{"title":"Samson","description":null,"products":[{"product_id":"bright-lights-the-albums-1979-1981","title":"Bright Lights - The Albums 1979-1981","description":"\u003cp\u003eThis \u003cem\u003e5CD set\u003c\/em\u003e collects together the three albums released by the influential classic hard rock and NWOBHM band, \u003cstrong\u003eSamson\u003c\/strong\u003e, featuring lead guitarist Paul Samson, as well as a live set from 1981.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSamson's\u003c\/strong\u003e career goes back to the mid-1970s London pub and club circuit, with a membership that has included over the years John McCoy (Gillan, Mammoth), Nicky Moore (Mammoth), Clive Burr (Iron Maiden), Bruce Dickinson (Iron Maiden), Dave 'Bucket' Colwell (Bad Company), Mel Gaynor (Nolans, Simple Minds), Pete Jupp \u0026amp; Merv Goldsworthy (FM), and legendary drummer Thunderstick.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe band are renowned for being at the forefront of what became known as the \"New Wave Of British Heavy Metal\" (or NWOBHM), alongside Iron Maiden, Angel Witch, Def Leppard, and Saxon.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eOperating originally as a trio, by July 1979 the band had expanded to a four-piece with the addition of future Iron Maiden vocalist Bruce Dickinson. Over the following two years they released \"\u003cem\u003eHead On\u003c\/em\u003e\" and \"\u003cem\u003eShock Tactics\u003c\/em\u003e\", and toured with Rainbow, Uriah Heep, and Robin Trower, among others.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eProduced by Gillan's John McCoy, \u003cstrong\u003eSamson\u003c\/strong\u003e released debut \"\u003cem\u003eSurvivors\u003c\/em\u003e\" in 1979, featured on CD1, by which time the band had coalesced around lead guitarist Paul, drummer Thunderstick, bass guitarist Chris Aylmer. The then unknown singer going by the Monty Python inspired name Bruce Bruce, now much better known as Bruce Dickinson joined after the album had been put to tape.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIn 1980 \u003cstrong\u003eSamson\u003c\/strong\u003e released \"\u003cem\u003eHead On\u003c\/em\u003e\", featuring the NWOBHM classic single \"\u003cem\u003eVice Versa\u003c\/em\u003e\", and the first full album to feature Bruce Dickinson's vocals. The album also features the song 'Thunderburst' co-written with Iron Maiden's Steve Harris. The bonus cuts are 'Angel With A Machine Gun' (7\" B-Side), 'Kingsway Jam' and 'Vice Versa' (7\" Edit).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eCD3 is the whole of the \"\u003cem\u003eHead On\u003c\/em\u003e\" album, remixed by Tony Platt, and available on CD for the very first time.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSamson\u003c\/strong\u003e looked poised to enter the big time with 1981's \"\u003cem\u003eShock Tactics\u003c\/em\u003e\" on CD4. Kicking off with the Russ Ballard penned rocker 'Riding With The Angels', the album includes the classic 'Earth Mother' and features the bonus tracks 'Little Big Man', 'Pyramid To The Stars' and 'Losing My Grip'.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThis \u003cem\u003e5CD set\u003c\/em\u003e finishes with their triumphant show at the 1981 Reading Festival when they played on a bill featuring Gillan, Rose Tattoo, and Billy Squier. In a show kicking off with 'Big Brother' and featuring 'Nice Girl', 'Earth Mother', 'Vice Versa', and 'Riding With The Angels', it remains a fitting tribute to this early era of \u003cstrong\u003eSamson\u003c\/strong\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eFollowing the 1981 Reading show, Bruce Dickinson left for worldwide success with Iron Maiden, joining ex-\u003cstrong\u003eSamson\u003c\/strong\u003e drummer Clive Burr for 1982's \"\u003cem\u003eThe Number Of The Beast\u003c\/em\u003e\" LP. Paul would carry on with various line-ups of \u003cstrong\u003eSamson\u003c\/strong\u003e, most notably with powerhouse vocalist Nicky Moore, where the band took a much more blues orientated direction, until his sad and untimely death in 2002.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eCapturing the halcyon days of the band's career, and produced in conjunction with NWOBHM expert John Tucker, and \u003cstrong\u003eSamson's\u003c\/strong\u003e archive curator Rob Grain, \"\u003cem\u003eBRIGHT LIGHTS: THE ALBUMS 1979-1981\u003c\/em\u003e\" is essential for fans of quality Classic Hard Rock \u0026amp; NWOBHM.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Cherry Red","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":50394479755595,"sku":"2054073","price":36.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/test_1d93ae51_thumbnail_4096.jpg?v=1726440456"},{"product_id":"are-you-samson-anniversary-replica-edition","title":"Are You Samson (Anniversary Replica Edition)","description":"\u003cp\u003e\"When Andrew Loog Oldham, the Rolling Stones’ first manager and producer, launched the revolutionary Immediate label, he rewrote the rules of 60s rock. Amid its iconic roster, including Small Faces and Billy Nicholls, Samson stood as a cult mystery—one of those rare acts that burned bright, vanished, and left collectors chasing whispers of their genius. Having lit up the mythic Marquee Club and made their mark on the London scene, Samson captivated audiences with a unique sound that set them apart.\u003cbr\u003eThe music combines psychedelic harmonies evocative of the Zombies and the Pretty Things with progressive textures recalling early Deep Purple. Its forward-looking approach sits comfortably alongside adventurous contemporaries such as Caravan, The Fox, and The Koobas, earning Samson a place in the lineage of late-’60s progressive pop\/rock.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLed by keyboardist and vocalist Ian Kewley—later to work with Strider, Limey, and Paul Young—Samson created an album of extraordinary imagination and scope. With its inventive arrangements and choral-style vocal passages, the record remains a striking and singular masterpiece of its era, now celebrated as a revered cult classic.\u003cbr\u003eAfter decades in the shadows, Are You Samson shines brighter than ever—fully restored and remastered for 60s fans and collectors of Immediate’s rarest gems, this reissue arrives exactly 56 years to the day after the original release—an absolute treat.\"\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Charly","offers":[{"title":"LP - Black","offer_id":53720517378379,"sku":"R7810-5738","price":26.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/5060767443019.jpg?v=1761310190"}],"url":"https:\/\/shop.roughtrade.com\/fr\/collections\/samson.oembed","provider":"Rough Trade","version":"1.0","type":"link"}