Today, Australian duo Hockey Dad share their brand new independent EP The Clip. LISTEN HERE + WATCH THE ‘BARN BOILER’ VISUALISER HERE.

The project of childhood best friends Zach Stephenson and Billy Fleming, Hockey Dad is a band that has set a global standard for modern surf and skate rock. Following their carefully crafted 2024 album Rebuild Repeat, their forthcoming EP The Clip marks a new moment in the band’s history – a six-track collection that sees them return independently for the first time in their tenure.

“These songs were recorded a few years ago on the Central Coast of NSW at The Grove Studios. Most of these songs came to life in our old warehouse rehearsal space. Playing together in a small sweaty box. It was refreshing coming into the warehouse for the day with no real song ideas in mind and just start somewhere” shares Zach.

“Plenty of different types of songs came through and we just committed to doing them all. We had lots of time in the studio to record these songs too. Whether that’s a good or a bad thing remains to be seen hahah But there’s definitely some bells and whistles from us going a little too crazy. Working with Wade has always been really comfortable for us. We met him really early in the band’s life and he was so welcoming and encouraging to us. I trust his instincts and he really is a wizard with sound. It’s nice to see these songs out after a few years on the shelf.”

Maintaining their DIY indie rock hybrid, The Clip is built on a long-standing creative foundation, traversing themes of self-reflection and ambivalence with some early sounds heard in previous records Brain Candy (2020) and Blend Inn (2018). Joining the driving lead single ‘All Hat No Cattle’ is ‘Lifeline’, an ode to being at your wits end; ‘Backyard’, a percussive car horn number; ‘Hole’, which becomes a setting for staying in your safe and quiet comfort zone; and rounds out with the break-up song at heart ‘Breakin Bottles’.

Highlighted today is ‘Barn Boiler’, of which they share, “This song came out of a sort of “hour of power” in the rehearsal room. Just playing faster and faster and pushing ourselves into a sweat, nudging the vocal delivery into an aggressive realm. The title came from hearing the instrumental back in a hot warehouse. Our interior barns were boiling, not burning. I think some of the best songs come from a physically uncomfortable place. All players going through a group punishment and becoming more in sync because of it. The track returns fire to the heat. Something hotter for ya.”

The subject in this song lurks around a bunch of these songs on the EP. Seems like a real piece of work. For me it’s so much easier to write songs about people I don’t like, rather than songs of praise to people I love. There’s always more ammo to wheel out when you’re having a fake argument with someone inside your head. It’s fun to build these universal villains in songs. Every time you perform it you can paste anybody’s face on there and work out your frustration for the day.”

Having accumulated over 100 million streams, Hockey Dad have worked with the likes of John Goodmanson (Bikini Kill, Blonde Redhead, Death Cab for Cutie, Los Campesinos!, Sleater-Kinney), Sparkadia’s Alex Burnett (DJ Snake, Flight Facilities) and boast a touring resume that includes Third Eye Blind, Taking Back Sunday, Militarie Gun, Basement and more. Finding fans worldwide with radio support from BBC Radio 1, triple j, Radio X and NPR Music, they’ve also collected praise across the board at Clash Magazine, NME, Kerrang, New Noise Magazine among others, with Rolling Stone applauding them as one of Australia’s “most formidable bands” with “sharp, summery melodies and stadium-ready bonanzas” (The Guardian).