EPK

BIO

Hans Gruber and the Die Hards brand of punk/ska mashes genres together like a toddler eating chocolate cake – with messy intensity for maximum enjoyment. From Boston hardcore to Colombian cumbia, southern gospel to crossover thrash, their live shows are filled with pits, sock puppets, conga lines and confusion – if you are nihilistic enough to jump in feet first.

Formed in Austin, TX as a four piece in 2014, the band shamelessly embraces change. Over the years they defiantly added a full time Saxophone player, as well as parted ways with two of their founding members. Their newest album, “With A Vengeance,” was released on Ska Punk International Records in May 2022. It represents the best of times with the former lineup, the struggles of a new era after their departure, and finding a new voice through these very same songs.

Much like their ability to combine musical genres, their lyrics tread a fine line between metaphor, truth, sarcasm and lies, assuming their audiences have the know-how to join them on this magical journey.

Possessed by unbridled joy for music, Hans Gruber and the Die Hards continue to push forward looking for the next venue to haunt as they chant: IT JUST DOESN’T MATTER!

PRESS PHOTOS

Photo by Cam Evans

Photo by Jesus "El" Franco

Photo by Cam Evans

Photo by Uma Snow

PRESS

“There’s a lot of cool stuff happening within ska-punk right now, and one great band that really stands out from the pack is Austin’s Hans Gruber and the Die Hards. Their new album is made up of 16 tracks that pull not just from a variety of ’90s ska-punk bands but also from various styles of Latin music, high-speed hardcore, riffy metal, theatrical showtunes, and all kinds of stuff that I can barely put my finger on. They have the anthemicism of the Bosstones, the aggression of the Voodoo Glow Skulls, the scrappiness of Catch 22, the chaos of the Blue Meanies, and the knack for political songwriting that ska bands have had since long before the genre boomed in America — not to mention a horn section that could rival any of the biggest ska bands.” - Andrew Sacher, Brooklyn Vegan REF

“...they can pull off such a kaleidoscope of manic energy and make it cohesive and infectious. With how involved the music is on each song, lesser musicians would crumble under the pressure.” - Dane Jackson, Bearded Gentlemen REF

“The lyrical content oozes with a sometimes playful and often blistering brand of sarcasm. It exemplifies the best elements of the genre by taking serious issues like toxic masculinity, the disastrous effects of climate change, and our role as musicians in it, and the complex-but-overlooked reality of being homeless and struggling with addiction, and sets them to a beat that’s impossible not to dance to.” - Adrienne Ash, Bad Copy REF

“Hans Gruber is fun, nihilistically fun. Nothing matters, so why not stop caring what others think of you and have a good time. That’s what their live shows encourage. They threw out sock puppets for the audience in the middle of their set before performing their PSA “Brontosaurs Do Not Exist.” It was probably the most fun I had all weekend.” - Dalton Spangler, Orbiting Punk REF

VIDEOS