The Dead Cowboys drop debut single 'Bad Friends and Good Times'
US-based genre-blending band The Dead Cowboys have officially released their debut single and video, “Bad Friends and Good Times”, offering a first taste of their unique and unapologetic sound ahead of their self-titled debut album, arriving June 21, 2025.
Fusing the grit of heavy metal with the storytelling soul of outlaw country, The Dead Cowboys have carved out a sound all their own—boldly dubbed “heavy western.” It’s music made for the fringes: raw, raucous, and rooted in rebellion.
Led by frontman and founder Bobby Jensen, The Dead Cowboys began as a passion project back in 2005. After a two-decade run touring globally with the iconic tribute band Hairball, Jensen returned to his original vision—reviving The Dead Cowboys in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic with a mission to bring something entirely new to the American rock landscape.
“Bad Friends and Good Times” is a swaggering, hard-hitting anthem that captures the spirit of youthful recklessness, loyalty, and the blurred line between trouble and freedom. The accompanying video drops today, delivering a cinematic glimpse into the band’s wild-hearted aesthetic.
The Dead Cowboys’ debut album promises a full-throttle blend of thunderous riffs, gritty vocals, and outlaw charm—marking the arrival of a band that’s not here to fit in, but to kick the saloon doors off their hinges.
“Bad Friends” started as a song idea because, to me, that’s where the fun always was. Growing up, it was the so-called ‘bad kids’ who had the wildest adventures. I never got into as much trouble as they did, but my mom would still tell me, ‘You’ve got bad friends—you need new ones.’ I’d always respond, ‘Yeah, but we have good times.’ And honestly, it really was the best of times.” - Bobby Jensen
Biography:
The Dead Cowboys - Heavy Metal Meets the Wild West!
Blazing out of the American heartland, The Dead Cowboys are the sonic outlaws redefining what it means to ride the line between heavy metal and country. With a signature sound they’ve dubbed “heavy western”, this band is a hard-hitting fusion of roaring guitars, outlaw swagger, and dust-kicking groove that feels like Motörhead riding through a ghost town at midnight.
Originally formed in 2005 by Bobby Jensen—a powerhouse performer with a voice as wild as the frontier—The Dead Cowboys started as a passion project blending Bobby’s deep love for classic country storytelling and the raw energy of metal. But when his other band, Hairball (a high-octane heavy metal tribute juggernaut), exploded onto the national scene, The Dead Cowboys were temporarily put out to pasture.
Fast forward two decades and a pandemic later, and Bobby felt the winds of change howling. With the world paused and the road calling once again, he knew it was time to saddle up and resurrect The Dead Cowboys. What began as a side project is now a full-throttle mission to deliver a new kind of American music—one that’s loud, unapologetic, and rooted in both rebellion and tradition.
Whether they’re melting faces with a double-time riff or haunting souls with a steel-laced ballad, The Dead Cowboys are kicking down genre walls and leaving a trail of dust and devil horns in their wake.
Get ready to ride. The West has never been this heavy!
