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The Groundhogs |
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Info: Biography, Pictures, Discography of all CDs & DVDs |
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| Welcome to the Groundhogs Archive, this is not going to be a static site but a developing archive of the band through the last 41 years.Stars playing at the Marquee club and suggested 'Groundhogs' as a name for the band, after a track on John Lee Hooker's album 'House of the Blues'.Tony and the band played all of the gigs on the blossoming blues circuit and then backed Hooker on the final week of his first British tour.In an interview of the time he called them the 'number one British blues band'.At around the same time the Hogs also backed Champion Jack Dupree who later said in an interview with Melody Maker that they were 'the best band he'd ever played with'.The first album 'Scratchin' the Surface' (1968) was a basic blues album with line up bass player Pete Cruickshank, drums Ken Pustelnik (previously with Bristol band The Deep) and Steve Rye on Harmonica.The second album 'Blues Obituary' saw the departure of Steve Rye and a more 'progressive' approach.Tony was voted 5th best guitarist of the same year.In that year they toured with the Rolling Stones and Glyn John, who was recording the Stones recorded one of the Groundhogs sets and Mick Jagger presented Tony with the tapes.These were first used as a promo for the States (rare item as only 100 were produced) and released later as 'Live at Leeds'.Tony and the Groundhogs have released over 20 new albums since then and have appeared on numerous compilations and collaborations (see shertila link below).UK Top Ten entry, reaching No.The famous comic strip style album cover was designed by Marvel Comics artist Neil Adams of 'Spiderman' Fame.In 1974 the band disbanded, till 1975 and two albums 'Crosscut Saw' and 'Black Diamond' were released in 1976.After releasing the double live album 'Hoggin' the Stage' (1984).The Groundhogs lead by Tony McPhee (and various line ups) have been gigging ever since until October 4th 2004, when they were finally disbanded.If we have forgotten you, (and we know there are a couple, remember the face....If we haven't got a picture, we would love to fill in the gaps, so please get in contact.The Groundhogs were a British blues band founded in late 1963, which toured extensively in the 1960s and continued in existence sporadically to the present day.Career
The band's blues credentials were recognised when they backed John Lee Hooker and Champion Jack Dupree on their 1960s tours of Britain.They remain one of the lesser known yet critically regarded bands of the late 1960s and early 1970s blues rock groups.Later album releases such as Thank Christ For The Bomb (May 1970); Split (March 1971); and Who Will Save the World?The Mighty Groundhogs (March 1972); are powerful rock albums which share a common achievement of all reaching the top 10 of the British album charts."Split" reached number 5 , spent 27 weeks in the album chart and achieved gold record status.Rolling Stones on their 1971 British tour at the personal request of Mick Jagger.After years of performing, and recording for a loyal cult audience, McPhee left the band in 2004 in order to perform acoustically leaving fellow original members Cruickshank and Pustelnik to continue as The Groundhogs Rhythm Section.See Copyrights for details.After indulging in all manner of hedonistic pursuits, he begins to reexamine his life and priorities.Connors awakens the next morning, however, to find it is again February 2, and the day unfolds in exactly the same way, over and over again.Cher's "I Got You Babe", on his alarm clock radio, but with his (and only his) memories of the "previous" day intact, trapped in a seemingly endless "time loop" to repeat the same day in the same small town.However, his attempts to seduce his producer, Rita, are met with repeated failure.He begins to tire of, and then dread, his existence.Cher in the same bed again.After seeing an elderly homeless man die, Phil vows that no one will die on "his" day and performs many heroic services each and every day, including performing the Heimlich Maneuver on a choking man and saving a little boy who falls from a tree.Though the film does not specify the number of repetitions, there is enough time for Connors to learn to play jazz piano, speak some French, sculpt ice, and memorize the life story of almost everyone in town.Eventually, Connors enhances his own human understanding which, in return, makes him an appreciated and beloved man in the town.The closing song is "Almost Like Being in Love" from Brigadoon, a musical which also dealt with a village trapped in time.In the original script the film began in the middle of the narrative, without explaining how or why Phil was repeating Groundhog Day.However the filmmakers became concerned that the audience would feel cheated without seeing Phil's growing realization of the nature of the time loop.Consequently, the love story was less developed in the original script than in the final movie.The location for most of the shooting of the film was not actually Punxsutawney but rather