1.NME Radio was recently launched and after topping a readers online
poll, Muses Knights Of Cydonia was the first track to ever be
played but if the decision had been yours, which song would you
have launched the station with?
Charlotte: Wow, what a question (laughing)!
Billy: Thats a great question!
Charlotte: Well, thats a very good choice, because Muse
are like my favourite band (big smile), so thats really cool!
Um (thinking), I probably would pick a Muse track actually, especially
as its an alternative radio station and with Muse being such a
successful rock band, it would be a great way to start off! Or maybe
the Foo Fighters, like Everlong would be a great track as well, because
its such a classic rock song!
Billy: I would probably say Nirvana Smells Like Teen Spirit.
Its perhaps an obvious choice, but thats the song which
almost started it off for me, or Oasis Supersonic. But I guess
it has to be something contemporary, so I would go with something like
Muse and Knights Of Cydonia is a great, great track! Its contemporary,
it was released last year and everybody loves Muse really dont
they!?!
2.I was fortunate enough to attend Ashs 1977 Astoria show in
September, which was to celebrate the Deluxe Edition reissue of their
full-length debut album. But if you could handpick some of your favourite
artists / bands to play their albums in full, and release a Deluxe Edition,
who would they be and which records?
Billy: Oh cool pick some artists and bands to play an album
in full and release a Deluxe Edition as well? Wow (laughing)!
Charlotte: (laughing)
Billy: Um (thinking), well before Rage Against The Machine played
all of the festival dates, I probably would have said them, and The
Battle Of Los Angeles is the album that I would like them to play
yeah!
Charlotte: I would LOVE to see Hole do Live Through This, all
the way through
Billy: That would be SO cool!
Charlotte: Because Ive only ever seen performances from
the Celebrity Skin era I havent managed to track down anything
that far back. So yeah, I would love to see that, it would be really
cool (smiling)!
Billy: Death Cab For Cutie and
Charlotte: Plans?
Billy: Plans, yeah.
Charlotte: Yeah, definitely, that would be really cool!
Billy: I missed them when they were touring that record, I didnt
get a chance to see them. So I would LOVE to see them play that record
in its entirety! I did get to see them at the Summer Sonic Festival
in Japan and Ive got to admit, I blubbed all the way through (laughing).
Charlotte: (laughing)
Billy: Because I was so touched by it! Who else is there (thinking)?
Queens Of The Stone Age Rated R, I would LOVE to hear them play
that! (long pause + thinking) Thats all for the moment (laughing)!
Charlotte: (laughing)
3.Of the artists / groups who started their careers at the same time
as The Subways, are there any in particular, who you still keep an eye
on?
Charlotte: Um (thinking)
Billy: Nine Black Alps.
Charlotte: Yeah!
Billy: Were good friends with them
*I mention that I interviewed Sam in February of this year and that
he was a really cool guy*
Billy: Oh did you? Oh brilliant, hes great! Martin and David
came to our Manchester show as well (pausing), Martin photographs us
actually
Charlotte: Hes a really good photographer he takes
really interesting shots!
Billy: The shot he took of us at Leeds Festival walking up towards
the stage, is probably one of the best shots that Ive ever seen
of any pre-show moment, so Im getting him to print that for me
at A3 and Im going to have it in my house (smiling)! Who else
(looking at Charlotte)? We dont really catch up with anyone else
really, do we?
Charlotte: Were really big fans of the Kings Of Leon
I know they were a little bit before us, like a couple of years
but everytime theyve brought out a new album, Ive been so
amazed by them! I think theyre one of the few bands that came
out at that time, who have really developed their sound and everytime
they bring out a new album, its completely different and theyve
moved on a step!
Billy: Theyre one of the only bands from that period, who
we feel are truly evolving!
Charlotte: Yeah.
4.Do you think the Arts Council Take It Away scheme,
To help you to buy an instrument with an interest-free loan
is a positive step for young, up-and-coming musicians?
Billy & Charlotte: Thats AMAZING!
Charlotte: Thats great thats an absolutely
brilliant idea!
Billy: Yeah, and I think that thats the direction that pretty
much every country should be going in!
Charlotte: Yeah, because it can be so difficult starting out,
like buying a guitar, an amp, leads everything, its a lot
of money!
