TEA (Marc Storace first band) – TEA [remastered reissue] (1974)

With the recent Storace new album release, one of you asked for Marc Storace’s first band before joining Krokus for world-wide fame. The band was named TEA, achieved a strong popularity all over Europe – TEA was first band from Switzerland to tour Britain – and released 3 studio albums.
All are good and different, we choose TEA’s first, self-titled 1974 LP “TEA” to feature here simply because it’s the most raw, unadulterated in style & sound > in the next 2 LP’s the band inevitably absorbed various influences.
“TEA” (the album) was produced by famous Dieter Dierks, who also helped the band with some arrangements. Musically, this is progressive rock with an edge, very very early Seventies with that primal, from the guts rock n’ roll spirit, mellotron, vivid guitars, etc. Marc Storace showcase his distinctive pipes here, more melodic than the grit we knew from him later in Krokus.

TEA was born out of a jam session in 1971 when founding members Turo Pashayan (ex-Sauterelles) on bass and vocals, Roli Eggli (ex-Fact, Alaska Range [3]) on drums and Armand Volker (ex-New Hue, Tusk) on guitar first got together. Taking the first initial of each of the founders’ names, they named their band TEA.
They toured Switzerland, Germany and the Netherlands and started to establish a name for themselves. In 1972, Maltese-born singer Marc Storace, who had previously fronted Swiss band Deaf, joined the trio. TEA then toured extensively in Switzerland and France.

In 1973, it was rare for Swiss rock bands to get exposure on television, however TEA showcased their talents on the Swiss TV Show “Hits-A-Gogo”. In the summer of 1973 the band toured Italy extensively, including five concerts in Florence at the Space Electronic Club. The highlight of the tour was headlining an 8,000 capacity festival in Naples.
Later that year, keyboardist Philippe Kienholz (ex-New Hue, Tusk) joined TEA to complete the line-up. Shortly thereafter, the band signed a contract with Phonogram’s progressive imprint, Vertigo.
Towards the end of 1973, the band recorded their first album in Dieter Dierks’ recording studios in Stommeln, Germany.

In support of the album, TEA joined Queen as “special guests” on their first European tour and concerts all over Europe followed. Swiss music magazine POP and their readers voted TEA that year’s “Best Group” and individually voted each member of the band as the best in their instrumental or vocal category. The album was voted “Best Album of the Year”.

In 1975 their second album, The Ship, was released along with the single “Summer in the City”, a cover of The Lovin’ Spoonful song. The band also signed a distribution deal in the U.S.; however, before this materialized, the label went out of business.
TEA would open up for Status Quo in their native Switzerland in early ’75 and toured Europe, including Germany, where they toured as “special guests” with Nazareth. They also embarked on a UK tour, the first Swiss rock band to do so, as “special guests” of the Baker Gurvitz Army playing 23 dates in front of a total audience of 45,000.

Leading music magazine Melody Maker wrote in their November 8, 1975 edition: “…fans surprised by the power and energy of TEA, first band from Switzerland to tour Britain. Reports MM’s Bob Ellis from London: “I got the same buzz from them I had when I first saw Led Zeppelin. They came on to boooo’s and shouts of “Get back to Switzerland” and after the second number nobody could believe how good they were.”
Consequently, POP and their readers voted TEA “Best Group” for a second consecutive year and each musician in their respective instrument category also #1 with the exception of keyboardist Philippe Kienholz, who earned #2 place. The Ship was also voted as “Best Album of the Year 1975”.

In 1976, Swiss TV invited TEA to play as part of their “Rock Over Switzerland” broadcast. TEA performed “Through Scarlet” from their 1975 release ‘The Ship’. There were hardly any TV show opportunities for Swiss rock artists, however TEA clearly established themselves as #1 Swiss rock band.
After the previous year’s UK tour, TEA returned to Britain, this time headlining over 24 shows, including the legendary Marquee Club in London. In 1976, the third TEA album, ‘Tax Exile’, was released along with the single “Alexandra”. Tours in support of the new album followed through Switzerland, Germany and Italy and at the end of the year, TEA played four concerts in Malta, Storace’s country of origin.

In 1977, TEA played their last concert in Switzerland. Volker became a successful producer and owned a recording studio near Munich. Kienholz and Pashayan worked on solo projects, Eggli founded his own company, and Storace moved to London to form a band called Eazy Money who would contribute “Telephone Man” to the Metal For Muthas Volume II: Cut Loud compilation.
In 1979, Storace joined Krokus, who had supported TEA on their final tour of Switzerland, after he received a call from bassist Chris von Rohr who told him they were looking for a new singer and invited Marc for a weekend jam in Switzerland.
In recent time, original TEA members – including Storace – perform sporadic shows for all fans rejoice.
Highly Recommended

01 – Cool in the morning
02 – Glorimont
03 – Harted or love
04 – Surfer
05 – Hazy colours
06 – Lady

Lead Vocals, Percussion – Marc Storace
Electric and Acoustic Guitar, Vocals – Armand Volker
Keyboards, Vocals – Philippe Kienholz
Bass, Twelve-String Guitar, Vocals – Turo Paschayan
Drums, Percussion – Roli Eggli

Engineered & Produced by Dieter Dierks

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www.amazon.com/Tea/dp/B00004SRJF