Samson- Live at the Reading Festival 1981 with Bruce

[felipe79270]

I am a big fan of Bruce Dickinsom!!

[klawtheclown]

hahahaha what a little Ian Gillan wannabe!

[CentiZen]

The guitar looks like a lemon



[morph611]

lol Gravy Train.

[Barommeter]

Thanks, Bruce.

[RotnRoll77]

That's so cool.

[HurburBurbur]

Fantastic providing an sbd-version, big up!

[maxdesmer2008]

after this festival bruce left samson for iron maiden!!!! Wise choice!!! I like samson but i grew up with bruce's " air raid siren" voice in my ears. And after he left " The number of the Beast" lp was recorded. And the trip began.....

[DoctorRokter]

Bruce kicks ass!!!

[descontroladoxelrock]

fucking ugly guitar

[LeeComber]

Brucie is here lol hes loud as hell

[Mancuso64]

I was at this show, amazing to see it on YouTube 30 years later. Is there any footage of the other acts that year? The Kinks played the last night and I was mightily impressed by them. Thanks for putting this up, brings back some good memories.

[TheRippingCorpse]

It's great to see how Bruce (Bruce) has evolved his craft after all these years.

[pabliyo750]

Un super cantante. Ahora para lo que es rock o hard rock.. Paul di Anno me gusta muchisimo, pero muchisimo más.

[UnkleJohn84]

would be cool if someone could sounboard the rest of the concert, altho probably quite hard as i believe the orignal video is damaged.

[PaulSamsonArchive]

@UnkleJohn84 Is it ? Some of the ones in circulation are.

[UnkleJohn84]

@PaulSamsonArchive oh ok, are you going to soundboard the concert then?

[PaulSamsonArchive]

@UnkleJohn84 If you mean am I going to sync the soundboard tape to the video for the whole concert, then it is very unlikely at the moment. They are both running at different speeds and it takes up a lot of time that I just don't have at the moment. I have footage of periods of Pauls career that are not on here yet, they are first on the list, sorry.

[UnkleJohn84]

@PaulSamsonArchive cool.

[Kris80M200]

I love his voice !!!!!

[Selecta88]

No wonder Steve and Rod stole him. Tiny skinny young lad with a gigantic voice.

[REYCITOish]

I don't have anything against Paul Di Anno.but Bruce was born to be the Iron Maiden's voice..... just I have a respect to Samson that it

's the band of Bruce really identifies before Steve Harris found him

[hovogliadileggere]

@REYCITOish steve harris did't find him, rod smallwood of EMI did.

[StevenTaylorH]

@REYCITOish steve harris didn't find him Bruce auditioned for Iron Maiden

-incase you dont remember what the comment you said was (I often do) ill paste it below.

I don't have anything against Paul Di Anno.but Bruce was born to be the Iron Maiden's voice..... just I have a respect to Samson that it

's the band of Bruce really identifies before Steve Harris found him

[KingNurk]

Bruce,one of the best voices not only of metal,but of music in general!

[robiemsdarkable]

@hando88c me to

[ironmaidyn]

Sweet!! Thankyou for sharing this vid. =D

[tuft1]

This is so good to watch as I was there watching them. The next year Bruce was headlining with Maiden! He was approached that afternoon to join the Maiden and I have the Kerrang that mentioned it without naming the band!

[gernblensten]

I love these guys.with bruce bruce or nicky moore. great video!

[tjcobra666]

This is seriously one of the best live albums ever recorded. -> Samson Live At Reading '81. Perfect performance from everybody!

[PaulSamsonArchive]

@tjcobra666 Thank you

[scott351wins]

NOT STEVE HARRIS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[vandergraaf78]

it's amazing. after this gig Bruce joined the iron maiden and become a one of the most popular voices in rock music.

[PaulSamsonArchive]

@Peternwobhm Thanks, My pleasure !

[Rychead684]

Amazing to watch Bruce Bruce and Mel Gaynor on stage! Mel is a great drummer!

[RickyboyH]

Funny seeing steve there at the end, i guess this was around that time when they asked him to join maiden.

[PaulSamsonArchive]

Steve who and where??

[RickyboyH]

@PaulSamsonArchive

He's supposed to be either "backstage" during the song gravy train, or after the song is finished (in the backstage area)

[cgkgbg13]

Just before asking :)

[OrestisTheBeast]

@RickyboyH , that wasn't steve harris at the end... Too big a nose and too short hair :p besides, weren't Maiden on the Killer World Tour still when this was recorded?

