Tony McPhee was part of the first generation of young British blues disciples influenced by Cyril Davies and his band Blues Incorporated.
Review by Bruce Eder
Now this is more like it -- Tony McPhee alone in his home studio with just his Yamaha FG180 on the first six tracks, doing whatever comes to mind. Mostly, as the title suggests, he plays some nimble slide guitar through some appropriately raspy-voiced renditions of "Reformed Man," "Mean Disposition," "Tell Me Baby," and the obviously autobiographical "Hooker & the Hogs." The other nine songs were cut solo by McPhee in concert during 1993, and he comes off even better there, his playing even more nimble and his singing far more expressive on songs like Son House's "Death Letter," Muddy Waters' "I Just Can't Be Satisfied," and Howlin' Wolf's "Down In the Bottom" and "No Place To Go," among others. The fidelity on the live stuff, cut with a Yamaha APX-6 in Vienna, is also excellent.
This is the definitive biography and discography of Tony McPhee, and the complete history of his legendary band The Groundhogs. Fully illustrated with several previously unpublished photographs, Eccentric Man is the authoritative account of one of the most important and influential British musicians of the last 50 years. A pioneer of rhythm and blues in the UK, McPhee learnt his craft in the 1960s backing major American blues artists (including John Lee Hooker, Jimmy Reed and Little Walter) during their British tours. McPhee was one of a small group of outstanding British guitarists that emerged during the formative years of rock music. He developed innovative and unique styles as a guitarist, but the factors that really set him apart were his technical knowledge of electronics, constant musical experimentation and groundbreaking recording and performing techniques. In the early 1970s Tony McPhee & The Groundhogs released two classic albums, Thank Christ For The Bomb and Split, that are acknowledged as milestones in the history of rock. At this time he was hailed as "the British Hendrix" and described by Sounds in 1974 as "the definitive rock guitarist". Today he is still recording and performing, and he is recognised as a major influence by numerous musicians, including Julian Cope, Captain Sensible, Karl Hyde, Stephen Malkmus, Mark E. Smith and the record producer Jack Endino.
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