Daz Sampson
| Daz Sampson | |
|---|---|
 Daz Sampson in 2005 | |
| Background information | |
| Also known as | Daz, DJ Daz |
| Born |
28 November 1974 Stockport, Greater Manchester, England, UK |
| Genres | Pop, dance, Europop, Eurodance, hip hop |
| Occupation(s) | Musician, singer-songwriter, record producer |
| Years active | 1998–present |
| Labels |
Sony Music Entertainment (2006) Unsigned (2006–11) Sporting Riff Raff (2011–present) |
| Associated acts |
Bus Stop Rikki & Daz Barndance Boys Uniting Nations Sampson & Mason |
| Website |
www |
Darren "Daz" Sampson (born 28 November 1974) is a British singer, producer and broadcaster.
Sampson was known for his commercial dance music, often reworkings of older songs as a solo act (Daz Sampson, DJ Daz) and as a member of various formations, Bus Stop, Rikki & Daz, Barndance Boys and Uniting Nations enjoying popularity in Britain and in Europe.
In 2006, he represented the UK in the Eurovision Song Contest with "Teenage Life". He also established Sporting Riff Raff Records and has continued to perform and release recordings.
Career before Eurovision
Sampson was born in Stockport, Greater Manchester, England, and went into radio broadcasting at 17 after an injury halted a potential career as a pro footballer. spending several years working within commercial radio as well as a stint at the world famous "Radio Luxembourg" from there he made the transition of playing music to making music.
- Bus Stop
Sampson had his first chart success with the group Bus Stop (with Graham Turner, Mark Hall,). Bus Stop had four UK hits, the most successful being "Kung Fu Fighting" featuring Carl Douglas that sold 250,000 copies in the UK and over 1 million worldwide.
Chris Moyles, broadcaster with BBC Radio 1 responded to a letter from Sampson by championing his records on the station and inviting him to contribute comedy moments on his radio show. During this period Sampson was almost a daily guest on the Radio 1 show, and from this came a deal with BMG for his act Blown Out.
Other Bus Stop hits included remakes of "You Ain't Seen Nothin' Yet" featuring Randy Bachman, Jump" from Van Halen, Get In On from T. Rex.
Many of the Bus Stop songs and remakes have been featured in the popular game series Dance Dance Revolution, including "Kung Fu Fighting", "Kick the Can", "Swing It", "One Two (Little Bitch)", "Na-Na", "Swing It" and "Long Train Runnin'". The band also made many appearances on the Dancemania series.[1]
- Fraud Squad
As Bus Stop project was folding, In 2000, Daz Sampson made a duo partnership with JJ Mason. Named Fraud Squad, the duo released "Together (We Can Make It)" which was popular in European night clubs.[2] JJ Mason made many remixes of Daz Sampson and Rikki and Daz songs including "The Woah Song" and "Teenage Life".[3]
Daz Sampson and JJ Mason would return in 2006 with two releases under the name Sampson & Mason releasing "The Crown" and "The Feeling".
- Rikki & Daz
In this period, Sampson formed Rikki & Daz with John Matthews (aka Ricardo Autobahn, hence "Rikki") of the Cuban Boys. Their 2002 single "Rhinestone Cowboy (Giddy Up Giddy Up)" featuring a new vocal from country music legend Glen Campbell reached No.12 in the UK. Another popular release as Rikki and Daz was the remake of DJ Bobo's hit "Chihuahua" credited to "Rikki & Daz Vs. JJ Mason Remix".
- Barndance Boys / DJ Daz
The pair continued to work together under various names, including The Barndance Boys (for the minor hit single "Yippie I Oh") and DJ Daz ("The Woah Song", a remake of Baltimora's Tarzan Boy). Matthews later co-wrote Sampson's Eurovision song "Teenage Life".
