Six By Seven

Six By Seven

Six By Seven are a Nottingham, United Kingdom rock band formed in 1996. Their sound combines space rock with elements of krautrock, punk, indie rock, alternative rock and neo-psychedelia, using drones, propulsive rhythms and dense washes of noise. The group is active from 1996 to the present and has released material through Fierce Panda Records and Mantra Recordings.

Style and approach

The band stands out for a textured and abrasive sound, with an unusual use of saxophone for atmosphere. Sam Hempton also plays guitar with a drumstick rather than a plectrum, adding to the group’s distinctive approach. Their songwriting is described as spontaneous, with some songs written on the day of recording and others developed from brief acoustic guitar and drum machine sketches.

Name and early recognition

The name Six By Seven comes from the research connected with the Hubble telescope and a theory about the expansion of the universe. The group attracts early attention from the British music press, with the NME describing the debut single European Me as possibly the greatest debut single ever. Despite this, the band does not achieve major commercial success.

Releases and activity

Six By Seven release six albums, along with several compilations of studio outtakes and live performances. In 2008, the band works on what would have been a seventh full-length album, but splits before it is completed; demos from those sessions are made available on the band’s official website. The group reforms in 2013 with a changed line-up, including former Placebo drummer Steve Hewitt, then resumes touring and records Love and Peace and Sympathy.

Members

The band’s members include Chris Olley, Sam Hempton, Paul Douglas, Chris Davis, Ady Fletcher, Tony “Doggen” Foster, Ian Bissett, Pete Stevenson, Steve Hewitt, James Flower and Martin Cooper.