Hammers Are Excited About The Band’s Debut Album ‘Death Wobbles’

‘I like music that kind of irks you. Is a bit abrasive at first, but lasts forever. I don’t like things that sound the same as other bands. I really want Hammers to have a unique and strong identity. So now that it’s done and I feel satisfied with the result, that’s me c*ming musically. I guess that’s the best thing. Yeah, that’s your fcking org*sm, brother!’

Lucas Stone, guitarist, vocalist, writer, all round good bloke in Hammers is a wee bit excited about the band’s debut album, Death Wobbles out on January 23. He’s chatting with fellow legend Ryan ‘Ruckus’ Lucas, in preparation for the album and forthcoming touring schedule.

‘I’m a colourful bloke that sometimes says weird things, but it’s an exciting process for me as a writer with this band. Hammers is the band that I kicked off with my best mates these days and a lot of fun. It was the first time I’ve been able to write music and not have it as a catharsis for my f*cking misery, more as this is the dude that’s on the job site. Have fun with it.’

The album is a raucous, mammoth sized slab of sun burnt, sand stuck to your failing sunscreen, droplets running down your cold beer, getting out on your first ball metal. Memorable, funny, rocking and Australian.

‘You’re also reflective of what you’re saying, you want it to be quality. There’s a dark mind that survived a lot that needs a laugh to deal with it. That’s the best way. We’re fun … All we do is f*cking have fun together. We all laugh, me and Ruckus work together as well, and the whole band is best mates hanging out. We go on tour and everything’s like a holiday. You got to have some kind of silver tongue so people are attracted to the hook that’s in the lyric, and that can be rhythmically with the phrasing, mixed with the melody, mixed with the scream, whatever you’re doing.’

Watching the bands videos, or even better is watching them on stage, there is no doubt that while hard workers, fun is at the forefront of what they do. Check out the video for track Top Fun, with its distinctly Aussie take on Top Gun and that volleyball scene, and you’ll get the idea of exactly who they are. Funnier than Hogan, more powerful than a croc’s jaw and tougher than the outback.

‘It’s just our chemistry that it’s not fake. We’re not trying to do that. It just comes through. We’ve just found a really healthy way to channel that into the music.’ Drummer Ruckus adds. A man often seen sporting little but a pink fluffy dressing gown at shows.

Lucas continues, ‘The lyrics in ‘Top Fun’, the verses were headed off by Fish (vocalist Leigh Dowling), and then we got together and tweaked them. That song specifically, Fish and I really wanted to channel the feeling of being an Aussie in summer, partying and having a barbecue, chopping into the beers and obviously getting on the bag, doing whatever your flavour is. Not that we do anything like that! The fun behind the escapism that exists in this country a bit. There’s obviously a lot of sht that goes on and there’s heaps of heaviness in this record that’s far more serious, but ‘Top Fun’ definitely has a nod to, “Hey, let’s bring it back to the party because if we ain’t got this sht, then we ain’t got nothing.” Our band as people are what Ruckus was saying before, that’s how we operate. No matter how serious the sht is that we’re doing, if we don’t have that, then why the fck would you be in a band if you’re not … It’s the most fun you can have with your mates with your clothes on.’

While there are slabs of fun, the bands’ lyrical content doesn’t change how heavy, loaded with riffs and crushing drums the band have, so it does mean some of the songs can inject extreme and dark humour into the mix. Take opener Apesh*t for example, a tale of descent into madness told in a way we can all relate.

‘That song, it’s the only time I’ve ever done this. I wrote that track based around a movie that came out in the ’90s that had a massive impact on me. ‘Falling Down’. That song’s about that, but it’s more about all of us trying to cope with the modern pressures of society and losing it. That whole frame of that whole movie and all the scenes he went through. If you go through the lyrics now I’ve said it and actually read them, I’ve sort of pieced together the journey that he goes through in that movie a little bit.’

It’s true and once you hear the track, you’ll never look at Macca’s breakfast menu again without humming the chorus. At the other end of the spectrum, closer ‘Yowie’ is a epic seven minute metal-tastic journey into the mans soul. While deep, you can trust humour isn’t far off. Buckle up for the explanation.

