Exclusive: The Overtones open up about the ‘shock and desperation’ they felt following Timmy Matley’s death
The group's remaining members have recorded a cover of the Spice Girls 'Goodbye' in tribute to their late bandmate.
By Will Stroude
In April this year, The Overtones’ world was shattered by the death of band member Timmy Matley, who passed away suddenly at the age of 36.
The popular Irish singer, from Cork, died after falling from a 13th-floor balcony at a block of flats in east London, in what a coroner has now ruled was a “drug-related incident”.
It was a tragic end to the life of a man who had been diagnosed with stage three malignant melanoma in 2016, and only had only recently rejoined The Overtones after taking time away from the and to focus on his treatment.
Six months on, and the rest of the group – Darren Everest, Mark Franks, Lachie Chapman and Mike Crawshaw – are ready to talk about the grief they’ve suffered since their friend’s unexpected passing.
“When I heard that Timmy had died, I just couldn’t believe it. Well, you don’t do you?,” says Darren.
“At the time we were all away so at first we couldn’t all get to speak to each other, and when we did we just couldn’t believe that Timmy was gone.”
Mike recalls: “There was this moment of sheer disbelief. I thought ‘this has to be a mistake, it can’t be real’.
“But then when we had it confirmed, the shock and desperation set in and I was destroyed.”
The boys are set to release their first album as a foursome – eponymously titled The Overtones – later this month, and they tell Attitude that the memory of Timmy permeates the record, with one track in particular serving as a direct tribute to the late star.
“We’ve recorded a cover of the Spice Girls’ ‘Goodbye’,” Darren reveals.
“It was the gay guys Lachie and Mark who pushed for it to be on the album. So we listened to the lyrics and Mike and I said said we probably couldn’t do it, because the lyrics are so in your face, so raw and personal.
“But then after a lot of thought we said, ‘let’s do it’. We are putting our heart and feelings out there.”
Lachie goes on: “The fans are very affected by Timmy’s death. We have been very brotherly in our approach to what we are doing next.
“This is album has moments where the fans can shed a tear like on ‘Goodbye’ by the Spice Girls, but then there are typical Overtone songs like You To Me Are Everything and Say a Little Prayer which will have the fans up dancing in the aisles.”
Mike adds: “This album is sentimental, there are moments of reflection and sadness and celebration and happiness.
“It had to be like this, the album needed to be this way and reflected on the loss of our friend and out brother but a celebration of our bond with each other and the fans We are very proud of the album.
“The band meant so much to him. He wanted to be part of it even when he was ill and carried on performing until he couldn’t anymore.”
The Overtones by The Overtones is out on 19 October. The band will embark on a UK tour this November. For dates and tickets click here.