Ming Tea is a faux

retro Retro style is imitative or consciously derivative of lifestyles, trends, or art forms from the past, including in music, modes, fashions, or attitudes. It has been argued that there is a nostalgia cycle in popular culture. Definition The term ...

- mod band consisting of

Mike Myers Michael John Myers, (born May 25, 1963) is a Canadian actor, comedian, and filmmaker. His accolades include seven MTV Movie & TV Awards, a Primetime Emmy Award, and a Screen Actors Guild Award. In 2002, he was awarded a star on the Hollywood W ...

Susanna Hoffs Susanna Lee Hoffs (born January 17, 1959) is an American singer, songwriter, guitarist, and actress. With Debbi Peterson and Vicki Peterson, she founded the Bangles in 1981. Their debut album, ''All Over the Place (The Bangles album), All Over ...

Matthew Sweet Sidney Matthew Sweet (born October 6, 1964) is an American alternative rock/power pop singer-songwriter and musician who was part of the burgeoning music scene in Athens, Georgia, during the 1980s before gaining commercial success in the 1990 ...

, Stuart Johnson, and Christopher Ward. The band was formed by Myers after he appeared on ''

Saturday Night Live ''Saturday Night Live'' (''SNL'') is an American Late night television in the United States, late-night live television, live sketch comedy variety show created by Lorne Michaels and developed by Michaels and Dick Ebersol that airs on NBC. The ...

'' in the 1990s, and appeared in the ''

Austin Powers ''Austin Powers'' is a series of American satirical spy comedy films created by Mike Myers, who stars as the British spy Austin Powers as well as his arch-nemesis, Dr. Evil. The series consists of '' International Man of Mystery'' (1997), ' ...

'' film series, with the members performing under pseudonyms.

History

Myers formed the band with Sweet and Hoffs following his ''

'' stint in the early 1990s. The members all adopted 1960s personae and performed under pseudonyms, with Myers as lead singer under the name "Austin Powers". Myers's then-wife Robin Ruzan encouraged him to write a film based on the Powers character. He subsequently wrote '' Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery'', which was directed by Hoffs's husband

Jay Roach Mathew Jay Roach (born June 14, 1957) is an American filmmaker. He is best known for directing the Austin Powers (film series), ''Austin Powers'' film series, ''Meet the Parents'', ''Dinner for Schmucks'', ''The Campaign (film), The Campaign'', ...

, who would also direct the sequels. Ming Tea recorded the song "BBC" for the end credits and soundtrack of ''International Man of Mystery'', released in 1997. The band appeared in and performed the "psychedelic scene breaks" for the film series' second installment, '' Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me''. The song " Daddy Wasn't There" appears in the 2002 sequel '' Goldmember''. Both songs appear on their respective movie soundtracks. A promotional music video for "Daddy Wasn't There" was broadcast on music video channels. The band's aesthetics, costumes and instruments were different in each film. Ming Tea originally appeared in mid-'60s mod fashions, using Fender and

Rickenbacker Rickenbacker International Corporation is a string instrument manufacturer based in Santa Ana, California. Rickenbacker is the first known maker of electric guitars, with a steel guitar in 1932, and produces a range of electric guitars and bass ...

guitars and a Gibson bass for "BBC". The costumes changed to a colorful late-'60s motif and the instruments were matching Musicvox Spaceranger guitars and bass for the third film, which featured "Daddy Wasn’t There". The drum set remained the same in each film, a rare British-made Arbiter set with a custom-art Ming Tea band logo on the bass drum head. After collaborating in Ming Tea, Sweet and Hoffs continued to work together, recording three albums covering some of their favorite songs from the '60s, '70s and '80s: '' Under the Covers, Vol. 1'' in 2006, '' Under the Covers, Vol. 2'' in 2009, and '' Under the Covers, Vol. 3'' in 2013. In this format, they are known by the pseudonyms Sid and Susie. Myers has occasionally joined them onstage to perform "BBC", including at a 2006 show at

Bowery Ballroom The Bowery Ballroom is a New York City live music venue located at 6 Delancey Street in Manhattan's Bowery neighborhood. The venue has enjoyed a fabled reputation among musicians as well as audiences. In 2013, industry insiders polled by ''Roll ...

in New York City. In a reply to a fan's question about Ming Tea on

the Bangles The Bangles are an American all-female band, all-female pop rock band formed in Los Angeles, in 1981. They are known for hit singles during the 1980s that made them one of the most successful pop rock groups of the decade. The band’s biggest ...

Fan Mail page, Susanna Hoffs stated that "We got the name Ming Tea from a very obscure 1960s Italian movie starring Ursula Andress." The film in question is '' The 10th Victim'', which features the fictional Ming Tea Company.

Members

(as

) – lead vocals, guitar *

(as Gillian Shagwell) – lead guitar and backing vocals *

(as Sid Belvedere) – bass and backing vocals * Stuart Johnson (as Manny Stixman) – drums and backing vocals * Christopher Ward (as Trevor

Aigburth Aigburth () is a suburb of Liverpool, England. Located to the south of the city, it is bordered by Toxteth and Dingle to the north, Mossley Hill to the east, and Garston to the south, with the River Mersey forming its western boundary. Desc ...

) – rhythm guitar and backing vocals

References

{{Authority control American rock music groups Austin Powers Matthew Sweet