Thunderstick's Resurgence - The Strange Brew

Thunderstick, led by the legendary Barry Graham Purkis (aka Thunderstick), and fronted by Raven Blackwing, are returning to the music scene. With a new studio album set for release in October 2023 and a thunderous new single already making waves, the band is back with a vengeance. Jason Barnard speaks to Barry and Raven to delve into their past, present and future.

It’s great to hear new material from Thunderstick several years after your ‘Something Wicked’ comeback album. What inspired you to return with a new studio album in 2023?

Barry: Well …. the new album has been a long time in the making – that’s for sure! I recorded my drum tracks in the weeks preceding Christmas 2019, laying the groundwork for bass and guitar tracks to commence in the early part of 2020 – it didn’t happen that way! What did happen was the global epidemic and the subsequent self-isolation that followed. We weren’t allowed to all be in the same place at any given time due to legal restrictions and everyone’s fear of possibly contracting something that we, at that time, knew little about. To allow continuity of my proposed timeline I took the decision that all of the subsequent instrument tracks were to be recorded digitally using available music software programmes that the various musicians had at their homes. It took an eternity.

To answer your question a little more succinctly though, I had a mixture of compositions that I had penned many years ago coupled with material that I had collaborated with other musicians on, so there was no shortage of songs and seeing as it had been a couple of years since the last studio album I was ready to go back and start on a new project. Little did I know that the 2 year gap would ultimately turn into 4 years!

Raven, as the lead vocalist of Thunderstick, how does it feel to be a part of the band’s resurgence and the upcoming release of a new studio album?

Raven: I feel honoured to be the one to vocalise the new material. I’m excited to be fronting the band during this time and running with the opportunity I’ve been given to co-write not only lyrically but the new show too. I can’t wait for everyone to hear the album and see the new show.

The single “Go Sleep With The Enemy (I Dare Ya)” is a powerful track. Can you tell us more about the song’s themes and what inspired this version?

Barry: The Single “Go Sleep With The Enemy (I Dare Ya)” is a four minute tale of infidelity and the wrath of a woman spurned. A perfect subject matter for such an arrangement. Although released before on the album “Something Wicked This Way Comes” I felt that particular version never ‘sat right’ for me. It didn’t have Raven singing it for starters and I considered it to be a little too lightweight for my lyrics. I wanted to re-visit it by way of demonstrating the heavier aspects of the forthcoming album, feeling this track was the ideal vehicle to do that. It has also become a live favourite both with my live band and audiences alike.

What was your experience like recording it in the studio?

Raven: It’s a song now that I have been performing for a little while with the band and to be able to record our heavier version with my vocals on has been great. Luckily this is one of the songs on the album that we were able to record in a studio before the whole lockdown happened and was my first experience of recording with Mr Stick (Thunderstick himself). I think because we had been performing the song it was a fairly slick process for me. I sometimes struggle when not a ‘live’ environment to bring the energy but with his guidance we were able to achieve the feel we wanted.

Could you share some details about the band’s line-up and how you all came together to create this new album and perform live again?

Barry: Well this is a hard one to answer believe it or not. After I had recorded my drum parts in 2019 the live band was put on hold because of Covid. As months turned into years the band became a mainstay of three….the bass player Rex, Raven and myself. I had parted company with the two guitarists over various issues as we went into self-isolation. It was a considerable weight off of my mind not having to keep a ‘band’ together. After taking time out I started to contact many of my musician friends asking if they knew of anyone that had both the capabilities and image that would fit the Thunderstick remit. Instead of recommendations most came back offering their services to play on the album. I deliberated for quite a while and thought ‘you know what, why not’? I had material that I considered possibly the strongest I had written how good would it be to have not only great musicians but friends playing on the record and I could put off worrying about putting together another ‘live’ band until a later date. That is how it came together. There are some wonderful guitar performances on the album all contributed by friends.

When it was time once more to think about a gigging Thunderstick I put the word out and took on Dave (Butters) and Pete (Pinto). Both came from different musical backgrounds but gelled together wonderfully. Our audiences would definitely testify to that.

Raven, could you share your perspective on the direction Thunderstick is taking with this new album? How do you personally connect with the material?

Raven: For me the much weightier material has suited my vocals well. It’s meant I can really crank it up. Mr Stick knows very well that there were a couple of songs that I found difficult to bond with lyrically, as for me it is all about the lyrics but in all honesty they are actually the ones that have somehow come out the best on the album! I can actually see them becoming the new fan favourites!

Thunderstick has a rich history dating back to the NWOBHM era. How do you think your music has evolved over the years, and what can fans expect from the new album in terms of its sound?

