Continuing the momentum of their five-star reviewed album, Losing Heroes, The Bads (Dianne Swann and Brett Adams) have just released a stunning video ode to friends who died before their time. The namesake of their 2017 album, 'Losing Heroes' (directed by John Payne) features images of their sorely-missed mates Graham Brazier and Dave McArtney, at the same time paying tribute to music icons Prince, David Bowie, and Marc Bolan.

Says Dianne Swann "We wrote most of the songs for this album over the summer of 2016, and recorded in the winter at Sitting Room studios with Ben Edwards. Losing Heroes is one of the co-writes on the album and was the last song for us to finish lyrically - Brett had had the chorus guitar line kicking around for a long time, and we wrote the verse and chorus melody that summer, and most of the lyrics – the chorus and the first verse. The concept of the song comes from that last line in the first verse “I’m searching for the knife that carved the creature.”

We wanted to pay tribute to the musicians who have shaped our musical landscape and have influenced our lives on many levels - it was in our minds that a lot of those musicians are no longer with us, and the recent passing of so many amazing songwriters and groundbreaking artists, we wanted to find a way to express that gratitude."

We’re losing heroes but they will stay heroes
Face the reality, shine on the memory
Resonated, gravitated
Under your influence, I mutated

Cracking the code - Song notes for Losing Heroes!
In the first verse we have woven song titles from Bowie, Prince, Dave McArtney, Graham Brazier, and even a tribute to Brett’s childhood hero (who died in 1977), Marc Bolan.

Ladies in blue, and red shoes
Doves crying in the gutter
Over you
That telegram I sent
Is trying to reach you
And I’m searching for the knife that carved the creature

We finished off the second verse in Lyttelton, just before we recorded the song – and in this verse we very much wanted to pay tribute to Dave McArtney and Graham Brazier, so the story is told through song titles and lyrics from both of their songs.

Lonesome old star, in a Chevrolet
Bold and forlorn
It’s just the motorway
The party rolled over
A satellite Texan
On a leaving platform
Give me direction

We thought this was a way of honouring these artists and as long as we sing this song live they are with us all the way.

Bowie and Prince and Bolan were hugely influential, and you will find well-loved copies of their albums in our collective record pile  - it is hard to imagine our lives without those sounds and personalities to intrigue us and lure us into their worlds.

Graham and Dave were like heroes to us as young musicians looking up to them and we were both in awe of their rock star swagger and incredible musical talents. We both went on to spend time with them in different musical projects and also as friends and that always felt like a gift and some kind of stamp of approval.

We miss them both.

The Bads play one last show on their heralded
New Zealand record release tour:

Saturday 26 August: Old Stone Butter Factory, Whangarei
Tickets available here via Eventfinda