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The Groundhogs

The Groundhogs are a British rock band formed in 1963 by guitarist and vocalist Tony McPhee. The band started out as a blues outfit but evolved into a hard rock and progressive rock group in the late 1960s and early 1970s.

The lineup of the band during their most productive period featured Tony McPhee, Pete Cruickshank on bass, and Ken Pustelnik on drums. They released their first album, "Scratching the Surface," in 1968, which showcased their blues rock sound.

Their next album, "Blues Obituary," released in 1969, continued in the same vein, but with a darker and heavier edge. It's often cited as a classic of the British blues-rock genre.

In 1970, the band released "Thank Christ for the Bomb," which saw the group move into a more hard rock direction, with socially conscious lyrics that reflected the turbulent times of the era.

The Groundhogs' most successful album was "Split" (1971), which featured a heavier sound and more progressive rock influences. The album's centerpiece was the 23-minute long track "Cherry Red," which showcased Tony McPhee's virtuoso guitar playing.

The band continued to release albums throughout the 1970s, with varying degrees of commercial success. Tony McPhee remained the driving force behind the band and was known for his inventive guitar work and distinctive vocal style.

The Groundhogs' influence can be heard in the work of later artists such as Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath, and Motorhead, among others. The band's legacy is that of a hard-working, innovative group that pushed the boundaries of blues rock and helped pave the way for heavy metal and other hard rock genres.


The Dollarbills (1962 - 1963)
  • T.S. "Tony" McPhee - guitar/vocals - b. Anthony Charles McPhee, March 23, 1944, Humberstone, Lincolnshire, England.
  • John Cruickshank - vocals
  • Pete Cruickshank - bass - b. July 2, 1945, Calcutta, India.
  • Dave Boorman - drums

The Groundhogs I(1963 - 1965)
  • T.S. "Tony" McPhee - guitar/vocals
  • John Cruickshank - vocals
  • Pete Cruickshank - bass
  • Dave Boorman - drums
  • Bob Hall - piano
Album:
  1. "Live at the A-Go-Go Club, New York" (1964) (with John Lee Hooker)
  2. "Hooker & The Hogs" (1996) (John Lee Hooker with The Groundhogs)

Herbal Mixture (August 1966 - late-1967) Album:
  1. "Please Leave My Mind" (1967)
T.S. "Tony" McPhee briefly joins The John Drummer Blues Band.

The Groundhogs II (1968 - 1969)
  • T.S. "Tony" McPhee - guitar/vocals
  • Pete Cruickshank - bass
  • Ken Pustelnik - drums
  • Steve Rye - harmonica
Album:
  1. "Scratching the Surface" (1968)

The Groundhogs III (1969 - 1973) Albums:
  1. "Blues Obituary" (1969)
  2. "Thank Christ for the Bomb" (1970)
  3. "Split" (1971)
  4. "Who Will Save the World? The Mighty Groundhogs" (1972) - my first and still my favorite Groundhogs album (see the excellent review on Amazon.com).
  5. "BBC - On Air 1970-1972"

The Groundhogs IV (1973 - 1976) Albums:
  1. "Hogwash" (1973)
  2. "Solid" (1974)

The Groundhogs V(1976)
  • T.S. "Tony" McPhee - guitar/vocals
  • Dave Wellbelove - guitar
  • Martin Kent - bass
  • Mick Cook - drums
Album:
  1. "Crosscut Saw" (1976)

The Groundhogs VI (1976 - ? )
  • T.S. "Tony" McPhee - guitar/vocals/synthesizer
  • Martin Kent - bass
  • Mick Cook - drums
  • Rick Adams - guitar
Album:
  1. "Black Diamond" (1976)
  2. "Crosscut Saw / Black Diamond" (2-fer) (1993)

The Groundhogs VII ( ? - ? )
  • T.S. "Tony" McPhee - guitar/vocals/synthesizer
  • Eric (The Bastard) Chipulina
  • Pete (Conka) Correa
Album:
  1. "Live at Leeds"
  2. "Hoggin' the Stage" (1984)
  3. "Razor's Edge" (1985)
  4. "Back Against the Wall" (1986)
  5. "Hogs in Wolf's Clothing"
  6. "Hogs on the Road" (1988)
  7. "Groundhog Night" (1993)
  8. "Groundhogs Live!" (1998)

Compilations:
  1. "Best of Groundhogs 1969-1972" (1974)
  2. "Groundhogs Best" (1990)
  3. "Document Series Presents The Groundhogs" (1992)
  4. "BBC Radio One Live in Concert" (1994) - recorded in 1972 and 1974.
  5. "No Surrender" (1985)
  6. "No Surrender / Razor's Edge Tour 1985" (1998)
  7. "Masters" (1999)
  8. "The Best Of The Groundhogs" (1999)
  9. "54146" (2-CDs) (2001) - repackage of  the 1986 album "Back Against the Wall" and the 1988 album "Hogs on the Road".
  10. "3744 James Road" (2-CDs) (2002)

T. S. "Tony" McPhee solo:
  1. "Me & the Devil" (1968)
  2. "I Asked for Water" (1969)
  3. "Me & the Devil / I Asked for Water" (2-fer) (1998)
  4. "Same Thing on Their Minds" (1971)
  5. "The Two Sides of Tony (T.S.) McPhee" (1974)
  6. "Dealing With the Devil" (1991)
  7. "Foolish Pride" (1995)
  8. "Slide, T.S., Slide" (1996)
  9. "Bleaching the Blues" (1999)

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Last Revised:  March 19, 2003
© 1999, 2003 by Gary S. Hartman.  All rights reserved.

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