News
16 October 2026 – Richard Thompson Releases Hippies, Thugs and Heroes and Proves That Folk-Rock Legends Still Have Plenty to Say
By Editorial Team - October 16, 2026
Summary
British folk-rock legend Richard Thompson releases his twentieth solo studio album Hippies, Thugs and Heroes on New West Records, pairing sharp storytelling with virtuoso guitar.
Key Facts
- Twentieth solo studio album in a historic career spanning nearly sixty years since co-founding Fairport Convention.
- Recorded at Hobosound Studio in New Jersey with long-time rhythm section Taras Prodaniuk and Michael Jerome.
- Led by vivid, dark-humored folk-rock single 'Cocaine Walking, Booze Talking'.
- Entities: Richard Thompson, Hippies, Thugs and Heroes, New West Records, Ship to Shore, Fairport Convention, Hobosound Studio, Taras Prodaniuk, Michael Jerome, David Mansfield, Zara Phillips, Cocaine Walking, Booze Talking, Sorcerer's Apprentice, Pauper's Grave, Unsung Hero, Everybody's Stealing, Siren
- Tags: richard-thompson, hippies-thugs-and-heroes, new-west-records, folk-rock, guitar-legend, fairport-convention
British folk-rock titan Richard Thompson has released his twentieth solo studio album Hippies, Thugs and Heroes via New West Records. Arriving in the wake of 2024's Ship to Shore, the twelve-song collection extends a storied career spanning six decades, tracing back to Thompson's foundational work with Fairport Convention in the late 1960s.
Recorded at Hobosound Studio in New Jersey with long-time rhythm partners Taras Prodaniuk on bass and Michael Jerome on drums, alongside multi-instrumentalist David Mansfield and harmony vocalist Zara Phillips, the record showcases Thompson's peerless electric guitar phrasing and character-rich lyrics.
Lead single "Cocaine Walking, Booze Talking" anchors the record with biting humor, complemented by standout compositions "Sorcerer's Apprentice", "Pauper's Grave", "Unsung Hero", "Everybody's Stealing", and "Siren".
Hippies, Thugs and Heroes proves that musical mastery need not lean on past laurels. Explore more roots and folk legends in our folk section.