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Friends of the Stars,[1] originally known as Buick 6, formed inBirmingham in the late 1990s and quickly became a popular live band[2] associated with the burgeoningalternative country movement and known for catchy, classic songwriting and soaring three-part vocal harmonies. The original line-up, consisting of Craig Hamilton,[3] Anna Russell,[4] Jez Ince, James Summerfield and Nick Wilkinson released two singles on Winnebago Records. After replacing Wilkinson with former Novak[5] drummer Phil Robinson, the band recorded aJohn Peel session before being forced to change their name following legal threats from an Irish band of the same name.[citation needed]
The band, now known as "The Tocques", went on to record anotherPeel Session[6] and had several close shaves with major labels through a development deal withSanctuary Records Group which ultimately didn't work out for either party.[citation needed]
Ayrshire-born singer-songwriter Cam Docherty,[7] who had played with the band on their second Peel Session and at numerous gigs, joined permanently on lead guitar to replace Summerfield who left to pursue a solo career[8] in 2004. The band changed their name to "Friends of the Stars"[9] to draw a line under their underwhelming brush with the corporate music business.
With a new do-it-yourself ethic and renewed sense of purpose, the band began producing their own recordings and released debut albumLighting and Electrical on Commercially Inviable Records in 2007.[10] Follow-up albumFaith's Meat Kiosk is due for release on the same label on 23 April 2012. Both albums were mixed by Beth McGowan.[citation needed]
Jez Ince stopped working with the band due to family commitments in 2005 and was replaced on bass by Rachael Dobbie in 2008.[citation needed]