Self-Isolation Vinyl Fest #3 - Thank Christ for the Bomb - The Groundhogs

The Groundhogs are a London-based band, named after a John Lee Hooker song, "Groundhog's Blues". There have been lots of line-up changes over the years, but for this LP, it was Tony McPhee on the guitars and vocals, Peter Cruickshank on the bass and Ken Pustelnik on the drums. 'Thank Christ for the Bomb' was the third studio album recorded by The Groundhogs, in 1970, originally released by Liberty Records. My version is the re-released Sunset Records version (code SLS 50376) made for the UK and French market in 1976. (Sunset Records are a budget re-issue label of Liberty Records.) The original Liberty Records version was a gatefold with different rear artwork to mine.
https://www.thegroundhogs.co.uk/hogs/alist/trthank.html

In an interview, McPhee said, "Well, the idea for the title of the album came from our manager. He just had this idea that we needed to show we were getting away from blues and [...], he decided that we needed a gimmick and John said “Christ” [and the topical nuclear bomb] will cause an uproar."
https://www.earlyblues.com/Interview%20-%20Tony%20McPhee.htm
https://www.psychedelicbabymag.com/2011/08/groundhogs-interview-with-tony-mcphee.html

I really like the artwork, with the fonts and the colours and the imagery. Alan Tanner did the artwork. Back in the sixties and seventies Alan designed album covers for bands such as Hawkwind and Procol Harem. These days he is an artist and a familiar face in Govanhill, an area on the south side of Glasgow. There's a great potted history here:
https://govanhillvoice.wordpress.com/2016/08/01/part-one-alan-tanners-music-is-the-revolution/
https://govanhillvoice.wordpress.com/2016/09/11/part-two-alan-tanners-bubble-trap/
https://govanhillvoice.wordpress.com/2016/11/08/alan-tannerss-tartanpantaloons/

The image of Pete Cruickshank on the left of the front cover is adapted from photograph Q 1 in the Imperial War Museum's photograph archive.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Royal_Irish_Rifles_ration_party_Somme_July_1916.jpg

It's a really good rocking sound with blues heritage, a dark, percussive style. I'm not so keen on the unclear vocals, but I think it does suit some of the songs. My favouite song is probably 'Rich Man, Poor Man' (Side B, Track Four) closely followed by the title track, 'Thank Christ for the Bomb' (Side A, Track Four). The LP cover's not pristine, some of the glue has dried off and it has some sellotape damage, but the vinyl is in excellent condition and it was either free or just a pound or two from a charity shop (I can't remember!).