Four classics from inimitable Groundhogs are back on vinyl, this time as a limited edition series on gold vinyl. The remarkable quartet of ‘Scratching The Surface’, ‘Blues Obituary’, ‘Thanks Christ For The Bomb’ and ‘Split’ saw the ultimate power trio of the late, great guitarist and vocalist Tony TS McPhee, bassist Pete Cruikshank and drummer Ken Pustelnik emerge from their blues roots into a formidable proto-progressive rock outfit that inspired punk rock, The Fall’s Mark E Smith, Underworld’s Karl Hyde, The Damned’s Captain Sensible and host of others.
“Tony McPhee is an absolute genius. He was the British Hendrix.” Captain Sensible
56 years on since it’s original release, ‘Scratching The Surface’ is The Groundhogs extraordinary debut album. A landmark in the British blues movement in the 60’s, the record released in 1968 features a timeless collection of blues jams, including a host of McPhee originals alongside covers of Muddy Waters’ ‘Still A Fool’, Sonny Boy Williamson I’s ‘Early In The Morning’ and the Willie Cobbs-penned ‘You Don’t Love Me’. Even 50+ years on the sound of this record is amazingly clear allowing plenty of space for McPhee’s emotive playing and Rye’s evocative harp, all held down by pulsing bass and a flow of drums that somehow mixes military, jazz and swing.
‘Blues Obituary’ the second studio album from The Groundhogs, now slimmed to the classic three piece line up of Tony TS McPhee on guitar, Pete Cruikshank on bass and Ken Pestelnik on drums. The beginning of their domination as the hardest working band on the circuit, a testament to their creativity as they re-tooled the blues into a neo-psyche groove. Inspired by a Yardbirds’ freak out, hearing authentic Indian drumming and the magic that existed between this legendary trio, ‘Blues Obituary’ is a juggernaut of riffs that waves goodbye to the much-loved genre.
“A deep excursion into musical depths further down than Canned Heat ever dared go.” Zig Zag
‘Thanks Christ For The Bomb’ their hugely influential album cited as the embryo for punk, grunge and beyond. Featuring epic 1970 concepts from this far reaching trio much praised by Underworld’s Karl Hyde, Captain Sensible, Stephen Malkmus and a host of others. ‘Thank Christ For The Bomb’ is a visionary tale of cold war fear and everyday drama. A thinking man’s rumination on alienation, the album is a game of two halves; side one tackling the thermo nuclear threat while side two traces riches to rags alienation in of post-swinging London.
“This is a masterpiece!” New Musical Express
‘Split’ their second of three ground breaking albums as the ultimate power trio who morphed blues into hard rock and spawned punk. A much-loved opus with a side-long concept piece. A bona fide inspirational rock classic. The second side delivers the mighty ‘Cherry Red’, McPhee’s take on The Beatles’ A Day In the Life, a sideswipe at junk food and a glorious interpretation of John Lee Hooker’s ‘Groundhogs Blues’.
“Both musically and lyrically, ’Split’ speaks for a lost time, a nomad time when ideals took to the hoof and musicians stayed on the road rather than confront the fact that the ’60s ‘war’ had been
lost.” Julian Cope
