Blodwyn Pig

Blodwyn Pig - Live At The Lafayette - 1997 - Indigo Recordings

BLODWYN PIG was one of the core bands of the underground music scene of the late sixties. Main man Mick Abrahams was involved with several R&B bands including THE HUSTLERS throughout the decade and he even played some gigs with SCREAMING LORD SUTCH. In 1967 he co-founded JETHRO TULL along with Ian Anderson but was then ousted from the band in November of the following year, shortly after the release of their debut album ''This Was''. After leaving JETHRO TULL Abrahams formed BLODWYN PIG, the unusual name apparently coined by a rather stoned friend of the band. The original line-up consisted of Abrahams (guitar, vocals), Jack Lancaster (saxophones, flute, violin), Andy Pyle (bass) and Ron Berg (drums). Pyle had played in Luton blues band McGREGOR'S ENGINE, a band that Abrahams had in fact formed earlier in 1967; it also included future JETHRO TULL and BLODWYN PIG drummer Clive Bunker. BLODWYN PIG had an extensive live activity that included appearances at the Isle of Wight and Reading rock festivals. They also completed two US tours that took in performances at both Fillmores and the LA Forum. After recording two successful albums the dreaded musical differences resulted in Abrahams' departure from the band in September 1970. He was actually replaced by two guitarists; one was Barry Reynolds and the other was former YES guitarist Peter Banks, who went on to form FLASH. The quintet failed to see the year out and only managed three or four gigs. With the arrival of replacement guitarist Larry Wallis (UFO, PINK FAIRIES, MOTORHEAD) the band changed its name to LANCASTER'S BOMBERS (later simply LANCASTER) and toured with YES in 1971. In the meantime Abrahams had formed WOMMETT and THE MICK ABRAHAMS BAND, the latter of which released two guitar-driven rock albums; Jack Lancaster featured on the second of these albums. Despite the fact that this group enjoyed success across Europe it also split due to some less than enthusiastic record company support. BLODWYN PIG then briefly reformed in February 1974 with the aforementioned Clive Bunker on drums, but old differences resulted in another split and a disillusioned Abrahams temporarily withdrew from the music business. The two albums released by the original incarnation of BLODWYN PIG, ''Ahead Rings Out'' (1969) and ''Getting To This'' (1970), were a fusion of heavy progressive blues and jazz, with Jack Lancaster's brass and woodwind providing most of the distinctive jazz colourings. Speaking about the debut album on his website, Abrahams asserts that Lancaster ''brought a mixture of hard hybrid jazz-rock to the album.'' Lancaster was influenced, as was Ian Anderson, by American jazz multi-instrumentalist Rahsaan Roland Kirk. Lancaster often played two horns simultaneously in the manner of his idol, and when combined with his liberal use of overdubs the overall effect sounded like a brass section playing on the albums. ''Ahead Rings Out'', with its iconic cover art, is generally regarded as the jazzier, more progressive of the two albums. However ''Getting To This'' is perhaps funkier and includes a multi-part track that really showcases Lancaster's musicianship. All Music describes their music as ''a stellar concoction of gritty yet flamboyant blues-rock and open-ended jazz'', and in spite of being a bit rough around the edges several tracks on these two albums would be quite at home on early JETHRO TULL albums. BLODWYN PIG has been something of an on-off concern over the years but largely in response to the enthusiasm of fans Abrahams revived the band with a different line-up in 1987. This new version of the band went on to release several albums during the nineties. Lancaster and Bunker formed the eclectic progressive band AVIATOR in 1978, and Lancaster has also worked as a record producer, composer for film and television, and session musician/arranger for artists such as Phil Collins, Brian Eno and Vangelis. Pyle and Berg formed the rhythm sections of JUICY LUCY and SAVOY BROWN, and Pyle played with later incarnations of THE KINKS and WISHBONE ASH. Abrahams himself has continued to release solo albums, while the rift with Ian Anderson has now healed and the pair have successfully collaborated on several projects. BLODWYN PIG was one of the largely unsung bands that have nonetheless made a valuable contribution to the development of progressive rock music. Their unique blend of guitar and horn twin leads set against a backdrop of heavy, prog, blues and jazz packs an almighty punch that should appeal to fans of early JETHRO TULL and COLOSSEUM. © Chris / seventhsojourn © Prog Archives, All rights reserved http://www.progarchives.com/artist.asp?id=6289

"Many bands from the sixties and seventies have resisted the temptation of reforming once, let alone twice. But Mick Abrahams was asked to assemble a band for the opening of a new club in Luton, England. The gig went down a storm and before you could say Boldwyn Pilg (as Mick jokes on stage), the band was back on the road with the original line-up, except Clive Bunker replaced Ron Berg on drums. This recording is of Blodwyn Pig playing live at the Lafayette Club in Wolverhampton, England in 1993 and is a good set of combined rock, blues, and jazz from a great band. Listen to BP’s “Modern Alchemist” and “Ahead Rings Out” albums [Tracks @ 235-250 Kbps: File size = 124 Mb]

TRACKS / COMPOSERS

1 Dunstable Truck-Driver Man's Blues - Abrahams 3:33
2 See My Way - Abrahams 7:02
3 Oh No! - Abrahams 10:44
4 Baby Girl Abrahams 4:42
5 Cosmogrification - Lancaster 7:30
6 Cat Squirrel - Ross 10:54
7 It's Only Love - Abrahams 3:47
8 Dharma For Six - Webb 11:15
9 Six Days On The Road - Montgomery, Green 5:29
10 Boogie Train / Slow Down - Williams, Abrahams 7:21

MUSICIANS

Mick Abrahams - Guitar, Vocals
Andy Pyle - Bass
Clive Bunker - Drums
Jack Lancaster - Saxophone, Flute, Violin

BIO

A quirky detour of late-'60s British progressive/blues rock, Blodwyn Pig was founded by former Jethro Tull guitarist Mick Abrahams, who left Tull after theThis Was album. Abrahams was joined by bassist Andy Pyle, drummer Ron Berg, and Jack Lancaster, who gave the outfit their most distinctive colorings via his saxophone and flute. On their two albums, they explored a jazz/blues/progressive style somewhat in the mold of (unsurprisingly) Jethro Tull, but with a lighter feel. They also bore some similarities to John Mayall'sjazzy late-'60s versions of the Bluesbreakers, or perhaps Colosseum, but with more eclectic material. Both of their LPs made the British Top Ten, though the players' instrumental skills were handicapped by thin vocals and erratic (though oft-imaginative) material. The group were effectively finished by Abrahams'departure after 1970's Getting to This. They briefly reunited in the mid-'70s, and Abrahams was part of a different lineup that reformed in the late '80s; they have since issued a couple of albums in the 1990s. © Richie Unterberger © 2014 AllMusic, a division of All Media Network, LLC. | All Rights Reserved http://www.allmusic.com/artist/blodwyn-pig-mn0000055174/biography