Raucous Folk-Ska that will make you jump around
Drawing on a huge range of influences, from Balkan, Folk and Ska to Rock, Metal and Dub (plus plenty in between), festival favourites Mr Tea and the Minions create
incredibly energetic, original music to make you literally dance your socks off!
Despite the name, MTATM are double female fronted and are very much a democracy, not a Mr Tea led dictatorship, as is a common misconception. The band treat the audience as co-conspirators and every show is about collectively having the best time possible, with MTATM contributing incredible amounts of energy, dancing wildly and most importantly having amazing fun doing it!
As well as playing the most fun songs from their 2 LP’s ‘Tea Your Mind’ and ‘Mutiny,’
the band have explored new ground with lots of new exciting original tunes that have been going down a storm at their extravagantly colourful, theatrical live
performances.
With hundreds of UK festival appearances including Glastonbury, Boomtown,
Shambala, WOMAD, Beautiful Days, Northside (Denmark) and Goulash (Croatia) to
name just a few, Mr Tea and the Minions always play (in the words of The Independent) "a bouncing set - it’s impossible not to get involved.”
ROTHER STREET ARTS HOUSE JUNE 13
MR TEA & THE MINIONS
WE CHATTED TO MR TEA & THE MINONS TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THEIR SOUND AND INFLUENCES
LISTEN TO THE FULL PLAYLIST
WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO GET INTO MUSIC?
Hearing Nirvana’s Smells Like Teen Spirit as a 13 year old set off a huge spark that has never gone out!
NIRVANA - SMELLS LIKE TEEN SPIRIT
WHAT SONG REMINDS YOU OF HOME?
Ooh so many, I’m going to go with Flogging Molly - I remember listening to that a lot with friends growing up, straight away that takes my mind back to sitting in Vivary Park in Taunton in the sun
FLOGGING MOLLY - DRUNKEN LULLABIES
WHO WERE YOUR MUSIC INFLUENCES GROWING UP?
Following on from Nirvana it was a lot of rock and metal! As a band we draw on a very wide range of influences but all of us collectively were into System of a Down, Rage Against the Machine and Radiohead. There are no arguments when they come on in the van! A little later Gogol Bordello became a huge influence.
SYSTEM OF A DOWN - RADIO/VIDEO
HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR SOUND?
As a band we’ve always embraced mixing as many different high energy genres as possible, but with a strong Balkan/Gypsy Folk influence! As mentioned before we’ve embraced our collective love for System of a Down and Rage and brought a lot more of that in recently. Very different vocal styles to our wonderful vocalists but let’s go for some Gogol Bordello, as referenced earlier!
GOGO BORDELLO - NOT A CRIME
WHAT TRACK HAVE YOU BEEN LISTENING TO LATELY?
First one that comes to my head is The Scratch - Another Round! Keeps coming into my head whenever putting music on, what a tune
THE SCRATCH - ANOTHER ROUND
WHAT IS AN UNDERRATED SONG THAT MORE PEOPLE SHOULD HEAR?
Depends on your view of lesser known, but a huge huge influence of ours is our Bristol chums Sheelanagig
SHEELANAGIG - A SAUCE TOO FAR
WHAT'S A SONG YOU WISH YOU HAD WRITTEN?
Hmmm interesting one! I don’t really think like that because everyone’s writing style is unique, but lets go for another of our big early day influences from our beloved Bristol, The Carny Villains.
THE CARNY VILLIANS - THE TRIAL OF HENRY JONES
WHAT TRACK CAPTURES YOUR MOOD ON TOUR?
Haha great question! Let’s go with a nice mad tune from an album we very regularly listen to when brain dead after a busy weekend by the wonderful Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band!
BONZO DOG BAND - HUNTING TIGERS
IF YOUR MUSIC WAS A SOUNDTRACK - WHAT FILM WOULD IT BE?
Hahaha ummmm would have to be pretty mad! Let’s go with the genius Balkan comedy by Emir Kusturica called Black Cat White Cat!
DR NELE KARAJILIC - BUBAMARA (SUNCOKRET)
WHICH IS YOUR FAVOURITE SONG YOU'VE WRITTEN?
Oooh so tough, choosing between babies and all that haha! Let’s go for Make a Change
MR TEA & THE MINIONS - MAKE A CHANGE