Billy: Its encouraging isnt it? Its nurturing
and its educating, so its purely good (smiling)!
5.If you could relive any moment in your life, what would it be?
Charlotte: Um (thinking)
Billy: Wow (long pause + thinking)
I think it would be when
my two elder sisters used to take me and my brother to this lake where
we grew up I always remember it, because for me, its forever
autumnal you know? Its golden and the suns shining, but
its still quite chilly. But I have so many memories and amazing
images in my head from that time (smiling), and I do think about that
a lot! So Ill pick that, yeah.
Charlotte: I think looking more towards the future, something
that I want to really remember from my years of being in a band, is
headlining (pausing), not headlining I keep saying this (laughing)
Billy: (laughing)
Charlotte: Remember that time we headlined Reading?
Billy & Charlotte (both laugh heartily)
Charlotte: No, I meant to say that we played on The Main Stage
at Reading & Leeds Festival (laughing)! But looking out and seeing
some of the most amazing audiences was a really great experience (smiling)!
6.HMV has been running a My Inspiration advertisement
campaign, which features photographs of musicians and groups, along
with an act / lyric that means a lot to them personally. But if The
Subways were asked to appear, which artist or band + lyric of theirs
would you choose?
Billy: Oasis I need to be myself, I cant be
no-one else from Supersonic (without any hesitation)! Not
only did it change my life in terms of wanting to become a musician,
it just changed me as a whole person! It gave me this confidence that
I could hold my chin up high and do whatever I felt capable of doing,
and even if I didnt feel capable of doing it, that I could at
least give it a try you know? To be an honest and really good person
and feel that life is worth living that you have to get out there
and grab life by the balls! So thats it, yeah!
Charlotte: I think I would probably pick Death Cab For Cutie (pausing),
Im not sure Id choose a lyric, but if I could pick something
musical, it would be the bass line to Summer Skin. If I was allowed
to (laughing)? Its very melodic
*I say that HMVs follow-up My Inspiration advertisement
campaign, could be something musical, rather than a lyric*
Billy & Charlotte: Yeah (both laugh heartily)!
7.On a similar note, my great idols / heroes, the Manic Street Preachers
were deservedly crowned as this years NME Godlike Genius, but
who for you, would also be worthy of such an accolade?
Billy: Um (thinking)
Charlotte: Has Dave Grohl received it yet do you know? Because
when you see the Foo Fighters playing live, hes just such an amazing
frontman!
Billy: He is a Godlike Genius isnt he?
Charlotte: Yeah!
Billy: So, well say that Dave Grohl deserves it.
8.Youve now toured all over the world but to date, whats
the smallest gig and the biggest gig that youve played?
Billy & Charlotte: (both laugh heartily)
Billy: The smallest, was Betsey Trotwood in London! Its
smaller than this dressing room (laughing)! The PA took up most of the
space, there was a bar and there was one person there, but if you had
got a couple more people in, it would have been packed (laughing)!
Charlotte: Yeah (giggling), its known for being the smallest
venue in London! That must have been 2002 / 2003? It was early on.
Billy: The biggest, was 70,000 at the Millennium Stadium in Wales
Charlotte: Yeah, the Foo Fighters and Oasis were joint-headliners,
so we were absolutely thrilled to be on that bill!
Billy: Or Foo Fighters at Lancashire Cricket Ground.
Charlotte: The Reading & Leeds Festival crowds were very big
for us this year!
Billy: Yeah, there were about 40,000 people watching us!
Charlotte: That Communist Festival we did in France (looking at
Billy), the whole capacity was like 100,000 or something ridiculous
like that (laughing)! That was definitely the biggest stage weve
ever played, it was like twice the size of The Main Stage at Reading
(laughing)!
Billy: Yeah!
9.And as one of the great festival bands, if a compere was to introduce
you on stage, what would be the perfect introduction?
Billy & Charlotte: (both laughing)
Billy: This would be more of a musical intro, but you know in
Kill Bill, when everytime theres something sort of sinister about
to happen, it goes (singing music), wed have that I guess (laughing)?
Charlotte: (laughing)
Billy: It only lasts about 15 seconds doesnt it (looking
at Charlotte)?
Charlotte: Yeah, but the best intro weve ever seen though,
Taking Back Sunday already have it, so we cant steal it from them!
