The 1972 release of Groundhogs' "Hogwash" on BGO Records (BGOLP44) in England solidified the band's place in the blues-rock scene. This 12" vinyl LP album showcases the trio's raw talent and tight musicianship, with Tony McPhee's blistering guitar work taking center stage. This web page has photos of album covers, inner sleeves, record labels together with production details, musicians and track-listing.
Groundhogs - Hogwash: A Deep Dive into a Blues-Rock Masterpiece
Album Description:
Released in 1972, "Hogwash" marked a significant turning point in the career of British blues-rock trio, Groundhogs. It was an album that saw the band delving deeper into their musical exploration while retaining their raw, bluesy edge.
Historical Context
The early 1970s was a time of musical experimentation, with bands pushing the boundaries of genres. Groundhogs, with their roots firmly planted in the blues, were not immune to this trend. "Hogwash" was a product of this era, a reflection of the band's evolving sound and their desire to venture beyond their established style.
Musical Exploration
"Hogwash" is a diverse album, showcasing the band's versatility. While the blues remain at the core of their sound, the album incorporates elements of progressive rock and psychedelia. The songs are longer, more complex, and feature intricate instrumentation. This was a departure from their earlier, more straightforward blues-rock sound.
Genre
While primarily a blues-rock album, "Hogwash" transcends genre boundaries. The incorporation of progressive and psychedelic elements gives the album a unique flavor. This willingness to experiment and blend genres was a hallmark of Groundhogs' music, and "Hogwash" is a prime example of this.
Production Team and Recording Studio
"Hogwash" was produced by Tony McPhee, the band's frontman, and was recorded at Rockfield Studios in Wales. McPhee's production gave the album a raw, unpolished sound, perfectly capturing the band's energy and intensity. Rockfield Studios, known for its relaxed atmosphere, provided the ideal environment for Groundhogs to experiment and push their musical boundaries.
Music Genre:
Progressive Rock, Blues Rock
Album Production Information:
Produced by Tony McPhee
Tony McPhee was the driving force behind The Groundhogs, a guitar sorcerer who took the raw essence of blues and dragged it through the fuzz-laden, distortion-drenched trenches of rock ‘n’ roll.
Born Anthony Charles McPhee in 1944, he wasn’t just another British bluesman trying to mimic the greats—he was a mad scientist of sound, bending blues into strange and furious new shapes.
McPhee first cut his teeth in the early ‘60s blues scene, but it was his work with The Groundhogs that cemented his legacy. As the band’s guitarist, singer, and songwriter, he led them through a string of mind-bending albums like Thank Christ for the Bomb (1970) and Split (1971), where he fused blues with hard rock, psychedelia, and even proto-punk aggression.
His guitar tone was thick, his solos wild and unrestrained, his lyrics often dystopian and politically charged.
Unlike many of his contemporaries who chased stadium-sized fame, McPhee stayed fiercely independent, keeping The Groundhogs alive through lineup changes, shifts in the music scene, and his own health struggles.
His influence stretched beyond the blues, touching heavy rock, punk, and stoner rock bands who admired his no-holds-barred approach.
A true innovator, McPhee didn’t just play the blues—he deconstructed it, set it on fire, and let it howl.
Sound Engineer: Martin Rushent
Tape operator: Paul Hardiman
Recorded at Advision Studios September-October 1972
Cover conception and photography by Pierre Tubbs
Additional photography by Nevis Cameron
Record Label & Catalognr:
BGO Records BGOLP44
Album Packaging
Gatefold/FOC (Fold Open Cover) Album Cover Design.
The album cover of Hogwash (1972) by The Groundhogs is as raw and hypnotic as the music inside. Dominating the design is an extreme close-up of Tony McPhee’s face, grainy and halftone-printed, capturing every detail of his scruffy beard, piercing eyes, and slightly uneven, knowing grin. His hair falls unkempt over his forehead, the rough texture adding to the image’s stark, almost psychedelic feel.
Rendered in deep black and washed-out white, the image feels less like a portrait and more like a distorted transmission from some analog fever dream. There’s an intimacy here, an eerie closeness, as if McPhee himself is staring straight through the vinyl sleeve into your soul.
In the upper left corner, the band’s name, Groundhogs, and the album title, Hogwash, appear in a bold, streamlined, electric-blue font, with streaking lines that suggest speed, movement—something rushing forward and unstoppable. The lettering is sharp, futuristic, a stark contrast to the organic, timeworn quality of the photo.
The composition is simple but deeply effective: no distractions, no elaborate artwork—just McPhee’s face, magnified and distorted, daring you to drop the needle and step into the sonic whirlwind of The Groundhogs at their most experimental.
Photo of Album's Back Cover
The back cover of Hogwash (1972) by The Groundhogs echoes the stark, raw energy of the front. Two intense, halftone-processed portraits dominate the layout, their monochrome faces framed in fragmented, overlapping blocks. The design is strikingly abstract, almost disorienting, capturing the same surreal, fractured atmosphere that defines the music within.
