THE TEA PARTY
Source: The Edgefest Magazine, Edgefest 1998

Run Data:
What would your "spice" name be?
Jeff M: Black tea
Stuart: Sorry I don't and won't do endorsements for Old Spice
Jeff B: Chili

Favourite Rock Star move/pose
Jeff M: Spandex split
Stuart: Hendrix and his gum-chewing
Jeff B: Mallets on fire

Best part of your job
Jeff M: Giving pleasure to people
Stuart: Designing props for our comeback tour in the year 2010, The Tea Party Mach 111. It's going to be a replica of the pyramids. The important thing is the dimensions. I wrote it down in this napkin: 36" X 24"
Jeff B: No job

Should fighting be banned from the NHL?
Jeff M: Throw 'em to the lions
Stuart: No, it should be a battle to the death
Jeff B: No


When The Tea Party hit the EDGE stage, you can expect to hear almost everything: Electronic synth sounds, exotic Middle Eastern instruments, soft acoustic textures and-of course!-earthquaking guitar rock.
Since forming The Tea Party in Windsor, Ontario in 1991, Jeff Martin(vocals, guitar), Stuart Chatwood(bass, keyboards) and Jeff Burrows(drums, percussion) have grown from a power-rock trio to committed sonic adventurers. They've journeyed from the solid rock of their eponymous indie debut(1991) and first major-label release, Splendor Solis(1993), to a 31-flavour "Moroccan-roll" instrumental feast, The Edges of Twilight (1995); through an EP featuring six acoustic versions of Twilight songs, Alhambra(1996), to the thoroughly modern loops that propel their latest album, 1997's Transmission.
The techie experimentation on Transmission(which now has sold almost 200,000 copies in Canada) comes as no surprise, since the band has always been so inclined: They released Twilight with a live internet concert and Alhambra was an enhanced CD that featured extensive info and exclusive video footage.
The Tea Party recently completed their fifth tour of Australia, and played an Intimate and Interactive MuchMusic show(and subsequent live video shoot for Transmission's fourth single, "Psychopomp").
Whether Martin is is flailing away at his Les Paul with a bow, or plucking on a Middle Eastern oud, he and The Tea Party are out to drive their audiences crazy.
As Jeff said in his last interview with Chart: "I want to make sure the connection is constant with the audience. I don't want to hurt anyone, but I definitely want to invoke frenzy in an audience. I want them to lose it."
You've been warned.

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