Some things cannot be allowed to remain unchallenged. They are such an affront to sense -common or otherwise – that reasonable human beings everywhere will feel compelled to storm their local shopping centre in search of a six-pack of gauntlets so that these may be thrown down to the floor with a vigour and passion usually reserved for warfare. I, for one, am presently writing with gauntlet clasped firmly in hand which, whilst seriously impeding my ability to type, will give you a fair indication of how hopelessly outraged I am. My only wish is that I will shortly catch the eye of my antagonist so that the gauntlet tossing may commence in earnest.
Some things cannot be allowed to remain unchallenged. They are such an affront to sense -common or otherwise – that reasonable human beings everywhere will feel compelled to storm their local shopping centre in search of a six-pack of gauntlets so that these may be thrown down to the floor with a vigour and passion usually reserved for warfare. I, for one, am presently writing with gauntlet clasped firmly in hand which, whilst seriously impeding my ability to type, will give you a fair indication of how hopelessly outraged I am. My only wish is that I will shortly catch the eye of my antagonist so that the gauntlet tossing may commence in earnest.
Imagine this. You’re a band. You toil for years to build up a following in your native Canada, tour relentlessly and make nearly a dozen trips to places like Australia in order to sate the appetite of hungry fans, eager to sample the delights of your musical buffet. This melodious feast only ends after that most acute case of creative indigestion better known as ‘musical differences.’ (Incidentally, I long to live in a world where ‘musical differences’ can be given as a reason for everything from resigning to failing to take the rubbish out.)
Having gone their separate ways in 2005, they find the number of hits to their website has increased exponentially. What could explain such a renewed surge of interest? Perhaps the general public only now appreciates the depths of your artistic genius. Doubtless that would be great in terms of moving a few units of a back catalogue that is presently occupying the best part of somebody’s garage. Maybe a song has been selected for the soundtrack of large Hollywood motion picture and an invite to next year’s Oscars is as good as in the mail? Or perhaps even a freak radio hit? Sadly, the answer to all these questions is ‘no’.
‘The Tea Party’ formed in 1990. They could never have known that years later an archly conservative political movement which famously counts a moose-worrying Alaskan amongst its supporters would claim the name as their own and make a lot of far less musical noise. The band were best known for mixing rock music with what they call ‘middle eastern influences’ resulting in some referring to their music as ‘Moroccan Roll’. Whilst this sounds like something you ought to be able to order from your local bakery, in practical terms, it meant crashing drums, crushing guitars and a singer who wailed as if he just sat at the wrong end of a swordfish. In my opinion, they tended towards overdoing things on the ‘angst’ front from time to time.
When supporters of a conservative political movement also prone to setting the controls to ‘angst ridden apoplexy’ type ‘teaparty.com’ into their web-browsers, they are transported to a world not of politics but of rock music with a middle-eastern tinge. This has proved so confusing that the band have, themselves, felt a duty to explain the site by adding the words: ‘no politics, just rock and roll’. In spite of their best efforts to be helpful, it hasn’t stopped newspapers from sticking the boots in. When reports emerged that the band were considering selling their domain name to the American political movement, they were invariably described as a ‘little known Canadian band.’ What an outrage! There is, quite frankly, no need for that kind of talk. Whilst the music of The Tea Party may not be my cup of tea, they should be entitled to a little respect for their efforts.
‘Same name syndrome’ happens all the time with bands, but almost always with other musical groups. You struggle for weeks to come up with a half-decent name only to discover that some bunch of no hopers not only thought of it first, but already have a record out. It often results in one demanding the other give up the name unless, of course, the success of one band simply overshadows the other. Suffice to say, in the 1960s there was a psychedelic pop group named ‘Nirvana’ that are largely unremembered. Sometimes though, one group may be forced to back down and make a minor adjustment to avoid confusion. Thus British group ‘Squeeze’ became ‘UK Squeeze’ because of a band in Sydney. Jack White’s ‘The Raconteurs’ on the other hand, are known as ‘The Saboteurs’ only in Australia after a band of the same name in Queensland declined to surrender it.
Personally, I hope that The Tea Party (band) makes a squillion from The Tea Party (not very musical at all). That would go some way to assuaging the pain that comes from having someone describe you as ‘little known.’ Otherwise, like any band worth their salt, pepper and Moroccan five-spice, they should throw down the gauntlet and demand that the other bunch of jokers change their name. The political movement could, of course, call themselves ‘The US Tea Party’. If that didn’t take their fancy, perhaps they could call themselves ‘The Saboteurs’ except, of course, in Australia. Granted, for a political movement to change its name would be a difficult decision, one filled with a great deal of angst. There is, at least, a band in Canada that is more than qualified to provide an appropriate soundtrack. Then again, if it all gets too hard the US political movement may end up fracturing or even breaking up. If so, the only reason they need give is ‘musical differences.’