Billy & Charlotte: (both laugh heartily)
Billy: Can you think of anything else (looking at Charlotte)?
Charlotte: I think something musical is definitely the way to
go, with us.
Billy: Yeah, but we would like Colin Murray to introduce us on
stage, because hes awesome!
Charlotte: Yeah. At the moment, we have the theme tune from Blade
Runner, which is definitely by far the best intro that weve ever
had. I think its really cool (smiling)!
Billy: George Lucas THX (mimicking sound).
Billy & Charlotte: (both laugh heartily)
10.Now that youre a little bit older and have toured so much,
has this altered the way you perceive your music and songs?
Billy: Absolutely (without any hesitation)!
Charlotte: Yeah, completely! Its really, really changed
us and made us the band we are today, and it made the second album what
it is I think the touring.
Billy: Yeah, and I think had it not been for the amazing responses
we get for Rock n Roll Queen, we would have been tired of
that song long ago!
Charlotte: Yeah (laughing)!
Billy: You know, it gets such a great reception and it becomes
celebratory for us
Charlotte: Yeah, it has a completely different meaning that track
now, its just a massive party at the end of the set (big smile)!
Billy: Yeah. At first, the song was about unrequited love and
really, really wanting to have sex
Charlotte: (laughing)
Billy: And now its about having a party!
Charlotte: I know.
Billy: So yeah, its completely changed the meaning of the
song for us its about celebration! I think thats
whats great about being on tour, you can play songs that you dont
think will go down well, but they just kick off and for us, it instils
this confidence in the songs! Girls & Boys I think, when we first
played that, we were like, God, this is so nonlinear, for us this
is a really ambitious song and nobodys going to get it.
But everytime we play it, it just utterly (pausing), its a circus
it really is!
11.With so much more material to now choose from, how do you decide
on a Set List?
Charlotte: Well, we all decide between us, but its so nice
to have a lot more songs to choose from now!
Billy: Yeah, definitely!
12.Over the years, which member of The Subways has most surprised the
others with something that theyve done?
Charlotte: Josh (without any hesitation)! You never quite know
what to expect (laughing)!
Billy: There is never a day that goes by where that boy doesnt
surprise me!
Charlotte: Yeah (laughing).
Billy: You know, if he told me one day that he was the leader
of a cult and they were all going to take over the world, I would be
like (pausing), well, I would expect it (laughing)!
Charlotte: Its a bit mean that were ganging up on
him and hes not here to defend himself.
Billy: Yeah, I know.
*I joke that if I asked Josh this question, hed probably say that
Billy and Charlotte have surprised him the most*
Billy & Charlotte: Yeah (both laugh heartily)!
13.Have you ever asked anyone for an autograph, and can you remember
the first time that you signed something for a fan?
Billy: Ive asked SO MANY people for autographs! Im
a complete fanboy (laughing)! Everytime I see Dave Grohl, Im like
(gasping), Im not worthy! (laughing)
Charlotte: (laughing) I remember at Reading Festival where you
queued up to get Slipknots signatures
Billy: Yeah and Jason from the Von Bondies, I got him to sign
something for me when they played down at The 100 Club he was
a God to me! I even remember touching his guitar (smiling) and thinking,
I cant believe Im touching his guitar! (laughing).
Charlotte: Yeah (laughing)!
Billy: But now I look back at it and Im like, What
a fool what a little boy I was (laughing)! But everytime
I see Simon Neil from Biffy Clyro, I just turn to jelly! And he always
comes up and goes (doing an uncanny impression), Hey Billy, how
you doing? in his sexy Scottish accent. Yeah, hes just astonishing
as a musician and as a really disarming, genuinely nice character. I
havent asked him for his autograph yet though (laughing)!
Charlotte: (laughing)
Billy: The first autograph I signed (thinking), I think it was
probably for my nieces actually
Charlotte: Yeah, we did family things really early on didnt
we (looking at Billy).
14.What are your Mobile Ringtones?
Billy: Oh, I have Not Everyone by Nine Black Alps, but for my
girlfriend, I have Make It Wit Chu by Queens Of The Stone Age (laughs
heartily).
Charlotte: Mine is The Con by Tegan & Sara and for my boyfriend,
I have Venus As A Boy by Björk
Billy: Which has a really annoying start, its a great song,
but the start is SO annoying!
Charlotte: I like the start!
