Before Caroline Kennedy joined Deadstar she played guitar and sang in The Plums, with Shamus Goble on drums, Pete McCracken on bass guitar and Stephen Moffatt on guitar. McFarlane described their sound as "mixed strident guitar riffs with melodic pop roots" and Kennedy as "the band's focal point with her tough-but-graceful presence, opinionated views and emotion-charged, if imperfect, vocals". While a member of Deadstar she also had her own project, The Caroline Kennedy Conspiracy, with Goble and McCracken, joined by Ted Cleaver on guitar. After Deadstar had disbanded in 2001 Kennedy, McCracken and Goble formed The Kicksilvers with McCracken's sister, Jane on bass guitar. In 2002 Kennedy, McCracken and Goble formed The Tulips and they released a country-tinged album, "In the Honeycone" (May 2003).