Daz Sampson - Career Before Eurovision

Career Before Eurovision

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 milion 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.

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. JJ Mason made many remixes of Daz Sampson and Rikki and Daz songs including "The Woah Song" and "Teenage Life".

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.