Tristan Goodall, released four albums. The Audreys burst onto Australia’s country music scene with their 2006 debut album, Between Last Night And Us, which featured triple j favourites You & Steve McQueen, Oh Honey and Banjo & Violin, and was certified Gold in Australia while claiming Best Blues and Roots Album at the ARIA Awards.

In 2008, they released When The Flood Comes, which peaked at #20 on the ARIA Albums Chart and saw them awarded Best Blues and Roots Album again, a title they’d claim for a third time with 2010’s Sometimes The Stars. 2014’s ‘Til My Tears Roll Away also scored an ARIA nomination.

In 2016, Coates kickstarted a solo career while The Audreys continued to tour. Goodall stepped down from the band in 2021 due to ill health.

Secondhand Boots, a brooding country tune with a whole lot of love poured into it, is based on a real-life experience described by Coates.

“I’ve made a lot of bad decisions in my life, but a few years ago, I made an absolute doozy,” Coates teased in a press release. “This song is about that, and that’s pretty much all I can say without getting sued.

“They are my boots in the cover art. I bought them in Texas nearly 20 years ago, so they’d have some stories to tell. Sadly, they’re not actually the secondhand boots referred to in the song - those ones I threw away.”

For Secondhand Boots, The Audreys comprises Coates, guitarist Tom Kneebone, bassist Felicity Freeman, and drummer Beej Barker.

In 2022, The Audreys were struck by tragedy after the passing of Goodall. “Tristan and I started The Audreys in 2004, so this year marks our 20th anniversary,” Coates said. 

“Sadly, we lost our beautiful Tristan in 2022, but before he passed, he gave me his blessing to continue the band without him. I’ve been playing with my current band for about three years now and safe to say they’re the greatest group of musicians anyone could ever hope to work with.

“Losing Tristan really devastated me; he’d been my dearest friend for 25 years, but we remember and honour his legacy all the time on stage and in the studio. I’ve been healing through music.”

Secondhand Boots mark a pensive return for The Audreys as they look to the future. Coates said of the journey, “I have waited a long time for this, so I am relieved, excited and terrified in equal measure. 

“Putting out new music is always scary, but we have lovely fans who’ve been waiting patiently for something new from us for a while and I’m so thrilled that we can finally deliver for them. I hope they love it as much as we do.”

You can listen to Secondhand Boots below.