“The mythical past is very magnetic. People all have their own imaginary land that they’re drawn back to where they think things were better,” Robyn Hitchcock tells me. “I’m in my own little world of antique electronic electric transport and Beatles records, Syd Barrett outtakes and, you know, Dali and Magritte and de Chirico pictures, and Roger Moore and any old mythological past that I can dig up. We can all cherry-pick our personal Eden in our comfort zone now. For a lot of people, it’s actually the late 1980s, so they come out and see me, and I can make them feel 17 again, you know?”
I talked to Robyn on the eve of his biggest full-band tour in decades that’s in support of his 25th album, The Confuser. He made it in his home of Nashville with an ace band of sessions musicians and calls it a “celebration of collapse, or if you wanna put it more positively, change.” We also talked about the musical advantages of living where he does, how REM and MTV gave him a boost in the ’80s, working with his wife Emma Swift, his signature polka dotted style, five records everyone should own, and lots more.
You can check out my whole conversation with Robyn on the May 18 episode of BV Interviews which is available wherever you get your podcasts. Listen below.
Robyn in on tour now and will play NJ’s White Eagle Hall on June 13. All dates:
Robyn Hitchcock – 2026 Tour Dates
May 19, 2026 – Los Angeles, CA – Zebulon
May 20, 2026 – Venice, CA – The Venice West
Jun 3, 2026 – Newport, KY – Southgate House Revival
Jun 4, 2026 – Ferndale, MI – The Magic Bag
Jun 6, 2026 – Cleveland, OH – Beachland Ballroom & Tavern
Jun 10, 2026 – Woodstock, NY – Bearsville Theater
Jun 12, 2026 – Ardmore, PA – Ardmore Music Hall
Jun 13, 2026 – Jersey City, NJ – White Eagle Hall
Jun 14, 2026 – Allston, MA – Brighton Music Hall
Jun 17, 2026 – Annapolis, MD – Rams Head On Stage
Sep 19, 2026 – Saint Leonards-on-Sea, UK – Kino-Teatr
Sep 23, 2026 – Cambridge, UK – Portland Arms
Sep 24, 2026 – Ipswich, UK – The Church
Sep 25, 2026 – Cardiff, UK – Acapela Studio
Sep 26, 2026 – Manchester, UK – Hallé at St Michaels
Sep 27, 2026 – Gateshead, UK – The Central
Sep 29, 2026 – Glasgow, UK – Cottiers Theatre
Oct 1, 2026 – Belfast, UK – The Deer’s Head
Oct 2, 2026 – Dublin, Ireland – The Sugar Club
Oct 4, 2026 – Galway, Ireland – Róisín Dubh
Oct 6, 2026 – Hebden Bridge, UK – Trades Club
Oct 7, 2026 – Reading, UK – South Street Arts Centre
Oct 8, 2026 – Bath, UK – Komedia Bath
Oct 9, 2026 – Twyford, UK – St Mary’s Church
Oct 10, 2026 – London, UK – Union Chapel
Oct 11, 2026 – Paris, France – Les Trois Baudets
Oct 17, 2026 – Landsberg am Lech, Germany – Stadttheater Landsberg
Oct 18, 2026 – Berlin, Germany – Privatclub
Oct 20, 2026 – Bergen, Norway – Ole Bull Scene
Oct 21, 2026 – Trondheim, Norway – Bar Moskus
Oct 23, 2026 – Drammen, Norway – Drammen Kulturhus
Oct 24, 2026 – Randaberg, Norway – Tungenes Fyr
Oct 25, 2026 – Oslo, Norway – BLÅ
Oct 27, 2026 – København S, Denmark – DR Koncerthuset
Oct 28, 2026 – Stockholm, Sweden – Debaser Hornstulls Strand
Oct 30, 2026 – Helsinki, Finland – KULT