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The Group SACRED COWBOYS were formed in early 1982 in Melbourne by lead singer-songwriter Garry Gray and Mark Ferrie on bass, both drawing from their experiences in the local post-punk scene—Gray from the proto-punk outfit NEGATIVES and Ferrie from the new wave band THE MODELS.
The band's name was inspired by the "Sacred Cows" characters from an episode of the 1960s TV show Get Smart, reflecting their iconoclastic approach that rejected genre labels, fashion trends, and commercial hype in favor of boundary-pushing rock music.
2025 saw founders Garry Gray and Mark Ferrie enlist Timothy Deane, Anthony Paine, and Damian Fitzgerald for the new SACRED COWBOYS album project, ‘In the Manifesto.’

The Album
‘In the Manifesto’ was mastered by Mikey Young, who worked on the last six MARK LANEGAN records and plays in EDDIE CURRENT SUPPRESSION RING. All new songs are written by Garry and the band. ‘In the Manifesto’ shows the SACRED COWBOYS do not indulge in one musical style. It’s a complex, atmospheric soundtrack with Gray’s uber cool delivery over sometimes sparse, sometimes weaving guitars and rich harmonies.

Channeling a SONIC YOUTH ethos and grinding the gears in the engine room of the Cosmos Factory, ‘In the Manifesto’ is as wide and expansive as the Australian desert skies. Radio 3CR’s Paul ‘Dr Gonzo’ Elliott got a sneak preview and says. “Garry Gray returns with SACRED COWBOYS and a brand-new album …. a 12-track tour de force titled, ‘In the Manifesto’.’’

The SACRED COWBOYS have performed intense live shows and transported that energy and mood onto this new album, ‘In the Manifesto.’ It is all killer and a tour de force. Garnering the attention of Andrew McGee at Torn & Frayed Records, Australia and combining with French allies Seb Blanchais and Romain Michon at BEAST Records, France, the rest is about to become history.