The Mad Tea Party (originally Ami Worthen's Mad Tea Party) is an eclectic uke-abilly band based in Asheville, NC. The high energy group was formed by Ami Worthen (vocals, ukulele, and other occasional instruments) and Jason Krekel (guitar, ukulele, slide whistle, kazoo and other assorted items), who performed and recorded as a duo for several years. The duo quickly caught the attention of the indie scene in their hometown. National Public Radio stations across the country began picking up their 2004 album 73% Post-Consumer Novelty. Lora Pendelton joined the band on bass later that year. The trio released Flying Saucers in 2005, also to great response on NPR stations.
Mad Tea Party regularly tours on the southeastern circuit and occasionally opens for Southern Culture on the Skids.
Mad Tea Party's album Big Top Soda Pop came out in October 2006. It was enthusiastically received at college and NPR stations nationwide, and charted on the CMJ’s Top 200. Pendleton left the band at the time of the album's release, and Joe Edel stepped in for a year. The band returned to a duo format in 2008 and soon after signed with Nine Mile Records. Their song "Baby, It's Time to Vote" (from their 2004 album 73% Post-Consumer Novelty) is particularly popular during election years, as well as with high school SGA elections.
Famous quotes containing the words mad, tea and/or party:
“Our father presents an optional set of rhythms and responses for us to connect to. As a second home base, he makes it safer to roam. With him as an ally—a love—it is safer, too, to show that we’re mad when we’re mad at our mother. We can hate and not be abandoned, hate and still love.”
—Judith Viorst (20th century)
“As a rule they will refuse even to sample a foreign dish, they regard such things as garlic and olive oil with disgust, life is unliveable to them unless they have tea and puddings.”
—George Orwell (1903–1950)
“In making the great experiment of governing people by consent rather than by coercion, it is not sufficient that the party in power should have a majority. It is just as necessary that the party in power should never outrage the minority.”
—Walter Lippmann (1889–1974)