The band received some media criticism for Jeff Martin's Jim Morisson-like stage persona in some of its videos and their Led Zeppelin-esq riffs, although he seemed determined to be striving to create his own image and sound. His looks certainly do draw some comparison, however, to The Doors' late front man.
Their sound is hard to categorize as each album possessed different themes and influences. Splendor Solis (1993) was a more acoustic, blues-based record, while Edges of Twilight (1995) was much darker with strong Middle Eastern influences on several tracks. Transmission (1997) saw a dramatic change to a darker, more industrial-tinged sound, and it was distributed in the USA by Atlantic Records. The last three albums by the band featured various efforts to attract a wider commercial audience, with the single "Heaven Coming Down" reaching No.1 on the Canadian mainstream charts in 1999.
In 2000, Capitol Records finally released a retrospective compilation in the USA of their Canadian singles entitled Tangents after only releasing their first two albums south of the border.
The Tea Party released The Interzone Mantras in 2001, but it did not possess the singles of its predecessors.
In October 2005, a year after their final album Seven Circles was released, Jeff Martin left the band and embarked on a solo career, releasing an album in early 2006. Jeff Burrows (drummer) and Stuart Chatwood (bass/synthesiser) have also had post-Tea Party successes, the former in several projects and the latter in soundtrack composition. Burrows and Chatwood worked together on a new project called The Art Decay before Burrows joined Crash Karma in 2008.
On April 12th 2011, an official Facebook page was launched with a biography section that closed with "The band is scheduled to play a select number of dates in 2011. No other info was available at this time." The following day, the local radio station K106.3 announced the Sarnia Bayfest lineup including The Tea Party, which was later confirmed by drummer Jeff Burrows on his radio show on April 13th. Burrows further stated that a Canadian tour was also in the works.
The Tea Party performed at the Cisco Systems Bluesfest in Ottawa, Ontario on July 14th, 2011, and the band will be playing a Canadian tour commencing on November 15th, 2011 in Vancouver. The band's website and tour is called "THE TEA PARTY - No Politics... Just Rock and Roll". In September 2011, the band was reportedly approached to sell its website URL for over a million dollars by the extremely popular American political movement bearing the same name: www.teaparty.com.
One Step Closer Away
The Tea Party Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
A distant voice behind the wall
But something stands in our way
She said, she said
I know a place where we can go
Where no one cares and no one knows
If it's passion or play
I'd give it all, to see a sign
But you're taking forever
Time stands still and you stay
One step closer away
Will it take us forever?
And so, I climbed the wall, I needed proof
Uncertain signs need certain truths
With every step that you take
She said, she said
You need to search between the seams
You need to twist within the dream
You're one step closer away
You speak in tongues, you read my mind
I'd give it all, to see a sign
But you're taking forever
Time stands still and you stay
One step closer away
Will it take us forever?
Time stands still and you stay
One step closer away
Will it take us forever?
You've always been
You've always known
That all this time
I've been alone
I've always searched
For what I've lost
Beneath a rose
Behind a cross
You're always there
You're everywhere
Will it take us forever?
You speak in tongues, you read my mind
I'd give it all, to see a sign
But you're taking forever
Time stands still and you stay
One step closer away
Will it take us forever?
Time stands still and you stay
One step closer away
Will it take us forever?
The Tea Party's "One Step Closer Away" is a song about two people who are trying to connect, but they are facing various hindrances. The singer knows the name of the person he is trying to connect with and can hear their voice behind the wall but something is coming between them. The woman offers him a solution as she knows a place where they can be free and nobody will know whether it's passion or play. The second verse tells us that the singer has to climb the wall to see the reality and the uncertain signs need certain truths to progress. The woman advises the singer needs to search between the seams and twist within the dream to reach one step closer away.
The chorus repeats the lines about the woman reading the singer's mind but taking forever, and how they are one step closer away, but it may take forever to make the connection. The bridge is where the song takes a turn, and the singer expresses that he has always been searching for something he has lost behind a cross and under a rose. However, the person he is trying to connect with has always been there and knows that he has been alone.
Line by Line Meaning
I know your name, I heard you call
I recognize you and your voice resonates with me.
A distant voice behind the wall
Though we are separated by some force, I can feel your presence.
But something stands in our way
Despite my desire to be with you, there are obstacles that need to be overcome.
She said, she said
Repeating the message conveyed by a third party.
I know a place where we can go
I have an idea for us to escape our troubles.
Where no one cares and no one knows
A place where external factors will not dictate our decisions.
If it's passion or play
We can indulge ourselves without judgment or restraint.
You speak in tongues, you read my mind
You communicate in ways beyond words and understand my thoughts and feelings.
I'd give it all, to see a sign
I would do anything to have a clear indication of our future.
But you're taking forever
You are taking a long time to reveal your intentions or the next steps in our relationship.
Time stands still and you stay
The passage of time seems to slow down when we are together, but our connection remains unchanged.
One step closer away
Despite advances made in our relationship, we are still far from a resolution or a certain future together.
Will it take us forever?
We are uncertain of the timeline of our relationship, and if we will ever achieve our goals.
And so, I climbed the wall, I needed proof
I took physical risks to confirm the truth about our connection.
Uncertain signs need certain truths
Ambiguous signals and actions require clear explanations or affirmations.
With every step that you take
Your every move affects my uncertainty about our future, and my faith in our connection.
You need to search between the seams
You must look deeper and more intently to find the answers you seek.
You need to twist within the dream
You must be more imaginative and open-minded to unlock the answers you need.
You're one step closer away
Though we have made some progress, we are still not close to a definite outcome.
You've always been
Our connection has been eternal and unchanging.
You've always known
You have always been aware of our connection, while I was uncertain and searching.
That all this time
The time spent searching has been for naught, as our connection was always there.
I've been alone
While you were always there, I was unable to perceive your presence earlier in our relationship.
I've always searched
I have spent significant time trying to find direction and certainty in our relationship.
For what I've lost
In searching for answers, I lost sight of the fact that the connection was always there.
Beneath a rose
Our connection may have been hidden or obscured by other events or factors.
Behind a cross
Our connection may have been sacrificed or overshadowed by other commitments or beliefs.
You're always there
You have always been present in our relationship, even when I was unable to see it.
You're everywhere
Our connection transcends physical and external barriers, and is omnipresent.
Contributed by Tristan W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.