Audio CD review:
Samson - Live at Reading 81

Samson - Live at Reading 81

Band: Samson Title: Live at Reading 81 Rating: Release Date: 04 September, 2001 Media: Audio CD Tracks: 1: Big Brother 2: Take It Like A Man 3: Nice Girl 4: Earth Mother 5: Vice Versa 6: Bright Lights 7: Walking Out On You 8: Hammerhead 9: Riding With The Angels 10: Gravy Train 11: Red Skies (Bonus Track) 12: Turn Out The Lights (Bonus Track) 13: Firing Line (Bonus Track)

Customer Reviews fitting testament of a one great rockband N. Long sought live recording of one of the most underestimated B. W. O. H. M. bands, who certainly were a the fore of that genre. After a good start they released with Bruce Bruce (a. k. a. Bruce Dickinson of later Iron Maiden fame) a second and third album, "Head On" snd "Shock Tactics" which are true, often overlooked (and sometimes hard to come by) classics. So when they played at the prestige Reading Festival in 1981 they had 3 albums out on which they based their live set and from which this CD is culled. Switching material mainly from the second and third album they showed what they were up and able to. The sound is okay, the singer in top notch form, the band steady, playing a couple of extra notes in between the songs. Sadly this is without the (to my opinion that is) brilliant drummer Thunderstick, who already had left the band. His kind of drumming is unique and must be a blueprint to all kinds of other rockdrummers, playing with a terrible speed and using a big array of toms. He is incredible. His replacement is competent though but listening to the aforementioned studio albums you certainly can hear the difference. Paul Samson is playing well but I think their sound was much due to the drummer. Anyway, the songs are easy recogniseable although I prefer the originals. After 9 well known songs the set ends in a kind of outstretched boogie with "Gravy Train", not taken from any album, while latterday CD's contain 3 bonussongs, which to my knowledge at least are fairly new. In so far this was also the bands swangsong in this line-up because directly after the show Bruce Dickinson was talked in to that of Iron Maiden. Therefore this album can be seen as a historical document in more than one way. Afterwards the band regrouped with another singer and also different musicians bar Samson himself but they were merely a shadow of the band that played on Reading and recorded this album. . Bruce Bruce?? Who is that?..oh yeah SCREAM FOR ME REDDING!!! What more can you ask for? Not much, his voice is in fine form. Bruce Bruce (Dickinson) pre Maiden. This cd was recorded at the Reading Festival in the UK, the same festival that Maiden played a few times. The songs are great NWOBHM, and Bruce is a vocal god, enough said. If you are getting into Maiden and have never head of this group buy this and hear him in his early days. Nothing more to add really, I love Bruce and so this was an easy choice to add to my collection. "Riding With The Angels' "Earth Mother" "Nice Girl" " Vice Versa" are all great songs. BUY IT!!. . You can see a complete list of all Samson discography, or go back to the Samson tabs