"You go about your day, you're exactly the same person. But then you read you've sold out so many dates in so many minutes. That's when the penny drops."

Or in the case of Hard-Fi's Richard Archer, several thousand pennies. The band's current tour is a sell-out and included five nights at the Brixton Academy, where they were supported by Billy Bragg, no less.

"We invited this legend to join us and he actually said yes," says Richard, speaking to us from a cab on the way to the Academy.

Another musician of high stature, Graham Coxon, joins them in Brighton: "It's weird having Graham Coxon play, although we don't see him as support. It's more like a mini festival. Boy Kill Boy are playing too, and they're a great band. It's going to be a great way for us all to play to a new audience."

The leap to the Brighton Centre has been made quickly. It was only in November Hard-Fi played Concorde 2. "That was a great gig, amazing," says Richard. "I think it was the last night of the tour and everybody was really up for it."

Hailing from Staines, the band's gritty tales of urban life made their debut album Stars Of CCTV one of the biggest selling of last year.

As well as money and girlfriend woes, they sang of unplanned pregnancies, friends fighting in Iraq and living in young offenders' institutes.

They're due to start recording their second album in September.

"We just try and reflect what's going on around us, while not preaching," says Richard.

"Our worries about the world are still the same - I lost my mum last year, and a relationship of four years ended. People will still be able to relate to our stuff. We're not going to start doing songs about how touring sucks."

Stars Of CCTV was famously recorded in a makeshift studio for £300. Now, with financial support from their label Atlantic, will things sound more polished?

"We haven't said, 'We must make this cheaply or it won't work'. We're going to try lots of different things and record in different places. A lot of it will probably sound s*** but then you'll find something that just works."

The band will then turn their attention Stateside. "The rest of the world is out there and we want to see it. People slate us for being ambitious but we don't care what they think. We might make it, we probably won't - but we'll give it our best shot."

Richard admits the band "have that marzipan effect: You love us or hate us. People have bad-mouthed us and that's why being successful makes me extra happy".

But there is one criticism he cannot stomach.

"We're allowed to slag off Staines, but noone else can.

"It's like people slagging off your school. You can do it but if anyone else does, that's fighting talk."

Doors 6.30pm, tickets £22.50 (Sold out). Call 0870 9009100.