Britain has a rich tradition of bands who never take the obvious route, but nonetheless earn a devoted cult following through doing things on those own terms. As a band who fans have described as “a seven-headed joy machine” and “like pop music with all the wrong instruments,” Police Dog Hogan are a compelling example – but also one who deserve to be more widely discovered. That is something they can achieve when their new album ‘The Light At The Top of The Stairs’ is released on April 10th, a record that they now preview with the new single ‘Go Down Fighting’.
Swooning vocal harmonies, boisterous brass and classic Americana define ‘Go Down Fighting’, which is a lively boisterous anthem for also-rans, a testament to the idea of losing with style. They say history only remembers winners, but received knowledge isn’t the truth. We all have a favourite contender who never quite reached the top: the football team full of flair and attacking intent that never quite had the discipline to be champions; the band that dropped classic records but never bothered the charts; the actor with a filmography of essential indie films but no glimmer of recognition at the Oscars.
‘Go Down Fighting’ has been a popular addition to the band’s live repertoire for over a year, and it took a fair bit of work to capture its infectious energy in a recording. As James explains, “You achieve something on stage which can be very hard to bottle in the studio. We needed to play it live for a while to see what made it tick, and then go back and start again.”
‘The Light At The Top of The Stairs’ is the defining masterpiece from a band whose members are fiercely, viscerally aware that they find themselves in the autumn of their years. But while there are themes of mortality, grief and the relentless march of time, Police Dog Hoganare never maudlin. As the title suggests, knowing who you are is a comfort that doesn’t always arise earlier in life – and all the while the light is on, the adventure continues.
Police Dog Hogan’s following has been built on the time-honoured tradition of extensive touring, with highlights so far including playing Glastonbury, selling-out the O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire and supporting The Beach Boys. They will be back on the road for a headline tour which runs from April to June, and culminates with two landmark events: their own Hoganberry Weekender at the historic Victoria Hall in Settle, North Yorkshire, and a London show at the Islington Assembly Hall.
Remaining tickets for the shows are available HERE.
APRIL
16th – South Petherton, The David Hall (SOLD OUT)
17th – Tavistock, The Wharf
18th – Salisbury, Art Centre (SOLD OUT)
23rd – Burton-on-Trent, Deer Barn
24th – Liverpool, The Tung Auditorium
25th – Dorchester, Bishop’s Court Farm
30th – Hailsham, Pavilion Theatre
MAY
7th – Gateshead, Glasshouse
8th – Edinburgh, Queen’s Hall
9th – Birmingham, The MAC
JUNE
4th – Norwich, Art Centre
5th – Cambridge, The Junction 1
11th – Manchester, Band On The Wall
12th – Settle, Victoria Hall – Police Dog Hogan’s Hoganberry Weekender
13th – Settle, Victoria Hall – Police Dog Hogan’s Hoganberry Weekender
18th – London, Islington Assembly Hall
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