Tea Tone is an independent record label, clubnight & podcast, currently based in London Town. 
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Some people have really taken the break-up of Jeeps personally, really man, the band sucked. The orchestras weren't up to scratch when the power went down. I wrote Jeeps On in 200 and fucking 7 & I still can't find a full band who can play the fucking thing, I ain't waiting around for that no more. My only regret is letting down The Drives. The new band is of course called Ellen Terry Court, and you'll see what I mean by all this when you hear the new material. Meanwhile I'm writing some music to lyrics by award winning author Alan Franks for a CD he's collating, preparing for move to Cyprus & working on 6 Love Rivals, all very lush. Wed 1st June 2016 Brand new video from amazing London band The Drives - A real shame Jeeps won't be playing the shows we had booked with The Drives, but there was no way around it, the time had definitely come for me to draw a line under that band and all it stood for. I can't explain it really, I just hit one of my funny rebirth recycles at the start of the year & last week the thing just flipped on me, the page turned. I never completely quit drinking, but slowed down gradually over the past few years, and have now reached the point where only very special occasions can coax me out to raise a glass. Last night was one of these rarities, when a troupe of old-schoolers hit up Harrow on the Hill to give Jet Tea a sending off as he makes his way across the globe to New Zealand to start a new job there. Been recovering in front of the piano today, with a Bob Dylan lyrics book for company. Such an astonishing oeuvre. Never knew before that he wrote "Death Is Not The End" from the Nick Cave Murder Ballads. Or maybe I did. Can no longer remember what I know or have known. Mon 30th May 2016 As you may have seen, I've cancelled all future shows & plans for Jeeps. The band has been going in one form or another for 8 years, and the new material just wasn't suited to the rock band format. There are, of course, a million other uninteresting reasons for the split, but those we'll leave behind to burn up in the wreckage. Much of a 'second album' has been written, with the work in progress title A New Coastline, which I'm starting to demo now for a future project, and will decide further down the line how best to arrange a structure of musicians to present it. I spent a little time in Cyprus recently, my mother is from the mountains above Paphos, and I'm going to back there to dig my fingers deeper into the soil and see what exotic worms might be unearthed. I went bouzouki shopping in Limassol, and found the instrument provided me with scope for espying new sonic territories, and the very weather seems to correspond with my current subatomic circumstances. Gonna start writing here a little more often too, posting demos where appropriate, so stick around if y'like. Wed 11th May 2016 Just before Christmas, Jeeps recorded with producer Myles Clarke at Pete Townshend's boat studio in London Bridge. This new single, with artwork by one of our favourite artists Melinda Matyas, is the result. Also available on iTunes, Bandcamp, Apple Music etc. Click on image for full size artwork, lyrics to the single Fairweather Blue & b-side Rule Them Out are beneath. 
Fairweather Blue He loves to believe I'm past it now The young rise with the old cast down She comes to see me far from friends She's out to feed her cold revenge Oh are you really leaving on moral grounds? Fairweather Blue, would you care to stick around? The portraits that you paint alone The faces you engraved in stone And you know you are heir to the throne In this snow home away from home I'll warn you when I see clouds Can't promise I won't freak out You're heir to the throne in this snow home away from home She strains her eyes to see me sad There's strength in pride and then there's mad Stemmed flood, carry through He claims to feel me slowing down Contrives to conceal those graven frowns in Thames mud Young & true blood loves up & leaving on moral grounds Fairweather Blue, would you care to stick around? Rule Them Out He made a move when you left town, Rule him out. The orchestras weren't up to scratch when the power went down, Rule them out. The talent scout turns round to face the crowd on the sands, Andromeda is Earthbound and, displaced, all the clouds wring their hands, Rule them out. Rule them out, draw a line and breathe a sigh of relief, Given space, clean the place in peace, Then one at a time release Your ties & your greeds, Retrace & embrace your knees. She left her honesty on stun, Rule her out. You've set things straight - Flatline heart-rate - It's like you've just begun, Rule them out. Sat 7th May 2016 Just busy writing writing really. Trip to Cyprus has been delayed a week or so, also gonna do a Balcony TV while we're out there. We've been well off the scene for a month or so but do check out the brilliant new Hawk EP on Spotify/Apple Music: Thu 21st April 2016 My move back to Uxbridge - initially intended as a temporary measure - has been quite the practical, DIY & Springtime clear-out kinda occasion, and it's only now that we've the luxury of stretching that fresh canvas, acquired some months ago, across this crisp geometric wooden frame. There will be a succession of music experiments before we strike the sound for a second Jeeps album, here's the first - a new song called Breadcrumbs. Wed 6th April 2016 Back in the 'bridge for now. Listening to Sad Day For Puppets. Had the privilege of spending a little time with the singer Anna Eklund in Stockholm last week, at good old Pet Sounds Bar where we have a loyalty card now, having drank there every say we spent in town :p Jeeps' single Playwrong and my 2010 solo EP Your Starkself is available for streaming on most services now, dunno why that took me so long to manage! Thu 31st March 2016 This is the brand new single from The Drives - Tue 29th March 2016 This is the first computer I've seen for a while. Been railroading around central Europe, edging Eastward, writing left to right across increasingly empty pages. Looking for Love Rivals. Time, now, to hold the laundry tight against my chest & head down to the basement. This is the brand new Jeeps single - Sat 27th Feb 2016 Jeeps affairs are coming to a head this week with the CD release of Muster Point and the digital release of the Playwrong single. Thereafter I'm gonna head East with a brio, for a spell, and see if I can pen a second record. We've a tour with The Drives scheduled for late May, and then we plan to pop over to the States again and play some full band shows. Mon 8th Feb 2016 This piano was beyond repair so made a desk out of it. Still sounds great when played with a pick :p Thu 4th Feb 2016 Jeeps playing our favourite venue the Railway in Winchester tomorrow evening - Facebook Event Tue 2nd Feb 2016 Popping down to Hayes FM for a live broadcast with Stark Self, I won't be saying much but gonna lend a hand if I can, tune in 9pm GMT if you wanna see how that goes down - HAYES FM Sun 31st Jan 2016 Last day of the first month, and what have you got? Wellnow. Jeeps debut album Muster Point will be available on CD OF ALL CRAZY FORMATS from next Friday, in a beautiful cardboard Digipak designed by Eddie. And I'm trying to get some work making music for TV, as I did once before, hence all these instrumental mixes - Wed 27th Jan 2016 New Jeeps video! - Fri 22nd Jan 2016 Was pretty startled to see Drive Like Jehu on the Primavera Sound line-up this year, I had no idea they had reformed, and bands from that San Diego scene always bring me back to Tanner, a somewhat forgotten band who I love so dear. Found this project I'd not known about, featuring both Gar Wood (Fishwisfe/Tanner/Hot Snakes) & John Reis from Drive Like Jehu - Mon 18th Jan 2016 Sun 17th Jan 2016 This young'n'talented lass Yanna A played our clubnight Veouria in Uxbridge the other week - Sun 10th Jan 2016 The excellent Dirty Palace are playing at the Junction in Harrow tonight if any you local peeps wanna check 'em, otherwise listen this of them - Sun 10th Jan 2016 Ah, fuck it. So Jeeps played with these two fab bands last night, London is fucking happening - And one of the best bands in town, Hawk, were there - And.. I've so much cool stuff to share with you trailblazing stragglers, splish-splash January fingers into our cotton matrix, you big silly so & so times a thousand! I've missed you, come - give us a hug & smile behind my back. Previous |