Buick 6 was a British alternative country band formed in Birmingham in the late 1990s and quickly became a popular live band associated with the burgeoning alternative country movement. The original line-up, consisting of Craig Hamilton, Anna Russell, Jez Ince, James Summerfield and Nick Wilkinson released two singles on Winnebago Records. After replacing Wilkinson with former Novak drummer Phil Robinson, the band recorded a John Peel session before being forced to change their name following legal threats from an Irish band of the same name.
The band, now known as "The Toques", went on to record another Peel Session which consisted of covers of four songs and had several close shaves with major labels through a development deal with Sanctuary Records Group which ultimately didn't work out for either party.
Ayrshire-born singer-songwriter Cam Docherty, 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 in 2004. The band changed their name to "Friends of the Stars" to draw a line under their underwhelming brush with the corporate music business.
Links to Peel[]
Peel discovered the band in 2001, where he played their debut single on his shows. So impressed with them, that he invited the band to do a session for his show in late 2001, which got first broadcast in January 2002. He also invited the band to do another session in 2002, where they were called The Toques after they were forced to change their name due to legal threats from another band of the same name. The name change did not lead to any interest from major record labels and soon later, the band changed their name to Friends Of The Stars.
Sessions[]
1. Recorded: 2001-12-02. First Broadcast: 22 January 2002
- Back Roads / The Mightiest / Standing In The Way / 35 Days / Brand New Morning
- Toques
1. Recorded: 2002-08-18. First Broadcast: 24 September 2002
- Jealous Again / In My Time Of Dying / Louise / Out There
Other Shows Played[]
- Buick 6
- 21 November 2001: Drunk On My Porch (single) Winnebego
- 22 November 2001 (Radio Eins): 'Southern Trail' (7" b-side) Winnebego
- 01 January 2002: 'Southern Trail' (7" b-side) Winnebego