The Samples

December 2024

That day has come. Many thought it would never happen, but it’s finally (nearly) here! We give you the debut studio album from Worcester punk rock band The Samples!!

OK, so Speak Truth To Power hasn’t exactly been in the making for all of the last 40+ years but it is, nonetheless, quite a milestone for a band that promised so much but sadly weren’t able to deliver at the time. Frankly, it’s long, long overdue.

Formed in 1978 (or 1979 – who’s really counting) when 2 schoolfriends, a neighbour, and a friend of a friend came together to share their love of punk rock and do what many kids did then – form a punk band, select their chosen instruments, and then set about bashing out words and tunes to change the world.

After a couple of EPs; their own self-financed debut Vendetta EP, followed by the iconic No Future Records EP release Dead Hero, the band’s motivation waned when record label money was wasted on projects clearly destined to fail, as well as having to sit back, watching and waiting as releases from other bands jumped ahead of them – it seemed like without a certain music paper’s journalist giving you the required Caesar-like thumbs up, you had little chance.  Maybe they just didn’t want it enough, maybe they didn’t kiss enough arse – who knows and, frankly, who gives a shit any longer!

The fact of the matter is that The Samples never got to release their debut album in 1983, they gave up on it for one reason or another, and by the time they played their final gig in 1986, the disappointments had finally been accepted. Off they went to live their lives….

So, fast forward the best part of 40 years and the 3 core members of Dave, Paz and Sean are offered the opportunity to play a very well-known UK punk festival. Coming together in rehearsals, playing all the old songs after all these years felt good; it felt right. Was there some unfinished business to deal with? Maybe.

This was happening just before Covid hit, which left the band feeling like luck was once more against them. It got much worse when singer Sean’s cancer returned and he tragically passed away before any reunion gigs were performed.

With Sean’s blessing (and a bunch of new lyrics he handed over before he passed), Dave and Paz carried on as a 3 piece (now supplemented by Jake on drums and with Paz taking on lead vocal duties), playing their first gigs for years and beginning to develop ideas for new songs as they went about things…..and so here we are.

Written and recorded over the last couple of years, Speak Truth To Power coughs up 12 brand new and exhilarating songs that somehow manage to stay true to the legacy of the band even though they took all those years ‘off’.  Songs that are very much consistent with 2 things that the band always held (and continue to hold) close – tuneful punk rock (some might say old-school) with lyrics that tackle important issues - issues that matter; whether that’s the injustices in the still present class system in this country, the way in which the Windrush generation were so poorly treated by the UK Government or about how important it is to hold friendships and memories close. ‘Stuff’ that matters.

So, has it been worth the wait? Well, have a listen and decide for yourself.

Speak Truth To Power – the debut studio album from The Samples. Released on December 6th2024, initially on digital format with vinyl (choice of red or green splatter), CD, cassette options to follow in early 2025. Pre-orders now being taken at https://bit.ly/m/The-Samples

Band contact – TheSamplesPunkBand@gmail.com