Dave Hause on His New Album and the Art of Survival
With "...And The Mermaid" dropping September 26, the Philadelphia musician reflects on ten years sober, the economics of making art, and what it takes to keep going
Dave Hause is basically the punk rock Bryan Adams - a prolific songwriter who's a driving force in the scene for decades.
From his early days with Paint It Black and The Falcon to his acclaimed solo career and work with The Loved Ones, Hause has built one of the most consistent and respected catalogs in modern punk rock. Now he's gearing up for the release of his new album, "...And The Mermaid," on September 26, 2025.
Fresh off his third year running the Sing Us Home Festival in Philadelphia and approaching 501c3 status for the event, Hause represents something increasingly rare: a musician who's found a way to sustain both his art and his family without compromising either.
At 47, ten years sober, he's become an elder statesman of sorts - someone who's figured out how to navigate the wreckage of the music industry while still making vital art.
"This one really came together after a tour that left me feeling both energized and exhausted," Hause explains about the new record. "I wanted to capture that chaos, you know?"
But this isn't a typical album rollout interview. Between discussing the new record, Hause opens up about the harsh realities of making music in 2025, the weight of watching friends die, and what it means to thread the needle between artistic vision and practical economics when you're pushing 50.
The Festival as Laboratory
The Sing Us Home Festival has become more than just an event for Hause—it's a testing ground for how music can work in the post-industry landscape.
"Ok. This will be very interesting, especially after we just pulled off our festival in philly for the 3rd year and are about to become 501c3," he says, clearly energized by the organizational challenge.
The festival represents the kind of flexibility that defines his approach to the modern music business.
"This is going to mostly center on being able to expand and contract," Hause explains. "I can play solo, duo, trio or full band. I can travel in a car, van, bus etc. But the needle has gotta thread on how to marry the artistic vision with practical economics."
This adaptability extends to his songwriting process.
"I'm always observing - people, cities, scenes. I try to note little melodic hooks or lyrical phrases right away," he says about how travel influences his work.
Ten Years Clear
Hause recently crossed the ten-year mark in sobriety, a milestone that coincides with some of his most productive and stable years.
"I tend to think it's the only way this is viable/possible/pure," he reflects.
"I just crossed the threshold of 10 years the other day, and so I'm reflective of how great the last decade has been, despite how hard it has been at points without the crutch of drugs and booze."
The clarity that comes with sobriety permeates both his life and his new album. "Some of what I've been able to achieve might have been possible if I still partied, but certainly not all of it," he says.
This openness has also influenced his approach to songwriting.
"I've been more open in therapy and wanted to integrate that into my songwriting honestly," Hause explains, about the album's focus on mental health themes.
The Weight of Watching Friends Fall
Midway through our conversation, we paused the recording to discuss a mutual friend - a talented musician we'd both known since our late teens and early twenties.
Now in his late forties, this friend's drinking has progressed to the point where both Hause and I fear we're watching someone slowly die.
At 47, both Hause and I have reached the age where the casualties aren't just overdoses anymore. We've watched friends die of "natural causes" - the kind where your body simply gives out after years of punishment. Heart attacks, liver failure, the quiet deaths that happen when the lifestyle finally catches up.
This conversation gives weight to Hause's song "Damn Personal," written about musician Mike Gill, who died after his body gave out. When we return to the formal interview, I ask about whether mental health resources in music have actually improved.
"I think the climate has more room to get help, but the safety net is going to get, and has gotten thin," Hause responds, his voice carrying the weight of someone who's watched friends struggle and not always make it out.
The Murky Waters of Modern Monetization
The new economy of music presents constant ethical challenges for artists like Hause. While VIP packages at his festival work financially, he's conflicted about the broader implications.
"VIP at the festival does, but we sort of over commit to the point of offering too big a bang for the audience's buck, I'm told," he admits.
The tension becomes more personal when it comes to charging fans for access.
"I am not comfortable with charging a premium on my social interaction with people, at the end of the day, I'm a contractor providing a service that I want to be paid for," he explains. "A lot of artists are willing to 'hang out' with fans and essentially charge them, that is murky water, slippery slopes, whatever metaphor is most apt."
The Energy Exchange
Despite the industry's challenges, Hause remains passionate about live performance. "The energy exchange. When a crowd is into it, it feeds into everything — performance becomes an act of communion," he says about what he looks forward to most when playing live.
This connection with audiences drives much of his approach to the business side of music. "Just that I appreciate every listener — whether it's 10 people in a basement or 500 on tour," he reflects.
Would You Tell a Kid to Do This?
When I ask what he'd tell a 20-year-old starting out today, Hause's answer reveals both pragmatism and unexpected optimism.
"Someone who could actually pull off a music career rarely would take advice, they're just so single-minded that they likely can pull a rabbit out of a hat," he says.
"That said, I can't fully say what it would take to go from a standing stop at 20 years old to a viable career. The world is so weird."
But his practical advice is straightforward: "Stay consistent, stay real - your audience will sniff out fakery. Also, build relationships with other musicians."
And then he pivots to something more hopeful: "The thing is, business-wise it's insane, but with AI coming for so much of what used to pass as gainful employment, maybe putting forth a truly unique perspective is the best thing a young person can spend their time doing. Either that or plumbing."
The Gratitude Factor
When asked if he's ever seriously considered walking away, Hause is characteristically honest.
"Yes. I literally have a price wherein I'd fully go away and disappear for a few years. But it's more nuanced, it would all be to serve the muse, extend the creative fountain, etc. I love this job and wouldn't want to fully walk away for good, ever."
What keeps him creating?
"Gratitude is the short answer of why I haven't, and the slightly more cynical answer is, I'm just successful enough to preclude wanting to start over doing something I'm less passionate about."
The Industry Isn't Broken, It's Different
Perhaps most surprisingly, Hause doesn't buy into the narrative that the music industry is fundamentally broken.
"I'm not totally convinced it's broken," he argues. "It's a tough business. It always has been. There are tons of ways to connect to people who care about the artistic work you do, if you can get them to care. In some ways, it's improved."
He does see challenges ahead, particularly one that could affect the entire ecosystem: "The weirdest wrinkle to me is that alcohol, which has more or less kept the touring industry at the mid and lower levels afloat, seems to be waning. That's gonna be real challenging."
Where to Start: The Essential Dave Hause
For those new to Hause's work, he's quick to recommend a starting point. When asked which album he'd suggest for newcomers, he doesn't hesitate: Blood Harmony. He describes it as his "most balanced LP," and it's easy to see why he'd point new fans there first—it captures both his punk rock roots and his more introspective solo work in equal measure.
I really dig that Bruce Springsteen’s bassist Garry Tallent plays on “Sandy Sheets”. It’s a a kick-ass song.
The New Record as Survival Guide
"...And The Mermaid," due September 26, emerges from this context - a record made by someone who's figured out how to sustain a creative life without destroying himself or his family in the process. The album includes collaborations with Chris Cresswell (Hot Water Music, Flatliners) on backing vocals and "some friends from The Loved Ones" who helped track drums and bass.
"I'm SO stoked to do this," Hause says about the album release, his enthusiasm genuine despite all the industry's challenges.
That might be the most punk rock thing he could say in 2025: making art that matters while being present for his family, ten years sober, grateful for the chance to keep going. The new album arrives not as a statement of rebellion against the industry, but as proof that it's possible to build something sustainable within its wreckage.
"...And The Mermaid" is out September 26, 2025. The Sing Us Home Festival continues annually in Philadelphia.