Billy: Everytime it comes on, Im like, Please change
it! (laughing)
Charlotte: I think its really cool (laughing)!
Billy: The funny thing is, is that everytime my girlfriend calls
me, I dont want to answer the phone, because I love hearing the
song so much and I want to hear more of it (laughing)!
15.Does the creative process still give you the same buzz from beginning
to end, i.e. that you essentially begin with a blank canvas, and by
the end of it, youre left with something that didnt previously
exist?
Charlotte: Yeah, definitely!
Billy: Yeah!
Charlotte: Especially at the moment, because we hadnt written
for
Billy: For a long time!
Charlotte: Yeah, for a long time since the second album
but I think now, we almost feel relieved to be actually starting
again (laughing)!
Billy: Yeah, I mean after we finished All Or Nothing, we were
all creatively and artistically completely spent. I would sit there
with my acoustic guitar and I couldnt think of anything, and anything
that I did play, was either off All Or Nothing or was a cover song,
like Oasis or Queens Of The Stone Age or Biffy Clyro or Death Cab For
Cutie or whoever. I just couldnt find it within in myself and
only recently, have I started writing again, and I think like Charlotte
says, its relief more than anything, that we feel like weve
still got it and can still articulate ourselves (laughing)!
Charlotte: Yeah!
Billy: Anytime I finish a song and I know when Ive
finished it, because I think, Theres no way that I could
make this statement more potent! Thats really what a song
is for me, its a story, its a statement its
not perfection, its imperfect but its the strongest
message that I could make and the last 2 songs that weve written,
have pretty much been like that. I feel like were getting much
more skilled and honed as songwriters and musicians, were more
comfortable in our skins and were not so worrisome about what
other people might think of it. Because all we want to do now, is please
ourselves and make art that wed want to listen to!
16.Of all your songs to date, which one has been the easiest to write
and record, and which one has been the most difficult?
Billy: (laughs heartily) Um (thinking)
Oh Yeah has been
the easiest, because we had the music (pausing), when we wrote Oh Yeah,
I was still living with my parents and I was sitting on my bed in my
bedroom, and at that time, every song that I wrote was in E major you
know? And I came up with this great E major idea and funnily enough,
Oh Yeah is like a combination of about 3 old songs and we whittled them
down into what we thought was 1 great song! So we did that in a rehearsal
room that we paid £3.50 per hour to rent
Charlotte: Yeah.
Billy: We did it in like a day didnt we (looking at Charlotte)?
And our friend said that we could go and demo it at his university,
so we trekked up there and I remember writing the lyrics on the way
we recorded it and if I listen back to it, it hasnt changed
since then!
Charlotte: Yeah.
Billy: It was like 2001 / 2002 and then when we recorded it in
2005, it stayed exactly the same. So I think that was probably the most
fluid writing and recording process weve ever had!
Charlotte: Ever!
Billy: Longest, Id say Strawberry Blonde.
Charlotte: I was going to say Alright actually
Billy: OK, but that was a rather easy process
Charlotte: Yeah, it was a rather easy process, but it just took
us (pausing), it was a song that we had for quite a long time, but we
never played it live, unlike Shake! Shake! and Girls & Boys
Billy: I guess it was a work-in-progress for a very long time,
yeah.
Charlotte: Yeah and then when we got into the studio, and we heard
what Butch was doing with the different sounds, it was like, This
song makes sense now! (smiling)
Billy: Yeah. I mean even before we thought of recording, Butch
took us into a rehearsal studio for 2 weeks in Fairbank, Los Angeles
and then just stood there, watched us and listened to us jamming out
the songs, like we were playing a gig. And hed sort of amend things
and ask questions like, Why is that there? Is that drum-fill needed?
What does that lyric mean? Why is that bass-part doing what its
doing? We kept playing Alright over and over and he said, Somethings
not right with the middle-section. Then he said, Why dont
you start with a C instead of an E? So I went, OK,
then sat down with my acoustic guitar and it just came out! And its
probably one of the best harmonies weve ever written, and from
the moment that we finished recording Young For Eternity which
is when we actually wrote Alright and demoed it to the moment
where we finished the song and recorded it, was about 3 years!
Charlotte: Yeah (laughs heartily).
Billy: So, A LONG time (laughing)!
