Robyn Hitchcock has always walked the line between nostalgia and invention, and with 1967: Vacations In The Past he dives deep into a year that shaped not only the world but his own creative journey. This 12-track collection, filled with Hitchcock’s unique takes on classic songs from the era, serves as the perfect companion piece to his critically acclaimed memoir, 1967: How I Got There and Why I Never Left.

Having first made his mark as the leader of the Soft Boys in the late '70s, Hitchcock’s solo career has been nothing short of prolific. But this latest project finds him in reflective mode, offering stripped-down, acoustic versions of iconic tracks from 1967. The album features covers of legendary songs like the Beatles’ “A Day In The Life,” the Kinks’ “Waterloo Sunset,” and Jimi Hendrix’s “The Wind Cries Mary,” alongside an original track from Hitchcock himself.

Hitchcock doesn’t just play these songs; he inhabits them, giving them a raw, intimate spin that feels personal and timeless. “For me, 1967 was the portal between childhood and the adult world,” Hitchcock explains. “These songs flickered in the air, full of color and melancholy, as I was moving through a transitional time in my life.” His version of “Itchycoo Park,” recorded with longtime friend Kimberley Rew, exemplifies this approach - gentle but full of the energy that made the original a hit.

Produced with Hitchcock’s frequent collaborator Charlie Francis, the album was recorded in studios spanning the globe - Sydney, Cambridge, Cardiff, and San Francisco - with contributions from musicians like Kelly Stoltz, Davey Lane, and Lee Cave-Berry. The result is an album that feels both sprawling and intimate, much like the year it pays tribute to.

1967: Vacations In The Past pulls listeners into Hitchcock’s world, where songs like Pink Floyd’s “See Emily Play” and Procol Harum’s “A Whiter Shade of Pale” are more than just tributes, they're windows into a time that still echoes through his work. Hitchcock has always been known for his poetic, almost surreal lyricism, and this album feels like an extension of that, bringing a deeper sense of personal history to songs that helped shape his artistic sensibility.

"Music was changing just as fast as I was back then," he says, reflecting on the lasting impact of that era. "The world was shedding its skin, growing its hair out, and testing the boundaries of what was possible. These songs were the soundtrack to that transformation, and they still resonate with me today.”

With 1967: Vacations In The Past, Robyn Hitchcock not only revisits a defining year in music but also invites us on his vacation, sharing his lifelong journey through the lens of the songs that shaped him. It’s a tribute, a reflection, and a reminder that while time moves forward, the past is never far behind.