The Tobacconists are Scott Foust (Idea Fire Company/Swill Radio) and Frans de Waard (Kapotte Muziek/Korm Plastics). In 2005, Frans joined Idea Fire Company on their European tour (as documented on the "Vital - Live In Europe" CD). Four years later, Scott F. returned to Europe to screen his feature film "Here's To Love" and reconnected with Frans to form The Tobacconists. An intensive week of rehearsals yielded six new pieces of music, followed by a European tour and a proper studio recording. These new pieces became "A Secret Place."

"A Secret Place" differs from their first LP by its inclusion of bass guitar, rhythms, and synthesizers. Scott Foust calls himself a "one man Dome (Bruce Gilbert and Graham Lewis' post-Wire project) promotion army" and admirer of Gilbert & Lewis' recorded output of the 1980s, but he's not alone: both Mike and Frans are massive fans too, so they decided this new record should have some of those signature Dome bass lines and general playfulness.