[PaulSamsonArchive]

@OrestisTheBeast - It's Paul Samson.

[jacqvin]

@OrestisTheBeast

Actually Steve Harris and Rod Smallwood went to see Samson at this festival to see If Bruce would be a good replacement for D'ianno. I think they asked him the same night.

[tthwrthwrhthwrth]

Rare

[chatogamarra3004]

iron maiden takes more power of bruce's voice

[fosjutub]

wow, Bruce in human clothes :DDD

He looks better in those tighty pants though (with maiden)

[PaulSamsonArchive]

Nothing to do with this page then !

[HenkHenk76]

I was responding to Pegasuslover97

He liked bruces' classical voice a lot, so I recommended an album in which Bruce sang like that.

Besides, it's about Bruce, whose is in both bands, so I think it does have something to do with this page.

[LadyWolf84]

How i love that man...so young Brucie...amazing voice and beautiful ass too!! Lol

[optimalbass]

Can anyone tell how Bruce and Samson found each other???

[optimalbass]

Anyone could tell me how Samson and Bruce found each other??? How did bruce join the band?? I always wonder.... It would be nice to know.

Samson is awesome!!!!!!!

[Gumbypotty]

Very simple song. "Umpa umpa umpa umpa". It's easy to understand why Bruce took the offer from the more sophisticated Iron Maiden.

[PaulSamsonArchive]

Nice one, we like constructive comments here at the PSA.

At least Bruce's decision wasn't just based on a 4 year old song, as it appears that your opinion is.

[Gumbypotty]

Nah, you're right. My comment was written too fast and spontaneously. This was the first time I heard Samson, and I searched for more after writing the comment. Good band.

[pegasuslover97]

i almost wish bruce had stayed with more of a classic rock band compared to metal. i mean i fucking love maiden, but after hearing a bit of sampson and a smoke on the water cover he did i realzied what a great voice he has for that classic stuff. still love maiden though

[UliJones]

Sounds like 2468 Motorway by The Tom Robinson Band to me.

[jlscopel]

Great... very, very good.

[drum1707]

Makes no Difference, This is the Encore, And Bruce was in Iron Maiden 30 minutes later.........Did you know that Ritchie Blackmore was trying to get Bruce as the new singer of Rainbow at the same time!!!That's a fact.

[pegasuslover97]

that would've been so badass, if only he went with both of the bands, you know?

[DeathMetalDouglas68]

And Mel Gaynor must have joined Simple Minds a half hour later as well. This sounds better than "Hard Times". Samson's got a killer vibe going here. His tone reminds me of Pat Travers from around that time.

[PaulSamsonArchive]

Mel stayed until December, he played the first few shows with Nicky Moore, Bruce's replacement. It was then agreed that he wasn't able to make a commitment to Samson as he was too busy doing sessions etc. I would assume that Simple Minds had the budget for him to not to need to do sessions.

[gutterspout]

BD sounds more blusier, heaviier, but like a Humble Pie meets Free on steriods. Samson was an underrated guitarist, except in music circles

[Celtic450]

Wow never thought I would see this. I was into Samson from the Head tactics compilation -I thought Bruces voice was always better in Samson. Interesting at the end you can hear "butcher and fast eddy" by Rose Tattoo. What a historic day

[maint44]

it makes think of crazy trian with bruce xD

[ValenteIronMaiden]

Bruce the Great ;')

[Xiolablu3]

This is cool, but some constructive critism - its basically been done before by Zep and Free.

You cant really blame Bruce for going with Maiden as it sounded so fresh in 1981/82.

Samson is still very cool, but unfortunatly - nothing new.

[PaulSamsonArchive]

I can't hear anything here that remotely resembles anything by either band, although Paul was influenced by Paul Kossoff amongst other people.

[Xiolablu3]

It sounds a bit like Free but with a more modern guitar sound. (effects) Plodding drums and bass with cool blues/rock guitars.

BTW are you the guitarist mate?

[PaulSamsonArchive]

I'm sure that it isn't often that Mel Gaynor's drumming is referred to as "Plodding", even though it was only his 3rd show with the band.

It is very unlikely that I am the guitarist.......

[Xiolablu3]

Your name is 'Paul Samson archive' and you have film of rare Samson gigs, isnt it reasonable to suggest you are Paul Samson?

[PaulSamsonArchive]

Quote "Footage from the archive of the late Paul Samson"

[MendelsohnRocks]

Dude Paul Samson died in 2002. Look it up...

[Xiolablu3]

Sorry about that I didnt know...

