Ton McPhee Archive

Groundhogs – Scratching The Surface – Liberty /Parlophone /Pure Pleasure – vinyl

by Audiophile Audition | Mar 1, 2016 | SACD & Other Hi-Res Reviews

Groundhogs – Scratching The Surface – Liberty /Parlophone LBS 83199/Pure Pleasure PPAN LBS 83199 stereo vinyl, 44:03 ****: Obscure British band’s debut is released on audiophile vinyl. (Tony McPhee – guitar, vocals; Steve Rye – harmonica vocals; Pete Cruikshank – bass; Ken Pustelnik – drums) British Blues developed into a marketable brand in the 1960s. The Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, Fleetwood Mac, John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers, Long John Baldry and Savoy Brown led a vanguard that respected the American musical genre. These bands played with veteran blues acts in England and eventually re-introduced (and in some cases, introduced) blues music to younger audiences in the U.S. Many of these British bands modified their sound to assimilate into the mod, psychedelic scene. Like their American mentors, they learned that it is difficult to get rich playing the blues. One of the lesser-known British blues standard-bearers was Groundhogs. Formed in 1963, the group built a fan base, touring extensively for over five years. Finally signed by Liberty records, they recorded their first album, Scratching The Surface in 1968. Groundhogs continued to perform and record, but never garnered the commercial success of their UK counterparts. Albums like Thank Christ For The Bomb (1970) and […]