Origin: Cardiff, Wales  
Genres: 70's Metal
DISBANDED
Official Site
Last update/review: January 10, 2022

Budgie

Budgie was the lovable trio from Wales, the stepchild of Black Sabbath and Rush (due both to musical and visual similarities to these two bands), plying their trade at a time when practically no one other than Sabbath was doing so. One has to appreciate the humorous album covers and quirky song titles ("Napoleon Bona-Part I", "You're The Biggest Thing Since Powdered Milk", "Nude Disintegrating Parachutist Woman", where do they come up with this stuff?), as well as one of the most diverse songwriting styles ever, with their Sabbath style on one end, folky acoustic ditties on the other, and practically everything in between as well. They were cult favorites in the UK for years, though they never really achieved a lot of success elsewhere. They were another band given a boost via the Metallica cover treatment, with two of their classics, "Breadfan" and "Crash Course In Brain Surgery", covered by James and company. Though it's difficult to pinpoint a best album, a good bet (and arguably one of the best overall representations of their style) might be Never Turn Your Back On A Friend.

The band officially disbanded in the mid-eighties, but reunion gigs took place in the years since, and so the band survived in a semi-reunited form for some time, releasing the odd live album and one final studio album in 2006, before retiring for good in 2010 due to founder Burke Shelley's health issues.

Last Lineup

Burke Shelley

bass/vocals RIP: January 10, 2022, age 71

Craig Goldy

guitars (ex-Dio)

Steve Williams

drums

Former Members/Guests

Tony Bourge

guitars (ex-Tredegar)

John Thomas

guitars RIP: March 3, 2016, age 63

Andy Hart

guitars

Simon Lees

guitars

Duncan McKay

keyboards

Ray Phillips

drums (ex-Tredegar)

Pete Boot

drums


Discography



Budgie  
1971 MCA
  1. Guts
  2. Everything in my heart
  3. The Author
  4. Nude Disintegrating Parachutist Woman
  5. Rape Of The Locks
  6. All Night Petrol
  7. You And I
  8. Homicidal Suicidal
  • Burke Shelley
  • Tony Bourge
  • Ray Phillips
1971 Readers' Album #3



Squawk  
1972 MCA
  1. Whiskey River
  2. Rocking Man
  3. Rolling Home Again
  4. Make Me Happy
  5. Hot As A Dockers Armpit
  6. Drugstore Woman
  7. Bottled
  8. Young Is A World
  9. Stranded
  • Burke Shelley
  • Tony Bourge
  • Ray Phillips
1972 Readers' Album #3

1972 BNR Top Ten Album



Never Turn Your Back On A Friend  
1973 MCA
  1. Breadfan
  2. Baby Please Don't Go
  3. You Know I'll Always Love You
  4. You're The Biggest Thing Since Powdered Milk
  5. In The Grip Of A Tyrefitter's Hand
  6. Riding My Nightmare
  7. Parents
  • Burke Shelley
  • Tony Bourge
  • Ray Phillips
1973 Readers' Album #2

1973 BNR Top Ten Album



In For The Kill  
1974 MCA
  1. In For The Kill
  2. Crash Course In Brain Surgery
  3. Wondering What Everyone Knows
  4. Zoom Club
  5. Hammer And Tongs
  6. Running From My Soul
  7. Living On Your Own
  • Burke Shelley
  • Tony Bourge
  • Pete Boot
1974 BNR Top Ten Album



Bandolier  
1975 MCA
  1. Breaking All The House Rules
  2. Slipaway
  3. Who Do You Want For Love
  4. I Can't See My Feelings
  5. I Ain't No Mountain
  6. Napoleon Bona-Part One
  7. Napoleon Bona-Part Two
  • Burke Shelley
  • Tony Bourge
  • Steve Williams


Best Of Budgie  COMPILATION
1975
  1. Breadfan
  2. I Ain't No Mountain
  3. I Can't See My Feelings
  4. Baby Please Don't Go
  5. Zoom Club
  6. Breaking All The House Rules
  7. Parents
  8. In For The Kill
  9. In The Grip Of A Tyrefitter's Hand


If I Were Brittania I'd Waive The Rules  
1976 A&M
  1. Anne Neggen
  2. If I Were Brittania I'd Waive The Rules
  3. You're Opening Doors
  4. Quacktor And Bureaucats
  5. Sky High Percentage
  6. Heaven Knows Our Name
  7. Black Velvet Stallion
  • Burke Shelley
  • Tony Bourge
  • Steve Williams


Impeckable  
1978 A&M
  1. Melt The Ice Away
  2. Love For You And Me
  3. All At Sea
  4. Dish It Up
  5. Pyramids
  6. Smile Boy Smile
  7. I'm A Faker Too
  8. Don't Go Away
  9. Don't Dilute The Water
  • Burke Shelley
  • Tony Bourge
  • Steve Williams


If Swallowed Do Not Induce ...  EP
1980 RCA
  1. Wildfire
  2. High School Girls
  3. Panzer Division Destroyed
  4. Lies Of Jim (The E-type Lover)
  • Burke Shelley
  • John Thomas
  • Steve Williams


