“Suicide doesn’t end the chances of life getting worse.
It eliminates the possibility of it ever getting better.”
— Unknown
Those words, which intro the new video from Big Machine/John Varvatos Records rock band Badflower’s “Ghost,” are especially evocative and timely, in the wake of news of the recent suicides of designer Kate Spade and celebrity chef and tv host Anthony Bourdain.
Badflower’s “Ghost” offers a video that traces one young man’s descent into a devastation so deep, he can’t navigate his way out of it. The video clip veers from flashbacks of a great young love about to embark on marriage and a young man consumed by grief.
“We didn’t want a video that reflected every detail of the song,” says Badflower frontman Josh Katz. “The song is detailed enough on its own, that would’ve been extremely morbid even for us. So, we came up with a story about a guy whose fiancée died, and he’s staging the wedding he never had. The concept alone actually brought us all to tears just talking about it.”
California-based Badflower, which also includes Katz’s cohorts Joey Morrow, Alex Espiritu, and Anthony Sonetti, was the first band signed after Scott Borchetta and John Varvatos launched the label in 2017.
As a touring musician, prolific songwriter and young man trying to find his place in the world, Katz relates deeply to the sentiments in “Ghost.”
“The song is about attempting suicide which is something I’ve never done but often think about,” Katz says of the visceral track. “I didn’t care to write about why I would do it. The ‘why’ is pretty much always some form of overwhelming sadness. For me it comes from struggling with my mental health. But I didn’t wanna write THAT song. I wanted to write the specific details about how I would do it and what it would feel like. And what I might be thinking about in those final moments. Who it would affect and what I would leave those people with. I wanted to capture those thoughts in the rawest form, without burying them in metaphors and vagueness. So that’s what I did.
“I think suicide is horrible, and tragic, and I don’t support it,” he continues. “But I feel that tug; I know that level of sadness and confusion. I understand what it feels like to be a stranger on this planet. There’s a million artists more qualified to inspire people to ‘stay positive’ and ‘never give up.’ And I hope to one day be in a place to provide that as well. But I’m still struggling. So for now, all can I offer is another voice that says you’re not alone.”
“Ghost” is now available at all digital retailers and streaming services and is available for immediate airplay on rock radio.
About the Author
Jessica Nicholson serves as the Managing Editor for MusicRow magazine. Her previous music journalism experience includes work with Country Weekly magazine and Contemporary Christian Music (CCM) magazine. She holds a BBA degree in Music Business and Marketing from Belmont University. She welcomes your feedback at jnicholson@musicrow.com.View Author Profile
