If you remember your NWOBHM you will certainly remember Thunderstick – the “drummer in a cage” persona created by the man named Barry Graham Purkis.
Back then he was in an early incarnation of a fledgling Iron Maiden (as was a bloke I used to work with but that’s another story for another time……..) but would be replaced by Clive Burr.
Barry would then go on to join the great Samson, who of course, boasted a young Bruce Bruce (Dickinson). And we all know where he son ended up – the aforementioned Iron Maiden.
Anyhoo – Barry took the view that drummers, being mostly stick at the back on stage, needed a higher profile and decided to do something about it. His ruse was to create the Thunderstick alter-ego wearing a gimp/executioner mask whist thumping his tubs inside a cage.
Quite a gimmick which did create a curiosity without t6aking anything away from his drumming talents which are considerable.
After leaving Samson, Barry (I mean Thunderstick) flirted with his own band for a while releasing a couple of albums in the early 1980s before disappearing more or less without trace – though fondly remembered by all us old NWOBHM-ers for the Samson days.
And now, around three decades later, Barry/Thunderstick returns with a new album – Something Wicked This Way Comes – due out at the end of the month (July 2017).
Check it out on the Bandcamp page and have a listen. Here’s the opening track – Dark Night Black Light – for you to hear.
Not sure if a CD version will be available or if it’s digital only.
Coming next (or soon) will be a review of the latest from Warrior – Invasion Imminent. Thanks to band member Dave Dawson for sending the CD to me.
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