Nashville-based singer/songwriter and guitarist Mike Mizwinski, better known simply as Mike Miz, hails from Northeast Pennsylvania and spent a lot of time playing festivals, clubs, and songwriter spots throughout the Northeast before relocating a few years ago. His latest album, Only Human, arrived from Blackbird Record Label in February of 2023 and was recorded live to tape at The Studio in Nashville alongside plenty of great guest performers.
On December 15th, 2023 he released the single “Heroes”, the first track off an upcoming acoustic EP from Blackbird Record Label set for 2024 with title and arrival date yet to be announced. Today, we’re very pleased to premier the video for “Heroes”, directed and edited by Scot Sax, here at Wildfire Music + News.
The song “Heroes” is about loss, and the change that comes with it, but the way that Mike Miz handles the subject has an even bigger tale to tell. He seems to sketch out a state of mind and a way of viewing the world after a deeply felt loss of someone significant that indicates the before and after of ourselves. That suggests the magnitude of the impact that others have on our lives, both in life and death. The song also conveys advice, reminders, reflections that are gently handled rather than sermon-like and their directness also avoids the cliche.
But some of the strength of the song also lies in what it does not do with the subject of “Heroes.” It would be all too easy to craft an emulating heroic charge in the face of loss, trying to fill the place of one’s heroes with one’s own accomplishments. This song quietly backs down from that less authentic path and keeping a stripped down approach to sound with the occasional Americana flourish and Country accent, stays the course. Despite the pared down instrumentation, there is a sense that the music often speaks more about loss and change than lyrics might be able to convey.
As for the video, director Scot Sax seems to have perfectly read the tone of the song by creating a somewhat handy-cam feel to this gathering and jam session among friends in a shared space and even in choosing to film in black and white. The meta side to filming the video that way is that Mike and friends seem to create a memory by making the video while the song itself prizes the role of memory and valuing good times with others and with oneself. We see plenty of name checks for musical heroes in the video, where focus fades in and out occasionally, a little like the snapshots of our own memories, like Leonard Cohen, Chet Baker, and more.
The video also suggests the role of conversation for keeping our most cherished memories alive, possibly growing more powerful if we share them, particularly among people who revere the same “heroes.” The video also brings out something challenging in the song, the role of shared emotion or sharing emotion, something that can still be a little taboo in society, but if any art form can jump that hurdle, it is, of course, music.
Mike Miz comments on the making of the song and the video:
‘Heroes’ was written the night Greg Allman passed away, in about 20 minutes time. It slowly became an homage to all the greats we have lost over the years, and also to the people we love, who are no longer with us.
The video was shot in East Nashville, during an afternoon of listening to old records with friends and going through old ticket stubs. We reminisced about our favorite albums, favorite concert memories, and the heroes whose music still lives on long after their departure from this world. We hope this song calls to mind the ones we miss, and the music that we love, and the people that touched our lives.
On top of his releases, Mike Miz also has an impressive live performance record, including opening for Jakob Dylan, Jason Isbell, Lukas Nelson, Derek Trucks, America, Shawn Colvin, Blues Traveler, Railroad Earth, Jackie Greene, Southside Johnny, and many more.
