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The roots of Mick Abrahams' musical career were typical of aspiring guitarists
in the mid-sixties, taking in stints with R&B groups like The Hustlers,
The Toggery Five, Screaming Lord Sutch, Neil Christian's Crusaders (replacing
Jimmy Page) and his own McGregor's Engine.
By late 1967 Mick had become a founder member of Jethro Tull, and throughout
1968 the band built up a reputation based on the already distinctive blues
guitar of Abrahams and the flute playing and wild stage persona of Ian
Anderson. The band's unique blend of blues, jazz and rock was reflected
in their first album This Was, an immediate UK chart hit. However, having
two such strong personalities as a twin focus was always going to be a
recipe for musical incompatibility, and at the end of 1968 Abrahams jumped
ship.
After quitting Jethro Tull Mick formed his own band, called Blodwyn Pig.
They released two albums "Ahead Rings Out" (1969) and "Getting
To This" (1970).
At that stage Blodwyn Pig looked destined for great things - but the old
ogre of musical differences reared its ugly head, and Abrahams left his
own band. Blodwyn Pig soldiered on for a while, but Mick's presence had
been too vital a factor in their success, and the Pig died.
The early seventies saw Mick on 'Top Of The Pops' and 'In Concert' on
Radio One with The Mick Abrahams Band, showcasing two fine guitar-driven
rock albums in (A Musical Evening With) Mick Abrahams and At Last. The
band enjoyed success throughout Europe; but record company support was
less encouraging and, after a short-lived Blodwyn Pig reunion in 1974
(immortalised via another Radio One live broadcast), a disillusioned Mick
Abrahams effectively quit the music business.
In the new millennium Mick Abrahams' recording career is busier than ever.
After spending the rest of the seventies and most of the eighties in civvy
street, with just the occasional appearance at charity gigs to remind
us of what a great guitarist the ex-Pig was, Mick Abrahams was persuaded
by the enthusiastic response of the fans to these one-off gigs to resuscitate
Blodwyn Pig - and what a fine decision it has been. Far from simply trading
on past glories, Mick has spent the nineties writing and recording new
music, both with Blodwyn Pig and as a solo artist. 1991's "All Said
And Done" featured an impressive selection of new songs and stage
favourites, while 1993's Lies was a sparkling collection of self-penned
tracks. The Blods' dynamic stage performance was captured on the live
1994 album All Tore Down, and the 1996 solo electric blues album Mick's
Back featured four new songs alongside a number of standards. And in between
he has found time to guest on a number of other artists' albums, most
notably on the Peter Green tribute album Rattlesnake Guitar alongside
an illustrious Who's Who of the blues.
The most remarkable 1996 album though was the solo release One, which
featured Mick just on acoustic guitar ("unpigged"), augmented
on four tracks by the mandolin, harmonica and flute of his erstwhile Jethro
Tull cohort Ian Anderson. The renewed working relationship with Anderson
had started in the early 1990s with a couple of live reunions at fan conventions,
and has continued with Mick making special guest appearances at Jethro
Tull concerts, while Ian has even played live with Blodwyn Pig. That Ian
should volunteer to play on One is as high as any testament to Mick's
remarkable talents.
And still the man continues to produce new music. Mick´s brand new
album "See My Way further" demonstrates what a fine songwriter
Mick Abrahams is in a range of styles, from slow tear-jerking blues to
acoustic finger-picking ditties to driving fist-waving rock. The current
line-up for this brilliant new album has some very distinguished guest
musicians such as Elliott Randall, Dave Bronze, Geoff Whitehorn and Jim
Rodford to name but a few. This has to be Mick¹s finest album to
date. It also marks a new direction for Mick, as this is his debut as
a producer and this album is proof of his dedication to continue to make
and produce great blues, country, rock and jazz influenced music that
is unique and heart felt.
There are plenty of good guitarists around. One of the hallmarks of a
great guitarist is the development of a personal style - and the big,
rich sound of Mick's rolling and tumbling licks are instantly recognisable,
whether he is blasting out a blurred-finger eye-bulging rocker or making
his guitar weep to a mournful slow blues - all of which impelled Record
Collector recently to describe the band as the "rockin', rootin',
ripsnortin' Blodwyn Pig".
The fans too have welcomed Mick back with open arms. All the old Blodwyn
Pig and Mick Abrahams Band albums are now available on CD alongside the
newer material, and the band continues to tour and entertain the audiences
of Europe with its powerful bluesy rock and rockin' blues.
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