Photo Credit: Press

Ahead of the release of their new album ‘The Light at the Top of the Stars, we pitched some questions to Police Dog Hogan as they prepare for its unveiling to the world alongside their upcoming UK tour.

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What has the reception been like for your latest single ‘Passing Through’?

PDH: When you release new songs you can tell how the song is landing from whether or not you get messages of appreciation from your less than committed to the cause mates. This one certainly did and I’m particularly glad. The germ of the lyric came to Tim Dowling in the middle of a Jason Isbell show at the Barbican. Maybe something sparked from the way Jason’s songs tell stories in such an arresting way and yet often rooted in the mundane and everyday. I’d had the ’trancegrass’ ostinato chord sequence for some time and there just seemed to be instant serendipity when the lyric showed up. We’re so pleased everyone seems to love it as much as we do.

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Your new album ‘The Light at the Top of the Stars’ is set for release in April, how excited are you for its release?

PDH: Couldn’t really be more excited. It’s been a long time coming and was recorded on either side of a more or less live LP called Lightning Strike which barged ahead of it in the queue to be released. As a result this is our most considered, coherent and emotional record so far. 

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What can people expect from the new record?

PDH: A very  reflective, honest snapshot of where we are in our lives. There’s an undercurrent of dealing with grief and aging but hopefully not in a mawkish way. We’ve always tried to have no separation between us and our audience and find themes that land emotionally. If a song is honest and open and means a lot to you as writers and performers, chances are it will mean something to someone out there. One Last Trip Around The Sun is the standout in that regard.

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You will be celebrating the release with an extensive UK tour, how excited are you about getting on the road? Is there a particular show that stands out the most?

PDH: It’ll be a pretty much a brand new show so we’re excited to be bringing lots of new songs into the set as well as deeper cuts from the Hogan back story. Our trumpet player Emily is off having a baby so we’ve drafted in the copiously talented Moray McLaren on guitar. That will give an interestingnew dimension to our soundscape for this tour. We’ve got a Weekender at the Victoria Hall in Settle we’ve called Hoganberry and we’re pretty excited about that.Places we love that we’re returning to…Edinburgh, Glasshouse Gateshead and Norwich. A special night for us will be the end of the tour at Islington Assembly Hall.

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As the tour and albums release takes up the first half of the year, what else can we expect from the band in 2026?

PDH: We’ve got more dates coming for the autumn but other than that we’ll be beginning the long but fascinating journey to the next record. I love every aspect of the Band’s trajectory but none more so than the everyday magic of dreaming songs into being.

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APRIL
16th – South Petherton, The David Hall
17th – Tavistock, The Wharf
18th – Salisbury, Art Centre
23rd – Burton-on-Trent, Deer Barn
24th – Liverpool, Tung Theatre
25th – Wallingford, The Snug Barn
30th – Hailsham, Pavilion
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 (Hoganberry)
13th – Settle, Victoria Hall (Hoganberry)
18th – London, Islington Assembly Hall