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Samson (band)

From Alfawiki
Samson
Company typeBand
IndustryMusic
Founded1977
FounderPaul Samson
Defunct2002
Headquarters
London
,
England
ProductsMusic albums, singles, live recordings

Samson was a British heavy metal ensemble established in 1977 by guitarist and vocalist Paul Samson. They gained recognition primarily for their initial three albums, which featured future Iron Maiden frontman Bruce Dickinson, then known as "Bruce Bruce", alongside drummer Thunderstick (Barry Graham Purkis), who was distinguished by his leather mask and metal cage stage persona. Drummer Clive Burr also contributed to the band both prior to and following his stint with Iron Maiden. After Dickinson's departure, vocalist Nicky Moore took over leading the group during the mid-1980s and again in the late 1990s. Samson was a notable part of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal movement.

Career

In 1976, Paul Samson became a member of the London-based band Scrapyard, which soon rebranded as McCoy, featuring bassist John McCoy and drummer Roger Hunt. When McCoy departed to join Gillan, Chris Aylmer stepped in on bass. In 1977, Aylmer proposed changing the band's name to Samson and recruited drummer Clive Burr. Due to scheduling conflicts, Paul Samson occasionally enlisted other musicians for live performances. Efforts to broaden the lineup were short-lived, and the group reverted to a trio format.

Their debut singles, Telephone and Mr Rock & Roll, were released in 1978. After a brief interval with lead singer Mark Newman, Paul Samson resumed vocal duties. Burr exited at the close of 1978; following auditions of over 60 drummers, Barry Purkis (Thunderstick) was brought on board. With John McCoy producing and co-writing much of the material, he also played bass on their first album, Survivors, issued by Lazer records. Bruce Dickinson joined as lead vocalist towards the end of 1979.

The band's second album, Head On, launched in July 1980, climbed to No. 34 on the UK Albums Chart. The subsequent tour was marred by management disputes. By October 1980, ten new tracks were prepared for recording; some songs from Survivors were re-recorded with Dickinson and later added as bonus tracks on the 1990 CD reissue. Their third release, Shock Tactics, completed by late 1981, marked Dickinson's final contribution with Samson. The band struggled with management challenges and lackluster tour support; their record label also faced financial collapse. Dickinson's last appearance occurred at the 1981 Reading Festival, which was later issued as Live at Reading 1981.

Samson achieved chart success with three UK singles: "Riding With The Angels" (No. 54 in 1981), "Losing My Grip" (No. 63 in 1982), and "Red Skies" (No. 65 in 1983).

Following Dickinson's departure, former Hackensack and Tiger vocalist Nicky Moore joined Samson, who then signed with Polydor Records. Their initial release featuring Moore was the "Losing My Grip" EP (1982), containing tracks initially recorded with Dickinson but unreleased until the 2001 Shock Tactics CD reissue. With Moore as frontman, Samson produced two albums: Before the Storm (1982) and Don't Get Mad, Get Even (1984), which garnered increased success across Europe and included touring alongside Whitesnake. The band dissolved in May 1984 as Paul Samson embarked on a solo career.

Samson reunited intermittently from 1987 through 1990 with varying line-ups, releasing Refugee. In the early 1990s, Paul Samson collaborated with New York songwriter Rik Anthony on a reunion project featuring Thunderstick and Aylmer; however, limited funding prevented its completion. These demos remained unreleased for nearly ten years. The group performed across Europe under names such as Paul Samson's Rogues before Anthony returned to New York. A refreshed lineup recorded the self-titled album Samson in 1993.

In 1999, Paul Samson issued Past Present & Future, which included compositions derived from earlier demo sessions. The classic trio of Samson-Aylmer-Thunderstick reunited for a live performance in Tokyo, followed by additional shows in 2000 featuring Nicky Moore at events like the "25th Anniversary of NWOBHM" at London Astoria and Germany’s Wacken Open Air festival.

The band's activities effectively ceased after Paul Samson passed away from cancer on 9 August 2002. In tribute, Moore performed a dedicated set titled "Nicky Moore plays Samson" at the Sweden Rock Festival in 2004.

Bass guitarist Chris Aylmer succumbed to throat cancer on 9 January 2007.

Samson appeared in Julien Temple’s short film Biceps of Steel (1980), which incorporated music video segments promoted by their record label. Although largely forgotten over time, footage from this film was included in The Incubus. The Biceps of Steel feature resurfaced in 2006 on Bruce Dickinson's Anthology DVD.

Drummer Clive Burr died on 12 March 2013 after a battle with multiple sclerosis. Nicky Moore passed away on 3 August 2022 due to Parkinson's disease.

Discography

Studio albums
Albums released as solo works by Paul Samson
  • Joint Forces (1986) - (created by former band members, issued as a Paul Samson solo album)
  • P.S.... (2006) - (posthumous release attributed to Paul Samson, originally a Samson album)
Live recordings
  • Thank You and Goodnight (1985)
  • Live at Reading '81 (1990)
  • Metal Crusade '99 (1999) - featuring four bands including Samson
  • Live in London 2000 (2001)
Singles released in the UK
  • Mr Rock & Roll (1978)
  • Telephone (1978)
  • Vice Versa / Hammerhead (1980)
  • Hard Times (1980)
  • Riding with the Angels (1981)
  • Losing my Grip (1982)
  • Life on the Run (1982)
  • Red Skies (1983)
  • The Fight Goes on (1984)
  • Are You Ready (1984)
  • Vice Versa (reissued in 1986)
Compilation albums
  • Last Rites (1984)
  • Head Tactics (1986)
  • Pillars of Rock (1990)
  • Burning Emotion: The Best of Samson (1985–1990) (1995)
  • The BBC Sessions (1997)
  • The Masters (1998)
  • Past Present & Future (1999)
  • There and Back (2001)
  • Riding with the Angels: The Anthology (2002)
  • Tomorrow and Yesterday (2006)
Extended plays
  • Losing My Grip (1982)
  • Life on the Run (1982)
  • And There It Is... (1988)
Video releases
  • Biceps of Steel (1980)


See also

External links

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