Word out on the street is Dodgy are back, and it’s ‘Summer Forever’. That’s the title of their most recent single, one that became a fan favourite when played during the band’s recent Hello Beautiful UK tour, and prior to its release got Chris Evans all hot and bothered, going on to make it his record of the week on Virgin Radio’s breakfast show.
“We have been overjoyed by the reaction from people following the release of the album, and the new songs have fitted in so perfectly within our family of songs. ‘Summer Forever’ has already gone and taken on a magic of its own,” said singer Nigel Clark.
“I wrote ‘Summer Forever’ reminiscing about those endless summers when I was a kid, a time filled with optimism and a sense of invincibility,” he reflected. “Everyone looks back on happier, safer, warmer times, and that’s completely understandable, but we can’t live in the past or wish those days back. We have to keep looking forward. As we say towards the end of the song, ‘Let the Future Shine.'”
For anyone who grew up during the Britpop era, the new song captures the warm, instantly recognisable harmonies that made Dodgy a defining part of the country’s festival scene, wrapped in a haze of melodic nostalgia… But there’s also a darker remix available courtesy of The Boo Radleys‘ Martin Carr, entitled ‘What Future?’.
Drummer Mathew Priest said: “We’ve always loved Martin’s work with The Boo Radleys, especially the sonic explorations on the Giant Steps album. We share a publisher and they suggested the remix, so we jumped at the chance to see what Martin would do.
“I love how he has offered an alternative idea of perhaps a darker, more pessimistic view. His remix is a half empty glass to the original song, which is half full, and we love how he’s come at it from that angle, as it’s totally valid.”
Previous single ‘It’s Not The End’ showed another side to the new material. Melancholic yet uplifting, it blends classic Dodgy melody with a more reflective tone, capturing the band sounding older, wiser and still unmistakably themselves.
“‘It’s Not The End’ was arranged really quickly in the studio during the sessions for the new album,” said Clark. “It started with a simple lyric that felt really direct and honest, and the song just seemed to guide us where it wanted to go. It became an instant favourite. Reviews have said it sounds like an older, wiser, deeper Dodgy, which is exactly how I’d want us to sound in 2026.”
Dodgy have enjoyed a spectacular beginning to 2026 following the success of recent singles ‘It’s Not The End’ and comeback track ‘Hello Beautiful’, which earned the band their first Top 40 chart appearance in more than a decade. The band have also recently welcomed music entrepreneur Alan McGee, founder of Creation Records and the man who famously signed Oasis, as their new manager.
When asked about the new album, McGee said: “I’ve always loved Nigel Clark’s songwriting. It’s exciting to be working alongside the band as they enter a new chapter with Hello Beautiful. With these new songs we’re looking forward to seeing Dodgy make a comeback.”
Clark said of the album: “We approached each track as its own individual, with honesty at the core while still shaping an overall message, all united together by our trademark backing vocals and harmonies. Our time in the studio reflects a renewed energy and a deeper sense of pathos. This is a wiser, more evolved Dodgy in 2026. Making the album has been a passionate and rewarding process, embracing a new level of technicality that keeps the music feeling fresh and dynamic.”
Priest added: “Now feels like the perfect time to release Hello Beautiful, following what’s been an incredible couple of months for the band with recent shows and new singles.”
Their UK tour in the spring, in support of the new album, saw the band playing independent venues wherever possible, backing the grassroots circuit that first helped launch their career. Later in the year, Dodgy will celebrate the 30th anniversary of their Free Peace Sweet album with a series of very special shows featuring The Icicle Works as guests.
For more about Dodgy‘s new album and their UK tour dates, [read our previous coverage at RAMzine here.
