The Tea Party (band)
| Company type | Rock band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1990 |
| Founder | Jeff Martin, Stuart Chatwood, Jeff Burrows |
| Defunct | 2005 (hiatus) |
| Fate | Reunited in 2011 |
| Headquarters | Toronto , Canada |
Area served | Canada, Australia, Europe |
| Products | Music albums, live performances |
Number of employees | 3 (band members) |
| Website | teaparty |
The Tea Party is a Canadian rock ensemble that was active from the 1990s until 2005 before reuniting in 2011. Throughout their career, they produced eight albums under EMI Music Canada, achieving global sales exceeding three million copies. Their discography includes four double-platinum, one platinum, and four gold certifications within Canada. From 1996 to 2016, The Tea Party ranked as the 35th highest-selling Canadian artist domestically.
The group completed 21 tours across Canada and made twelve trips to Australia. In 2002, they embarked on a unique Canadian tour accompanied by symphony orchestras, offering new interpretations of a decade's worth of their compositions. After parting ways in 2005 due to creative disagreements, the band reunited in 2011 and has been active with Canadian tours since then.
Following their reunion, they released a double live album recorded during their 2012 Australian tour, along with the concert film The Tea Party: Live from Australia (2013). September 2014 saw the release of The Ocean at the End, followed by a deluxe reissue of The Edges of Twilight in 2015. Their most recent work is the Black River EP (2019).
Early years (1990–1995)
Established in 1990 by Jeff Martin, Stuart Chatwood, and Jeff Burrows following a jam session in Toronto, The Tea Party members had previously played together in various Windsor, Ontario bands. The band's name alludes to the hash-smoking gatherings of Beat Generation poets such as Allen Ginsberg and Jack Kerouac.
Their independently produced debut album, The Tea Party (1991), combined elements of psychedelic rock and blues. After signing with EMI Music Canada in 1993, they released Splendor Solis, which introduced Indian-inspired instrumentation through open guitar tunings and the use of goblet drums—a signature sound throughout their career. The album’s Australian release in 1994 featured the single "Save Me", which received extensive airplay on Triple J radio and helped establish their touring presence there.
Success (1995–2000)
The 1995 album The Edges of Twilight broadened The Tea Party’s sonic palette by incorporating Indian and Middle Eastern instruments. The third single, "Sister Awake," exemplifies their blend of three-piece rock with global musical influences, featuring instruments such as the 12-string guitar, sitar, sarod, harmonium, and goblet drums. This record became their highest-selling release, moving over 270,000 copies and earning double platinum status in Canada alongside platinum certification in Australia.
In 1996, The Tea Party made history as the first Canadian band to headline Lollapalooza’s main stage. After touring extensively throughout Canada, Europe, and Australia, they issued Alhambra, an enhanced CD containing acoustic renditions from The Edges of Twilight, supported by their "Alhambra Acoustic and Eclectic" tour across Canada. English folk artist Roy Harper contributed both poetry and vocals to tracks on The Edges of Twilight and Alhambra.
Their 1997 release Transmission marked a shift toward industrial rock by combining intense compositions with sampled world music elements. This period coincided with internal difficulties including management transitions and strained relationships with their record label. Singles such as "Temptation" reflected this stylistic evolution.
With Triptych (1999), the band adopted a more orchestral approach that departed from their blues origins; its lead single "Heaven Coming Down" reached number one on Canadian radio charts. During the Triptych tour, they released their inaugural live album, Live at the Enmore Theatre, via Australian station Triple J. Later that year, they toured western Canada alongside Edwin.
Later years (2000–2005)
In 2000, The Tea Party released the singles compilation Tangents: The Tea Party Collection and earned a Juno nomination for Best Musical Group. The following year, they issued a DVD collection of remixed music videos titled Illuminations, which was recorded at Metalworks Studios in Mississauga, Ontario. Later in 2001, the band unveiled The Interzone Mantras, also produced at Metalworks.
By November 2002, The Tea Party had modified their live performances to incorporate symphony orchestras throughout Canada. Their 2004 release, Seven Circles, marked a continuation of the refined sound reintroduced on The Interzone Mantras.
In October 2005, The Tea Party disbanded due to creative disagreements, with frontman Martin announcing his solo pursuits. Stuart Chatwood later expressed remorse about how the breakup was managed and mentioned that he and Jeff Burrows had viewed it more as an extended hiatus.
Post-breakup (2006–2011)
In 2006, Chatwood continued his work composing soundtracks for the Prince of Persia video game series with Ubisoft Montreal.
Burrows worked alongside Rush members Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson on the one-time project known as the Big Dirty Band. Additionally, he hosted a midday radio program on Windsor's The Rock. In 2008, Burrows announced the formation of Crash Karma, collaborating with Edwin, Mike Turner, and Amir Epstein; their debut album was recorded in early 2009.
