Daz Sampson

Daz Sampson started his music career as a mobile DJ but first found fame as the MC, songwriter and ideas man in Bus Stop. Bus Stop's debut single Kung Fu Fighting featuring Carl Douglas sold 250,000 copies in the UK and was a major international hit. Bus Stop had four hit singles in the UK and released two albums internationally before splitting.Daz formed the duo Rikki & Daz with John Matthews (AKA Ricardo Autobahn AKA Rikki) of the Cuban Boys. Their single Rhinestone Cowboy (Giddy Up Giddy Up) featured a new vocal from country music legend Glen Campbell, and reached no. 12 in the UK. Daz informed Chris Moyles listeners that Glen's ranch was a "thieves' paradise". Daz and John followed this up with a top 40 UK hit with their creation The Barndance Boys, best remembered for their massive papier mache heads, and continued to write many club hits for other artists.



In 2004 Daz was playing the video game Grand Theft Auto: Vice City when he heard the next Call On Me on the soundtrack Out Of Touch by Hall & Oates. Within hours, his production partner Paul Keenan had knocked up a demo sampling Out Of Touch, and the two of them formed Uniting Nations. The single sold well over 100,000 in the UK, and was a pan-European hit. There followed two further Uniting Nations hit singles and an album that showcases Daz's ability to write original smash hooks of his own. Their reputation as the UK's leading commercial dance act was sealed when Smash Hits readers and T4 viewers voted them Best Dance Act at the last ever Pollwinners Party in 2005.



Daz's greatest ambition was bringing the Eurovision crown home to Britain. When he heard that Richard Park was the new supremo of the British Eurovision entry, he sent him his masterpiece. That track was Teenage Life, co-written with Daz's long-term collaborator John Matthews. Park saw the potential right away and Daz was included in the final six to represent the UK in Eurovision but so were higher profile like Antony Costa (ex Blue) and Kym Marsh. The bookies made Daz a rank outsider, but he romped home with 36% of the phone vote and 45% of the internet.