- Uniting Nations
In 2004, Sampson returned to the Liverpool dance music and he formed a partnership with producer Paul Keenan under the name Uniting Nations and released "Out of Touch" a remake from Hall & Oates hit and selling 150,000 copies of the single in the United Kingdom becoming a European hit. Other big hits included "You And Me" (reached No.15 in the UK) proving yet another hit in Europe and "Ai No Corrida" that reached No.18 also in the UK. Smash Hits readers and T4 viewers voted Uniting Nations "Best Dance Act" at the last ever Pollwinners Party in 2005. Sampson also enjoyed 3 number 1 singles in Poland with Uniting Nations.
Eurovision Song Contest 2006
On 4 March 2006, Sampson won the BBC show Making Your Mind Up[4] with the song "Teenage Life", written and produced with his long-time collaborator John Matthews. The accompanying dance routine involved 4 young women dressed as schoolgirls, dubbed The Sampsonites.
The song was a commercial success prior to Eurovision becoming a Top 10 hit for him on the UK Singles Chart with the single released on 14 May 2006 just prior to the contest. Daz Sampson represented the UK in the Eurovision Song Contest on 20 May 2006 in Athens, but only 10 of the 39 eligible countries voted for Sampson and his total score was 25 points, placing him a disappointing 19th out of the 24 acts.
Although he finished low down the rankings in the Eurovision Song Contest, he enjoyed success in the British charts. "Teenage Life" entered at number 13 in the UK Top 40. In the week following the contest, the publicity he had gained from this exposure helped his single to climb to number 8 in the UK chart. Sampson claims that his performance may have raised the popularity of Eurovision in the UK, with the 2006 contest attracting half the UK TV audience,[5] leading to the highest viewing figures in the UK in Eurovision history.
Career after Eurovision
- Eurovision 2007
After Eurovision, he said he would like to return to try for Eurovision Song Contest 2007. However, he later he announced that the BBC decided it was too soon for him to enter again, but he would be welcome in a few years time.[6] Still he presented the song entitled "Do A Little Dance" but it did not make British Eurovision: Your Decision shortlist of songs for consideration.[7]
- Sporting Riff Raff Records
In 2006, Daz Sampson established his own record company, Sporting Riff Raff Records[8] with Ben O'Brien and Joe Taylor of Nuxx. The acts that recorded with the company, mainly hit pop/dance/disco bands were The Star Alliance, Spray, Mr. Fix It, Love Djs, Project 4.[9]
- Sampson & Mason
He collaborated with several artists and released in 2006 "The Crown" and "The Feeling" under the name Sampson & Mason in partnership with JJ Mason (of earlier Fraud Squad days).
- Tribute to Stockport County
On 22 April 2007, Sampson released a new download only single release in support of his football team Stockport County. The song by Daz Sampson and the Cheadle Enders is titled "The County Song" (Jim Gannon's Army Goes Marching On). (UK#182) The song pays tribute to Stockport County's football league record of nine consecutive wins without conceding a goal. The song namechecks several Stockport County players including Anthony Elding, Adam Griffin and goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey not to mention former player and current manager Jim Gannon. On the occasion, with Sampson donating part of the proceeds from the single to the Stockport County Supporters Trust, the trust made him its first-ever life member in recognition of his efforts.[10]
- Others
He wrote materials for Glasgow-based Russell Graham of the boy band Pacific Avenue, when the latter launched a dance act under the name Bandito after landing a record deal with Ministry of Sound's Hard2Beat Records.[11] Bandito's debit solo "Rockin' At the Disco" was co-written by Daz Sampson and John Matthews.
Sampson and his long term writing partner John Matthews, have co-written the music score for a brand new CBBC animation show set to air summer 2013.
- TV & Radio
Since 2011 Sampson has returned to a career in radio broadcasting as signing a deal with NBC/Universal where he stars in his own reality documentary show.
