Hockey Dad frontman Zach Stephenson will release his first solo album, I Needed To Hear Me Say It, on October 30 through newly launched Australian label radius.
by Paul Cashmere
Zach Stephenson, the singer and guitarist of Australian indie rock duo Hockey Dad, has announced his debut solo album, I Needed To Hear Me Say It, for October 30. The first single, ‘In N Out’, is released today, marking Stephenson’s first substantial recording project outside the duo he formed with drummer Billy Fleming in 2013.
The album will be released through radius, a new label founded by Stephenson’s long-term manager Daniel Radburn, whose management roster also includes Armlock, dust and The Belair Lip Bombs. The record represents a new creative direction for Stephenson while retaining the melodic songwriting and distinctive vocal character that have been central to Hockey Dad.
‘In N Out’ provides an early indication of the album’s broader approach. Stephenson originally conceived the song as a meditation guide to help him through moments of panic and anxiety. Its repetitive structure and rhythm were designed around the steady breathing required to regain composure.
The song initially consisted largely of a bass line before the arrangement developed through the addition of mellotron and saxophone from Crocodylus member Nick Meadows. That process shifted the track towards a lighter, more summery sound.
“The original demos actually had some pretty loud and obnoxious breathing going on during the chorus,” Stephenson says. “The mellotron was emulating a kind of wheezing, phlegmy sound. I’m thankful it became cleaner as time went on.”
Stephenson describes I Needed To Hear Me Say It as an opportunity to step outside expectations surrounding his established band and explore different musical territory. The album draws on songwriting influences including Nick Lowe, the hooks of New Radicals and the cinematic qualities of The Last Shadow Puppets.
The record also reflects Stephenson’s changing perspective after years of writing, touring and living on the road. Rather than being built around one defined genre, the album moves between different styles while maintaining the songwriting instincts developed through his work with Hockey Dad.
“I realised that we only get one go at this life, and we may as well write and complete as many creative endeavours as possible,” Stephenson says. “If they’re ‘good’ or not is kind of irrelevant.”
I Needed To Hear Me Say It was recorded and mixed by frequent collaborator Wade Keighran in the Blue Mountains on Darkinjung, Dharawal, Dharug, Gundungurra, Wonnarua and Wiradjuri Land. James Trevascus handled mastering, with credits including Young Fathers, Portishead and RVG.
The album features contributions from Stu McKenzie on drums and percussion, Josh Williams on bass, Stephen Bourke on guitar and Nick Meadows on horns and keys. Maisie Everett from The Belair Lip Bombs contributes backing vocals throughout the album and provides feature vocals on ‘Jeans In Japan’.
Stephenson’s move into solo work comes after more than a decade of Hockey Dad. He and Fleming grew up on the same street in Windang, New South Wales, and formed Hockey Dad in 2013 after playing together in their earlier school band Abstract Classic.
Hockey Dad released its debut EP, Dreamin’, in 2014 before signing with Wollongong independent label Farmer & The Owl. The duo’s first album, Boronia, followed in 2016 and reached number 55 on the ARIA Albums Chart. Blend Inn reached number six in 2018, while Brain Candy climbed to number two in 2020. The most recent studio album, Rebuild Repeat, reached number 15 in 2024.
The duo has also maintained a significant touring schedule in Australia and internationally, including North American tours and appearances across the Australian festival circuit. Hockey Dad’s catalogue has included singles such as ‘Homely Feeling’, ‘Join The Club’, ‘I Missed Out’ and ‘Still Have Room’, while ‘I Missed Out’ received an APRA Music Awards nomination for Most Performed Rock Work in 2021.
Stephenson’s solo album therefore represents a parallel chapter rather than a replacement for Hockey Dad. The record brings together musicians from across the Australian independent scene and gives Stephenson room to explore arrangements and songwriting approaches beyond the two-piece format that has defined his career.
The first live performances connected with the solo project are scheduled around the album release, including appearances at Yours and Owls Festival, Milton Theatre and three shows with The Belair Lip Bombs in Melbourne, Brisbane and Sydney.
I Needed To Hear Me Say It will be released on October 30 via radius.
Tracklisting
I Needed To Hear Me Say It
Suction Cup
In N Out
Broke My Jaw
Roy
Sleeping Through The Dreams
Days In The Middle
Clutch
I Don’t Wanna Be Friends
Jeans In Japan Ft. Maisie Everett
Ode To The Echo
Tour Dates
Oct 4-5, Wollongong, NSW, Yours and Owls Festival
Sat 24 Oct, Milton, NSW, Milton Theatre
Sat 7 Nov, Naarm / Melbourne, VIC, The Forum
Fri 27 Nov, Magandjin / Brisbane, QLD, Princess Theatre
Thur 3 Dec, Gadigal Land / Sydney, NSW, Metro Theatre
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