Samson — Head On

intothewellsabyss
Jun 27, 2023
2 min read

𝐅𝐑𝐎𝐌 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐂𝐑𝐘𝐏𝐓𝐒 - 𝐂𝐄𝐋𝐄𝐁𝐑𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐏𝐀𝐒𝐓 𝐀𝐋𝐁𝐔𝐌 𝐑𝐄𝐋𝐄𝐀𝐒𝐄𝐒 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐇𝐈𝐒𝐓𝐎𝐑𝐘 𝐨𝐟 𝐇𝐀𝐑𝐃 𝐑𝐎𝐂𝐊 & 𝐇𝐄𝐀𝐕𝐘 𝐌𝐄𝐓𝐀𝐋…

43 years ago today, Samson hit us “Head On” like a “Hammerhead” with a “Thunderburst”!

On this day (June 27) 1980, Samson released their second full-length studio album, “Head On” via GEM/RCA.

Background:

Going by the stage name Bruce Bruce, this is the first album with future Iron Maiden-frontman Bruce Dickinson on vocal duties after joining the band in late 1979.

The instrumental "Thunderburst" is credited as co-written by Steve Harris. The track is in fact a version of "The Ides of March", an early Iron Maiden song written during the brief time in 1977 in which Samson drummer Thunderstick was in Iron Maiden. Iron Maiden released their own version on the Iron Maiden album “Killers” the next year, though Steve Harris credited the song solely to himself, annoying the members of Samson.

The cover art features the band's masked drummer, Thunderstick.

The supporting tour was full of controversy and legal issues, due to problems with their management.

“Head On” peaked at No. 34 in the UK Albums Chart.

Noteworthy:

A jazz-style spoof version of "Vice Versa", titled "Egg Timer" and credited to Cosmo Toons and the Split Knee Loons, appears on the “For Gillan Fans Only” album, given away for free with the first 15,000 copies of Gillan's “Glory Road”, released in 1980.

Re-issues:

“Head On” has seen numerous CD re-issues over the years. The first came in 1989 courtesy of German company Repertoire and in 1990 via Grand Slamm in the U.S. and Jimco in Japan, followed by Bruce Dickinson's short-lived Air Raid label in 2000. The re-issues on Castle/Sanctuary (2001) and Lemon (2013) both contain a pair of bonus tracks, "Angel with a Machine Gun" and "Kingsway Jam", not included on the earlier editions.

Links to Artists, Albums, and Music Videos:

Click this link to listen to “Head On (Bonus Track Version)” via Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/us/album/head-on-bonus-track-version/1478042872

Click this link to listen to “Head On” via Spotify: Head On https://open.spotify.com/album/2zMyG7VsLPPF0YfT82QdNI

Click this link to watch the official music video for “Vice Versa; “https://youtu.be/XojJOgiRgus

Click this link to watch the official music video for “Hard Times”: https://youtu.be/Hgxwl6EdiMk

Click this link to follow the “Samson” fan page on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Samson-63855543656/

Click this link to follow the “Bruce Dickinson forever” fan page on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BruceDickinsonForever

Note: The reviews shared here are for historical reference. The views and opinions expressed within are not always supported (in full or in part) by Into the Wells. — E.N. Wells

Samson — Head On

Background:

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Re-issues:

Links to Artists, Albums, and Music Videos:

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