Austin John Winkler Calls New Project a 'Reintroduction Back Into Rock and Roll'

On Friday (July 25), Austin John Winkler joined Loudwire Nights to discuss why now is the right time for him to focus on his new project, the Founder.

Listen to the full conversation in the player near the end of this article.

"I kind of always wanted to just be a part of a band, be a part of something bigger than just my name and something [that could] have a little bit more of a mystery to it," Winkler shared with host Chuck Armstrong.

"[It's] kind of a reintroduction into rock and roll. I did some stuff after I left [Hinder] that kind of lent itself to more like a pop record."

Winkler admitted he felt the urge to get back to his roots and that's what led to this new project and the debut EP from the Founder, Walking Ded.

READ MORE: Black Veil Brides' Andy Biersack Dives Deep Into Upcoming Album

"The Founder's really just the aftermath of everything I've been through," Winkler said.

"I've started this journey of rock and roll and it's just a little more raw, a little more real."

When Chuck asked him why he felt the desire to be part of a band now, Winkler looked back at the early days of Hinder to answer the question.

"You go through a lot of things when you have success like that at a young age and having everything that you've ever wanted happen to you on the first record," he said.

"It's pretty wild. I felt like everything was kind of getting stale. I felt like I was putting out the same record over and over."

Winkler said he never wanted to step away from Hinder but he knew he needed a break. The fact that the band went on without him crushed him.

"It just took me a while," he said.

"I was in California and I just kind of washed away. I was kind of lost for a long time. I went through a lot of health issues and luckily I was able to find my way back here."

What Else Did Austin John Winkler Discuss on Loudwire Nights?

• Why he knew he had to continue writing raw, personal songs for the Founder: "I felt like I kind of felt like when I started doing new music. I felt like this needed to have a stamp of something a little more official on it and to kind of roll it out because it's 100-percent who I am right now and I feel like that's the hardest thing you can do as an artist, portray who you are in the music. That's what I did with Extreme Behavior, I was that young 23-year-old, kind of crazy kid that just wanted party and get through life however he could."
• Why he loves performing music live: "The stage is my happy place. It's the one place — I can go up there and just let loose and get out all the shit that bugs you. It's very, very therapeutic to do that."
• The inspiration of his latest song, "F the World": "A dream of a girl that came to me when I was just absolutely at my lowest. I'm talking like I'm not dealing with anybody ever again. And she just really softened me. It's called 'F the World' because that's how I felt whenever I met her, everything else can just fuck off because this gem of a person is who I want to be with."

Listen to the Full Interview in the Podcast Player Below

Austin John Winkler joined Loudwire Nights on Friday, July 25; the show replays online here, and you can tune in live every weeknight at 7PM ET or on the Loudwire app; you can also see if the show is available on your local radio station and listen to interviews on-demand.