Heroes for Sale

Heroes for Sale in their practice space in 2014.

**Heroes for Sale** was an alternative band from Titirangi, West Auckland from 2011 until Adison Whitley's death on the 14th of February 2018. The band's final lineup consisted of Whitley (vocals, guitar), Tom Dennison (bass), and Fraser Hunter (drums).

## History

### Pre-formation (2008-2011)

Whitley and Hunter discovered their love for the arts at Green Bay High School, thanks to Head of Departments in Music and Drama, Jeni Little and Teresa Callaghan respectively. At the age of 14, Whitley entered Smokefree Rockquest with his first band, who came second in their regional final.

### Formation & Smokefree Rockquest (2011-2012)

In their final year of high school, Whitley and Fraser Hunter started the band Heroes for Sale and entered Smokefree Rockquest again. The duo won the people's choice award and recorded their first single "I Wish You Knew Jim Morrison" at Neil Finn's Roundhead Studios. The single was released on the 9th of October 2012, and later a music video was released on the 11th of March 2013, made by Thunderlips at Candlelit Pictures.

### *Heroes for Sale* EP (2014)

In 2013, Tom Dennison joined the band.

On the 28th of August 2014, Heroes for Sale released their self-titled EP, *Heroes for Sale*, with a release show at the King's Arms featuring support from Miss June, Randa, and Roidz.

### Converse Rubber Tracks & *Nothing to Be Done.* (2015-2016)

On the 31st of August 2015, the band released the single "EVICTION", dedicated to a previous apartment, 41 Pine Street.

Heroes for Sale were one of 84 bands from 28 countries selected for Converse Rubber Tracks, they recorded eight tracks worth of material at Studio 301 in Sydney in September 2015. The tracks were mostly written in the two weeks proceeding the recording session, and were recorded in two takes each.

On the 27th of May 2016, the band released "Meatsweats" and "Smoke and Dry", the two singles from their debut album *Nothing to Be Done.*, the result of their Converse Rubber Tracks recording session. The singles and the album were mixed by Jonathan Pearce of The Beths, and were mastered by Reuben Winter of milk and Totems. *Nothing to Be Done.*was released on the 15th of July that year.

### Hiatus & other projects (2017)

During 2017, Whitley focused on his solo ambient project David Adison, releasing the full-length album *Multiplicity* on the 4th of March. Hunter has performed and recorded under the alias Offal, Mr.Worldwide, Big Frendly, and doobiescoo, amongst others.

### Whitley's death (2018)

On the 14th of February 2018, Whitley committed suicide.A Givealittle campaign was started in Whitley's memory so that he would live on through the development and deployment of a holistic teenage mental wellbeing programme that would be piloted at Green Bay High School; 88 donors raised $3,399.33.

## Members

### Final lineup

* Adison Whitley - vocals, guitar (2011-2018)
* Tom Dennison - bass (2013-2018)
* Fraser Hunter - drums (2011-2018)

## Discography

### Albums

* *Nothing to Be Done.* (2016) - Prison Tapes

### EPs

* *Heroes for Sale* (2014) - Self-released

### Singles

* *I Wish You Knew Jim Morrison* (2014)
* *EVICTION* (2015)
* *Meatsweats///Smoke and Dry* (2016)

## Links

* Facebook
* Bandcamp

## References

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Let's get behind teenage mental wellbeing, Givealittle, https://givealittle.co.nz/cause/lets-get-behind-teenage-mental-wellbeing
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Adison Whitley, Brotherhood of the Guitar, http://brotherhoodoftheguitar.com/?team=adison-whitley
3. ↑ Heroes for Sale, I Wish You Knew Jim Morrison, Bandcamp, 9/10/2012, https://heroesforsale.bandcamp.com/track/i-wish-you-knew-jim-morrison
4. ↑ I WISH YOU KNEW JIM MORRISON - Heroes For Sale (OFFICIAL VIDEO), FRAZAFRAYZE, 11/3/2013, YouTube, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k9uR2cV7JzU
5. ↑ I Wish You Knew Jim Morrison x Heroes for Sale, Freshland Magazine, 26/3/2013, http://www.freshlandmag.com/2013/03/26/i-wish-you-knew-jim-morrison-x-heroes-for-sale/
6. ↑ Heroes For Sale EP Release With Randa, Miss June And Roidz, Undertheradar, 28/8/2014, https://www.undertheradar.co.nz/gig/40581/Heroes-For-Sale-EP-Release-With-Randa-Miss-June-And-Roidz.utr
7. ↑ Heroes for Sale - EVICTION, Bandcamp, 31/8/2015, https://heroesforsale.bandcamp.com/album/eviction
8. ↑ Fresh Talent: Heroes for Sale, Olly Clifton, NZ Musician, December/January 2016, https://nzmusician.co.nz/features/fresh-talent-heroes-sale/
9. ↑ Three-piece band follow international musicians' footsteps, Zizi Sparks, Stuff, 11/9/2015, https://www.stuff.co.nz/auckland/local-news/north-shore-times/71912362/null
10. ↑ HEROES FOR SALE DEBUT TWO NEW SINGES : : FRESH TRACKS, Tom Dyton, What's Good, 30/5/2016, http://whatsgood.co.nz/heroes-for-sales-on-that-new-new/
11. ↑ Meatsweats by Heroes for Sale, Undertheradar, https://www.undertheradar.co.nz/music/1673/Meatsweats.utr
12. ↑ Heroes for Sale - Meatsweats///Smoke and Dry, Bandcamp, 27/5/2016, https://heroesforsale.bandcamp.com/album/meatsweats-smoke-and-dry
13. ↑ Heroes for Sale - Nothing To Be Done., Bandcamp, 15/7/2016, https://heroesforsale.bandcamp.com/
14. ↑ Stream Heroes For Sale's New Album 'Nothing To Be Done', Undertheradar, 19/7/2016, https://www.undertheradar.co.nz/news/11402/Stream-Heroes-For-Sales-New-Album-Nothing-To-Be-Done.utr
15. ↑ David Adison - Multiplicity, Bandcamp, 4/5/2017, https://davidadison.bandcamp.com/album/multiplicity