Austin John Winkler Reinvents Himself as the Founder with Debut EP 'Walking Ded'
AUSTIN JOHN WINKLER
— FORMER FRONTMAN OF HINDER —
LAUNCHES NEW MUSICAL ENTITY
THE FOUNDER
DELIVERS SIX-TRACK ROCK EP
WALKING DED
AVAILABLE NOW
Above: ‘Walking Ded’ EP Artwork
NASHVILLE, TN (April 10, 2025) — 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.
WATCH THE “SOMETIMES” MUSIC VIDEO BELOW:
Closing the EP, “the Fall” is an achingly beautiful rock ballad, where gritty electric guitars clash with evocative string arrangements, and Austin’s voice bears the weight of every lyric, rising into a storm of vulnerability and quiet resolve.
WATCH “THE FALL” MUSIC VIDEO BELOW:
WALKING DED TRACKLISTING:
“Paradise”
“Walking Ded”
“Sometimes”
“B.T.S.D. (Call It What You Want)”
“Fake”
“the Fall”
After years of fighting his way out of addiction, Austin has begun to lean on music as a way of coping again. “For me to create music again like this EP means everything to me. The fact that I’m still able to is crazy to me because I fell out of love with music for so long,” Austin reveals. “The fact that I can write anything that people are crazy about or relate to is beyond fulfilling for my artistic side.” These days, the connection he once sought through destructive habits is found in the bond he shares with listeners — in the simple, powerful reminder that no one’s alone in their struggle.
With the Founder, Austin is proving that it is never too late to come back to life. He shares: “I thank the drugs and alcohol I’ve used. I know it was maybe killing me at the time, but it kept me around long enough to realize I didn’t want to leave this place just yet.” For Austin, every low point had a purpose — leading him to this moment, this music. “I feel like I went through all the hell I went through so I could write this body of work. Up until it was finished, I questioned why I was still here, as some do in their darkest hours. I believe it was for people who need to hear these songs.”
Above: Austin John Winkler; Credit: Tim Katz
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