Woodstock, Illinois (only a short drive from Murray's hometown of Wilmette).In Punxsutawney, the actual Gobbler's Knob is located in a rural area about 2 miles (3 km) east of town.However, the location used in Woodstock gives the impression that the Knob is inside the town.The Tip Top Cafe in Woodstock, where much of the film takes place, was originally a set created for the film, but local demand led to its opening as a real cafe.It eventually closed down, but a "Tip Top Bistro" has taken its place.Some of the film was also shot in nearby Indiana, Pennsylvania, with aerial shots also being filmed in Pittsburgh.Gazette newspapers, as well as Gateway Center, the home of KDKA TV and Radio.This film is number 32 on Bravo's "100 Funniest Movies".In Total Film's 1990s special issue, Groundhog Day was deemed the best film of 1993.In 2000, readers of Total Film magazine voted it the seventh greatest comedy film of all time.Greatest Screenplays ever written.As such, the film has become a favorite of Buddhist, Christian and Jewish leaders alike because they see its themes of selflessness and rebirth as a reflection of their own spiritual messages.North American usage, with no such annotation for the repetitious meaning.By March 1994, there was a defensive zone in Somalia called Groundhog Station.President Clinton in January 1996 specifically referred to the movie and the use of the phrase by military personnel in Bosnia.Even today in the Iraq War, "Groundhog Day" is American military slang for any day of a tour of duty in Iraq.In a recorded holiday greeting played on Air America Radio, the actor wishes the listener a "Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Happy New Year and Happy Groundhog Day."Rock band The Dismemberment Plan derived its name from dialogue spoken by the Tobolowsky character Ned Ryerson.British comedy quiz show Shooting Stars used the question "Who was the star of Groundhog Day?"Dave Lee Travis replied "Bill Murray".Host Bob Mortimer then asked the question again and Travis answered it again, and this repeated with Travis ever more irate until he eventually understood the joke, busted up laughing and offered "The groundhog!"."Window of Opportunity" (itself about a time loop) has Jack O'Neill refer to the film, saying "So you can be king of Groundhog Day".In the book five of The Melancholy of Suzumiya Haruhi series, Kyon mentions that he might end up repeating his first year of High School for the rest of his life "Groundhog's Day style".At the start of each loop, the scientist hails a cab near a London cinema, which displays the words "Groundhog Day, now showing", an obvious reference to the inspiration behind the loop concept used in the series.Details from the film
The poetry Rita quotes to Phil is from the sixth canto of The Lay of the Last Minstrel by Sir Walter Scott, also known as Patriotism.ABC affiliate in Pittsburgh.At the dance, when Ned (Stephen Tobolowsky) asks Phil and Rita "Where are we going?"In the DVD commentary, Harold Ramis says the line as originally written in the script was "Let's not ruin it."The word was changed because of Andie McDowell's heavy southern accent distorting the word "ruin"."The 101 Greatest Screenplays".The Independent (London, England), February 2, 2004."Back From Iraq at the Great American Diner".Retrieved on October 10, 2006."Sondheim plans changes to Bounce".The Stephen Sondheim Society (2003).See Copyrights for details.Forecast
n 1723, the Delaware Indians settled Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania as a campsite halfway between the Allegheny and the Susquehanna Rivers."The name woodchuck comes from the Indian legend of "Wojak, the groundhog" considered by them to be their ancestral grandfather.When German settlers arrived in the 1700s, they brought a tradition known as Candlemas Day, which has an early origin in the pagan celebration of Imbolc.Winter Solstice and the Spring Equinox.The day's weather continued to be important.If the sun came out February 2, halfway between Winter and Spring, it meant six more weeks of wintry weather.Last Tuesday, the 2nd, was Candlemas day, the day on which, according to the Germans, the Groundhog peeps out of his winter quarters and if he sees his shadow he pops back for another six weeks nap, but if the day be cloudy he remains out, as the weather is to be moderate."According to the old English saying:
If Candlemas be fair and bright,
Winter has another flight.For as the snow blows on Candlemas Day,
