Tag Archives: Thunderstick

News: 40 years of Thunderstick celebrated with limited-edition live album – released 20/3/20

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Something Wicked This Way Came – Live in France

Released 20/3/20 on Roulette Records

Order from: https://www.roulettemedia.uk/thunderstick-store

By way of marking forty years since the emergence of the infamous masked drummer ‘Thunderstick’, who became the iconic figure for the then burgeoning ‘New Wave Of British Heavy Metal’ movement, his eponymously-named band are ready to release their first ever official live album. The limited-edition CD will be released by Roulette Records on 20th March.

Thunderstick’s alter ego and creator Barry Graham Purkis announces: “I am so happy to announce that after 40 years of ‘Thunderstick’ a live album will be released this month to celebrate. Comprising both Thunderstick and Samson material with the odd ‘cover’ thrown in for good measure, there has never been any official recordings of the band in concert before so for us this is pretty damn special..!!”

Lead singer Raven Blackwing adds: “I am really excited about the upcoming release of our live album ‘Something Wicked This Way Came’ Thunderstick live in France. The whole gig was a blast from start to finish with so many new friends made, a beautiful way for me to cherish that memory of that performance. It’s my first album with the band and I’m really hoping that people listening to it will pick up on the enjoyment that I and the guys had on stage that night. Much love Raven xx”

Live in France - cover artwork

Recorded live in France in November 2019 the album features a full concert with the following track listing:
Riding With The Angels
Go Sleep With the Enemy (I Dare Ya)
Earth Mother
Buried Alive
Dark Night Black Light Monologue Teenage Suicide)
Dark Night Black Light
Vice Versa
Witches Trial
Blackwing …… The Curse
Dark Princess Thunder
Thunder Thunder
Time Warp

Best known for his time with Samson and an early Iron Maiden Barry Graham Purkis (AKA Thunderstick) has been the legendary icon for the NWOBHM (New Wave Of British Heavy Metal) scene since the late 70s. His eponymously named band, renowned for its female fronted power rock and theatricality, have a considerable heritage. The band played live and recorded for six years both in the UK and in the United States until playing their last gig in October 1986.

Then In 2016 former lead vocalist, Jodee Valentine, tragically died. In recognition of her memory Barry decided to record some songs that Jodee had performed live. This became the ‘Something Wicked This Way Comes’ album, the first new Thunderstick product in over thirty years. It was released in July 2017 to enthusiastic reviews worldwide. Following the success of the album Barry put a live band together who have brought the Thunderstick magic to a series of festival dates and live gigs. Now signed to Roulette Records an eagerly-anticipated follow-up studio album is currently being recorded and is scheduled for release in July 2020.

Baz Crowcroft, the band’s resident artist has, once again, delivered spectacular artwork for the album. He was responsible for the artwork on the last album as well as the recent single ‘Go Sleep With The Enemy’. He will, of course, also be creating artwork for the forthcoming new studio album in the summer.

The full Thunderstick band line-up is:

Vocals – Raven Blackwing
Drums – Barry Graham Purkis aka Thunderstick
Guitar – Vinny Konrad
Guitar – Lee Quenby
Bass – Rex Thunderbolt

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thunderstickofficial/
Roulette Records: https://www.roulettemedia.uk/

News: Thunderstick – masked drummer and his band return to Leo’s Red Lion for launch of new single

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Single: Go Sleep With The Enemy/ I Close My Eyes released 7/2/20 on Roulette Records pre-order via https://www.roulettemedia.uk/product-page/thunderstick-go-sleep-with-the-enemy-i-close-my-eyes

First live gig: Leo’s Red Lion, Gravesend, Kent – Saturday 8/2/20 8pm
Tickets via https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/leosredlion/t-amaznk

Following a series of fantastically well-received live dates last year Thunderstick, with their mesmerising singer Raven Blackwing, are back with a new single and a return to live shows. Kent’s legendary rock venue ‘Leo’s Red Lion’ will be the first to support the release on Saturday 8th February.

Barry Graham Purkis aka Thunderstick: “The band will be touring our eccentric ‘Anomaly stage show’ throughout 2020. For those about to experience us live for the first time prepare yourself for the journey. We are the ‘Dark Cabaret Theatre Hooligans’ and we will steal your Rock’n’Roll hearts.”

CD Cover - Front

Raven Blackwing: “I’m very excited about the upcoming release. It’ll be my first Thunderstick recordings. I was given so much love and support throughout my first year with the band, we thought a ‘limited edition’ reworking of a couple of tracks from the ‘Something Wicked This Way Comes’ album would be a cool way to say thank you. My own particular milestone. It also sets the scene for the band’s very first live album ‘Something Wicked This Way Came…Thunderstick Live in France’. I hope that our fans enjoy both. Luv Raven xx”

The single features the tracks ‘Go Sleep With The Enemy’ and ‘I Close My Eyes’ which will be familiar to fans, reworked for the unique voice of Raven Blackwing. The single is available in both CD and digital formats.