Barry: Yes Thunderstick has quite a history. It also carries a certain ambiguity with it. The Thunderstick persona has been seen to represent the NWOBHM genre from both my time with Samson and early incarnations of the Thunderstick band. The Samson representation I can understand, but with my own band it still confuses me a little because I have never regarded Thunderstick the band to be a ‘metal’ band; we are undoubtedly rock but not in my opinion as heavy as metal. I think my music has always been a little too melodic for that particular musical style. However others may disagree and if my persona is still regarded to be a figurehead for a particular categorization then I am more than happy to acknowledge that recognition.

Yes my music has changed over time. It had to. To remain relevant in an ever evolving market progress has to be analysed every so often. Just moving from analogue recording techniques into the digital world automatically impacts the way the band sound and ultimately the way that I compose for it. What I do find amusing of late is that more and more digital software plugins these days are trying to emulate analogue sounds and features. Evolution or Devolution?

Thunderstick has always been known for its theatricality. Can fans expect any exciting stage elements or theatrics during your upcoming live dates?

Barry: Yes I have always embraced theatricality. I still worship at the altar of Alice Cooper. Our own stage show features as much flamboyance as the budget allows. Raven is truly wonderful when it comes to stage presence and role play. I thoroughly enjoy watching her perform from behind my drums whenever we play shows she is a sight to behold. Then there’s the props…. good grief we carry around so many props I almost feel that at times we need a tour bus for them alone. Laughs….

Raven, Barry has praised your voice and stagecraft as being the “real deal”. What is your approach to performing Thunderstick’s music and connecting with the audience?

Raven: Coming from a theatrical background I have always found it easy to connect with an audience. I think the thing most people can see from me is that I love what I do and when you can show that energy and passion, it’s what draws people in. You don’t have to be the best singer or actor in the world but if you can make people feel something you are half way there. At least I think that’s what it is! I hope that’s what it is!

Barry, what are your highlights from your time with Iron Maiden and Samson?

Barry: Iron Maiden – I don’t really have anything that I consider to be ‘highlights’ other than the fact that I can say that I was once a member of the most famous Heavy Metal band in the world. Also the fact that I was asked to re-join them after they had parted company with Doug Sampson. After playing with them in a rehearsal studio during the Christmas holidays of 1979 I declined their offer on the premise that the style of the band and my style of playing at that time were seemingly incompatible with each other and would probably lead to disagreement further down the line. Deciding to stay loyal to Samson and the Thunderstick character of which Steve wanted nothing to do with and just wanted me Barry Graham Purkis.

Samson – there were many highlights/achievements. Many have been documented, many are personal. We wrote some great songs and were arresting as a live band. I regard my contributions to the album “Head On” both as a songwriter and drummer a highlight as it demonstrates my musicianship at its most impassioned coupled with the many production ideas that I brought to it.

Barry, looking back at your long career, what do you consider the defining moments of Thunderstick’s journey?

Barry: Another hard one to answer. Well, I have made many decisions throughout my career, many have been right, some have been disasters, but I have always gone with what I believed to be appropriate at the time. I have tried to be honest and true to what it is that I perceive as correct and have never taken the support for myself or the band for granted. People like yourself that continue to show interest in what I/we do are the life blood that keeps everything that Thunderstick is alive, I am humbled by it and long may it continue.

How has the band dynamic been during the recording of the new album and in preparation for the live dates?

Raven: In all honesty it has been a bit of a struggle because so much was having to be done remotely. When you can get together, rehearse stuff, bash things out between you, it’s so much easier, you can vibe off each other and bring in different ideas and takes but when you’re stood in your own conservatory trying to bring the thunder to a track it’s difficult but communication was key and lots of back and forth! The band as a whole gel well together and we’re like a weird dysfunctional family so when we do get together to rehearse it’s down to business. We all know where we are at and what we are trying to achieve and how each other works so we can bring it together.

With the return of Thunderstick, do you have any plans to revisit older material or perform some classics from your earlier days?

Barry: There has been a good balance in the songs that we have been performing throughout this year. It has featured some of the back catalogue as well as more recent. I have also kept some Samson favourites which we will of course continue to include. After all it was a very productive time in my career and the fans enjoy my acknowledgement of it, especially as both Paul Samson and Chris Aylmer have long since passed. I think it is important for me to keep some of that material alive by performing it onstage.

As regards the Thunderstick songs once the album is released I will discuss with Raven as to which songs are viable to include in a new live set ‘storyline’. Something that I am very much looking forward to doing.

And finally Raven, with Thunderstick’s extensive history, are there any particular songs from the band’s catalogue that you’re especially excited to perform live?

Raven: Over the shows so far there have been lots of the older material that has resurfaced for particular shows. Songs like The shining were added for the 40th bash and we’ve added in a couple of Samson fan favourites too, which is great to see people singing back to you. The new album sees a version of I close my eyes that we did a new retake of, which we are hoping to bring in live too. For me it’s a hugely emotive song and to have the opportunity to show a different side of my vocals is very special to me. And for me this is what is so exciting about the new album. It has so much variety on it and gives me the chance to show off my different vocal styles. I’m not just a screamer all the time!