The largest portrait, positioned in the upper left, features a long-haired musician staring straight ahead with an almost ghostly intensity—his wide eyes and parted lips lending an air of detachment, as though caught in the middle of some deep, unspoken thought. The second portrait, in the lower right, is slightly smaller but just as haunting: another band member gazing forward with a solemn, unwavering expression, his face partially cropped by the composition.
The background is drenched in deep blue, a bold contrast to the stark black-and-white imagery. The band name, Groundhogs, and album title, Hogwash, are emblazoned in the same sleek, futuristic blue font as the front cover, placed in the upper left corner. A barcode and a "BGO Records" logo sit unobtrusively in the top right and bottom left, respectively, reinforcing the album’s reissue status.
The visual layout reflects the dissonance and off-kilter rhythm of the album itself—layered, experimental, and unmistakably unique. Like the front cover, it invites the listener into a world that feels distorted, hypnotic, and just a little bit unhinged.
Photo of Album's Inner Cover
The inner sleeve of Hogwash (1972) is a visual deep dive into the world of Tony McPhee. Dominating the layout is a large, grainy black-and-white photo of McPhee in the upper left, mid-laugh, a cigarette between his fingers. His beard is scruffy, his hair unkempt, and the moment feels unfiltered—like catching a bluesman in his natural state, mid-revelation or mid-joke.
Surrounding this central image is a collage of smaller black-and-white photographs, all bordered by a deep blue background. One shot captures McPhee at a mixing desk, concentrating as he tweaks reel-to-reel tape machines. Another shows him outside, hunched over an amplifier, adjusting equipment. Further down, he’s seen playing an electric guitar, lost in thought, his fingers poised over the fretboard. There’s even an image of a cat in an open field, lending an almost surreal touch to the mix.
The upper right section contains a list of McPhee’s equipment in crisp white text, formatted with precision. Guitars, synthesizers, effects pedals, amplifiers—it’s all here, giving a glimpse into the sonic arsenal that sculpted the album’s experimental, fuzzed-out soundscapes.
Everything about the design feels intimate, candid, and deeply tied to the DIY ethos of The Groundhogs. There’s no flashy, corporate polish—just raw, honest imagery that invites you straight into McPhee’s world, where tubes hum, tape reels spin, and the blues is torn apart and rebuilt anew.
Photo of Album's Inner Cover
The second inner sleeve of Hogwash (1972) showcases two key members of The Groundhogs—Clive Brooks and Peter Cruickshank—alongside a visual collage of their musicianship. The layout is split into two sections, each dedicated to one musician, with deep blue framing and crisp white text detailing their instruments and gear.
On the left, Clive Brooks' portrait is a direct, serious gaze, his long hair framing his face. Below his name, his birth details and drum kit specifications are carefully listed, revealing a preference for a George Hayman kit in silver, complete with a 22" bass drum and various toms. Scattered below his section are multiple images of Brooks in action—seated at his drum kit, lost in rhythm, sticks poised in motion.
On the right, Peter Cruickshank's section follows the same format. His portrait is slightly blurred, lending an almost ethereal feel. His bass setup is meticulously documented, including a Gibson EB-3, a Zemaitis Bass Guitar, and a rig powered by JBL cabinets and Laney 100-watt amps. Surrounding his section are candid shots of him playing, adjusting equipment, and captured in moments of quiet focus.
The bottom of the sleeve also contains the album's tracklist, along with production credits, typography details, and a credit for Charles Baptist-Smith’s cover lettering. The whole layout is clean yet intimate—giving fans both a look at the gear that fueled the album and a glimpse of the musicians in their element.
Close-up Photo of Record Label
This is the vinyl record label for Side 1 of Hogwash by The Groundhogs, a stark black-and-white design pressed onto the LP itself. The label is bisected by a thick black border, giving it a structured, almost mechanical aesthetic. Dominating the left side is the bold, vertical "BGO RECORDS" logo, stylized in a heavy, geometric font with a cascading, three-dimensional effect that makes it look like the letters are stacked in a tower.
On the right side, the album details are meticulously laid out in clean, black print. "SIDE 1" and "GROUNDHOGS" sit at the top, followed by the album title, Hogwash, in slightly smaller text. Below this, the tracklist is neatly arranged, crediting each song to Tony McPhee along with track durations and their original United Artists publishing rights.
In the bottom right quadrant, the technical specifications are presented in bold typography: catalog number "BGOLP44," format "STEREO," and playback speed "33 1/3 rpm" in extra-large font. A disclaimer warns against unauthorized broadcasting or copying of the record, reinforcing copyright protections.
The circular cutout for the spindle hole is slightly off-center in the image, with visible wear around its edges. The crisp contrast between the black vinyl and the white label makes every detail stand out, a testament to the raw, no-frills energy that The Groundhogs embodied in both their music and their visual presentation.
