years_active alias label article_title past_members background genre origin name
1976 & ndash ; 2002 scrapyard samson 's empire -lrb- 1994 -rrb- -lrb- 1976 -rrb- mccoy -lrb- 1976 -rrb- paul rca records -lrb- former -rrb- samson -lrb- band -rrb-
 see : members group_or_band heavy metal , hard rock england samson
samson -lrb- band -rrb-

samson were a british hard rock band formed in 1977 by guitarist and vocalist paul samson .
they are best known for their first three albums with future iron maiden singer bruce dickinson , then known as `` bruce bruce '' , and drummer thunderstick -lrb- real name barry graham purkis -rrb- , who wore a leather mask and performed on stage in a metal cage .
drummer clive burr was also a member of the band , both before and after his tenure with iron maiden .
drummer mel gaynor had a successful music career being a member of simple minds for over 20 years .
dickinson 's replacement on vocals , nicky moore , performed with samson throughout the mid-1980s and again from the late 1990s onwards ; he has also been a member of the bands mammoth and nicky moore and the blues corporation .
