An independent company, established by Chris Hutchins, who ran a publicity firm called Chris Hutchins Information, and ex-Pirates guitarist Mick Green. Thunderbird's arrival was announced in 'Music Week' of the 25th of October, which said that it was operating out of premises in Thanet House, Craven Road, London W2. A manufacture and distribution deal had been signed with CBS, and the first two singles were due out on the 31st of that month. According to the article Thunderbird's intention was "To make hits and promote them cleanly and efficiently," and the company got off to a reasonable start when its third single, Freddie Starr's novelty version of 'White Christmas (Parts 1 and 2)' (THE-102; 11/75) narrowly failed to crack the Top 40. 'Billboard' of the 15th of November 1975 stated that Peter Robinson and John Hall, whom it described as "financial experts with backroom experience in the record industry" had joined the board; then some five months later, in its issue of the 6th of March 1976, it was able to reveal that the company had signed a manufacturing, marketing and distribution deal with Polydor International, which covered all territories except the UK, America and Japan. The first release under the agreement was intended to be a single by Champagne, 'A Love For All Seasons' b/w 'Walking In The Park' (THE-105; 3/76). In passing, the article mentioned that Thunderbird had signed Butterflies and Keith Baden-Powell as a result of their successes on TV's 'Opportunity Knocks'. As it happened, the deal with Polydor International was to bear little fruit: a single combining two UK 'A' sides by Rock band Shanghai, 'Candy Eyes' and 'Shakin' All Over', was released in France, Germany and the Netherlands, but that appears to have been the lot - there is no sign of an overseas release for the Champagne record.
After the release of Freddie Starr's 'Bad Boy' b/w 'Only Sixteen' (THE-108) in April of that year there seems to have been something of a hiatus; Thunderbird's next mention in 'MW' came when the issue of the 14th of August broke the news that the company had joined forces with Ed Kassner's President Records organization. The article said the Kassner had become managing director of Morgan Dower Ltd, the holding company of Thunderbird and its publishing arm Parbeach Music, and had effectively formed an amalgamation between the companies. Hutchins still remained chairman of the Morgan Dower board, and his joint partner Green was to stay in control of artists and repertoire. Three more singles were issued before the end of 1976, with numbers starting at THE-113; numbers 109 to 112 were not used - if any releases were planned at all they may have fallen victim to the uncertainty accompanying the change in management. A couple more singles followed in 1977, both by the band Skeets Boliver, one in February and one in October, but after the latter Thunderbird seems to have expired.
Thunderbird offered a variety of fare, from Pop to Rock, but apart from the Freddie Starr hit sales appear to have been modest. None of its singles are particularly sought-after, but the Dread Orchestra and Butterflies records are mildly alluring to Reggae and Glam collectors respectively, and it's interesting to compare Shanghai's version of the Pirates' hit 'Shakin' All Over' (THE-104; 1/76), which Green co-produced, to the original. Numbering was in a TH-100 series, which started at TH-100. Initially manufacture and distribution were by CBS (1), but after Thunderbird joined the President stable that company took over responsibility for both functions and a reference to President appeared on the label (2). During the President era distribution was also done by members of the BIRD group, which included Lugton and H. R. Taylor, as was usual for President's labels. The only single from this latter period that I have seen in the vinyl was pressed by Orlake, but as British Homophone had come under the President umbrella by that time it seems reasonable to guess that other pressings were done by that company. Promo copies were almost always marked with a medium-sized red 'A' and had the release date printed on them (3). It is odd that the single with the CBS-style promo markings shown above (4) should be the first to come via President, but that is the case. Promos of subsequent singles went back to the 'red A' marking.
Copyright 2006 Robert Lyons.