The Groundhogs - Hogwash

Jul 1 2008 By Bev Bevan

(Beat Goes On)

THE Groundhogs were based in the Richmond area of London and formed in 1962 by BT post office engineer Tony McPhee.

Within two years they found themselves backing American blues legend John Lee Hooker on a UK tour, which led Hooker at that time to hail them: “the number one British blues band.”

Hogwash, now on CD for the first time, was originally released in 1972 and though it didn’t scale the heights of the Groundhogs’ previous albums Thank Christ For The Bomb, Split and Who Will Save The World, it is nonetheless a well-bodied piece of work.

Tony McPhee’s Groundhogs still regularly tour British and European blues venues.