Discography Guide

SAMSON

 

 

September 1978 – Telephone/Leavin’ you

November 1978 – Mr. Rock & Roll/Drivin’ music

 
Paul Samson: lead vocals, guitar

Chris Aylmer: bass

Clive Burr: drums

 

 

1979 – Survivors

Paul Samson: lead vocals, guitar

John McCoy: bass

Thunderstick (Barry Graham Purkis): drums


Guest: Colin Towns (keyboards).

 

Note: Purkis joined the band in January 1979. He debuted as Thunderstick on March 3d, 1979.
The album was completed in April. Aylmer was still part of the band anyway, despite not recording.
Bruce Dickinson a.k.a. Bruce Bruce joined the band in June 1979.
The alternative versions featuring Bruce Bruce’s lead vocals are featured on the CD release reissued by Sanctuary Records in 2001. Bruce recorded his overdubs in September 1980.

 

1980 – Head on

1981 – Shock tactics

 

Bruce Bruce (Bruce Dickinson): lead vocals

Paul Samson: guitar

Chris Aylmer: bass

Thunderstick: drums

 

Note: this line-up also starred in the short-film Biceps of Steel (1980). An excerpt of the short-film (the song Vice Versa) was later used in the movie The Incubus (1982).

 

 

1981

Bruce Bruce: lead vocals

Paul Samson: guitar

Chris Aylmer: bass

Mel Gaynor: drums

 

Note: this is the line-up which recorded Live at Reading ’81 (1990) in August 1981. Gaynor later went to join Simple Minds.

 

1982 – Before the storm

1984 – Don’t get mad - get even

 

Nicky Moore: lead vocals

Paul Samson: guitar

Chris Aylmer: bass

Pete Jupp: drums

Note: Moore joined the band in September 1981. Jupp joined the band in February 1982. This line-up lasted until January 1984.

 

1984

Nicky Moore: lead vocals

Paul Samson: guitar

Dave Colwell: guitar

Merv Goldsworthy: bass

Pete Jupp: drums

Note: this touring line-up was formed in February 1984 and lasted until May. They recorded the live album Thank you and goodnight (1985).

 

 

1986 – Joint Forces (reinstated as Samson release in 1993)

Nicky Moore: lead vocals

Paul Samson: guitar

John McCoy: bass

Edgar Patrik: drums

Guest: Chris Sharley (drums) on No turning back and That ain't all; Colin Towns (keyboards) on Reach out to love; Rock Goddess (backing vocals).

Note: Samson disbanded in May 1984, and this was originally conceived and marketed as a Paul Samson solo effort. The album has been eventually turned into a Samson release for the 1993 CD reissue. Moore and McCoy provided continuity with the previous line-ups.

 
 

1988 – ‘and there it is...’

Mick White: lead vocals

Paul Samson: guitar

Dave Boyce: bass

Charlie Mack (Charles McKenzie): drums

Toby Sadler: keyboards

Note: the mini-album contained 5 songs, but more material was recorded. The full 11-track album was issued in 1993, simply titled 1988. The line-up was active in March 1987-February 1989.

 

1990 – Refugee

Peter Scallan: lead vocals

Paul Samson: guitar, bass

Charlie Mack: drums

Toby Sadler: keyboards

Guests: Gary Owen on Good to see you; Dave Boyce on Look to the future; Tony Tuohy on The silver screen.

Note: this album was based on tracks the original 1988’s Samson line-up recorded for a studio effort initially called Ignition. In January, Samson used stand-in vocalist Mike Feather. Scallan was eventually recruited in February 1989. The new line-up was active in February-August 1989; Dave Boyce was part of the line-up, even if Paul re-recorded the bass parts in December 1989. 

1990

Rik Anthony (Rek Anthony): lead vocals

Paul Samson: guitar

Chris Aylmer: bass

Thunderstick: drums

Note: this special line-up recorded 5 tracks that were issued on the greatest hits album Past Present & Future (1999). The line-up was active in March-August 1990.

 



1993 – 1988

Mick White: lead vocals

Paul Samson: guitar

Dave Boyce: bass

Charlie Mack: drums

Toby Sadler: keyboards

Note: the album is based on ‘and there it is…’. The line-up was active in March 1987-February 1989.

1993 – Samson (later known as Nineteen Ninety-Three)

Paul Samson: lead vocals, guitar

Chris Aylmer: bass

Tony Tuohy: drums

Note: reissued in 1996 as Nineteen Ninety-Three. The line-up was formed in March 1992 and lasted until March 1994. They briefly reformed in February 1997 for a handful of gigs in UK.

1999

Paul Samson: lead vocals, guitar

Chris Aylmer: bass

Thunderstick: drums

Note: 8 live recordings of this line-up were featured on the CD compilation Metal Crusade ‘99.

 
 

2000

Nicky Moore: lead vocals

Paul Samson: guitar

Chris Aylmer: bass

Thunderstick: drums

 

Note: it’s the line-up which recorded Live in London 2000.

 
 

 
 

LIVE ALBUMS:

1985 – Thank you and goodnight

Samson Mark 6

1990 – Live at Reading ‘81

Samson Mark 4

1997 – The BBC Sessions

4 different line-ups (1979-1989)

1999 – Metal Crusade ‘99

Samson Mark 13

2001 – Live in London 2000

Samson Mark 14

 

COMPILATIONS and BOX-SETS:

 

1984 – Last Rites

1986 – Head Tactics (Head on + Shock tacticts)

1990 – Pillars of rock

1995 – Burning Emotion - The best of 1985-1990

1998 – The Masters

1999 – Past Present & Future

2001 – There and back

2002 – Riding with the angels - The anthology

2006 – Tomorrow and yesterday

2017 – The Polydor Years

2017 – Joint Forces: 1986-1993

2017 – Mr Rock and roll - Live 1981-2000