Samson

There are relatively few people in this world who strike me as being very comfortable in their own skin. Samson is one of them. He’s very much a take it or leave it kind of guy. Accept him for who is, or not. But if not, he’ll hardly lose sleep. Not because he’s arrogant. Not in the slightest. He knows that he doesn’t have to prove himself to anyone, doesn’t have to be someone he’s not, doesn’t want to play that game anyway, and is completely fine with being Samson. I feel there are some individuals that need to project a level of self-assuredness and do so from the social media rooftops. He’s more likely to shrug his shoulders and move on. 

I first met Samson when purchasing a book at Title in Surry Hills. Goodwill, persistence and determination enabled him to work there. He was 19 when he first approached the owner for a job. There was only a manager role going at the time and it was felt because Samson didn’t have any experience and had limited knowledge of the stock he probably wasn’t suited to the role. After the owner passed on this frank feedback Samson went away and pondered. He returned with a proposal, eager to learn the boutique retail craft and expand his knowledge of books and music. Three years later and the young man behind the counter has an intimate knowledge of the vinyl collection and goes to great lengths to find the book you seek. 

Samson was born in Thailand and he and his family moved to Vietnam when he was 12. From there he moved to Australia on his own and attended boarding school on the Gold Coast when he was 13. I gather his experience as a boarder strengthened his innate resilience and personal resolve, equipping him with those necessary capabilities the School of Life demands. 

He recounts singing a few chords at a school assembly and afterwards being bullied by his peers for doing so. I face plant my head in my hands as he tells me this. Why? Oh why are young people ridiculed for being courageous and having a crack? I have no idea to what extent it exists in schools, but I do know an experience like that can have a devastating impact on a person’s long-term wellbeing. He seems nonplussed. If anything it’s water off a duck’s back. He figures if he can deal with that he’ll have no problems on stage later on. These early inclinations have lit a spark. Like a phoenix rising from the ashes swells a passion for music which has since flourished and is permanently embedded in his make-up.  

He’s a tennis player. He told me he used to play tennis at school but didn’t enjoy the fact that training consumed so much time (up to three hours a day apparently). I instantly thought this guy is probably very good because he has such a humble disposition. I later discovered through other means (see ‘Tim’) that he only just missed out on making the Queensland team. He’s not just a tennis player, he’s an exceptional tennis player. 

Talented and intelligent. It’s not everyday someone gets into Architecture at the University of Melbourne. After a year though he didn’t feel quite settled. Melbourne wasn’t for him. He liked the music scene but found everything a little overwhelming at times. He headed north and Sydney has been his home since. The beaches and the weather appeal, but most importantly he has a solid group of friends in Australia’s most cosmopolitan city (apologies Melbournians, I can almost see the wincing). 

He’s talented at many things but music is something he’s really gravitated to. He’s a self-taught guitarist and from what I gather, a very good one and a disciplined one at that. COVID-19 has presented so many challenges, and for a musician I can only imagine the frustration at not being able to front or go to gigs for almost a year. He met his established group of friends when he enrolled in a Music Journalism course at the University of Sydney and subsequently took a song-writing class. They’ve collectively formed their own band, Lipgloss. Triple j Unearthed describe them as follows: ‘Lipgloss craft bright pop songs that capture the essence of young adulthood' and their ‘mutual love for the jangly and nostalgic sounds of 80s Indie Pop groups such as The Smiths and the Go-Betweens sparked an interest in forming a band together.’ The summary is on point with everything Samson has told me. He said he was first inspired by The Smiths and Johnny Marr. His music interest has now broadened to include jazz, perhaps this diversification was inspired by the 98,000 accumulated minutes of Spotify listening-time in 2018. I think it sums him up well, he’s not wedded to one niche, he’s willing to learn and admire musicians of all genres.

He wears jewellery and black nail polish. I think it really suits him. It just works. It goes with his paradoxically unobtrusive yet unique personality. As we’re talking the glint of a dangly earring flashes as he moves his head. It’s noticeable, but subtle. He likes being individual in his choice of attire. He doesn’t own a pair of shorts and prefers black jeans. He also sports a pair of shoes that at first glance look like any other pair of shoes but on closer inspection look so cool, like winkle pickers worn by rockstars.

It is hard to believe this man is only 22. He has a sense of self beyond his years. He strikes me as someone who might vote himself off Survivor, only to end up winning by default because people are drawn to his personality. Not only is he content with he wants to do but he has that self-awareness to understand he is in the fortunate position to be able to pursue his dreams. From what I gather his parents are successful people. He respects everyone has their own pursuits but being successful in monetary terms is not for him. The first 22 years have been most eventful for Samson. I wonder what the next 22 have in store for him. One thing is for sure, he dances to the beat of his own unique drum and for that I applaud him and urge him on.