17.You briefly touched on The Subways harmonies a moment ago
and funnily enough, my next question was going to be
I really
love all of the harmonies on All Or Nothing but from all of your
favourite artists songs, are there any harmonies that you both
love?
Billy: Um (thinking), there are loads, but Ive just drawn
a blank right now (laughing)!
Charlotte: Me too (laughing)! I guess a lot of pop stuff really,
like Kylie Minogue
Billy: Yeah Wow I mean that is amazing!
Charlotte: Yeah, and other female artists as well, like Madonna
and Nelly Furtado, just like the layering of vocals on certain parts
of those tracks. For me anyway, thats what Id say I find
interesting.
Billy: Yeah, theres something and Im going to regret
it, because in 2 hours, Im going to be like, I wish I had
said that song (laughing)! Im just running them through
in my mind right now (long pause + thinking). OK, Ive got one
(singing), Now I'm everyone, now I'm everyone, now I'm everyone
Whats that song (thinking)?
Charlotte: Biffy Clyro Glitter And Trauma?
Billy: No, no, no, its not Glitter And Trauma, but thats
a good one as well oh wheres my iPod gone?
*Billy gets up to look for his iPod, which hes left somewhere
in the dressing room*
Charlotte: With Biffy Clyro, weve always said that having
twins as the rhythm section and as the backing vocals, is just genius
(laughing)!
Billy: Its a genius touch, yeah!
Charlotte: Because theyre obviously so in-tune with each
other (smiling)!
*After much searching, Billy finally locates his iPod*
Billy: There it is, Ive got it! Ill think of the song
literally as I get there though (laughing) I know I will! Its
got to be in the Biffy Clyro playlist for sure
Now Im Everyone.
Charlotte: Now Im Everyone, yeah, yeah!
18.Every fan of The Subways knows that you all adore films, but if you
could have starred in any film, which one would it have been?
Billy: Thats a great question (excitedly)! These are great
questions!
Charlotte: Yeah!
Billy: Wow (laughs heartily)!
Charlotte: I know mine I think
Billy: Go on
Charlotte: Two For The Road and Id be Audrey Hepburn (big
smile)!
Billy: Thats a brilliant film!
Charlotte: Because I love the study of the relationship between
the two people, and how it had its ups-and-downs throughout the years
Billy: Yeah!
Charlotte: And as well as that, she got to wear so many cool clothes,
so many different fashions to mark the era, so that would be really
fun to do (laughing)!
Billy: Its a glorious film!
Charlotte: Yeah.
Billy: Its a pity I havent got my film collection
in front of me right now (laughing), Im just thinking through
all the films I own
Charlotte: You clearly want to be Batman (laughs heartily)!
Billy: Gangs Of New York by Scorsese and I think Id have
to play Amsterdam
Charlotte: What, Leonardo DiCaprios character?
Billy: Yeah, or I would have liked a shot at Daniel-Day Lewis
character (pausing), I say that, but theres no way that you could
ever top that performance! I just love the period-style and the character
development, I think its great (smiling)!
19.What is your biggest extravagance?
Billy: That MacBook over there (laughing + pointing to his laptop
on the sofa)!
Charlotte: Definitely clothes for me!
Billy: For me, the house (laughs heartily)! Yeah, Im going
to be paying that off for a long time!
Billy & Charlotte: (both laughing)
20.Which non-musician do you think has had the greatest impact on
The Music World?
Billy: OK, wow (long pause + thinking)
I think Bukowski
you know? I think he had and continues to have a huge impact on musicians!
Charlotte: Yeah!
Billy: Or William S. Burroughs Beat Writers are great for
that sort of thing arent they? like Kerouac. Chuck Palahniuk who
wrote Fight Club, I think hes had a really big influence on me
actually, and Aldous Huxley obviously had that influence on Jim Morrison,
because he took the name The Doors from The Doors Of Perception (pausing),
thats not one is it Billy (laughing), its four! Can you
think of any (looking at Charlotte)?
Charlotte: Its a really hard question (thinking), I guess
as a band, we all like film-makers, because we take a lot of inspiration
from films, like Christopher Nolan as a director
Billy: Yeah, Tim Burton the auteurs, we like the auteurs
dont we (looking at Charlotte)?
Charlotte: Yeah!
Billy: The Coen Brothers.