Charismatic Raven Blackwing will lead her thunderous band mates Vinny Konrad (guitar), Lee Quenby (guitar), Rex Thunderbolt (bass) and the legendary Thunderstick/Barry Graham Purkis (drums) on a series of UK and European dates throughout the year. UK festivals ‘Breaking Bands’ on 25th May and ‘Cornwall Rocks’ on 20th November have now been confirmed, with many more to be announced. A new live album ‘Something Wicked This Way Came – Thunderstick live in France’ is set for release in March on Roulette, followed by a brand new studio album currently being recorded for release in July.

Raven Blackwing

Best known for his time with Samson and an early Iron Maiden Barry Graham Purkis (AKA Thunderstick) has been the legendary icon for the NWOBHM (New Wave Of British Heavy Metal) scene since the late 70s. His eponymously named band, renowned for its female fronted power rock and theatricality, have a considerable heritage. The band played live and recorded for six years both in the UK and in the United States throughout the 1980s until playing their last gig in October 1986. Then In 2016 former lead vocalist, Jodee Valentine, tragically died following a five-year battle with early onset Alzheimer’s. In recognition of Jodee’s memory Barry decided to record some songs that Jodee had performed live. This became the ‘Something Wicked This Way Comes’ album, the first new Thunderstick product in over thirty years. It was released in July 2017 to enthusiastic reviews worldwide.

Barry: ‘It was never my intention to put a performing band together but In light of the positive encouragement I received and much deliberation a new Thunderstick was formed. Staying true to its theatrical recognition we have been gathering momentum once more amongst the rock fraternity. The next chapter in this amazing story is ready for the writing.”

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thunderstickofficial/
Roulette Records: https://www.roulettemedia.uk/thunderstick

New Thunderstick album – news, reviews and interviews round-up

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Crowflies Communications: Darren Johnson Music PR

Some great reviews coming in for ‘Something Wicked This Way Comes’ the first new Thunderstick album in over 30 years. Here is a selection of what has been said so far:

Knac.com Pure Rock:“And what an album it is. As the first album with new THUNDERSTICK material in thirty years, its ten tracks literally burst with ideas.”
Read full review here

Sea of Tranquility:“Considering it’s been over thirty years since we’ve heard new material from this outfit, the band are locked and loaded here on Something Wicked This Way Comes, their blend of melodic metal, hard rock, and a touch of punk gives songs such as Dark Night Black Light.”
Read full review here

Eternal Terror:“Hats off to Thunderstick (the drummer) and his cohorts for managing to craft a wonderfully organic and raw record that perfectly captures the mood of the old days and yet sounds sharp…

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News: Thunderstick is back! New album from NWOBHM legend – ‘Something Wicked This Way Comes’

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First noticed playing with a developing Iron Maiden in the seventies then moving to Samson (being instrumental in finding a very youthful Bruce Dickinson) Barry Graham Purkis became the figurehead of the newly emerging NWOBHM (New Wave Of British Heavy Metal) scene. This was done by creating an alter ego Thunderstick, a masked persona known not only for his wild style of playing his drums but doing so from inside a cage and terrorizing audiences. He went on to form his own highly theatrical band in the eighties. Fronted by a female rock ’n’ roll wildchild Thunderstick the band was a perfect ‘Beauty and the Beast’ combination, playing live and recording for five years until it folded in 1987.

Never to be seen again until now……

Thunderstick is back with a brand new studio album which remains true to the band’s original ‘classic rock’ style: ‘Something Wicked This Way Comes’

Thunderstick: “This is an album that is befitting of the Thunderstick of another era, but screams relevance for today.”

“The whole thing came about because of the tragic death of our former vocalist Jodee Valentine at just 55. Jodee’s passing hit me really hard and I wanted to do something in her memory. There are some songs that we were playing live first time around that had never been released, coupled with some new tracks that have been written purely for this album. A new line up. A new album. A new era.”

Scheduled for release at the end of July 2017 this is the classic Thunderstick band format of female vocalist, two guitars, bass and drums and the first Thunderstick album of new material in over three decades.

The CD album will be available for purchase via Thunderstick’s Facebook page, via https://www.freewebstore.org/thunderstick-productions and is avilable for streaming and download via https://thunderstick.bandcamp.com/album/something-wicked-this-way-comes

Musicians on the album are: Thunderstick (drums), Martin Shellard (guitars), Dave Kandy Kilford (guitars), Rex Thunderbolt (bass) and Lucie V (vocals).

https://www.facebook.com/thunderstickofficial/

SOMETHING WICKED THIS WAY COMES COVER_edited-1