AIRFORCE Featuring Former IRON MAIDEN Drummer DOUG SAMPSON Signs Multi-Album Deal With ROAR! Rock Of Angels Records

June 9, 2021, 2 years ago

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AIRFORCE Featuring Former IRON MAIDEN Drummer DOUG SAMPSON Signs Multi-Album Deal With ROAR! Rock Of Angels Records

ROAR! Rock of Angels Records has announced the signing of a multi-album deal with NWOBHM institution, Airforce.

The history of Airforce goes back over 40 years ago to 1979, to an East London based band called EL-34, in which Chop Pitman and Tony Hatton played together first, and were able to gain ample live experiences with exciting gigs in legendary venues like The Marquee Club, The Ruskin Arms and The Cart & Horses.

After several years playing mostly London metal shows, the singer and drummer departed in 1986, leaving Chop and Tony looking for replacements. Chop's very good long-term friend, Iron Maiden mastermind Steve Harris, suggested his former drummer Doug Sampson (well known to all metal fans from Iron Maiden's first legendary studio recordings, The Soundhouse Tapes). Steve arranged some studio time for himself, Chop, and Doug to have a rehearsal jam session together, and a slice of NWOBHM history was made.

Airforce was born! But times were not easy. For a stable lineup, a permanent singer was missing and whom the band unfortunately could not find in the first eleven years of their existence before they broke up.

Chop Pitman initially continued the band name Airforce live and with various musicians. The first Airforce album was released in 2016 with Judgment Day, a kind of compilation that aroused renewed interest in the band. That was the starting shot for Chop to reunite the old band members Doug Sampson and Tony Hatton.

In 2019, Flavio Lino joined Airforce as the new frontman, the right man at the microphone having finally taken his his place.

Airforce are now a real force, and are currently working on a new live longplayer, that is to be released later this year, as well as on their eagerly awaited third full-length album. All signs point to a metal storm coming!

Airforce is:

Flavio Lino - Vocals
Chop Pitman - Lead Guitar
Tony Hatton - Bass Guitar
Doug Sampson – Drums



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