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If I had to summarize the Groundhogs, or the emaciated guitarist/singer Tony McPhee, in a single expression, I would use the following simple words: dignified losers. In the explosion of British blues from '68 onwards, they had some moments of good recognition (see the peak of fame immortalized in the Live At Leeds '71, alongside the increasingly wasted Rolling Stones), especially in the trilogy (for me, essential) of Thank Christ For The Bomb - Split - Who Will Save The World?. With that trio of works, the groundhogs pressed an hard-blues occasionally tinged with psychedelia and progressive cries, finding their ideal dimension.
Then, oblivion: Zeppelin swept away even the first division of the genre, let alone McPhee's ensemble, who in the meantime managed by throwing himself into the experiments of Hogwash, an album not particularly appreciated. Then, with few breaks, the guitarist continued to carry on this little name with albums quite similar to each other, live releases for few enthusiasts and little else.
The "Live At The Astoria", which presents a performance from 1998, is the sum of what had been expressed in the previous thirty years: a sincere, passionate, raw and delightfully "old" music. McPhee appears in a trio with Chipulina (bass) and Correa (drums), and records an hour of very healthy blues rock. The pieces vary (do they vary?) from original compositions to adaptations, notably the splendid and very hard "Eccentric Man", the pair "Split pt.1 - pt.2", "Cherry Red" and a couple of W. Dixon classics, "Shake For Me" and "Down In The Bottom". The music you hear is homogeneous or even monothematic, with the pounding rhythm section and the guitar getting lost and found again in logorrheic phrasing, only at times punctuated by vocal parts, almost accessory. McPhee's guitar style, albeit indebted to the psychedelic influence that affected Hendrix and Cream, reflects a sincere dedication to Music itself, with his abrasive riffs sometimes strictly classic (the traditional "Groundhog Blues"), other times noisy and acidic. For enthusiasts, it's an understatement, but enthusiasts can enjoy.
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
02 Eccentric Man (06:10)
My chest is a 36, my overcoat is for a 42.
My trousers end 6 inches from the ground, 3 inches from my shoe,
Tied up with a piece of string and held together with fish-bone glue.
Call me an eccentric man, I don't believe I am ( 2)
My bed is a park bench and my sheet and blankets are newspaper pages.
The people think I'm crazy, but I know I'm wiser than all the sages,
'cos I have money they think that I'm a fool for doing what I do, but I know it's right.
Call me an eccentric man, I don't believe I am (2)
SOLO IN E
If ever I want to I can have the comfort of my country home.
But until that time I'm quite content to have walls made of gravestones,
a carpet of moss, a ceiling of sky and a brown rat for a watch-dog.
Call me an eccentric man, I don't believe I am (2)
SOLO IN G
03 3744 James Road (11:16)
For seven hours six miles above the ground, each trip is a year off my life
Just longing for the minute we're down, like sitting on the edge of a knife.
Apprehension is itching my stomach, anticipation of the things ahead.
This coffee doesn't help the situation, just wastes two minutes instead.
Sixteen hours after leaving my home, three thousand miles to the west.
Feeling tired and very alone, need to take a bath and get refreshed.
Alienation is easy to feel, cut off from the situations you know.
Two people waiting for us to land just help to make these feelings go.
3744 James Road you've been like a home to me,
3744 James Road I'll come back and see you again.
3744 James Road I'll come back and see you again.
SOLO
3744 James Road you've been like a home to me,
3744 James Road I'll come back and see you again.
3744 James Road you've been like a home to me,
3744 James Road I'll come back and see you again.
07 Mistreated (07:48)
I'm like a ship on the ocean that's rolling from side to side,
But I'm not drunk I'm just dissatisfied,
It's not my body but my mind I can't control,
I have everything I need but still.....I want more.
I've done everything that I've ever set out to do,
I become so well known that they've put me in who's who,
But I've reached the limit and I don't know what to do,
If I can't go no further I'll have to go back.....to being poor.
SOLO
10 Groundhog Blues (04:49)
It's a low-down dog, 'n' dirty Groundhog been rootin' round my back door, (2)
Yes if I catch him there rootin' well he won't root there no more.
Yes he leave in the morning and he hang around all day long,
I leave home in the morning and he hangs around all day long,
Yes when I leave in the morning yes he hang around all day long.
Give me some toads 'n' frogs hips, I'm gonna mix 'em up together,
Mix 'em up good, mix 'em up together, kill that dirty Groundhog,
Then when I leave home in the mornin', yes he won't be there all day long.
SOLO
I said goodbye baby, baby got to leave you now,
I said goodbye baby, baby got to leave you now,
Yes I did what I wanted, yes I killed that dirty Groundhog.
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