Six by Seven, formed in 1992 in Nottingham, England, began as Friends Of… before adopting the name Six by Seven in 1996, inspired by Hubble Space Telescope research. The original lineup of Chris Olley (vocals, guitar), Sam Hempton (guitar), Chris Davis (drums), Paul Douglas (bass) and James Flower (keyboards) performed their first show at the Old Angel pub. Their debut single "European Me" (1997) secured a five‑album deal, leading to the release of The Things We Make (1998). The band toured with Ash, Manic Street Preachers, The Dandy Warhols and Placebo, and appeared on the John Peel Show in 1998. Subsequent albums—The Closer You Get (2000), The Way I Feel Today (2002), 04 (2004), Artists Cannibals Poets Thieves (2005), If Symptoms Persist, Kill Your Doctor (2007)—were issued on independent labels, with The Way I Feel Today reaching UK number 69. After a brief split in 2008, Chris Olley and James Flower re‑formed the group in 2012, adding former Placebo drummer Steve Hewitt, and released Love And Peace And Sympathy (2013). The band performed at Glastonbury in 2019, and their discography remains a notable contribution to UK alternative rock.
