This article is about the Samson drummer. For the noisemaker, see Thundersticks.
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Thunderstick
Purkis in 2023
Background information
Birth name
Barry Graham Purkis
Also known as
Barry Graham Thunderstick
Born
(1954-12-07) 7 December 1954 (age 69) England
Genres
Heavy metal, hard rock
Occupation(s)
Musician, songwriter
Instrument(s)
Drums
Years active
1974–present
Labels
Heaven and Hell Records
Musical artist
Barry Graham Purkis, more commonly known as Thunderstick (born 7 December 1954), is an English drummer who wore various masks and used to perform on-stage closed in a cage. He was in the cult-band Samson, with whom his name is most associated.[1]
In 1979, he developed his persona modelled on horror icons such as The Rocky Horror Show, Dr. Phibes and the old Hammer horror films, alternatively wearing black and white make-up, an old man/schoolteacher mask, a black cotton mask and his trademarked rhinestone covered mirrorball mask. He played inside a cage, including during a brief Samson reunion in 2000. With Samson he enjoyed a certain degree of success, especially when their album Head On was released in 1980 and reached No. 34 in the UK Albums Chart. The following single Riding With The Angels, from the album Shock Tactics, charted in the UK Singles Chart at No. 54.
In a rare occurrence his face was seen when he performed the main-role in the b-movie Biceps of Steel, featuring his band at the time Samson. In the film his then brother-in-law Ben K. Reeves performed as Thunderstick in his stead, only for the shots where Purkis and Thunderstick were set to appear at the same time.
In the June 2005 issue of Classic Rock Magazine, Thunderstick was listed as no. 36 in the "50 Greatest Drummers in Rock" feature.
^Colin Larkin, ed. (1995). The Guinness Who's Who of Heavy Metal (Second ed.). Guinness Publishing. p. 362/3. ISBN 0-85112-656-1.
Barry Graham Purkis, more commonly known as Thunderstick (born 7 December 1954), is an English drummer who wore various masks and used to perform on-stage...
Thundersticks, sometimes known as bambams, are long, narrow plastic balloons that are used as promotional noise makers. The noise is created when two...
replaced by guitarist Terry Wapram and keyboardist Tony Moore and drummer Thunderstick (real name Barry Purkis). This line-up only lasted one show before Moore...
Samson). All tracks by Bruce Dickinson, Paul Samson, Chris Aylmer and Thunderstick, except "Riding with the Angels" by Russ Ballard. "Bruce Bruce" Dickinson...
The Perth Thundersticks are an Australian professional hockey club based in Perth, Western Australia. The club was established in 2019, and is one of...
Perth Thundersticks is an Australian field hockey club based in Perth, Western Australia. The club was established in 1991 as a men's only team competing...
over on lead vocals for a run of shows. Burr was replaced by Barry "Thunderstick" Purkis in early 1979, after which the group recorded their first album...
drums. Burr left, and eventually joined Iron Maiden, and was replaced by Thunderstick, who wore a gimp mask on stage. In 1979, the line-up was expanded to...
alongside Craig Lauzon in a production of Kenneth T. Williams' play Thunderstick. The two actors traded roles on alternate days. Cardinal completed a...
bottle of cognac "with love", while Tom's friend Kyle has sent them a Thunderstick A-200 sex toy. When Tom tries to force the toy's American plug into the...
Shy Spider Stampede Starfighters Stratus Sweet Savage Tank Terraplane Thunderstick Tobruk Tokyo Blade Tredegar Trespass Tygers of Pan Tang Tytan Urchin...
Cornell University in 1973. BraveStarr: The Movie - Marshal BraveStarr, Thunderstick Casper's Scare School – Narrator, Scare Center Hosts, Werewolf, Wolfie...
organization was the first North American team to employ the use of thundersticks. The Rally Monkey is a mascot for the Angels which appears if the Angels...
High Thunder (Ger) - All I Want Thundercraaft - Fighting for Survival Thunderstick – Beauty and the Beasts TKO - In Your Face TNT (Ger) - Deflorator TNT...
starred alongside Lorne Cardinal in a production of Kenneth T. Williams' Thunderstick, in which the two traded roles on alternate days. In 2012, he performed...
Terry Wapram on guitar and drummer Barry Purkis (better known today as Thunderstick). After a single gig with the band in January 1978, Moore was asked to...
Australian Ice Hockey League Ice hockey Perth Ice Arena 2010 Perth Thundersticks Hockey One Field Hockey Perth Hockey Stadium 2019 Perth Steel AVSL Volleyball...
Gravesend, Kent, where Shots were playing regularly, when Barry Graham ("Thunderstick") and Paul Samson paid a visit. Impressed with his stage-act, they talked...
Scorchers competing in the Twenty20 Big Bash League. Field hockey: The Thundersticks (men) and Diamonds (women) compete in the Australian Hockey League....
Murray Adrian Smith Bruce Dickinson Nicko McBrain Janick Gers Paul Day Thunderstick Tony Moore Doug Sampson Paul Di'Anno Dennis Stratton Clive Burr Blaze...
Films, a production company Firecracker, a small, explosive noise maker Thundersticks, plastic balloons that are used as noise makers Edgar Henry Banger (1897–1968)...
Murray Adrian Smith Bruce Dickinson Nicko McBrain Janick Gers Paul Day Thunderstick Tony Moore Doug Sampson Paul Di'Anno Dennis Stratton Clive Burr Blaze...
Thunder and Lightning Thin Lizzy – Life - Live Thor – Unchained (EP) Thunderstick – Feel Like Rock'n'Roll? (EP) Tokyo Blade – Tokyo Blade Torch – Torch...
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