Listen/Download – The Impacts – Thunder Chicken

NOTE: If you downloaded the file in the first half hour or so after I published this post, you got a shortened version of the track that cuts off about 15 seconds too soon. I have since uploaded a new file that should be OK.

 

Greetings all.

How’s about some smoking, hard charging soul jazz to close out the week?

First, might I remind you that this Friday night at 9PM the Funky16Corners Radio Show will be back on Viva Radio with another hour of the finest in funk, soul, jazz and rare groove, all on vinyl.

I can’t tell you much about today’s selection, other than it kicks a boatload of ass.

I picked the Impacts ‘Thunder Chicken’ 45 (gotta love that title) years ago during an attempt to complete the Marmaduke discography.

A Philadelphia-based imprint started by Len Barry and Bernie Binnick, Marmaduke was originally home to the Electric Indian (before a move to UA) and a few much more obscure bands like the Hidden Cost, Norma and the Heartaches, Race Street Chinatown Band and Daley’s Diggers.

The only thing I’ve been able to track down about the Impacts is that they seem to have been the backing band on a number of Philly 45s for artists like Rocky Brown, Monica and Herb Johnson on the Toxsan label.

None of those recordings would indicate that that had a killer like ‘Thunder Chicken’ in their repertoire.

I can’t say for sure, but it seems to me that like many other musicians working in the soul recording studios of America’s cities in the 60s, the Impacts may have been frustrated jazzers churning out pop, soul and funk to get a paycheck.

Listening to the raging ‘Thunder Chicken’, with its unison jazz guitar and saxophone leads, swinging drums and hand claps, you get a picture of a Saturday night party in a smoky Philly bar.

The flipside, ‘Brown Finger’ (?!?!) is a much slower, laid back affair with none of the fire of ‘Thunder Chicken’.

A brilliant, but obscure record that needs to be heard.

So there you go.

Have a great weekend!

Peace

Larry

 

 

 

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7 Responses to “The Impacts – Thunder Chicken”

1. Cody B says:

   January 20, 2011 at 5:16 pm

   Great track. There was a CD comp called MFSB- Muthafunkinsonofabitch that carried a few cuts from the other bands you mentioned. I wonder if the Impacts were on those records,too.

2. Tweets that mention » The Impacts – Thunder Chicken -- Topsy.com says:

   January 21, 2011 at 12:06 am

   […] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Dan James, billy tooberish. billy tooberish said: » The Impacts – Thunder Chicken: Listening to the raging 'Thunder Chicken', with its unison jazz guitar and saxo… https://bit.ly/hwEG9J […]

3. Larry Grogan says:

   January 21, 2011 at 9:10 am

   Cody
   Most (if not all) of the tracks on the comp feature the core of the Philadelphia Intl house band. I believe the Impacts were a separate and distinct entity.
   Larry

4. jb says:

   January 22, 2011 at 10:40 am

   That’s the greatest record label/company logo I’ve ever seen. Now to listen to the tune . . .

5. Cody B says:

   January 23, 2011 at 7:38 am

   Cool…were those cuts on the comp from UA or Marmaduke. Sorry for the inquisition..love the blog. Thanks

6. Larry Grogan says:

   January 23, 2011 at 7:50 am

   Cody
   The stuff on the comp came on originally on a variety of labels including Gamble (Brothers of Hope), Marmaduke (Hidden Cost, Race St etc), Jubilee (Interpretations), Neptune (Cupit), and Wand (the Alliance) among others. The Electric Indian had 45s on both and UA.
   LARRY

7. Here’s some stuff I enjoyed this week | The Man in the Gray Flannel Suit says:

   January 30, 2011 at 8:16 pm

   […] Song of the week: “Thunder Chicken” by The Impacts (Funky16Corners) […]