[meeelenh]

danken danken!! great player

[ohjeeeeez]

the schlub bands that play live today cant even compare to what these guys could do on any given day 20+ years ago. so sad for the kids today.

[outofspaceufrogy]

just , remember you were a kid...

i was a teenager when i listen for the first time Bruce Dickinson on Iron Maiden.Great for i, and after i listen old Iron Maiden albums with Paul, and fuckink great to.

[SkrillaBrilla]

hell yeah bruce is the man.

[joesparx666]

bruce can sing for n e band and make it rock..of course maiden is better.but this still rocks

[MrLemmy92]

The first time I heard Samson

Very nice music!

Like the vioce of young bruce

[gladnaissus]

Masters. The Legacy of Paul Samson.

[Leonard3882]

Wow, this is classic! Amazing!

[octavary]

Hey Paul Samson this video is Great Treasure!!!

Thank you for share it with us!

[mouloudo]

who is bruce bruce? XD mel gaynor his darkness :p

[hessrudi]

dickinson was using that artist name: bruce bruce

[keepercomics]

bruce rules the god

[heavydoombeje]

Paul Samson .:RIP:.

[rockaires]

This was a very good band. It's a shame that they haven't succeed like Maiden.

[ozrics62]

it was better them days,than the shitty reading festival now

[ARTAVARDIYA]

indeed !

[gemari77]

On the drums "His Darkness...Mel Gaynor" LOL!! That made me chuckle.

Super drummer, though.

I always liked those early Samson records and felt kinda bad for them, as they probably didn't realize what they were about to lose after this performance... but, I'm sure most of us have seen it, where a guy is so talented and above average that he sticks out like a sore thumb. That's how I always saw Bruce in Samson.

[thiswicked]

Why , somebody on Youtube , tick " Bruce on samson" we arrived on this good sound.

Maybe is "old" good and gravy

[thiswicked]

he he he=)))

[pegasuslover97]

what album is this on?

[PaulSamsonArchive]

This actual performance is on the Samson "Live at Reading" cd. It was originally written and performed as "I'll be Round" by Paul Samson in 1977 (available on the McCoy "Live 1977" cd on angelair), but was then adapted by adding Bruce's lyrics. After Bruce left, it was recorded with new singer Nicky Moore with the original lyrics, and is on the cd "Before the Storm".

[VEROSFP]

what is the guitar you play in this show?  Oh!By the way you play awesome!

[PaulSamsonArchive]

Paul is playing a Kawai Moonliner. If you look at the earlier posts you can find a bit more information about it.

[raykanobi85]

wow this is good this guy showed everyone what he was going to be like at an early age,good stuff.

[bluskymen]

it's Bruce =) stil now 28 years ago , it's the same.

[PaulSamsonArchive]

????? Apparently..............

[bluskymen]

ok ....ur right.

Thank you for sharing this vid .

A Bruce Fan=))

[tomanol8]

what a strange guitar, ive never seen before

[PaulSamsonArchive]

Paul used the SG for the gig, but swapped to this one for the encore. It is a Kawai Moonliner. It is the shape of the crescent moon, but because it is yellow somebody stuck a Fyffes Bananas sticker on it. The guitar was given away in a competition by Kerrang! magazine, and the person who won it still owns it.

[SabuPtolemy]

Awesome, historical footage - thanks for posting! Loved Samson with Bruce although they peaked with Nicky Moore on the 'Losing My Grip' EP and 'Before the Storm'. Talk about an incredible album!

[guiltygear101]

Samson were great, and hugely underrated. R.I.P. both Paul Samson and Chris Aylmer.

[sirchaox1224]

Fuckin epic voice!

[Heavyferdinand]

this song is super jeje

but bruce no have this song in the albums solo

bad !

bruce is the max and iron maiden !!

[0Acacia22]

Nevemind, I read the info. and yes this is the gig when Bruce join Maiden = )

[0Acacia22]

Awesome!

I have a question though, Is this the gig where Bruce was nicked from Samson to join Maiden?

[maidenaztec6797]

Fuckin awesome footage I thank you for posting.Bruce sounds great and its a shame that Samson didnt realize this and try to keep him.BRUCE FUCKIN LIVES!UP THE IRONS!!

[PaulSamsonArchive]

If Bruce wanted to leave, it was his choice. You can't make somebody stay in a band if they want to move on. People seem to overlook the fact that Samson played bigger shows, and sold more records with Nicky Moore, Bruce's replacement, than they did with Bruce.