‘That was a rare moment where I was driving home from work. I was tired and I had this imaginary fucking scenario, this is going to sound so bizarre, in my head. I was in the hills in Canada or some sht, full fcking bear bloke living up there in a log cabin, living in fcking fire and wrestling trout. I was just thinking about this scenario where this creature, and please remember that I was driving home from work while all this was happening, so it’s pretty fcking dramatic. This creature that was like half wolf, half bear was after me, hunting me, but I was also hunting it, if that makes sense. Eventually we have this show down, and obviously I won. I ended up taking this thing home and hanging it on my wall. And while I was trying to … So obviously there’s a bit of sht that’s going on between that. It’s not just on the wall. There’s a bit of skinning and bleeding and stuff going on. Minor details! Anyway, as I’m trying to sleep, I go through this trance-like situation and we basically shaped shifts into me and we become each other, then I’m like this creature. Then I kind of realised that I was probably going to have an accident and I was not at home and fcking snapped out of it. That spawned the actual sound of the song too. I rarely have fcking hallucinations while I’m driving, about scenarios with mythical creatures that I’m punching on with. It doesn’t really fcking happen. But it’s a really fun song to write.’

Death Wobbles is a fully independent album, partially crowd-funded, wholly loved by all. The production sounds lush and the drums rock solid, laying the foundation for the rock n roll carnage above it.

‘I was so proud of his drum performance of this whole record. It was pretty challenging in heaps of ways, so it sounds f*cking amazing. He plays like that. I’m very happy and proud to have a drummer in the band that’s a pocket player that pulls it off and does that stuff on there.’ Add Lucas before Ryan discusses.

‘I’m super proud of it and definitely pushed me well and truly outside of any comfort zones. Being the drummer, I go in first. So, I don’t hear what Lucas hears because as he writes a song, he’s got an idea of what it sounds like towards it for the whole thing. I’m focused on what my part sounds like within his brain. So, when we’re writing parts, I don’t see the bigger picture. So, it’s really exciting for me to go and do the drums and then get a song back and be like, “Oh, that’s what it sounds like. ” That sounds really good!’

The album drops on January 23, just in time for your long weekend BBQ party, before the band heads off on their own headline East Coast tour before jumping back in with mates, the legendary Cog, once again after last year’s shenanigans. For those lucky enough to see the band headlining or supporting, how do the band describe themselves on stage then? Ruckus, like the great drummer he is, leads us in.

‘It’s high voltage, a lot of energy. Our chemistry as blokes is very animated, you get to see that. It’s not just a bunch of dudes going through the motions of playing some songs they’ve created in their garage. We believe in what we do and we love what we do and the opportunity to do that together. You get to see that regardless of how tired you are or you slept on the airport floor the night before or whatever it is.’

Final word for Lucas.

‘We convey what we’ve recorded live. So, you’re going to get what you hear, but you’re going to get it delivered the way Ruckus has explained it, which is how it should be. With intent. We don’t use a click. We don’t use backing tracks. We practice hard and we make sure we’ve got all our bits and pieces down as best as we can. No auto tune, none of that sht. So yeah, you’re getting a real rock show delivered as it fcking should be!’

As the boys travel the East Cost and drop their new album, if you do see them, Lucas loves a 4X, or a Coopers Green, Ruckus is a Melbourne Bitter man. Go buy the lads the drink, have a yarn and a bloody good time.

Interview By Iain McCallum

Pre-order & pre-save DEATH WOBBLES (Album):
https://ditto.fm/death-wobbles

Upcoming Tour Dates:
Death Wobbles Headline Tour
Friday 6 March 2026 – LaLaLa’s, Wollongong NSW
Saturday 7 March 2026 – The Chippo, Sydney NSW
Friday 13 March 2026 – Mo’s Desert Clubhouse, Gold Coast QLD
Saturday 14 March 2026 – Black Bear Lodge, Brisbane QLD
Friday 20 March 2026 – Volta, Ballarat VIC
Saturday 21 March 2026 – The Evelyn, Melbourne VIC
Friday 17 April 2026 – Coffs Hotel, Coffs Harbour NSW
Saturday 18 April 2026 – Blah Bar, Lismore NSW

TICKET INFO & MORE: www.hammersofficial.com

Supporting Cog
Thursday 9 April – The Baso, Canberra ACT
Friday 10 April – Anita’s Theatre, Wollongong NSW
Saturday 11 April – Evan Theatre, Penrith NSW
Friday 24 April – Chelsea Heights Hotel, Chelsea Heights VIC
Saturday 25 April – Barwon Heights Hotel, Barwon Heights VIC