Tea & Symphony-An Asylum For The Musically Insane (1969)

Tea & Symphony were a short-lived band that emerged from the vibrant underground and psychedelic movement of the late 1960s in the UK. Hailing from Birmingham, the band consisted of Dave Clempson (guitar), Jeff Daw (guitar, flute, and vocals), Bob Lamb (drums), Nigel Phillips (keyboards), James Langston (guitar), and Gus Dudgeon (percussion). Their brief history is summarized in two high-quality albums rooted in progressive folk rock, clearly in line with other contemporary groups such as the Incredible String Band and Renaissance. Their debut album, "An Asylum For The Musically Insane" (1969), released on the progressive label Harvest, showcases an interesting range of styles, navigating between the folk rock of "Armchair Theatre", the blues of "The Come On", and the prevailing psychedelia of the era with "Sometimes". A year later they returned with their second album, "Jo Sago", which featured a sound closer to classic progressive rock, moving away from the folk influence of their previous album. Some time later, the band completely disbanded, leaving no trace except for Dave Clempson and Gus Dudgeon. Clempson went on to have an extensive career with bands such as Manfred Mann, Greenslade, Humble Pie, and Colosseum, among others, while Dudgeon worked as a producer and percussionist for numerous artists, including Lindisfarne, Steeleye Span, and Gilbert O'Sullivan.