[nowaybut]

and is Iron Maiden, he left and he came back=))).Adrian made is past axayw and also he came back=))

UP THE IRONS

[FryskeRocker]

btw, that are steve and rod at the end aren't they?

[FryskeRocker]

As for as i know Paul samson took the job very seriously,

and with bruce leaving, bruce mentioned it would be better, as paul didn't mind to do the vocals( like he did originally)

and bruce taught the band would have a better feeling about themselfs( he says so on the dvd, if i'm not mistaken. )

And yes, here he was known as Bruce Bruce, but steve wanted him to have a decent name. :p

[ozrics62]

was he called bruce bruce i remember this gig where is thundersticks

[PaulSamsonArchive]

Thunderstck had left a couple of months before.

[lanunvcd123]

power very power voice!!!!!!!

[therocklabels]

and nicko mc brain plays the drums in that song he was in samson too

[PaulSamsonArchive]

Nicko was never in Samson.

[Hanzey666]

No you're wrong here, Clive Burr did play Samson earlyer on. And moved to Iron Maiden. Nico McBrain never played in Samson

[PaulSamsonArchive]

History of Samson drummers.

Clive was the first Samson drummer. He left at the end of 1978, and was replaced by Thunderstick. Clive didnt join Iron Maiden until later in 1979, replacing Doug Samson. Thunderstick left Samson in mid 1981, and was replaced briefly by Mel Gaynor, who left to join Simple Minds. His replacement was Pete Jupp, who was there until the band folded in 1984.

[RickyboyH]

Thunderstick also played with maiden in the early early days as well

[TraditionalTKD]

Based on Bruce's biography on Wiki, Samson never took the band concept all that seriously. When you listen to Bruce in tnis era, you realize the potential he had. That potential would be realized in Iron Maiden, one of the greatest bands EVER. What you are listening to here is a hint of what Bruce was truly capable of.

[PaulSamsonArchive]

But who believes everything that they read on wiki? I really dont see how anyone can say that a band that played over 200 shows a year and got a record deal (all prior to Bruce joining) wasn't taking it seriously. Unfortunately the people "not taking it seriously" were the management.

[wenesdayvisitors]

bizar vidéo, first the title is strange, whith bruce!!!

[Greebo111]

I remember Samson supporting Uriah Heep at Doncaster gaumont. There was also a band called Spider who opened. after Samson finished thier set all thier gear was placed in the orchestra pit. When Uriah Heep came on and invited the crowd into the orchestra pit all Samsons gear got trampled on. Was a great night.

[waiwaioh]

KAWAI MOON GUITAR! MADE IN JAPAN!!

[sleia]

bruce is god

[CaptainAmerica4Ever]

DAMN what a fuckin voice!!! that man is a GOD!

[happyuk06]

Never had the chance to get into Samson during early eighties but he was a seriously underrated player...

I love the sound he gets here...

[PaulSamsonArchive]

Thank you.

[marts500]

Thats a bit of a weird guitar of Paul's...wheres the SG?

[PaulSamsonArchive]

Paul used the SG for the gig, but swapped to this one for the encore. It is a Kawai Moonliner. It is the shape of the crescent moon, but because it is yellow somebody stuck a Fyffes Bananas sticker on it. The guitar was given away in a competition by Kerrang! magazine, and the person who won it still owns it.

[marts500]

Ahh right.I can never forget seeing Samson on the don't give a fuck about the petrol bill tour "Shock Tactics" circa 1981.For the encore they all came back on with bread cakes stuffed in their mouths..still puzzled after all these years i managed to contact Chris before he died but he had no memory of it.Still great days.

[PaulSamsonArchive]

Cheese rolls under wah wah pedals, condoms over mikes, great times.

[xFuckThatx]

To PaulSamsonArchieve:

for some reason my first comment didnt work.

I hope someone takes the project on. because this footage is beyond legendary, the picture isnt of the greastest quality, but the audio is amazing. so it would be a fantastic addition to any samson/maiden fan. i really hope someone gets this out. send it to bruce!!! could be the final air raid release, hehe. fingers crossed is comes out at some point!!!

[southperth22]

bruce is just incredible !!!!!!!

[maxdesmer2008]

after this show a guy named rod smallwood approached bruce and under a spotlight offered him the job as singer in a band called iron maiden.i think bruce took the job.the rest is history.....

[phille22]

Iron who?

[izabelgoudie]

Went to reading 80 and saw Samson there as on other ocassions. Thunderstick scared me, I didn't want him let out of his cage.

