The Subways

The Subways are an indie rock band from Welwyn Garden City, United Kingdom. The group forms in 2003 and remains active with Billy Lunn, Charlotte Cooper and Josh Morgan as its members. It starts out as a teenage band playing together in Billy and Josh’s lounge under the name Mustardseed, before changing its name to Platypus and then to The Subways.

Early development

In its early period, the band plays Nirvana and punk songs, builds a following around the London circuit, and records a steady flow of demos and EPs. Unable to afford regular studio time, it sets up a home recording system and uses it to make songs available online and to send recordings to local and London promoters. Billy Lunn also builds and maintains the band’s website. An early live CD is recorded at The Square in Harlow, Essex and sold at gigs.

The name The Subways comes from Billy Lunn’s association of the idea of a subway with escape and freedom in Welwyn Garden City. During this period, he also develops a closer relationship with Charlotte Cooper.

Breakthrough and recordings

The band wins an unsigned bands competition connected to Glastonbury and plays the Other Stage there, which leads to further festival and touring opportunities. It performs at Reading and Leeds in 2004 and then undertakes a self-funded UK tour of 35 dates.

The Subways sign to City Pavement & Infectious Records in late 2004. Their debut album, Young For Eternity, is produced by Lightning Seeds frontman Ian Broudie and follows with the single “Oh Yeah”, which reaches number 25 in the UK chart. The late John Peel is the first DJ to play “1am” on national radio.

Later releases and performances

The group’s second album, All Or Nothing, follows in 2008. Its first single is “Alright”, and “Girls & Boys” is made available as a free download from the band’s website.

The Subways also appear on television, performing “Rock & Roll Queen” and “Oh Yeah” in The O.C., and some of their songs, including “She Sun” and “Rock & Roll Queen”, are used in Rimmel cosmetics adverts featuring Kate Moss. They tour North America with Taking Back Sunday and Angels & Airwaves, and also perform on Late Night with Conan O’Brien, The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson, Lollapalooza, Street Scene, Reading and Leeds, and Ripcurl Boardmasters Unleashed.

Line-up and live activity

Billy Lunn handles guitars and vocals, Charlotte Cooper plays bass and sings, and Josh Morgan plays drums. In 2006 the band postpones touring because Billy Lunn has nodules on his vocal chords, then plays a secret home-town gig at The Green Room in Welwyn Garden City under the name The Audrey Hepburns. It also supports Foo Fighters in Manchester.