Bryan Adams has confirmed the launch of his own record label, and is celebrating the announcement by sharing a new double A-side single.
Called Bad Records, the new independent record label was announced today (August 2), and the two songs shared as part of the new release will be the first to be shared as part of the brand.
Titled ‘War Machine’ and ‘Rock And Roll Hell’, both songs were originally written by Adams alongside Jim Vallance, and Gene Simmons for KISS‘ 1982 album ‘Creatures of the Night’. The latter has also been shared digitally, and comes accompanied by a video filmed on the rooftop of London’s Royal Albert Hall during Adams’ recent residency there.
On the tracks, Adams shared a statement, reflecting on how the songs arose early in his career – long before he went on to top charts in over 40 countries, received a Grammy, was inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame and received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
“To commemorate the first single on Bad Records, here are two songs I co-wrote when I was a 22-year-old struggling songwriter,” he said. I got a call out of the blue from producer Michael James Jackson to see if I would like to write for KISS, which I was thrilled to do, and these are a couple of the songs that were the result, written with both Gene Simmons and Jim Vallance.”
He continued: “While sitting with the band, Gene played me this fantastic bass riff, which ended up being the backbone of ‘War Machine’. I was trying to think of a theme that could possibly match the riff and came up with the title. Seeing as the other song we’d written was about hell, War was the obvious theme to coincide with it.
“‘Rock and Roll Hell’ was actually Jim’s song that had been released a few years earlier with Bachman Turner Overdrive, and I suggested, that we rewrite it for KISS. It’s incredible to think these themes are unfortunately still playing out for real in the world today, but I’m very grateful to the KISS guys for giving me the chance back then.”
Following his time working as a songwriter for the rock veterans, Adams’ solo career went on to hit new heights, particularly with his Top 10 album ‘Cuts Like A Knife’ in 1983 and follow-up LP ‘Reckless’ the following year.
You can check out the new video for ‘Rock And Roll Hell’ above, and pre-order the 7” vinyl single here, ahead of its release on August 30.
In other Bryan Adams news, last winter the iconic singer-songwriter made headlines after he opened up about how he “tried to help” Amy Winehouse overcome her addictions.
“I invited her to spend the holidays with my family,” he told The Sunday Times. The piece also detailed that Adams had encouraged the ‘Rehab’ powerhouse to eat vegan food, and served her carrot and beetroot juice, which she did not receive favourably.
When asked about whether he thought his endeavour would be successful, he commented that he “tried to help her but, you know, it’s got to come from within”.
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