Charlotte: Yeah, yeah, The Coen Brothers actually!
21.Many music magazines now feature a guest columnist discussing
a topic of their choice, but if you were asked to contribute an article
on a subject that interests you, what would you write about?
Billy: The history of religion!
Charlotte: Interesting
Billy: Yeah, I mean I love history and I love the psychology involved
in religion Im a big fan of psychology and biology
all of the ologys (laughing)! And politics and history, that kind
of stuff!
Charlotte: My article would almost be similar, because I was going
to study philosophy at university, so thats something that Im
interested in and it would be great to get back into it again actually
and read up on it, because Ive forgotten since weve been
on tour (laughing). We always used to take philosophers ideas
and apply them to current world issues, so I think thats what
I would write about.
22.Liverpool was recently voted as "England's Most Musical City"
in a national campaign set up by the Arts Council but is this
the city that you would have chosen?
Charlotte: Its a great choice, because obviously it has
so much musical history
Billy: And we recorded Young For Eternity there (laughs heartily)!
Charlotte: And we recorded Young For Eternity there (laughing),
yeah, so weve got ties to it! But there are some great musical
cities, like Glasgow
*I remark that Glasgow was actually named as a United Nations City Of
Music, by the UN cultural body, UNESCO*
Charlotte: Oh was it? Yeah definitely, because there are so many
different bands that have come from there
Billy: Oxford as well I think, because its responsible for
bands like Radiohead and Foals.
Charlotte: Manchester and Cardiff too actually.
Billy: Cardiff, yeah, Future Of The Left one of the greatest
bands ever!
Charlotte: Ive been to Cardiff a lot of times and theres
a really nice communal atmosphere there, like bands who are quite successful,
middle bands and bands who are just starting out, will all hang out
together and theyll help each other out (smiling)!
23.A lot of your songs have memorable guitar riffs, but what do you
think are some of the greatest riffs of all-time, and if you were asked
to submit one track for use in the popular video game Guitar Hero, which
one would you go for?
Billy: (laughs heartily) Thank You for saying that about my guitar
riffs!
Charlotte: Its funny that you should ask that actually,
because on this tour, weve had people singing riffs, rather than
lyrics (laughing)!
Billy: Yeah, I mean thats what I do at Biffy Clyro gigs
(smiling)
Charlotte: Yeah (laughing)!
Billy: Thats what makes them great for me, is that you can
sing along with the guitar lines, because its so musical and thats
what were totally astonished by when we play live, were
like, Wow, this is amazing this is what we do at shows!
(laughing).
Charlotte: Queens Of The Stone Age as well
Billy: Oh (excitedly), Sick Sick Sick I have to say, is just brilliant
(singing riff)! Or No One Knows or Threes And Sevens (singing riff).
Biffy Clyro Joy.Discovery.Invention. or Bodies In Flight. Future
Of The Left Small Bones Small Bodies or Plague Of Onces
God, there are loads arent there (laughing)?
Charlotte: Yeah.
Billy: Death Cab For Cutie Soul Meets Body, the chorus
part!
Charlotte: I was going to say that one actually!
Billy: And the title track on We Have The Facts And We're Voting
Yes by Death Cab For Cutie as well its probably one of
the most subtle, brilliant, melodic, dynamic and glorious guitar lines
ever! I mean everytime I play it, someone turns their head and says,
What the hells that!?! Its transcendental
everyone realises how good it is! Wow, these are great questions man
(laughing)!
Charlotte: Yeah, theyre great!
Billy: What other riffs can I think of (long pause + thinking)?
Supermassive Black Hole by Muse.
Charlotte: Oh yeah (excitedly), Muse have loads of great riffs!
Billy: That song was ringing in the back of my head (laughing)!
*I say that when Muse played in Brazil, fans sang all of the guitar
parts instead of the lyrics*
Charlotte: Really (excitedly)!?! Thats amazing (smiling)!
Billy: Brilliant! Its universal isnt it?
Charlotte: You can totally see that happening though! You also
asked us which song of ours we would submit to Guitar Hero didnt
you?
Billy & Charlotte: Girls & Boys (in unison)!
24.Which guitar brand / manufacturer would you most like to have
an endorsement deal with?
Billy: Gibson (without any hesitation), yeah! I need more Gibson
guitars (laughs heartily)!
