Eora/Sydney-based alt-rock shapeshifters RedHook are bringing saxophones to the circle pit on their joyous new release Breaking Up With – produced by Stevie Knight (Stand Atlantic) and mixed by James Paul Wisner (Underoath, Paramore).
Delivering infectious funk grooves and lashings of horns over their trademark heavy guitars, slick synth production and gargantuan singalong hooks, Breaking Up With is a party rock anthem about letting go of self-sabotaging thoughts and self-destructive behaviour.
Vocalist Emmy Mack talks about the inspiration behind Breaking Up With: “This song is pretty much the antithesis of our most popular single Bad Decisions. Rather than revelling in being a total piece of shit, this one is about breaking that cycle of self-hate, forgiving your past mistakes, and just deciding to be bloody kinder to yourself. Lyrically, it takes the piss out of break-up clichés to signify ending that toxic relationship (with, you know, yourself) and starting fresh. I hope everyone who vibed with Bad Decisions will also be shaking their hips in the moshpit to this one.”
The single also comes packing an outrageous music video studded with superstars from Pro Wrestling Australia, conceptualised by Emmy and directed by previous collaborator Colin Jeffs (Imposter feat. Yours Truly, Tourist). Emmy explains, “Last year, I was lucky enough to live out my WWE Attitude Era dreams at Sydney’s PWA Colosseum event, so I figured – why not throw the party inside a wrestling ring and get a bunch of my PWA superstar mates involved? The shoot was bloody insane. I got to bust a hurricanrana on myself in the perfect visual metaphor for laying the smackdown on all of my toxic traits once and for all – RedHook 3:16 says I just whooped my own ass!”
RedHook had a jam-packed live schedule across 2023, which saw them tour Australia supporting legendary rockers The Smashing Pumpkins and Jane’s Addiction, before completing their biggest ever, largely sold-out headline tour, which included a recording of triple j‘s Live At The Wireless at their sold-out Naarm/Melbourne show at the Corner Hotel.
The band then toured the UK and Europe for a third time, supporting Stand Atlantic and performing live at the 20th Anniversary of Download UK and Czech Republic’s Rock For People. They ended 2023 with a packed summer festival season, playing Spilt Milk alongside Post Malone and Dom Dolla, and Tarntanya/Adelaide’s Froth and Fury Fest alongside Sunk Loto and Suicidal Tendencies. They’ve also previously played Germany’s Rock am Ring and Rock im Park, and Australia’s Yours & Owls, Groovin the Moo, Good Things and UNIFY Gathering festivals.
Their debut record, 2023’s ‘Postcard From A Living Hell’ peaked at #10 on the ARIA Album Charts and was triple j‘s Feature Album. Their final musical offering of 2023, previous single Tourist, was embraced by triple j, Double J, Kerrang! Radio (UK), The Music and Punktastic (UK). Previous releases have also received immense support from the likes of Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, YouTube Music, BBC Radio 1 (UK), Kerrang! (UK), triple j Unearthed, NME, Hysteria Magazine, Kill Your Stereo, MANIACS and Wall of Sound.
Breaking Up With, Scream 2 and Tourist are the first tastes of a larger release to be announced in the coming months.
With thanks to Good Intent