So far will the sun shine before May.Half the fuel and half the hay.Winter hibernation, was selected as the replacement.Pennsylvania's official celebration of Groundhog Day began on February 2nd, 1886 with a proclamation in The Punxsutawney Spirit by the newspaper's editor, Clymer Freas: "Today is groundhog day and up to the time of going to press the beast has not seen its shadow."The groundhog was given the name "Punxsutawney Phil, Seer of Seers, Sage of Sages, Prognosticator of Prognosticators, and Weather Prophet Extraordinary'' and his hometown thus called the "Weather Capital of the World.The legendary first trip to Gobbler's Knob was made the following year.Groundhog Day, starring Bill Murray as a TV weatherman (who wakes up and it's Groundhog Day over and over again!Andie MacDowell as his puzzled producer, attendance at the real event has expanded.In 1997, there were 35,000 visitors in Punxsutawney, five times the Jefferson County town's 6,700 population.Unfortunately, Woodstock's landscape doesn't have Pennsylvania's scenic rolling hills.The actual Gobbler's Knob is a wooded hill with a beautiful view; the Gobbler's Knob in the movie is moved to the town square.The Punxsutawney Gobbler's Knob was recreated to scale in Woodstock's town square based on detailed notes and videos the crew made on it's visit to Punxsutawney.Punxsutawney's police cars were also recreated for the movie.Groundhog Festival flags that line the streets of Punxsutawney were displayed.Marmota monax), is a member of the squirrel family.Groundhogs in the wild eat succulent green plants, such as dandelion, clover, and grasses.Shadow (Six more weeks of Winter!Shadow at 8:08 AM; first newspaper photo of Groundhog Day by John Frampton.Shadow at 11:45 AM; named Wiley William Woodchuck!Shadow at 7:11 AM; Groundhog Holiday Dance.Shadow at 10:00 AM; program with Punx'y Rotary Club on KDKA Radio.Groundhog did not appear; relied on Quarryville's prediction.Shadow at 7:29 AM; 14 below zero.Spring after a mild El Nino Winter.President Reagan at the White House in March."Oprah Winfrey" TV Show.Shadow at 7:20 AM; predicting six more weeks of a mild El Nino Winter!PA Governor Ed Rendell attending the ceremony.Steelers in Super Bowl XL.Please read our Legal Notice and our Privacy Statement.Quicklinks
main detailscombined detailsfull cast and crewcompany creditstv scheduleuser commentsexternal reviewsnewsgroup reviewsawardsuser ratingsparents guiderecommendationsmessage boardplot summaryplot keywordsAmazon.Tagline:
He's having the worst day of his life...Plot Outline:
A weatherman finds himself living the same day over and over again.Awards:
Won BAFTA Film Award.User Comments:
Excellent comedy that anyone can relate to.Cast overview, first billed only) Bill Murray ...Man in HallwayLes Podewell ...MPAA:
Rated PG for some thematic elements.Trivia:
Phil at the piano teacher's house, when he is fumblingly playing 'Sergei Rachmaninov' 's "Rhapsody on a Theme by Paginini", is actually Bill Murray playing.Sergei Rachmaninov' 's "Rhapsody on a Theme by Paginini", specifically its 18th Variation, was also used in another time fantasy movie, Somewhere in Time (1980).On the second day, he does not wave.Elko, Nevada, our nation's high at 79 today."Out in California, they're gonna have some warm weather tomorrow, gang wars, and some *very* overpriced real estate.FAQ
How Long Does Phil keep repeating Groundhog Day?Thank you, your vote will be counted and appear on this page within 24 hours.Every year he goes to Puxatawney, Pennsylvania for the Puxatawney Phil
event: commonly recognized as Groundhog Day.The
groundhog comes out.Well, the only problem about going to this event every year for Phil is
that he hates it.He hates the cheery people.He is a lonely,
desolate, forsaken soul.Due to severe weather, the roads have all been
closed, leaving only one option: Stay in Puxatawney until the storm
blows over.But when he wakes the next morning, something odd happens.Phil panics as he finds everything exactly the same as it was the day
before.But when he wakes
up, alas!So Phil comes to terms with the fact that there is now way out of this
small little town.He steps in front of a moving
car.He jumps off a building.He thinks he is smart by skipping the big Holiday ordeal.It is
all so stupid to him.But, as this story teaches us, having an attitude
like that can get you in big trouble.Bill and he are old pals, and it sure shows.Phil Connors
does what we would do.For example: When he finds out he has this
ability to repeat the same day over and over, he does things the
average person would do.We see Phil memorize the steps to successfully robbing an
armored truck filled with cash.He will never have robbed the truck, never
have bought a Ferarri, etc.It was about a soap opera writer getting trapped in his
own world.And that is why, among other things, it
is one of my favorites.They will be examined and if approved will be included in a future update.Internet Movie Database Inc.Terms and Privacy Policy under which this service is provided to you.Here you will find Groundhogs (Woodchucks) that live near Lums Pond State Park.Tour the burrows with Thor (a Rottweiler) or explore them on your own.Spread the Groundhog fever by sending someone a Groundhog Postcard.Click here to locate a wildlife rehabilitator in your area.Just click on his picture to follow him!Dan
The groundhog lives underground.If one of its enemies tries to attack
it, the groundhog will probably bite.We sometimes use it to tell if it
is going to be a longer winter or a shorter winter.It lives all around western and eastern Pennsylvania.Its scientific name is Marmota monat.It lives under rocks and under the ground.It's enemies are dogs and foxes.The woodchuck lives underground in a deep big hole.Its enemies are dogs and foxes.The mother takes
care of the babies and there are usually 5 to 10 of them.It protects itself
by listening and watching. |
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