Tony McPhee RIP

[E-Z]

I only came across an obituary yesterday Tuesday 5th September for British blues/rock guitar virtuoso Tony McPhee a founder member of the British blues/rock band The Groundhogs. The band released three seminal rock albums at the end of the 1960s and the early 1970s where the band 'made there name' amongst rock fans with the albums being Blue Obituary 1969, Thank Christ For The Bomb 1970 & Split 1971. Several other albums appeared as the 1970s wore on with Who Will Save The World The Mighty Groundhogs 1972 & Hogwash 1974 after which Tony dissolved the band. Tony also released several solo albums the most interesting of which is called The Two Sides Of Tony McPhee 1973 with one side containing 5-acoustic/electric blues songs and the other side a 19 minutes long electronic piece of music called 'The Hunt'. During 1976 Tony reformed The Groundhogs and released two new albums Crosscut Saw 1976 & Black Diamond 1976 and then he dissolved the band again. Tony favoured 'no frills' blues/rock and always 'dressed down' and eschewed the whole showbiz thing which made him popular with the 'punk crowed' in the UK. Tony reformed the Groundhogs during the 1980s & 1990s and was often to be found playing 'high energy' pub gigs around Britain and blues festivals across Europe. Tony passed away aged 79 peacefully at home in England on Tuesday the 6th June 2023.

"RIP Tony and thank you for some GREAT blues and blues/rock music."

 

[CrazyConnie]

Rest In Peace Tony.

 

[recgord27]

The Groundhogs had some really cool albums. R.I.P. Tony

 

[E-Z]

I saw The Groundhogs twice live the first time back in 1988 at the long demolished George Roby pub at Finsbury Park in north London (across the main road from the Finsbury Park Astoria better known as The Rainbow back in the 1970s & 1980s) and then three years later at The Dublin Castle pub in (the world famous) Camden Town back in 1991. Both gigs were typical Groundhogs gigs taking place in the pub back room with 'sweat dripping off the walls' and Tony and his band a bass player and drummer all giving it 110% heavy blues/rock with Tony playing his ass off to an appreciative crowed of long haired rockers in denim jackets and jeans drinking down pints of beer!!. No showbiz, no frills just a full frontal assault & battery!!!

The way heavy blues/rock should be played!!.