*I joke that theyll be on the phone after reading this interview*
Charlotte: (laughing)
Billy: Fingers crossed, yeah (laughing)!
25.Do you have any unreleased tracks that you all still feel have a
lot of potential, and which could perhaps one day make it on to a Subways
album or even a rarities collection?
Billy: Absolutely!
Charlotte: There are loads we have so many leftovers! And
there are some that weve never even recorded properly either,
which we could perhaps do what we did with Oh Yeah, like piece them
together with new ideas and stuff.
Billy: Yeah! There are a bunch of songs which weve all probably
forgotten about, but if we reworked them, theyd probably be some
of the best stuff weve ever done!
26.Continuing with this train of thought, of all your songs to date,
are there any that you now think of as great lost singles?
Billy: Yeah, we always thought Mary should have been a single
off our first record!
Charlotte: Yeah and I Want To Hear What You Have Got To Say, gets
a single reaction now doesnt it (looking at Billy)?
Billy: Yeah, we wanted to put Mary out as a Double A-side single
though
Charlotte: But it never quite worked out.
27.There is a realisation amongst nearly every artist, in that they
can never be completely content there will always be a strong
desire to create. Do you also share this feeling?
Billy: Yes (without any hesitation)!
Charlotte: Completely! And I was thinking about this the other
day, theres always something like youre always needing
to write a better song, youre always needing to do a better show,
theres always something to strive for, youre never done
I dont think
ever (laughing)!
Billy: Someone was asking me about this the other day and they
were saying, Have you achieved your goals? And I was like,
Well no, Im still growing and Im still learning from
my mistakes Im still not the good guy that I really want
to be and thats what my songs are about, theyre self-analysis
and realising my mistakes and wanting to learn from them. So I still
think Ive got a huge, really long way to go (laughing)! I mean
my songs draw upon my negative neurosis and my insecurities and my wants
and my needs and my dreams and my aspirations. So, Im still heavily
unfulfilled, but Im glad about that (smiling), because Im
only 23 (laughing)!
Charlotte: Yeah (laughing)!
Billy: I dont want to be fulfilled, because I would be purposeless
and that would be awful!
Charlotte: Yeah, its the same for me, there are so many
things that I still want to achieve (smiling)!
28.Lastly, if you had to place 5 Subways songs in a time-capsule
for future generations to hear, what would they be?
Charlotte: Oh God
Billy: Wow! I think Im going to pick 2 from the first record
and 3 from the second.
Charlotte: Yeah, I agree with that.
*I mention that if it helps, Billy and Charlotte can choose their 5
songs individually*
Billy & Charlotte: Oh, OK (excitedly)!
Billy: Well for me
Charlotte: It will be interesting to see what Billy says.
Billy: From the first record, Im going to choose (thinking)
Mary and With You. And off the second record Im going to choose,
Girls & Boys (long pause + thinking), Strawberry Blonde and Lost
Boy.
Charlotte: Ooh, were very, very similar actually (laughing)
Billy: Ahh, damn it (laughing)!
Charlotte: Off the first record, I Want To Hear What You Have
Got To Say.
Billy: Good choice!
Charlotte: And With You as well. Second record, Girls & Boys,
Strawberry Blonde and Shake! Shake!
Billy: Good choices!
Charlotte: Were very close (laughing)!
Billy: I Wont Let You Down?
Charlotte: I was going to say I Wont Let You Down or Shake!
Shake!, but I decided to go with Shake! Shake! (laughing).
*After our interview has finished, Billy and Charlotte very kindly sign
my All Or Nothing album and singles, and Billy says how Charlottes
Mum has every Subways record ever released on display in the hallway
of her home! I think The Subways are such a great band and its
always a great joy speaking to them hope we can do it all over
again very soon*
A very special thanks to Billy and Charlotte, to
The Subways Tour Manager Steve, and to James @ Pomona, for all
of their time and help.
Bristol Set List
Kalifornia
Young For Eternity
Oh Yeah
All Or Nothing
Alright
Mary
Always Tomorrow
Shake! Shake!
I Wont Let You Down
I Want To Hear
Turnaround
With You
This Is The Club
Strawberry Blonde
Girls & Boys
Rock n Roll Queen
www.thesubways.net
www.myspace.com/thesubways
The world is always some kind of daydream
Another message that they just don't see
|