Barry Graham Purkis, more commonly known as Thunderstick (born 7 December 1954), is an English drummer who wore various masks and used to perform on-stage closed in a cage.

In a rare occurrence his face was seen when he performed the main-role in the b-movie Biceps of Steel, featuring his band at the time Samson.

Purkis then became a drummer for the English band Iron Maiden in 1977–1978, some time before he would create his masked persona.

[1] These have been restored and remastered for a 2011 CD release, an anthology called Echoes from the Analogue Asylum which also features previously-unreleased material.

A fifth incarnation emerged in 1988, secured by a high-profile management contract, but Thunderstick disbanded again after failing to sign a major deal with a label.

[1] He performed as Thunderstick again in a series of Paul Samson solo gigs in America along with bassist Eric Mauriello, in 1989.

Thunderstick rejoined Samson twice, once in 1990 to write and record new material (later issued on 1999's Past Present & Future) and then again in 1999–2000, for reunion gigs either in Japan and on the Wacken Festival set in Germany.

On 25 April 2009, he played at the Keep It True Festival in Germany with a reunion of various new wave of British heavy metal artists, marking the return of his Thunderstick persona.

1983-84: Jodee Valentine (vocals), Wango Wiggins (guitar), Cris Martin (guitar), Ben K. Reeve (bass), Thunderstick (drums), Ana Marie Carmella Borg (vocals for the 1983 EP were provided by Ana but the cover featured a photo of Jodee Valentine who had by then replaced her and was touring with the band).