Police Dog Hogan, who play at The Live Room at Shipley tonight, are living proof that you're never too old to rock.

Maybe we're lucky to get them part-way through their gruelling Westward Ho! tour, mind, because by the time they'e finished pounding up and down the country at Christmas on a gigging schedule that started at the beginning of October, they might feel anything but "living proof".

Police Dog Hogan are a beast with seven heads, the most high-profile of which must be that belonging to Tim Dowling, the Guardian journalist who, when not thrilling readers with his domestic hi-jinks in his Saturday column, regales them instead with tales of life on the road with Police Dog Hogan.

Despite the fact that a) they're all over 50 and b) they have a journalist in their ranks, Police Dog Hogan are actually pretty good. More than good, in fact. Banjo-led Americana urban bluegrass with beautiful four-part harmonies. And yes, I did pinch that from their press release, but only because it's a description of them that can't really be improved upon.

Celebrity journo Tim Dowling isn't the only draw though - they actually have proper musicians as well, including Michael Giri, a drummer who used to be in Steven Duffy's Lilac Time.

Their main vocalist and writer is James Studholm, and they're touring a new album, to boot. Westward Ho! is produced by the Oysterband's Al Scott. James said: "I loved Al’s production of the June Tabor & Oysterband’s Ragged Kingdom record, which I think is a classic.

“He has a certain clarity and attack, going right back to the Levellers. When I found out he was producing a new CD for our label mates Hatful of Rain (The Morning Key), working with him suddenly sounded like a possibility. He was busy touring with Oysterband, but we were prepared to wait.”

Less musically, perhaps, but possibly more bombastically, Tim Dowling adds: "I can't actually think of a single other band who began in their 40s or 50s. But plenty of bands older than us are as popular as ever - last year's hottest ticket was The Rolling Stones.”

I would like to put it on the record hear and now that Police Dog Hogan are every bit as good as the Stones. I'd like to, but I couldn't find the appropriate quote in the press release to cut and paste.

Perhaps even better, though, I offer my own opinion on their music: Imagine Shane McGowan from the Pogues got lost after an almighty bender and wandered into Wim Wenders' Paris, Texas movie, proceeding to - with a slight hangover, set up a band until Harry Dean Stanton could show him the way out. Police Dog Hogan sound a bit like that.

“It's really important for us that we're not pretending to be American, or anything else we're not,” says Eddie Bishop, Barrister by day and fiddle player by night. “We are middle-aged men from England – apart from Tim Dowling who is American - and our songs reflect that.”

Police Dog Hogan play the Live Room, Shipley, TONIGHT: For details go to www.theliveroom.info or call 01274 594021.