03-25-2008, 04:39 PM
THE SUBWAYS
THE very existence of the new Subways album, out later in the year, is an achievement in itself. A run of traumatic events that would have seen many call it a day has only served to make the band stronger. After surgery on his vocal cords, Billy Lunn is back touring - now there's no stopping him and even Paul Weller?' been asking for his autograph.
Is it a relief to be playing shows and recording again?
It's a huge weight off my shoulders. After the surgery the doctor said I couldn't talk for three weeks and sing for two months. When we went into a rehearsal studio after the surgery it purged me of all the struggle I'd been through. Playing live again now I just don't know how I coped without it.
So you've rediscovered why you started the band in the first place, then?
Yeah. We find playing in a band a really cathartic thing, a way for us to really express ourselves. My brother Josh, the drummer, has got Aspergers syndrome and uses drumming as a way of speaking and communicating. Without the band we were all lacking something.
Did you ever fear you might not be able to make a return to music?
Yeah. The doctor said that if the surgery didn't go well I might never talk again, let alone sing. There were periods before the surgery when we were quaking our boots. I honestly don't know what we would do without the band.
Your second album All Or Nothing is out later in the year. Any signs of it being "the difficult second album" or have things gone to plan?
It completely blows the first record away. Having time away from the band has been a good opportunity for us to gain perspective which a lot of bands don't get when they're caught in that whirlwind of touring and the Press. Plus I can do so much more with my voice now I haven't got the nodules on my vocal cords. It's not just what I sing it's how I sing it.
Butch Vig (Nirvana) produced this album. Has he made much of a difference to your recording process?
Yeah, he's made a huge difference. We went into pre-production before recording and Butch would question us: "What do you want from this song? What are you saying? What do you want to do when you go into this break?" We discovered ourselves and added this sense of delivery and approach. Butch really gave us an edge - he's just a genius and so meticulous with sound.
John Peel was a big factor in you getting your first break, playing your early singles on his show.
When these things happen you don't quite believe it; you don't quite feel worthy, either. It's surreal. While it was happening we just got on with it, it was like "cool man, John Peel likes our music", but now in hindsight it feels very special. It?s like when I met Paul Weller at a festival and he was like "all right, how's it going?" The next thing I know he's coming over with a piece of paper going "Can you sign this piece of paper for my daughter please?" At the time I was just like "Yeah, sure" then I got on the bus to leave and turned to someone and went "Paul Weller just asked for my autograph for his daughter. How crazy is that!?"
It's interesting to see on your MySpace page that you've got a very comprehensive list of films you've been watching on tour. Is this a common feature for the band whilst on the road?
Yeah, especially when we were touring America you have to do something to take your mind off things. I write a journal and we read books and magazines, and watch films. There's no sense in wasting time. We're like sponges. We just want to absorb culture and hear and contest opinions, the best way to do that I suppose is to watch, listen, learn and read.
You achieved success at quite a young age, was this difficult in any way? Yeah it was, at the time we got quite a lot of stick for being so young. It was intense, fun, exciting and there was also a hell of a lot of pressure; playing in front of 40,000 people at 20 years old is crazy. It was amazing though, it's shaped me and made me more aware and given me a lust for life and a sense of reasoning that I don't think I would have got elsewhere. I feel blessed.
The Subways play the Rescue Rooms on Saturday March 29. For tickets call 0115 822 1314.
[source: http://www.thisisnottingham.co.uk/displa...eId=244911 ]
THE very existence of the new Subways album, out later in the year, is an achievement in itself. A run of traumatic events that would have seen many call it a day has only served to make the band stronger. After surgery on his vocal cords, Billy Lunn is back touring - now there's no stopping him and even Paul Weller?' been asking for his autograph.
Is it a relief to be playing shows and recording again?
It's a huge weight off my shoulders. After the surgery the doctor said I couldn't talk for three weeks and sing for two months. When we went into a rehearsal studio after the surgery it purged me of all the struggle I'd been through. Playing live again now I just don't know how I coped without it.
So you've rediscovered why you started the band in the first place, then?
Yeah. We find playing in a band a really cathartic thing, a way for us to really express ourselves. My brother Josh, the drummer, has got Aspergers syndrome and uses drumming as a way of speaking and communicating. Without the band we were all lacking something.
Did you ever fear you might not be able to make a return to music?
Yeah. The doctor said that if the surgery didn't go well I might never talk again, let alone sing. There were periods before the surgery when we were quaking our boots. I honestly don't know what we would do without the band.
Your second album All Or Nothing is out later in the year. Any signs of it being "the difficult second album" or have things gone to plan?
It completely blows the first record away. Having time away from the band has been a good opportunity for us to gain perspective which a lot of bands don't get when they're caught in that whirlwind of touring and the Press. Plus I can do so much more with my voice now I haven't got the nodules on my vocal cords. It's not just what I sing it's how I sing it.
Butch Vig (Nirvana) produced this album. Has he made much of a difference to your recording process?
Yeah, he's made a huge difference. We went into pre-production before recording and Butch would question us: "What do you want from this song? What are you saying? What do you want to do when you go into this break?" We discovered ourselves and added this sense of delivery and approach. Butch really gave us an edge - he's just a genius and so meticulous with sound.
John Peel was a big factor in you getting your first break, playing your early singles on his show.
When these things happen you don't quite believe it; you don't quite feel worthy, either. It's surreal. While it was happening we just got on with it, it was like "cool man, John Peel likes our music", but now in hindsight it feels very special. It?s like when I met Paul Weller at a festival and he was like "all right, how's it going?" The next thing I know he's coming over with a piece of paper going "Can you sign this piece of paper for my daughter please?" At the time I was just like "Yeah, sure" then I got on the bus to leave and turned to someone and went "Paul Weller just asked for my autograph for his daughter. How crazy is that!?"
It's interesting to see on your MySpace page that you've got a very comprehensive list of films you've been watching on tour. Is this a common feature for the band whilst on the road?
Yeah, especially when we were touring America you have to do something to take your mind off things. I write a journal and we read books and magazines, and watch films. There's no sense in wasting time. We're like sponges. We just want to absorb culture and hear and contest opinions, the best way to do that I suppose is to watch, listen, learn and read.
You achieved success at quite a young age, was this difficult in any way? Yeah it was, at the time we got quite a lot of stick for being so young. It was intense, fun, exciting and there was also a hell of a lot of pressure; playing in front of 40,000 people at 20 years old is crazy. It was amazing though, it's shaped me and made me more aware and given me a lust for life and a sense of reasoning that I don't think I would have got elsewhere. I feel blessed.
The Subways play the Rescue Rooms on Saturday March 29. For tickets call 0115 822 1314.
[source: http://www.thisisnottingham.co.uk/displa...eId=244911 ]