Samson was a British heavy metal band founded in 1977 by guitarist and vocalist Paul Samson. Gaining recognition during the New Wave of British Heavy Metal, the band is especially noted for featuring Bruce Dickinson before he joined Iron Maiden and the theatrical drummer Thunderstick, known for his masked stage persona. Clive Burr, another future Iron Maiden member, also played drums in the group. After Dickinson’s departure, Nicky Moore became the lead vocalist, fronting the band through the mid-1980s and returning in the late 1990s. Samson’s early albums are considered influential in the heavy metal scene.