The Mighty Imperials

by Marisa BrownThough none of the four members of the Mighty Imperials was over the age of 18 when they sat down in the Desco Records studios in 1999 to work on the music for Thunder Chicken, they were talented enough to entice gospel singer Joe Henry to add his voice to four of their tracks. With Leon Michels on organ, Homer Steinweiss on drums, Nick Movshon on bass, and Sean Solomon on guitar, the Mighty Imperials played deep funk reminiscent of early James Brown and the Meters. A single, Kick the Blanket/Toothpick, came out that same year, but after Desco folded, the album sat on the shelves. In 2001 a bootlegged version was issued illegally in Britain, but finally, in 2004 Daptone took hold of the record and released it officially. By that time, the members of the Mighty Imperials were playing in different bands (Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings, Antibalas, Soul Fire, El Michels Affair) or involved in other activities, but the album still received positive critical response.