Martin moved to Ireland and released his first solo album, Exile and the Kingdom, in Canada and Australia in 2006. He toured across Europe, Canada, and Australia, issuing live albums Live in Brisbane 2006 and Live in Dublin during late 2006 and mid-2007 respectively. In August 2008, Martin established The Armada, which disbanded by 2010. Subsequently, he formed Jeff Martin 777; their debut release The Ground Cries Out came out on March 1 in Canada, peaking at No. 51 on the Canadian Albums Chart.
Reunion
On April 12, 2011, an official Facebook page announced plans for select performances that year. The next day, K106.3 confirmed The Tea Party's participation in Sarnia Bayfest; drummer Jeff Burrows later verified this and mentioned an additional Canadian summer tour. The band played several shows across Canada that summer.
During an August 6, 2011 concert in Lévis, the band declared their reunion permanent. Martin stated, "We are the Tea Party and we're here to stay." In December at Montreal's Métropolis, they revealed intentions to record a new album in 2012 and affirmed there would be no further breakups.
On February 22, 2013, The Tea Party announced they had gathered in Australia to compose and record fresh material. On March 19, 2014, via Facebook they disclosed their upcoming album would be titled The Ocean at the End, officially released in Canada on September 8, 2014.
In October 2016, the group embarked on a 30-date anniversary tour celebrating their fourth studio album Transmission, performing it entirely along with their greatest hits to mark its twentieth anniversary.
To promote their Black River EP, The Tea Party released singles "Black River" in November 2018 and "Way Way Down" in June 2019. The EP was issued on November 29, 2019, featuring these tracks alongside three new songs and a cover of a Led Zeppelin classic.
On April 26, 2020, amid global COVID-19 lockdowns, The Tea Party shared a rendition of Joy Division's "Isolation" on YouTube; it became available for digital purchase on July 6. A second cover, Morrissey's "Everyday Is Like Sunday," was released across streaming platforms on May 29.
The band planned a nationwide Saints and Sinners Tour 2020 with Canadian co-headliners Sloan, Headstones, and Moist. However, due to COVID-19 restrictions shuttering live venues, the tour was postponed to November 2021 before ultimately being cancelled as announced via their Twitter account.
Website
In September 2011, Yahoo! revealed that political organizations associated with the Tea Party movement attempted to acquire the band's domain name. Stuart Chatwood commented, "The political movement has caused significant harm to our reputation, prompting us to consider selling (the domain)." Originally obtained by the band in 1993, the domain was valued at over $1 million USD. To clearly separate themselves from political affiliations, the band included the phrase "No politics... Just Rock and Roll" on their website. On 15 October 2011, Sedo announced that they had secured exclusive rights to list the domain for sale on their platform. Nevertheless, a statement posted on the site in February 2012 declared: "The band has not sold teaparty.com."
Musical style
Recognized as a progressive rock group, The Tea Party blends elements of "blues, industrial rock, and psychedelic-infused progressive rock with Middle Eastern sounds." The band refers to their music as "Moroccan-roll." According to Tuonela magazine, their sound is described as "a deeply expressive form of alternative rock, incorporating nuances of grunge alongside influences from oriental music."
Members
- Jeff Martin – vocals, guitar, sitar, sarod, oud, banjo, mandolin, percussion, theremin
- Stuart Chatwood – bass guitar, guitar, keyboards, harmonium, percussion, mandolin, tambura, cello, lap steel guitar
- Jeff Burrows – drums, percussion, djembe, goblet drums, tabla
Discography
- The Tea Party (1991)
- Splendor Solis (1993)
- The Edges of Twilight (1995)
- Transmission (1997)
- Triptych (1999)
- The Interzone Mantras (2001)
- Seven Circles (2004)
- The Ocean at the End (2014)
- Blood Moon Rising (2021)
Awards and nominations
The Tea Party garnered 22 nominations at the MuchMusic Video Awards, securing three People's Choice Awards for Favourite Music Video: two for "The River" and one for "The Bazaar". Director Curtis Wehrfritz received a 1996 Juno Awards nomination for Best Director for "Sister Awake," while "Release" director Ulf Buddensieck won Best Cinematography at the 1998 Juno Awards.
They have been contenders for numerous JUNO awards including categories such as Best Rock Album, Best Group, and Best Single. Globally, the band has sold over three million copies of their records and achieved certifications comprising four Double Platinum, one Platinum, and four Gold albums.
Their latest single "Black River" climbed to #3 on both Active and Mainstream Rock charts and reached the Top 5 on Overall Rock listings.