Austin John Winkler, the multi-platinum selling rockstar and former frontman of Hinder, returns with a bold new chapter: the Founder. More than just a name, the Founder symbolizes Austin’s complete artistic rebirth. With this new musical entity, he has hit the reset button, taking full control of the creative process and allowing the music to exist within a collective identity rather than a single persona.
On March 14, Austin unveiled the Founder’s debut six-track EP Walking Ded, a testament to his hunger for raw, authentic rock and roll. Swapping self-destructive habits for the clarity of creation, the Founder channels his energy into his guitar, delivering a message of resilience and reinvention for both longtime fans and new listeners alike.
STREAM WALKING DED HERE.
Launching the Founder as an artistic sanctuary, this endeavor becomes a full-circle home for his music, allowing him to finally shape the sound he’s always envisioned. The “Lips of an Angel” and “Get Stoned” singer, no stranger to telling stories of his life through music, brings it all to this project — from climbing out of the depths of addiction to confronting heartbreak soaked in pain and regret, and the quiet grief that follows when you’ve hit rock bottom. With emotionally charged vocals that have echoed through countless stages, he’s shared anthems of life, love, and loss. Having experienced the dazzling highs of fame and the devastating lows of substance abuse, he faced his demons head-on and emerged with a powerful story to tell.
The EP’s title track, “Walking Ded,” sets the tone for the new record. “It’s got a little bit of everything in there… rock riffs and great melodies. Sex, drugs, booze, and love. What else is there?” Austin says. A nod to old school rock and roll swagger, the song rides a steady, gritty groove as Austin lays bare his past — chasing any high just to survive the day. “I’m still here after living exactly how MTV told me to and I barely survived it,” he confesses. “The one thing I’m still able to do is write music and I’m still leaning on my guitar after 25 years.”
The lead single “Sometimes” features infectious hooks disguising the ache of a love that poisoned everything that came after. The music video takes a tongue-in-cheek turn, with Austin followed by a comically oversized heart costume, giving the heartbreak just enough levity to make you smirk through the sting.
WALKING DED TRACKLISTING:
“Paradise”
“Walking Ded”
“Sometimes”
“B.T.S.D. (Call It What You Want)”
“Fake”
“the Fall”