Nathan Stocker, lead guitarist and songwriter for Hippo Campus, reflects deeply as we discuss the band’s journey leading up to their latest album, Flood. For Hippo Campus, known for their melodic intricacies and indie-rock charm, this album wasn’t just a new creative chapter; it was an essential reset. After scrapping five years of work, the band found themselves navigating personal struggles, artistic expectations, and a music industry increasingly driven by social media demands.
Through all of this, they emerged stronger, more focused, and more grounded than ever.
“We didn’t want to be tied to this idea of what we were supposed to sound like anymore,” Nathan explains, his tone sincere but weighted by the experiences that led them here. “The music didn’t feel like it had room to breathe. We were choking it off.”
This decision to start over wasn’t just about creating a fresh sound, it was about the band reclaiming control over their process. Flood, recorded in just ten days, is a bare reflection of Hippo Campus’ journey through personal challenges, mental health struggles, and a stuttered, albeit evolving, relationship with the music industry.
One of the most pivotal parts of this journey was Nathan’s personal battle with sobriety. Casting his memory back to the band’s earlier days, he candidly shares how alcohol became a coping mechanism for the pressures of constant touring and creative output.
“Back then, it was all about pushing ourselves to the limit,” he admits. “I wasn’t just drinking: I was abusing. It got to a point where I didn’t recognise myself.”
The turning point came when Caleb Wright, a long-time collaborator and friend, confronted Nathan about his drinking before a crucial recording session. Nathan recalls his initial reaction being one of defiance, almost a “screw you” attitude, but as the weeks passed, he started to gain clarity.
“I told him I’d quit just to prove I could do it, but the longer I stayed sober, the more I realised how much I needed it,” Nathan shares. “That’s when things started to change, not just for me, but for the band.”
The band’s journey toward a healthier dynamic included group therapy, which became a key part of their growth. Therapy allowed them to rebuild communication and tackle the personal demons that had been holding them back.
“We weren’t talking to each other the way we needed to,” Nathan says. “Therapy gave us the tools to communicate better and not let things fester. It’s the reason we’re still here, making music.”
Hippo Campus’ decision to embrace group therapy wasn’t born out of some dramatic meltdown, but from a collective understanding that they needed to strengthen their bond to survive the intensity of their lifestyle. Nathan speaks about it with a sense of relief, like it gave the band a lifeline.
“You look at bands like Metallica, and there’s that famous documentary [Some Kind of Monster] where they all go through therapy,” Nathan muses. “It’s not always as extreme as that, but there’s a truth to it. Being in a band is like being in a family – if you don’t address your issues, they’ll catch up with you.”
For Nathan and the band, therapy wasn’t just about resolving conflicts, it was about ensuring their future.
“As long as we have that space to come together and talk, we can conquer anything. We can figure out any issue. That’s what keeps us going.”
Amid their personal journey, Hippo Campus have also had to navigate an industry that feels increasingly disconnected from the art they want to create. Nathan is blunt about the pressures placed on bands to churn out content, constantly engage on social media, and lean into personality-driven branding – something Hippo Campus have intentionally resisted.
“There’s this push for bands to be more like influencers, constantly putting out videos and updates,” Nathan says with a trace of frustration. “But we’ve never been interested in that. We’re not ‘personalities’—we’re musicians.”
For a band that takes pride in curating an aesthetic and maintaining artistic integrity, this new digital landscape often feels alien.
“Everything now is about the grind. It’s exhausting and, honestly, a bit boring,” Nathan admits. “When was the last time you watched a music video and thought, ‘Wow, that changed my life’? So many artists are stretched thin, chasing these algorithms, and it just drains the creativity out of everything.”
Hippo Campus have been fortunate enough to push back against these demands, working with a management team that respects their boundaries. But Nathan is aware that many younger bands don’t have that luxury.
“I feel for the new artists coming up now,” he says. “They’re born into this system, and it’s harder for them to find their own identity. It’s like they’re being flattened out into content machines, and it ruins the mystique.”
Despite the frustrations with the industry, Nathan lights up when talking about Hippo Campus’s deep connection with the UK. Early in their career, the band toured extensively across the country, and Nathan reflects fondly on those experiences.
“I remember staying at this little hotel in Shoreditch when we were first starting out,” he recalls with a smile. “We were working with Transgressive Records at the time, and those early shows were just so impactful. The UK has always had this magic for us.”
The influence of British indie bands like Little Comets and Bombay Bicycle Club runs deep in Hippo Campus’s DNA. In fact, Nathan shares a story about meeting Little Comets after a gig in Minneapolis, where the two bands connected and eventually toured together.
“It was one of those full-circle moments,” he says. “We told them, ‘You’re the reason we started a band.’ And a few months later, we were on tour with them. Those kinds of moments make it all worth it.”
Hippo Campus are set to return to the UK later this year, and Nathan is eager to reconnect with the energy of the British crowds. “There’s something about playing in the UK that feels like coming home,” he says. “We’re excited to be back.”
All photos are by Brit O’Brien.
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- Band Dynamics
- Flood Album
- Group Therapy
- Indie Rock
- Music Industry
- Music Interviews
- Nathan Stocker
- Personal Growth
- Sobriety
- Social Media Pressure
- UK tour
