Michael Timothy Abrahams (born 7 April 1943) is an English guitarist and band leader, best known for being the original guitarist for Jethro Tull from 1967 to 1968 and the frontman for

Blodwyn Pig Blodwyn Pig was a British blues rock band, founded in 1968 by guitarist–vocalist–songwriter Mick Abrahams. Career Abrahams left Jethro Tull after their debut album, '' This Was'', was released, due to a falling-out with Tull vocalist Ian A ...

Jethro Tull

Abrahams was born in

Luton Luton () is a town and unitary authority with borough status, in Bedfordshire, England. At the 2011 census, the Luton built-up area subdivision had a population of 211,228 and its built-up area, including the adjacent towns of Dunstable a ...

, Bedfordshire. He played on the album '' This Was'' recorded by Jethro Tull in 1968, but conflicts between Abrahams and Ian Anderson over the musical direction of the band led Abrahams to leave shortly after the album was finished, but not before contributing guitar to one further non-LP single. Abrahams wanted to pursue a more blues/rock direction, while Anderson wanted to incorporate more overt folk and jazz influences.

Blodwyn Pig and later career

Abrahams went on to found

and the group recorded two albums, ''

Ahead Rings Out ''Ahead Rings Out'' is the debut album by British blues-rock band Blodwyn Pig, released in 1969. The band had been formed in 1969 by Mick Abrahams, the former guitarist of Jethro Tull, and sales of ''Ahead Rings Out'' rivalled those of Jethro Tu ...

'' (1969) and ''

Getting to This ''Getting to This '' was the second album by British blues-rock band Blodwyn Pig, released in 1970. The album was the band's last until a brief reunion in the 1990s. Peter Banks joined from Yes after the recording of ''Getting to This'', but th ...

'' (1970) before breaking up in 1970. Abrahams soldiered on with the short-lived Wommett, then the Mick Abrahams Band and has continued to release albums by himself and with reunited versions of Blodwyn Pig. He has worked as a driver, lifeguard and financial consultant, occasionally playing gigs, especially to support causes in

Dunstable Dunstable ( ) is a market town and civil parishes in England, civil parish in Bedfordshire, England, east of the Chiltern Hills, north of London. There are several steep chalk escarpments, most noticeable when approaching Dunstable from the ...

, Bedfordshire. According to his website, Abrahams suffered a heart attack in November 2009 and would have to recuperate before resuming work. In April 2010 his website revealed that he had

Ménière's disease Ménière's disease (MD) is a disease of the inner ear that is characterized by potentially severe and incapacitating episodes of vertigo, tinnitus, hearing loss, and a feeling of fullness in the ear. Typically, only one ear is affected initi ...

, which would hold him back from performing at least for another year. In December 2013, he posted an update referring to his continuing health problems and mentioning that he hoped to release an album in 2014. In 2015, Abrahams announced a new studio album called ''Revived!'', with several guests – among them, his replacement in Jethro Tull,

Martin Barre Martin Lancelot Barre (; born 17 November 1946) is an English guitarist best known for his longtime role as lead guitarist of British rock band Jethro Tull, with whom he recorded and toured from 1968 until the band's initial dissolution in 201 ...

Discography

Jethro Tull

* 1968 '' This Was''

Blodwyn Pig

* 1969 ''

'' * 1970 ''

'' * 1997 ''Live at Lafayette'' (Bootleg) * 1999 ''Live at the Fillmore West: 3 August 1970'' (Bootleg) * 1999 ''On Air: Rare Singles & Radio Sessions 1969–1989'' (Bootleg) * 2000 ''The Basement Tapes'' * 2002 ''Live at the

Marquee Club The Marquee Club was a music venue first located at 165 Oxford Street in London, when it opened in 1958 with a range of jazz and skiffle acts. Its most famous period was from 1964 to 1988 at 90 Wardour Street in Soho, and it finally closed wh ...

London 1974 (Official Bootleg)'' * 2003 ''Rough Gems (Official Bootleg No.2)'' * 2012 ''Radio Sessions '69 to '71''

Mick Abrahams Band

* 1971 ''A Musical Evening with Mick Abrahams'' * 1972 ''At Last'' * 1997 ''Live in Madrid'' * 2008 ''Amongst Vikings''

Solo

* 1971 ''Mick Abrahams'' * 1975 ''Have Fun Learning The Guitar with Mick Abrahams'' * 1991 ''All Said And Done'' * 1996 ''Mick's Back'' * 1996 ''One'' * 2000 ''Novox'' (Instrumental) * 2000 ''The Very Best of ABY'' (Compilation) * 2001 ''Music to the Play 'A Midsummer Night's Dream * 2001 ''This Was the First Album of Jethro Tull'' * 2002 ''The Best of ABY Vol.2'' * 2002 ''How Many Times'' (With Sharon Watson) * 2003 ''Can't Stop Now'' * 2005 ''Back with the Blues Again'' * 2005 ''Leaving Home Blues'' * 2008 ''65... The Music'' * 2013 ''Hoochie Coochie Man'' – Lost studio album –

Secret Records ''Secret Records limited '' is a British independent record label based in London founded in 1980. The label specialize in a number of genres including blues, reggae, rock, rock 'n' roll, psychedelic, soul and punk. The label's roster includes ...

* 2015 ''Revived!''

Reformed Blodwyn Pigs

* 1993 ''Lies'' * 1995 ''All Tore Down – Live'' * 1996 ''Pig in the Middle'' * 2000 ''See My Way'' * 2004 ''All Said and Done'' * 2005 ''Pigthology'' * 2011 ''Times Have Changed'' (Reissue of ''Lies'') * 2013 ''Cat Squirrel Blues''

This Was Band

* 2001 ''This Is (Live)''

Collaborations

* 1971 : ''El Pea'' – Various Artists, Mick plays on "Greyhound Bus", the last song on the album. * 2007 : ''Beggar's Farm'' – Itullians, Italian Jethro Tull Tribute band. With Bernardo Lanzetti ex-PFM and ex-Aqua Fragile, ex-Jethro Tull members Jonathan Noyce on bass and Clive Bunker on drums.

Freemasonry

Mick Abrahams is a Freemason and a member of the Chelsea Lodge No 3098, the lodge for members of the entertainment industry. He mentions this in some detail in his autobiography, ''What Is A Wommett?''

References

External links

Official Abrahams/Blodwyn Pig siteBio from official Jethro Tull site
* ''Mick Abrahams – This Was The First Album of Jethro Tull''
Mick Abrahams – This Was The First Album Of Jethro Tull
* ''El pea'
Various – El Pea
* Itullians ''Beggar's Farm''
BEGGAR'S FARM ItulliansMick Abrahams Interview
NAMM Oral History Library (2021) {{DEFAULTSORT:Abrahams, Mick 1943 births Living people A&M Records artists Blodwyn Pig members Chrysalis Records artists English rock guitarists Island Records artists Jethro Tull (band) members People from Luton People with Ménière's Disease Screaming Lord Sutch and the Savages members