Tony McPhee of the Groundhogs - Thank Christ For the Bomb & Soldier - Acoustic Live Circa. 1990

Описание: Rare live acoustic video, recorded during the late 1980s or early 1990s. 'Thank Christ For the Bomb' and 'Soldier' first appeared on the Groundhogs' 1970 album of the former's name.

Formed in 1963, as a power trio, consisting of Tony 'T.S.' McPhee (b. 23 March 1944), bassist Peter Cruickshank (b. 2 July 1945), and drummer Ken Pustelnik (b. 13 March 1946), the Groundhogs reached their commercial/productive stride during the late 1960s/early 1970s. The group's albums "Thank Christ for the Bomb" (1970); "Split" (1971); and "Who Will Save the World? The Mighty Groundhogs!" (1972), all reached the Top 10 in the UK Albums Chart, with "Split" reaching #5, spending 27 weeks in the UK Albums Chart and achieving gold record status. They supported The Rolling Stones on their 1971 British tour at Mick Jagger's request, and released the live album "Live at Leeds", recorded at the U. of Leeds. 1972 also saw Tony voted amongst the top ten guitarist via Melody Maker, only behind the likes of Rory Gallagher, Eric Clapton, and Jimmy Page, and above others such as Pete Townsend, Ritchie Blackmore, and Jerry Garcia. Following "Hogwash" (their 2nd album of 1972), only 1974's "Solid" charted.

In 1975, after the departure of long serving Peter Cruickshank, and drummer Clive Brooks (ex-Egg, pre-Pink Floyd drum tech, who had replaced Ken Pustelnik following "Solid") Tony recruited bassist Martin Kent and drummer Mick Cook (the latter previously of country rock-turned-progressive rock band Home, who released a trio of successful albums on CBS Records between 1971 and 74). The band was also joined by second guitarist Dave Wellbelove. This line-up completed the Groundhogs' early 1976 album "Crosscut Saw", however, for "Black Diamond", released later that year, Rick Adams replaced Wellbelove. And this line-up would be the last of the Groundhogs' for approximately 3 years, as Tony would afterwards form Terraplane (1977-80), but by 1981, returning chiefly as a power trio, the Groundhogs were back in action.

Following a line-up with ex-Rory Gallagher Wilgar Campbell (1946–1989) on drums, Tony, and bassist Alan Fish (ex-bluesman Billy Boy Arnold's band, with whom, Tony also guested) were joined by Mick Kirton (later, briefly of blues rock/hard rock band Dumpy's Rusty Nuts), and this line-up would completed the Groundhogs' first full length studio album in 9 years, (the underappreciated) "Razor's Edge", before dissolving circa. 1986, with the band's 1987 album, (the also underappreciated) "Back Against the Wall", featuring recent additions, Dave Anderson (ex-Amon Duul II) on bass, and Mick Jones on drums. This same McPhee/Anderson/Jones line-up would also see the release the live albums "Hogs On the Road" and "Extremely Live (both 1988), and later perform at the 1989 Anti WAA Festival in Germany, from which, a live CD and DVD and would much later (2014) be released.

Tony McPhee's Groundhogs would remain active well into the 21st century, only ceasing in 2014, after a series of health setbacks, the least of which, a 2009 stroke, befell the frontman. His definitive biography was published in 2012. He lives in England.

This clip is one of many included on a circa 2010, 40 minute DVD bootleg I recently acquired simply titled "Groundhogs", with no additional information, though, additional research revealed it is from an extras disk included with the scarce Groundhogs DVD titled "60/40 Split." The remaining 1980s and 1990s clips will also be uploaded in the coming days or weeks.