Puddle of Mudd are back with “Free,” a new single and music video drawn from their 2025 album ‘Kiss the Machine’ on Pavement Entertainment. Directed by Vicente Cordero and filmed in Los Angeles, the video brings to life one of the most personally meaningful songs frontman Wes Scantlin has put his name to, a direct reckoning with bad influences, hard years, and the deliberate choice to surround yourself with the people and forces that actually help you grow.
Scantlin speaks about the track with the kind of unguarded honesty that has always made Puddle of Mudd connect with audiences well beyond the rock faithful: “Everybody goes through life with ups and downs, and you can find your way. Accept the people who are trying to help you.” That directness, paired with the band’s signature muscular rock production, gives “Free” the same emotional resonance that made “Blurry” and “She Hates Me” endure across two decades and more than seven million album sales worldwide. A band this deep in its catalog releasing something this genuine is worth paying attention to, and “Free” is one of the most honest and hard-hitting things Puddle of Mudd have released in years.