Paul Samson (4 June 1953 – 9 August 2002) was an English guitarist, closely associated with the

new wave of British heavy metal The new wave of British heavy metal (commonly abbreviated as NWOBHM) was a nationwide musical movement that started in England in the mid-1970s and achieved international attention by the early 1980s. Journalist Geoff Barton coined the term i ...

. Born Paul Sanson, his first band in 1968 was a local Kent based group called 'The Innocence' which consisted of him, Stewart Cochrane, Phil Stranders and the late Martin Kirrage. After a period in several obscure bands, Samson formed his own eponymous outfit,

Samson Samson (; , '' he, Šīmšōn, label= none'', "man of the sun") was the last of the judges of the ancient Israelites mentioned in the Book of Judges (chapters 13 to 16) and one of the last leaders who "judged" Israel before the institution o ...

, in 1977, consisting of Chris Aylmer on bass guitar, and

Clive Burr Clive Ronald Burr (8 March 1957 – 13 March 2013) was an English drummer. He was a member of the heavy metal band Iron Maiden from 1979 to 1982. Career Previously a member of Samson, Burr joined Iron Maiden in 1979. Auditioning and joining ...

on drums. Burr left, and eventually joined

Iron Maiden Iron Maiden are an English heavy metal band formed in Leyton, East London, in 1975 by bassist and primary songwriter Steve Harris. While fluid in the early years of the band, the lineup for most of the band's history has consisted of Harri ...

, and was replaced by Thunderstick, who wore a gimp mask on stage. In 1979, the line-up was expanded to a four-piece, with the addition of

Bruce Dickinson Paul Bruce Dickinson (born 7 August 1958) is an English singer who has been the lead vocalist of the heavy metal band Iron Maiden from 1981 to 1993 and 1999–present. He is known for his wide-ranging operatic vocal style and energetic stage ...

on vocals (under the stage name "Bruce Bruce".) The band enjoyed a cult following in the

, releasing the albums, ''Survivors'', ''Head On'' and ''Shock Tactics'', until 1981 when both Thunderstick and Dickinson left, the latter to join Iron Maiden.

Nicky Moore Nicholas Charles Moore (21 June 1947 – 3 August 2022) was an English blues, rock and heavy metal singer, who was best known as a member of the British band Samson. He replaced Bruce Dickinson who left the band to join Iron Maiden in 1982. ...

was recruited as a replacement, and

Mel Gaynor Mel George Gaynor (born 29 May 1959) is a British drummer, best known as the longtime drummer for the rock band Simple Minds. Biography Gaynor was born to a Jamaican father and an Afro-Brazilian mother. He began drumming at age 11 and had ...

then Pete Jupp took over drums, and this line-up released ''Before the Storm'' and ''Don't Get Mad - Get Even''. These two albums sold in higher quantities than the first three, and the band toured more countries and played to bigger audiences than the Bruce/Thunderstick line-up, although the New Wave of British Heavy Metal was by now said to be a spent force. The band formally split up in 1984. Samson spent the subsequent years in a variety of solo and group projects, including various temporary reformations of Samson, and had success as a record producer, and also as a

blues Blues is a music genre and musical form which originated in the Deep South of the United States around the 1860s. Blues incorporated spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts, chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads from the Afr ...

player, spending a year in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Despite some listings crediting Samson for playing on the

Ram Jam Ram Jam was an American rock band formed in New York City in 1977, predominantly known for their hit single "Black Betty". Overview The band consisted of Bill Bartlett (guitar and lead vocals) born 1946 in South Harrow, London, England, Howie ...

1977

hit single A hit song, also known as a hit record, hit single or simply a hit, is a recorded song or instrumental that becomes broadly popular or well-known. Although ''hit song'' means any widely played or big-selling song, the specific term ''hit record' ...

, "

Black Betty "Black Betty" ( Roud 11668) is a 20th-century African-American work song often credited to Huddie "Lead Belly" Ledbetter as the author, though the earliest recordings are not by him. Some sources claim it is one of Lead Belly's many adaptations ...

", he did not play on the record. Although, Stewart Cochrane (musician and close friend to Samson since their early band days of the late 1960s, their first band at 15 years old "The Innocence" and short time member of the band "Samson") was told by Samson in 1978 that he played on the demo of the hit record "Black Betty", and was paid a paltry £20 for the session. Samson was very peeved about the payment, as he insisted to Cochrane that it was his guitar playing from the demo recording used in the final "Black Betty" pressing, and that he was missing out on a large amount of royalty payments. Cochrane can only confirm what Samson informed him of the alleged switch. Samson died of cancer on 9 August 2002 in

Norwich Norwich () is a cathedral city and district of Norfolk, England, of which it is the county town. Norwich is by the River Wensum, about north-east of London, north of Ipswich and east of Peterborough. As the seat of the See of Norwich, with ...

, whilst recording a new Samson album with Nicky Moore.

Discography

;Studio albums *''Joint forces'' (1986) (Samson album originally issued as Paul Samson solo record) *''P.S....'' (2006) (Samson album posthumously issued as Paul Samson solo record) ;Live albums * ''Paul Samson's Empire – Live at the Marquee'' (Original Concert Recorded in 1986 later Remastered in 1994) * ''Live - The Blues Nights'' (2003)

References

External links

Official Paul Samson website
* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Samson, Paul 1953 births 2002 deaths English heavy metal guitarists Deaths from cancer in England Samson (band) members 20th-century British guitarists