Hardwicke Circus have announced their forthcoming second record Fly The Flag, produced by Ireland's own Dave ‘Stiff Records’ Robinson.

Landing on July 29th, the English quintet's project features guest appearances from Earl Slick (John Lennon, David Bowie), Snake Davis, Terry Edwards (PJ Harvey), Seamus Beaghan (Iggy Pop, Madness) and is a breakneck journey into their love of rock ’n’ roll, Motown and contemporary pop.

With over 1000 gigs under their belt - including a recommendation from Paul McCartney to play at Glastonbury, a UK Prison tour and a support slot with Bob Dylan in Hyde Park; Hardwicke Circus are fast earning a reputation for their energised live sets.

The band is composed of lead vocalist Jonny Foster, his drummer brother Tom Foster, bassist Joe Hurst, keyboardist Lewis Bewley-Taylor and saxophonist Jack Pearce. All five men perform backing vocals.

 

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Following their studio debut The Borderland and live prison album At Her Majesty’s Pleasure, Fly The Flag is set for release on this July via their own label Alternative Facts Records. It's Hardwicke Circus "at their most urgent, delivering 12 break-neck recordings like their lives depend on it," a press release reads.

Fly The Flag is reminiscent of Sam Fender and Arctic Monkeys, who stay connected to their sharp tongue local dialect. The Hardwickes are proudly from Carlisle, the most northern destination in England, and in ‘Our Town’, they encounter the deprivation many Northern towns are facing and the conflicting nature of being so detached from the rest of the country.

The album artwork by the contemporary British painter Humphrey Ocean is a clear indication of their northern roots; the green and blue of Cumbria waving amongst Carlisle's brutalist structure 'the civic centre'.

The recording process of Fly The Flag may qualify Hardwicke Circus as England’s most brittle boned band: one broken arm, two keyhole leg surgeries, one van crash, a sawed off thumb, two tribunals, various breakups, undiagnosed mental discrepancies and the creation of their own record label Alternative Facts Records.

This dogged determination and fierce independence is, in essence, the heart of Fly The Flag. Hardwicke Circus was formed by brothers Jonny and Tom Foster, who had a passion for making music from an early age. They earned their stripes in Hells Angels pubs, clubs, theatre’s and prisons, soaking up long journeys to the rebel rousing music of Dylan, Springsteen, Philadelphia soul, Motown, the Stray Cats, The Clash and more.

Their dynamic live shows and songwriting found a fan and a manager in renowned music veteran Dave Robinson, whose resume includes serving as road manager for Jimi Hendrix and co-founder of Stiff Records.

Hundreds of gigs later in pubs and parties, the band were ready for a big break: a gig at SXSW in 2020. The pandemic put a stop to that and the 165 gigs they had scheduled for after the festival - but their debut album The Borderland was borne as a result of the halt to touring.

Hardwicke Circus are currently touring the UK. Dates here.