A lively pop-punk outfit that built a loyal Canadian audience, the group first performed under the name Faber. Upon inking a deal with Universal's Republic imprint, they altered the moniker amid concerns about possible copyright conflicts—whether with the American pencil maker or the U.K. publishing firm remains unspecified—yet the choice reflected the surname of frontman Dave Faber. Residing in Mission, the semi-rural Vancouver suburb, Faber earned extra income as a private instructor offering guitar and drum lessons. Three years into teaching, he launched the band in 2004 alongside one of his earliest pupils, drummer Ray "Red" Bull. The lineup was completed by lead guitarist David Hinsley and bassist Jeremy "Krikkit" Liddle. Their demo reached Nickelback producer Joey Moi and his collaborator Brian Howes, who, following the same approach he had taken with Oklahoma City dude-rockers Hinder, joined Faber to co-write the material for the band's first album. Those Nickelback and Hinder ties also secured a management agreement with Hinder's Kevin Zaruk, support slots on Nickelback's Canadian dates, and ultimately a contract with the same label.
Moi and Howes handled production on the debut, Seven Second Surgery, issued in spring 2007. Although it yielded three Top 40 singles, the follow-up can'T keEp A SecrEt surpassed that performance with two Top 10 hits. The third album, Lost In Paradise, appeared in 2012, prompting an extensive tour that ran through the summer and into the following year, covering numerous Canadian cities plus a stop in Singapore.
