Real Masks

In 1979 he developed his persona modeled after 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 leather mask and his trademarked rhinestone covered mirrorball mask. He played inside a cage, even used during a brief but memorable 2000's Samson reunion. Thunderstick is considered as being the precursor of the later theatrical metal band Slipknot. With Samson he enjoyed a certain degree of success, especially when their album Head On was released in 1980 to much acclaim (UK #34) and the following single Riding With The Angels, from the album Shock Tactics, charted good (UK #54).
In the June 2005 issue of Classic Rock Magazine, Thunderstick has been listed as no. 36 in the "50 Greatest Drummers in Rock" feature.
Purkis started playing drums on a semi-professional level when joining the highly successful English-born band The Primitives (also known as "Mal Ryder & The Primitives" - not to be confused with the eighties UK band) in 1974. They extensively toured south-Italy.

Real Halloween Masks Scary

Real scary Halloween costumes

Latex Freddy Krueger Mask

freddy halloween mask

Many Halloween costumes

Then he became a drummer for the English band Iron Maiden briefly in 1977, long time before he would create his masked persona. A lot of fantastic stories about the behaviour of Purkis during his tenure in Iron Maiden exist, one of which was that during a gig he actually fell asleep whilst on stage. This however has never been substantiated and has been long confirmed as fake. During his early Samson tenure, Purkis was also asked to rejoin Iron Maiden in 1980 after the band had been touring with Samson but declined in favour of staying with Samson. This was mainly down to the fact that his bizarre theatrical image had now gained huge recognition and he was then seen to be "the face of the New Wave Of British Heavy Metal". His Samson predecessor Clive Burr eventually took the Maiden position.

Mummy Scary Halloween Mask

and Scary Halloween Masks

Mummy Halloween Mask - Version

This big chin mask is so real

Headless Scary Halloween

After he left Samson for artistic divergences, Thunderstick then went on to form his own eponymous band called Thunderstick consisting of two guitarists, bass and female vocalist. They recorded two hard rock albums, the EP Feel like Rock and Roll? (1983) and a full feature LP Beauty and the Beasts (1984) via Magnum Records. These have been restored and remastered for a 2011 CD release, an anthology called Echoes from the Analogue Asylum which also features previously-unreleased material. The band disbanded in 1986, after having recorded their yet-to-be-released final album Don`t Touch, I'll Scream. Both Thunderstick and vocalist Jodee Valentine went over to the States to try to secure a new deal (by then they were married). A new American line-up project was toyed, but the idea was soon abandoned in favour of maintaining their identity within the NWOBHM scene. Both returned to the UK. A fifth incarnation emerged in 1988, secured by a high profile management contract, but Thunderstick chose to call it quits again after failing to sign a major deal with a label. He and Jodee subsequently split also.
As Barry Purkis, in the late eighties he worked with Bernie Tormé and the Electric Gypsies, Ace Frehley and many other artists, even becoming an accomplished sound engineer in the process. He performed as Thunderstick again in a series of highly successful Paul Samson solo gigs in America along with bassist Eric Mauriello, in 1989. Ace Frehely jammed with them during an encore at the New York Roxy. Thunderstick rejoined Samson twice, once in 1990 to write and record new material (later issued on 1999's Past Present & Future) and then again in 1999-2000, for memorable reunion gigs either in Japan and on the Wacken Festival set in Germany. His songwriting input is present on Paul Samson's posthumous solo album P.S... 1953-2002 originally scheduled to be Samson's new album.

MOVIE MONSTER HANDS - Halloween masks, Horror masks, Scary masks, Real.

Real Halloween Masks - FREE

With the real world scary

Scary Halloween Costumes

Scary Halloween Mask

Purkis still writes music, and is involved in production for other artists. On April 25th 2009 he played at the Keep It True Festival in Germany with a reunion of various New Wave Of British Heavy Metal artists, marking the return of his Thunderstick persona. 1981-82: Vinnie Munro (vocals), Neil Hay (guitar), Colin Heart (guitar), Ben K. Reeve (bass), Thunderstick (drums). 1982-83: Ana Marie Carmella Borg (vocals), Wango Wiggins (Neil Hay's new stage name, guitar), Cris Martin (guitar), Ben K. Reeve (bass), Thunderstick (drums).

Cool Halloween masks!

Free Shipping, silicone mask,

A scary Halloween accessory

Nosferatu mask - Very

halloween scary treats