The Tea Set conundrum... possibly explained?

[Simond]

Actually, I was reading it. Not because I'm particularly bothered about who the T/Tea Set was, but because I've also spent hours, days, even weeks, searching to find out who/what something was. My last rabbit-hole was a British music hall entertainer from the 1880s to 1910s who was a headline act around the world but ended up dying in an asylum. Carry on, Diego, I'm listening (as Frasier would say).

[NuffM]

How much support does a person need? It's not easy finding these sources... and I've no real reason to question any of them? Again, if you do, let me know why?

There's 300 (odd) views, a senior member said thanks and a few likes... I think people are reading this.

———

Where's the harm in trying to see if it's possible to identify the other Tea Set? It's not like I forced you to click on the post and read it? Did I?

I am definitely done though, that's for sure.

You're totally right, and I would like to apologize for my uncalled for response.

Please continue these researches if there may be any room to do so.

[blauwdruk]

Elegant apology…
To be honest: I’m reading all of this with great interest and I’m enjoying it very much.
Please continue your researches!

[blauwdruk]

And to add something: the Dutch Tee-Set was most famous for their hit ‘She likes weeds’ which stirred quite a heated discussion in the otherwise liberal Netherlands…

[Frankymole]

Tea is such an important part of British culture, and tea sets have been present in each and every British household for many decades (if not centuries)... that it is very hard to believe a group of friends came with the idea of "tea set" for a name only after seeing the ad, and that absolutely no-one else before 1966 ever thought about naming their band like that. You don't need tea advertisement from a big company for some teenagers to come with silly names and start playing.

The other band on the line-up for the RAF site gig doesn't have to have been "big" - they just have to have been there, and probably on first, so to avoid confusion Syd changed the name. It's not as if they were stuck with the name before, they had been Sigma 6, the Meggadeaths, etc - the monicker of the moment seems to have been fluid. If anything the surprising thing is they then stuck with the Pink Floyd Sound thereafter, or near enough.

Oh, and several sources claim a "T-set" is a set square used for right angles in, among other things, technical drawing - as practiced by architecture students.

[Frankymole]

And to add something: the Dutch Tee-Set was most famous for their hit ‘She likes weeds’ which stirred quite a heated discussion in the otherwise liberal Netherlands…

Was it about a lady gardening, like the controversial music hall song "she sits among the cabbages and peas" [wees]?

Not sure I buy the Netherlands ever being hung up about smoking dope, especially in the 1960s. It's a national pastime and, these days, a tourist attraction for the cannabis cafes!

[blauwdruk]

No, it was not about a lady gardening, of course...

And to be clear: smoking pot is still official illegal in the Netherlands... we´re just being practical about it...

[DiegoFermoli]

Thanks for the feedback, that was quite a rabbit-hole I think I've just about clawed my way back out. Nothing concrete, of course, but there's a theory in there somewhere. If it's true or not, I honestly haven't got a clue. I think the Dutch band is the best contender, nothing more. I wholeheartedly agree with RonToon that the Tea Set/Tea company 'promo' band really does have zero to do with Pink Floyd - the dates are far too deep into 1966 to even consider them at this point. The Singaporean Tea Set does fit the bill as an obscure cabaret band - but the article doesn't indicate they were actually called the Tea Set in the UK (it just refers to them as band members from London, iirc) Of course there could have been others...

The one last thing I did the other day was send a message to Ray Fenwick's family (via his website) - I was polite and respectful, he sadly passed in 2022 - and simply asked if there was any chance his Tee Set ever crossed paths with the Floyd version (or the band in general in 1965). Nothing so far but I'll update here if I do hear back.

It is all a bit barmy, to say the least, but we are talking about one of the biggest bands of the last 100 years - I think it would be kind of cool to see if we can figure out when they actually coined the name. We have a year, true, but is it possible to narrow it down a little bit more? I lean towards Nick's autumn, but Povey's January may also be backed up by Waters or Wright? He must have got the date from somewhere - and he's also far more specific. As for web research - I think I've exhausted just about every option I can think of. Although, just like the bits and pieces I've added to the venues database - I am honestly staggered by just how much information is (still) out there under the surface, if you search with the right key words. It slowly builds up into a picture, or snapshot, of what life was like back then - all the other bands, the lifestyle, the attitudes, the imagery, the politics, the funny little anecdotes that people still remember... and I'm also grateful to the staff here for creating a place where it can all be assembled in one place where it all seems to actually fit together.

Cheers

[DiegoFermoli]

I'm not actively looking for more info - but it's time for another update. I've just stumbled across this promo/press leaflet. I'm posting the lot for the sake of posterity, but it's the last snapshot that's relevant here.

Source eBay

So we now have three very different dates when they adopted the name 'Pink Floyd' (and all its variations)

January/Winter 1965/66 (Povey)

Spring 1966 (press/promo sheet above)

Autumn 1966 (Nick Mason - Inside Out)

I guess the only thing we know for sure is the year - but the specific date. or even thereabouts. is very much open to debate. I don't suppose anyone has a newspaper clipping that suggests it was summer 66'? Then we'd have all four seasons covered.

[bigalsbro]

The "Spring of 1966" as mentioned in the promo leaflet could have two different meanings. 1. This is when the band stopped switching around using other names and settled on Pink Floyd. 2. This is when Bob Klose left the group. I believe the latter is the true intent.

Also note the errors in the band members ages. These promo leaflets would have been written by Peter or Andrew who obviously didn't have the band proofread (fact check) what they had written. So, a grain of salt is needed.

[Alan Smithee]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ijFDkpNma-k

[Swirling Panpot]

I have done a fair bit of research for various bands, mainly having to do with tour dates, so I appreciate what you are doing. Some may view it as a waste of time. For me it has been an interesting part of my music hobby, and I have quite enjoyed it. I'll not be joining you in the hunt for this elusive date, but I have read your posts and I think it's all in good fun. Plus, as I have experienced, once you put in some time and feel like you are on a good path, it's tough to just put it down. Carry on sir.

[Alan Smithee]

I always found the band look a little psychedelicize in that photo..maybe theyre just cold.