Power Supply  
1980 RCA
  1. Forearm Smash
  2. Hellbender
  3. Heavy Revolution
  4. Gunslinger
  5. Power Supply
  6. Secrets In My Head
  7. Time To Remember
  8. Crime Against The World
  • Burke Shelley
  • John Thomas
  • Steve Williams


Nightflight  
1981 RCA
  1. I Turned To Stone
  2. Keeping A Rendezvous
  3. Reaper Of The Glory
  4. She Used Me Up
  5. Don't Lay Down And Die
  6. Apparatus
  7. Superstar
  8. Change Your Ways
  9. Untitled Lullaby
  • Burke Shelley
  • John Thomas
  • Steve Williams


Best Of Budgie  COMPILATION
1981
  1. Whiskey River
  2. Guts
  3. Just Rolling Home Again
  4. Homicidal Suicidal
  5. Hot As A Docker's Armpit
  6. Drug Store Woman
  7. Rocking Man
  8. You And I
  9. Rape Of The Locks
  10. Stranded


Deliver Us From Evil  
1982 RCA
  1. Bored With Russia
  2. Don't Cry
  3. Truth Drug
  4. Young Girl
  5. Flowers In The Attic
  6. N.O.R.A.D. (Doomsday City)
  7. Give Me The Truth
  8. Alison
  9. Finger On The Button
  10. Hold On To Love
  • Burke Shelley
  • John Thomas
  • Duncan McKay
  • Steve Williams


An Ecstasy Of Fumbling  COMPILATION
1996 Repetoire
  1. Homicidal Suicidal
  2. Nude Disitergrating Parachutist Woman
  3. Whiskey River
  4. Hot As A Docker's Armpit
  5. In The Grip Of A Tyrefitter's Hand
  6. Breadfan
  7. Parents
  8. In For The Kill
  9. Crash Course In Brain Surgery
  10. Napoleon Bona-Part One & Two
  11. Who Do You Wan't For Your Love?
  12. Breaking All The House Rules
  13. Beautiful Lies
  14. Anne Neggen
  15. If I Were Britannia I'd Waive The Rules
  16. Black Velvet Stallion
  17. Melt The Ice Away
  18. Forearm Smash
  19. Time To Remember
  20. Wildfire
  21. Lies Of Jim (The E Type Lover)
  22. I Turned To Stone
  23. She Used Me Up
  24. Superstar
  25. Don't Cry
  26. Truth Drug
  27. Hold On To Love
  28. Superstar
  29. Panzer Division Destroyed


The Best Of Budgie  COMPILATION
1998


We Came, We Saw  LIVE
1997
  1. Breaking All The House Rules
  2. Crime against the world
  3. Napoleon Bona-Part One Napoleon Bona-Part Two
  4. Forearm SmashTwo
  5. Panzer Division Destroyed
  6. Wildfire
  7. Breadfan
  8. Forearm Smash
  9. Crime Against The World
  10. I Turned To Stone
  11. Truth Drug
  12. Superstar
  13. She Used Me Up
  14. Panzer Division Destroyed
  • Burke Shelley
  • John Thomas
  • Steve Williams


Heavier Than Air  LIVE
1998
  1. Rape Of The Locks
  2. Rocking Man
  3. Young Is A World
  4. Hot AsADockers Armpit
  5. Sky High Precentage
  6. In The Grip Of A Tyrefitters Hand
  7. I Turned To Stone
  8. You're A Superstar
  9. She Used Me Up
  10. Hot As A Dockers
  11. The Author
  12. Whiskey River
  13. Nude Disintegrating Woman
  14. Breadfan
  15. You Are The Biggest Thing Since Powdered Milk
  16. Melt The Ice Away
  17. In The Grip Of A Tyrefitters Hand
  18. Smile Boy Smile
  19. In For The Kill/You Are The Biggest Thing Since PowderedMilk
  20. Love For You And Me
  21. Parents
  22. Who Do You Wan't For Love
  23. Dont Dilute The Water
  24. Breaking All The House Rules
  25. Breadfan
  • Burke Shelley
  • John Thomas
  • Steve Williams


Greatest Hits  COMPILATION
1999


Life In San Antonio  LIVE
2002
  1. Crime Against The World
  2. Melt The Ice Away
  3. Gunslinger
  4. Panzer Division Destroyed
  5. I Turned To Stone
  6. Black Velvet Stallion
  7. In For The Kill/Rape Of The Locks/Guts
  8. Breaking All The House Rules
  9. Zoom Club
  10. Napoleon Bona Part 1 and II
  11. Wildfire
  12. Breadfan/Nude Disintegrating Parachutist Woman
  • Burke Shelley
  • Andy Hart
  • Steve Williams


Out Of The Cage Into The Vault  COMPILATION
2004


The Last Stage  COMPILATION
2004


You're All Living In Cuckooland  
2006 Noteworthy
  1. Justice
  2. Dead Men Don't Talk
  3. We're All Living In Cuckooland
  4. Falling
  5. Love Is Enough
  6. Tell Me Tell Me
  7. (Don't Want To) Find That Girl
  8. Captain
  9. I Don't Want to Throw You
  10. Compressing The Comb From A Cockerel's Head
  • Burke Shelley
  • Craig Goldy
  • Steve Williams



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