The Subways bassist Charlotte Cooper explains to Tim Hughes that even after a decade of success, life in the rock & roll fast lane is not as glittering as it seems

For one of indie-rock’s hottest stars, Charlotte Cooper is refreshingly down to earth.

Which is why I caught up with the Subways bassist not in some plush West End restaurant or trendy bar but armed with a bag of washing and a handful of coins outside a launderette.

“This is the reality of touring,” she laughs. “So it’s just me and a plastic sack!”

She’s in a hurry, with the band waiting to soundcheck before tonight’s show, part of a 23-date UK tour which tomorrow reaches Oxford’s O2 Academy. “I know the venue as the Zodiac,” she says. “So it will be good to go back there and see some familiar faces.”

It’s a relentless schedule which follows a busy touring schedule in Europe – where they are, if anything, even bigger than they are here.

Early next year they are back on the road with a 40-date European tour across 16 countries.

“It’s been really cool,” says Charlotte, who has also made a name for herself as a competitive triathlete. “Touring has been so much fun. It’s been a long time since we’ve done this many dates, and it’s great to be back in the UK playing packed venues. It’s crazy!”

The current series of largely sold-out gigs precedes the launch of their fourth studio album, called, quite reasonably, The Subways.

SInce their earliest days hanging round in the underpass (hence the name) in their home town of Welwyn Garden City, Charlotte, 28, and guitarist and former boyfriend Billy Lunn, 30, have acquired a loyal following for their punchy and uncompromising post-grunge indie guitar rock.

Starting life in 2000 they began by playing venues around the Home Counties and London, recording their own demos, but earned their break in 2004 when they were picked by Glastonbury’s Michael Eavis to play the festival’s second stage after winning his unsigned talent competition. They also played Reading and Leeds festivals, and released their first single, At 1am, the same year. Despite just 500 copies being released, the song was picked up and first played on national radio by one John Peel.

Their debut album, Young for Eternity, produced by Lightning Seeds frontman Ian Broudie, was released the following year along with their proper debut single, Oh Yeah – which reached 25 in the charts on the week of its release. Three more singles, Rock & Roll Queen, With You and No Goodbyes, all made the top 30.

A couple for eight years, Charlotte and Billy are now content to just be bandmates.

“We just realised we are better off as friends,” she says. “It was a difficult thing to have to go through, but we felt we couldn’t lose the band as well – that would have meant losing absolutely everything.”

Looking back over the decade, what has changed? “I think the obvious thing is we have changed,” she says.

“We’ve grown up a lot. I was 18, fresh out of school, starry-eyed and, when I look back, quite naive.

“At the time we thought we knew it all. But it’s nice to see what we did. I feel lucky to have had the opportunities we’ve had.”

In a departure from their previous albums, their latest effort is produced and mixed by Billy – with the intention of capturing the energy of their live shows.

“Billy has taken over production,” says Charlottte. “It’s something he’s always been interested in and he’s always done demos. So for him to be able to do this now is incredible.”

But she insists The Subways, who also feature drummer Josh Morgan, are principally a live band. “We love being on tour as that’s where we thrive. I don’t mind what size venue either, as long as it’s full.”

She adds: “We are a live band in that we release albums to go on tour with – rather than the other way round.”

The Subways’ new album will be released on YFE Records/ Cooking Vinyl with a fan pre-order, available now, on PledgeMusic and iTunes, which gives access to the first six tracks and exclusive updates from the band. Also look out for limited edition and exclusive signed items, bundles and merchandise from pledgemusic.com/projects/ thesubways

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