Some Chicken
“TURKEYS COME CLEEN
Students of this worthy rag may or may not be aware that in recent issues, the merits of Nottingham band SOME CHICKEN have not always been adequately portrayed. Not that there was ever any animosity between our respective parties, more a healthy rivalry. So we’re all agreed that now is the time to put the records straight on a few things, so here we go,
Some Chicken were probably the band that set the New Wave going in this area. At a time when most of the bands hailed from London or Manchester, the Chickens introduced the music into the local club scene. Heralded as ‘Nottingham’s Punk Band’ by those knowledgeable fellows at Radio Notts, the band have come in for more than their share of criticism from all sides, and by no stretch of the imagination could claim to be one of the most popular bands around. A lot has been said of the not-so-friendly rivalry with the Drains, but speak to both sides and there is no real problem.
Some Chicken are Ivor Badcock (Lead Vocals), Jess Chicken (Guitar), Terry Bull (Bass) and Galway Kinnell (Drums) although these names are apparently charged quite often. The original band got together back in 1973 and performed under the name of the ‘Scabs’ though only Jess and Galway remained from this combo.
Ivor and Terry joined in 1976, and the new band entered a talent contest at the ‘Musters’ hotel….and came last. Undeterred they started to gig locally supporting other bands, before becoming known in their own right, and gracing some of the countries foremost club venues. At this point, Raw Records began to take an interest, and invited the Chickens to make a demo recording, from which ‘New Religion’ was selected to be the debut single. The contract has now been extended to include three more singles and an album. ‘New Religion’ itself is riding high in the New Wave sales chart.
At the moment, Some Chicken are doing several dates with the Vibrators, in between recording the next single. Catch them most weeks at the Imperial in Nottingham.
Guinness Book Of Records please note:- Terry Bull is claiming to be the only person ever to wear flares in the Roxy.”
Terminally Blitzed (fanzine), 1978
New Religion made number 16 on John Peel’s Festive Fifty in 1978.
The band gigged around the UK during 1978 and 1979, their biggest gigs were supporting XTC, Tom Robinson, X-Ray Spex, Adam And The Ants and Cheap Trick. They regularly played residencies in Nottingham, at the Sandpiper Club and The Imperial Hotel. They also played the surreal Raw Records anniversary gig where the Nipple Erectors inexplicably played twice and The Killjoys were cut off mid set as there was a curfew.
In May 2021 John Holmes a Radio and TV presenter of some 50 years standing discovers in his box a reel-to-reel tape of Some Chicken and interviews Jess Chicken about Nottingham’s first punk group
RAW 7 – New Religion/Blood On The Wall – 21.10.77
Oh lordy this is another one that socks you between the nuts. There’s something disturbing about this band (Ivor Badcock on Vocals, Terry Bull on Bass, Galway Kinnell on Drums and Jess Chicken on Guitar) featuring more intelligent subject matter than your standard punk dole queue rant.
I’m assuming ‘Blood On The Wall’, the pick of the sides, is about Charlie Manson and chums. Claustrophobic but top drawer Punk rock. Came out in late 1977 and rightly reached number 16 on John Peel’s festive 50.
RAW 13/17 – Arabian Daze/Number Seven
Punk77 says: Second single for this uncompromising Nottingham Punk band and sees them progress out of their more straightforward punk style to something more avant-garde in the style of the Cure with sax. Sadly though the song just doesn’t get going or have the intensity of their earlier release. For those of a superstitious number thirteen disposition the single was also released as Raw 17.
Lee Wood: For the second single I intended to have a limited edition released on purple vinyl. It was pressed at a factory in Leicester but when we couldn’t pay them in advance they melted the records down to re-use for another record they were pressing at the time.
It’s just possible a few copies were taken home by someone who worked in the factory. I certainly never saw a copy. But one or two might have survived?
Since writing the above – a copy was auctioned on eBay in 2008. I bid about £350 but it went for over £400 to a guy in Venice, Italy. Punk77 Interview
Dan: I heard the New Religion ep first and liked it. When I heard the Arabian Daze ep, I was blown away. Great 50s style Punk on both sides. They should have reissued that one! Arabian Daze suck?!! Not to this generally fussy listener. Get your ears checked guys. Killed By Death Records
TalkPunk
Post comments, images & videos - Posts are checked and offensive or irrelevant ones will be removed
