The Zac Schulze Gang have followed the success of their debut album Straight To It with a fired-up new single, ‘Hellhounds On My Trail’.
Released on 24 July, the track captures the raw, hard-driving sound that has helped the Kent trio build a formidable reputation on the road, blending blues, rock ’n’ roll and punk attitude into something distinctly their own.
Recorded live with longtime producer Ian Sadler, ‘Hellhounds On My Trail’ puts the chemistry between guitarist and vocalist Zac Schulze, drummer Ben Schulze and bassist Ant Greenwell firmly at the centre.
The song was written by Tony Dowler and the Hellhounds and draws inspiration from the Robert Johnson legend. It first found its way into the Zac Schulze Gang set after the band were asked to perform it at the Rory Gallagher Festival in Wijk aan Zee in the Netherlands.
“We were first introduced to the song when our friend Petra Burns asked us to perform it at the Rory Gallagher Festival in Holland,” explains Zac Schulze.
“We’d never rehearsed it before, but from the first time we played it, we knew it had to stay in the set.”
That first unrehearsed performance developed into something much bigger. Rather than settling into a fixed arrangement, the song has continued to change each time the trio play it.
“Every time we perform it, it evolves. We improvise and discover something new,” says Schulze. “The recorded version is our best attempt to capture that live energy while paying tribute to Tony Dowler, who wrote such a brilliant song.
“It really sums up where we are as a band right now.”
From the UK circuit to international stages
Hailing from Gillingham, Kent, the Zac Schulze Gang developed their sound through the UK’s grassroots and DIY live circuit before attracting wider attention following an appearance at the Rory Gallagher Tribute Festival in 2022.
Their rise since then has been swift.
The trio have appeared at Eric Clapton’s Crossroads Guitar Festival and picked up Best Emerging Blues Band at the UK Blues Awards in 2024, followed by Young Artist of the Year in 2025.
Their growing profile has also been helped by strong radio support. Previous single ‘I Won’t Do This Anymore’ was selected as Planet Rock’s Track of the Week and remained on the station’s A-List for eight weeks, with ‘Woman’ and ‘The Rocker’ also gaining significant airplay.
Those releases helped set the stage for debut album Straight To It, which pushed the band beyond the boundaries of traditional blues rock and underlined the energy that has become their calling card on stage.
‘Hellhounds On My Trail’ continues in that vein, but its live-in-the-room recording gives the track an added sense of urgency. Rather than polish away the rough edges, the band have leaned into them.
Zac Schulze Gang head for North America
The release comes as the band prepare for another major run of international dates.
Their North American schedule includes shows supporting Tab Benoit and Samantha Fish, alongside appearances at the Big Blues Bender in Las Vegas, Telluride Blues & Brews and the Crescent City Blues & BBQ Festival in New Orleans.
The band then return to Europe, with UK shows scheduled for November before further dates across the Netherlands, Germany, France and Belgium.
A larger UK run follows in February and March 2027, taking in Newcastle, Edinburgh, Glasgow, London, Bristol, Cardiff, Southampton and Birmingham.
Zac Schulze Gang UK tour dates
November 2026
10 November – The Key Club, Leeds
11 November – Night & Day, Manchester
12 November – The Crescent, York
13 November – The Adrian Flux Waterfront, Norwich
14 November – The Hope & Ruin, Brighton
15 November – Rescue Rooms, Nottingham
February and March 2027
23 February – The Cluny 1, Newcastle
24 February – Voodoo Rooms, Edinburgh
25 February – Stereo, Glasgow
27 February – Islington Assembly Hall, London
28 February – Thekla, Bristol
2 March – The Globe, Cardiff
3 March – The Joiners, Southampton
4 March – Hare & Hounds, Birmingham
‘Hellhounds On My Trail’ is available now on all major streaming platforms.