I never really took to Bruce, here or with maiden. I dont remember this song at all, but the words seem appropriate for Bruce.

[liratemp]

Will you plan to release it sometime in DVD officially? That would be really cool.

[PaulSamsonArchive]

Hi, It would be nice to do something with it, but while it looks ok on here, it is not really of sufficient quality for anyone to want to release it. The original audio is owned by Sanctuary via the BBC, so all I have is a cassette from the soundboard. The video also runs at the wrong speed, and takes a lot of synching. Then again, should anyone come up with a legitimate offer, both the estates of Paul and Chris would be happy for it to come out, it would depend on Bruce and Mel.

[diamonddust22]

I remember way back in the early 80's I bought the Samson Albums on cassette. I loved it all. Great stuff.

[TubeFreakJonas]

This song Gravy Train lyrically is about Bruce as a homeless person for some time (yes it is true, and Steve Harris was a street sweeper at one point.)

(PS sounds like neither Gillian OR Gillan, to me but more like Gillian... it's very Barom Munchausen-y if you really listen closely... LOL!)

Oh the 1970's rock clichés that would have confined Bruce to obscurity if he had not moved on! Great for its time though I believe... thank you.

[TubeFreakJonas]

Actually Munchausen (film) was Terry Gillaim (my typo.)

[TubeFreakJonas]

I mean Gilliam. Crap!!

[tjcobra666]

Fantastic! I can hardly wait! Paul had an incredible career indeed, and I've been exploring it slowly for the last 15 years. Cheers again!

[tjcobra666]

Really cool video! A damn shame this show wasn't professionally filmed. It would have made an awesome DVD!

[PaulSamsonArchive]

Yeah, problem is that back in the day it cost serious money, and at the time the band were between deals, so it just wasn't possible. This was filmed with the "on camera" mikes, so the original footage is either all guitar or all bass, dependant on the shot. It is also running slow, so it was a pig of a job to synch with the soundboard audio.

[tjcobra666]

Well, easy to say, you did one hell of a job. Cheers! It was really cool to see! May we hope for more in the future?

[PaulSamsonArchive]

Thanks, I have most of the show, plus a direct copy from the master of Birmingham 1980 (unlike the poor quality ones that are on here) It will all come in time, but please bear in mind that Pauls career lasted from the mid 70's until he died in 2002, and he only worked with Bruce for 2 years out of that, so I won't be cramming it all up there just yet !

[Angusismyhero]

Gotta love that little dude no matter what band he's in, or even if he's in no band at all. Wish 'Shock Tactics' was more readily available though.

[carmler77]

Sounds so much like Gillian here :) Gotta love Bruce Bruce...

[PaulSamsonArchive]

Gillian???? Surely Gillan !! although.......

[carmler77]

umm...yeah, my bad :)

[pernik6may]

born to be frontman:) great vocals

[sitnwatch]

Bruce Almighty!!! w00t w00t

[kordiz]

bruce...is bruce! always the same! well, now he's better than in this video! he's like the vine! ahah!

[pachacho]

amazing voice as always

[AlanMcBrain]

Samson rules for ever!!! Bruce either.

Maiden rules!!!!!!

[Baazgor]

caraca que irado é uma relíquia mesmo, muito show, é mesmo realmente continua energético como sempre ele.

[Maidendjrock]

humildemente esto es una reliquia de la N.W.O.B.H.M.

[Xeper1979]

Bruce seemed pretty energetic here as he still is to this day

[dbzopfanswe]

and that my friends, that's real music :D

[SonnyGTA]

Shock Tactics always finds itself back in my car stereo. RAW RAW RAW vocals. I have the Live at Reading '81 CD. GREAT GREAT STUFF.

[Maideneer]

Did he just refer to the drummer as "his darkness"?! Haha.

[PaulSamsonArchive]

Look him up on wikipedia, or his website, or his myspace.

[PaulSamsonArchive]

Mel Gaynor was Thunderstick's replacement.

He was not Thunderstick.

[thesonoflucifer]

WOOW!!! UNA RELIQUIA!!!

INCREIBLE!

[hidroagricolito]

ufff!!!! solo falta thunderstick!

[vntr2006]

Great band very underated. Check out "Head On" and "Shock Tactics".

[uggla03]

history on video thanks didnt harris speak to bruce after this show

[PaulSamsonArchive]

It was Rod Smallwood, later that day.

[uggla03]

cheers pal

[fallenearth]

I thought i would never see this in my life. Thanx for the upload!!!