Budgie (band)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Budgie | ||
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| Background information | ||
| Origin | Cardiff, Wales | |
| Genre(s) | Rock Heavy metal Hard rock |
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| Years active | 1968– Present | |
| Website | Budgie Official Website | |
| Members | ||
| Burke Shelley Steve Williams Simon Lees |
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| Former members | ||
| Pete Boot Tony Bourge Rob Kendrick Ray Phillips Jim Simpson John "J.T." Thomas |
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Budgie is a hard rock band from Cardiff, South Glamorgan, Wales.
Contents |
[edit] Career
Formed in 1968, their original line-up consisted of Burke Shelley (b. John Burke Shelley, 10 April 1947, Tiger Bay, Cardiff, South Glamorgan, Wales) on bass guitar and vocals, Tony Bourge (b. Anthony James Bourge, 23 November 1948, Tiger Bay, Cardiff, South Glamorgan, South Wales) (guitar, vocals), and Ray Phillips (b. Raymond John Phillips, 1 March 1945, Tiger Bay, Cardiff, South Glamorgan, South Wales (drums). The current line up is Burke Shelley (bass, vocals), Simon Lees (guitar), and Steve Williams (drums).
Their debut album in strong blues oriented hard rock lines was recorded at Rockfield Studios with Black Sabbath producer Rodger Bain and released in 1971, followed by Squawk in 1972. The 3rd album, Never Turn Your Back On a Friend (1973), ensured their place in rock and roll history, containing possibly their best-known song, "Breadfan", later covered by Metallica. (Metallica also covered another Budgie song, "Crash Course In Brain Surgery"). Ray Philips left the band before the fourth album In for the Kill was recorded and was replaced by Pete Boot (b. Peter Charles Boot, 30 September 1950, West Bromwich, Staffordshire).
By 1975 Bourge and Shelley were joined by drummer Steve Williams for the album Bandolier, Bourge left in Dec. 1978 and was replaced by John Thomas. Music from the 1978 LP Impeckable was featured in the 1979 film "J-Men Forever"(shown frequently on the USA Network's "Night Flight" television series in the 1980's) which is now a cult classic. The band successfully rode the New Wave of British Heavy Metal (NWOBHM) until 1982, even headlining the Reading Festival. They built a particular following in Poland, where they played as the first heavy metal band behind the Iron Curtain in 1982. Also notable was their tour support of Ozzy Osbourne in 1984.
The band stopped gigging in 1988, members went into studio production, occasionally guesting on other projects; John Thomas most notably worked on the Phenomena CD with Glenn Hughes out of the Black Sabbath studios. John Thomas left the band in 2001 after headlining the "Welsh Legends of Rock" outdoor festival.
Enjoying much popularity in Texas, somewhat thanks to legendary promoter DJ and restaurateur, Joe "The Godfather" or "Mr. Pizza" Anthony on KMAC/KISS radio in the 1970s, the band reformed for a one off gigs 1995, 1996 and 2000 for outdoor festivals 'La Semana Alegre' in San Antonio, Texas. They toured in 2002-6, mostly in the United Kingdom, the NYC/NJ area, Dallas, and with a few shows in Europe including the Sweden Rock Festival and a return to post-Communist Poland. The reunion was the subject of much faux hype by Mark Radcliffe and Marc Riley-Lard on their Radio 7 show, but the pair then "forgot" to do their special Budgie day.
Budgie is presently undergoing a thirty five date UK tour running until December 2006, and their new album, entitled, You're All Living In Cuckooland was released in the UK on 7 November 2006. They may play some dates in the U.S. & possibly Australia.
[edit] Discography
[edit] Studio albums
- Budgie (1971)
- Squawk (1972)
- Never Turn Your Back On a Friend (1973)
- In for the Kill (1974)
- Bandolier (1975)
- If I Were Britannia I'd Waive the Rules (1976)
- Impeckable (1978)
- Power Supply (1980)
- Nightflight (1981)
- Deliver Us From Evil (1982)
- You're All Living In Cuckooland (2006)
[edit] Compilations and live releases
- Best of Budgie (1975)
- Best of Budgie (1981)
- An Ecstasy Of Fumbling - The Definitive Anthology (1996)
- The Best Of Budgie (1997)
- Heavier Than Air - Rarest Eggs (1998)
- We Came, We Saw... (1998)
- Life in San Antonio (2002)
- The Last Stage (2004) - UK only unreleased studio album from mid-eighties
- Radio Sessions 1974 & 1978 (2005) - double CD with live recordings in London (1974) and Los Angeles (1978)
- The BBC Recordings (2006)
[edit] Miscellaneous releases
- The Extreem - From Out Of The Sky - pre-Budgie late 60's efforts, Japan only CD (1999)
- 6 Ton Budgie - Budgie MKI drummer Ray Phillips' band (1999)
- Budgie And Beyond - 80's solo works, out-takes, unreleased demos ~ Australian Fan Club "Sabre Dance" release on VSC label (Gold CD) (1999)
- Ornithology v.1 - Six Ton Budgie with Ray Phillips (1995)
- Booty's B-Sides - Boot 66 with ex-Budgie Pete Boot and various artists (2003)
- The Battle Of My Mind - Pete Boot with Andy Colley (guitar) (2006)
[edit] Singles and E.P.s (UK only unless stated)
- Crash Course In Brain Surgery / Nude Disintergrating Parachutist Woman 1971 MCA MK 5072
- Whiskey River / Guts 1972 MCA MK 5085
- Whiskey River / Stranded 1972 MCA MCA 2185 US release
- Zoom Club (Edit) / Wondering What Everyone Knows 1974 MCA MCA 133
- I Ain't No Mountain / Honey 1975 MCA MCA 175
- Smile Boy Smile / All At Sea 1978 A&M AMS 7342
- If Swallowed Do Not Induce Vomiting E.P. 1980 Active BUDGE 1
- Crime Against The World / Hellbender 1980 Active BUDGE 2
- Keeping A Rendezvous / Apparatus 1981 RCA BUDGE 3
- I Turned To Stone (Part 1) / I Turned To Stone (Part 2) 1981 RCA BUDGE 4
- Bored With Russia / Don't Cry 1982 RCA RCA 271
[edit] See also
- Simon Lees - current guitarist
- Burke Shelley - current and founding bassist/vocalist
- Tony Bourge - founding guitarist, left band in 1978
- Roger Dean - cover artist extrordinaire
- John Thomas - former lead guitarist / music shop owner
- Pete Boot - West Midlands percussionist/drummer / writer
- Ray Phillips - formed post-Budgie bands Six Ton Budgie and Ray Gun in Wales.
- Ozzy Osbourne - toured with Budgie in 1981/4. Randy Rhoads became good friends with John Thomas.
- Judas Priest - toured with Budgie in the early 1970s.
- Metallica - covered the song "Breadfan" and "Crash Course In Brain Surgery".
- Ray "Congo" Jones - drummer from 1995-7, originally from Dave Edmunds' band.
- Soundgarden - covered Budgie songs.
- Iron Maiden - covered "I Can't See My Feelings" from Budgie's 1975 LP Bandolier.
- Myf Issacs - touring guitarist.
- Joe Anthony - KMAC/KISS DJ.
- J-Men Forever - Budgie music featured on soundtrack to this film.
[edit] External links
- http://budgie.uk.com/ Official Site
- Simon Lees official site
- Budgie fan forum
