Rock 'n' roll band Hardwicke Circus is gearing up to release its sophomore album, Fly the Flag, on June 9. Lead singer Jonny Foster told Nub News about the joys and challenges of being on the road in what has been dubbed "the UK's hardest-working band".

At its core, Nub News is about supporting local people, businesses, and artists. Hardwicke Circus is made up of five incredibly talented musicians, who are working for their fame the old-fashioned way. That's why we want to share their incredible story with our local readers.

For the latest album, Hardwicke Circus had to navigate a hectic touring schedule and a post-COVID world, while treating each song as a "king".

"That's allowed us to create an album with 12 songs that all have their own direction," Jonny says.

"I think it is the best way hear all five members of the band – there's flashes of everybody's inspiration."

Fly the Flag is set to capture a broader range of material than the band's first album, The Borderland, supported by the "incredibly positive and exciting atmosphere" surrounding the band.

Jonny added: "It's the closest thing we have to what you'll hear on stage, and that excites me a lot."

Brothers Jonny and Tom Foster grew up with a passion for making music, surrounding themselves with the best musicians their native Carlisle had to offer.

"This record was borne out of our competitive nature. It's a journey into our love of rock 'n' roll and Motown, and all that great music. It's a dive into our own encyclopaedias, and it's us fighting for which direction we should go in," Jonny says.

"It allows us to push each other to exciting new places."

Frontman Jonny feels Fly the Flag is a testament to the positive power regional identity plays in the country's art and music scenes. Band members take inspiration from regional artists like Sam Fender and the Arctic Monkeys, who stay firmly connected to their local dialects.

The Hardwickes are proud to say they are from the north of England. In 'Our Town', they encounter the deprivation many Northern towns face and the issues of being detached from the rest of the country.

"It's a rough neck, blank cheque, silent howl, but I call it my town", sings Jonny Foster.

The artwork for 'Fly the Flag' was designed by contemporary artist Humphrey Ocean and is the clearest indication of the band's northern roots.

Jonny revealed the two things he hears most often after a gig: "you must be knackered" and "are you moving to London or one of the bigger cities?"

However, as a writer, Jonny feels he should look inwards.

"People think writing is an outward, ethereal endeavour – but it isn't. It's a very grounded, inward procedure," he says.

"You can do that anywhere – you don't need to be in front of the seventh wonder of the world or a beautiful lake, to write. Sometimes, it comes from the greatest adversity."

The Hardwickes are gearing up to perform at Glastonbury this summer, for the second time. Last year, Beatles legend Sir Paul McCartney requested they perform at the Rabbit Hole. This time, they're back with a whole host of new songs.

Fly the Flag will be released on June 9 and is available to pre-order via the Hardwicke Circus website.