Discography
Albums
- With Bus Stop
- 1998: Ticket to Ride
- 2000: Get It On
- 2002: Bustin' Rhymes & Melodies
Singles
| Year | Artist/Group | Song | UK Singles Chart | UK Download Chart | Irish Singles Chart | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | Bus Stop | "Kung Fu Fighting" (feat. Carl Douglas) |
8 | - | - | Originally by Carl Douglas |
| "You Ain't Seen Nothin' Yet" (feat. Randy Bachman) |
22 | - | - | Originally by Randy Bachman | ||
| 1999 | "Jump" | 23 | - | - | Originally by Van Halen | |
| 2000 | "Get It On" (feat. T. Rex) |
59 | - | - | Originally by T. Rex | |
| "One Two (Little Bitch)" | - | - | - | |||
| "Footloose" | - | - | - | Originally by Kenny Loggins | ||
| 2001 | "Kick the Can" | - | - | - | ||
| "Na-Na" | - | - | - | Remake "Goodbye" by Steam) | ||
| "Swing It" | - | - | - | |||
| "Long Train Runnin'" | - | - | - | Originally by The Doobie Brothers | ||
| 2002 | Rikki & Daz | "Rhinestone Cowboy" | 12 | - | 16 | Originally by, and featuring Glen Campbell |
| 2003 | Barndance Boys | "Yippie I Oh" | 32 | - | - | Re-working of traditional song I'll Tell Me Ma |
| DJ Daz | "Woah Song" | - | - | - | Originally by Baltimora and titled "Tarzan Boy" | |
| 2004 | Uniting Nations | "Out of Touch" | 7 | - | 5 | Originally by Hall & Oates |
| 2005 | "You and Me" | 15 | - | 26 | ||
| "Ai No Corrida" | 18 | - | 37 | |||
| 2006 | "Music In Me" | - | - | - | ||
| Daz Sampson | "Teenage Life" | 8 | 11 | - | UK Eurovision entry | |
| 2007 | "Do a Little Dance" | - | - | - | Download only | |
| "The County Song (Jim Gannon's Army Goes Marching On)" |
182 | 17 | - | Download only | ||
| Uniting Nations | "Do It Yourself" | - | - | - | ||
| 2008 | "Pressure Us" | - | - | - | Featuring Lucia Horn |
Others songs
| Year | Song title | Credited to | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | "Roots (Feel Too High)" | Sunshine State featuring Daz | |
| 2000 | "Together (We Can Make It)" | Fraud Squad | Daz Sampson and JJ Mason |
| 2006 | "The Crown" | Sampson & Mason | |
| 2006 | "The Feeling" | ||
See also
References
- ↑ Bus Stop. discogs. Retrieved 17 April 2015.
- ↑ Fraud Squad page. discogs. Retrieved 17 April 2015.
- ↑ JJ Mason page. discogs. Retrieved 17 April 2015.
- ↑ "Dance track wins Eurovision vote". BBC News. 4 March 2006. Retrieved 18 May 2006.
- ↑ Banham, Mark (22 May 2006). "Eurovision attracts half UK audience". Brand Republic.
- ↑ "UK Exclusive: It not Daz either!". esctoday.com. 20 February 2007. Retrieved 28 February 2007.
- ↑ Download Daz Sampson's banned 2008 Eurovision entry. POp Justice article. Retrieved 17 April 2015.
- ↑ Sporting Riff Raff Records Official website. Sportingriffraff.com. Retrieved 17 April 2015.
- ↑ Sporting Rif Raff page. discogs. Retrieved 17 April 2015.
- ↑ Stockport County giving Daz Sampson a life membership
- ↑ Lyons, Beverley. (30 October 2009) ''Daily Record'': I swapped life on the dole for big money record deal, says upcoming Scots star Bandito. Daily Record (Scotland). Retrieved 2015-04-17.
External links
- Daz Sampson's official website
- Daz Sampson MySpace site
- DJ Daz UK MySpace site
- Behind-the-scenes pictures from the 2006 Eurovision Song Contest with Daz
| Preceded by Javine with "Touch My Fire" |
UK in the Eurovision Song Contest 2006 |
Succeeded by Scooch with "Flying the Flag (for You)" |