Travis Pike's Tea Party - Original Band, All Original Songs

Travis landed the job of studio manager for Lightfoot Recording Studios in Jamaica Plain, the first recording studio in the Greater Boston area to feature sound-on-sound recording. He booked studio time, assisted with engineering and helped hopeful clients with vocal arrangements. In off hours, Travis began laying down tracks for some of his 80 original songs. By the end of 1966, Travis finally had enough material written to put together a band, so he went down to Boston's prestigious Berkelee School of Music in search of musicians. There, he met classical guitarist Karl Garrett, trying to make up his mind whether to stay on and finish at Berklee or take up an invitation to study with André Segovia in Spain. Travis offered a third option, complete with a recording studio in which to rehearse. When Karl heard Travis' demo tapes, he signed on. Meanwhile, Mikey Joe Valente, the bass player from Natick High School's "New Jesters," learned that Travis was putting together a band and wanted in. His technique needed some work, but his rhythm was solid and he took instruction well, so Karl agreed to take him under his wing. Mikey Joe discovered percussionist Phil Vitali (ex Navy Band), and rhythm guitarist George Brox. When they signed, on, the cast was complete.

"Won't You Let Me Take You On A Sea Cruise" In the summer of 1967, WNAC Radio suddenly changed its call sign to WRKO and switched from "easy listening" to "rock." To promote their new image and gain support in the Boston market area, they booked "The Ramrods" and "Travis Pike and the Boston Massacre" for their inaugural harbor cruise, and began promoting the cruise and the bands, day and night for a month, which would have provided both bands with great name recognition throughout New England, had "Travis Pike and the Boston Massacre" not changed their name to "Travis Pike's Tea Party" within a week or so of the cruise!

This is the only photo we've found of Travis Pike and the Boston Massacre. The photo was taken on the WRKO Harbor Cruise and appeared on the inside cover of the 30 NOW GOLDENS 30 double LP album produced by Buzz Curtis for WRKO. We believe that the man dancing in the foreground may be one of the radio station's Deejays, and his unidentified partner certainly has a lovely smile. We do know that the singer in the center is Travis, and the intense guitarist to his right is George Brox, wearing one of the WRKO panchos celebrating the event. Phil (Drums), Mikey Joe, (Bass), and Karl, (lead guitar), are not in the shot but this may be the only surviving photo of Travis Pike and the Boston Massacre in performance. The seven demos we'd recorded at Lightfoot Studios was getting us bookings, but we didn't have a recording contract yet, so although we are in a photo on the inside cover, you none of our songs are on the album, but if you click Travis Edward Pike's Tea Party Snack Platter, fresh recording os songs once performed by Travis Pike's Tea Partyyou may listen to a number of the songs we played on that cruise.

SIDE ONE
1. Cherish, The Association
2. Hanky Panky, Tommy James and
the Shondells
3. Elusive Butterfly, Bob Lind
4. Hold On I'm Comin', Sam and Dave
5. Rhythm of the Rain, The Cascades
6. The Boy from New York City, The Ad
Libs
7. 98.6, Kieth
8. Dirty Water, The Standells

SIDE TWO
9. Sunny, Bobby Hebb
10. Little Girl, Syndicate of Sound
11. Laugh Laugh, The Beau Brummels
12. Psychotic Reaction, The Count Five
13. Chapel of Love, The Dixie Cups
14. I Fought the Law, Bobby Fuller Four
15. Runaway, Del Shannon

SIDE THREE
16. Summer in the City, The Lovin'
Spoonful
17. Donna, Ritchie Valens
18. New York is a Lonely Town, The
Tradwinds
19. Name Game, Shirley Ellis
20. Mr. Dielingly Sad, The Critters
Leader of the Pack, The Shangri-Las
22. Billy and Sue, B. J. Thomas
23. Cherry Chewrry, Neil Diamond

SIDE FOUR
24. See You in September, The Happenings
25. You're the One, The Vogues
26. Yes I'm Ready, Barbara Mason
27. Lies, The Knickerbockers
28. Love Letters, Ketty Lester
29. No Good to Cry, The Wildweeds
30. Hang on Sloopy, The McCoys