Budgie

English accent makes this film a required "close listening" but is a great independent film.

After making a great self-titled album Budgie continues by making another classic album. Although no-one hardly knows budgie, I can quarantee it's one of the greatest bands ever. The heavy tracks "Whiskey River", "Rocking Man", "Hot As a Docker's Armpit", "Drug Store Woman" (together with the instrumental song "Bottled"), and "Stranded" are the best Budgie - absolutely great heavy rock. "Rolling Home Again", "Make Me Happy", and "Young Is a World" are great peaceful tracks which are near The Beatles - just like the two tracks which were in their first album. This is one of my favorite albums - all the first five Budgie albums are classics - Budgie was great in 70's.
Stars: Hot As a Docker's Armpit, Whiskey River, Young Is a World

When people talk about heavy Budgie albums, they always mention "In For The Kill" or "Never Turn Your Back" but this one is the heaviest and most even of all. It flows really well from song to song with that early Rodger Bain Sabbath production. This the best of the early Budgie, real ugly hard rock. All the other albums have way to many slow moments throwing the balace off, but this one delivers thru and thru,Compared to the others mentioned this is just better and its only the second album.Check out the first Budgie also its got a lot of punch too.....

This is Budgie's third album, and I think it is one of the best albums Budgie has ever released. All the Budgie albums released in 1971-75 are great but this (which was originally released in 1973) was a great step in studio quality. The sounds are much clearer and better. Still, I think that "Squawk" and "Budgie" were great releases too but this one brought them to the wider audience. Unfortunately, Budgie has never been a major band - although they would have deserved it. "Breadfan" (which has been covered by Metallica) is a great opener, and one rocking track. "In the Grip of a Tyrefitter's Hand" and "You're the Biggest Thing Since Powdered Milk" are just classic Budgie. The drum solo before "...Powdered Milk" is absolutely fantastic! "Baby Please Don't Go" was originally made by Van Morrison And Them. I haven't heard the original one yet but Budgie's version is great! "Riding My Nightmare" and "You Know I'll Always Love You" are good pecaeful, acoustic tracks - near The Beatles. "Parents" is a great peaceful track, a power-ballad, one of the best tracks by Budgie.
Stars: Breadfan, Parents, In the Grip of a Tyrefitter's Hand

On this 3rd album is where Budgie really left the slugish sloppiness behind and turned in a good studio effort. And this latest remaster sounds nice. The Repetroire imports sound good also. On even the simple material like "Baby Please dont Go" or the wild and speedy "Breadfan" there is a lusty thick confident attack. And a spacier more mature sound on the vocal/acoustic guitar interludes.This was a nice LP in the ole'days. I purchased this twice on cd since the '90's, once in 2007and the first time was on an MCA import vinyl in the fab '70's and it still a treat to have. Try to find in digipak to really appreciate the Roger Dean artwork.

I'll skip the review of the material - clearly one of Budgie's best albums("In The Grip of the Tyrefitter's Hand" alone justifies the purchase). What blew me away was the sound quality of the remaster vs. the original release. With most of these remasters the difference is barely perceivable, such that you wonder why you'd pay more when you already have the original CD release. Here it's money well spent, even at import price. Crank it up on a decent stereo and hear for yourself. It breathes, you can hear everything crystal clear. Why can't all remasters sound this way, and why can't all albums sound this good from the very first issue? This is the best thing since powdered milk.

Very few compilations deliver as well as this one but it's hardly a career-spanning epic, that said the ten songs featured, representing three albums from the mid seventies, clock up an amazing seventy minutes of raw, hard rock from a band sadly overlooked, under-rated and often ignored.

It must be stated that Budgie existed before Led Zep and around the same time as Cream but like many UK regional bands suffered the ignominy of London record companies. Budgie, Taste and Stud all had similar experiences of low profile marketing and low budget recording deals. The comparisons often levelled pale in light of this.

This album kick starts with "Breadfan" and maintains the momentum with "In The Grip of a Tyre-fitter's Hand". It's enough to reel the listener in and apart from an attempt at a single, Andy Fairweather-Low's 'I Ain't No Mountain', the album offers some truly great moments in arguably Budgie's best period. All ten minutes of 'Parents' and the epic 'Zoom Club' too, not to mention Napoleon Bona Parts I & II. Shelly's vocals may be an aquired taste but they work in this framework along with some amazing guitar from Tony Bourge. Drum duties are split between Ray Phillips and Pete Boot but I defy anyone to spot the difference.

Highly recommended especially to casual listeners, real fans would have all this material already.

Budgie is a very clever and inspirational band. The first time I heard "Breadfan", I couldn't stop laughing because the vocals sounded like a parakeet was singing but it's the riffs and guitar chords that pull you in. Kinda gives you an idea where early Priest got some of their influence from. If you're curious about Budgie and just starting out, this is an excellent cd.

budgie was a great British rock band, his music is brilliant, recommended for lovers of classic rock

I haven't listen to any Budgie since the late 70's, not long ago my 13yr. old daughter was listening to Metallica's remake of Breadfan, I'd forgotten how Budgie rips so I pulled out the old LP's put on the Best of and enjoyed the great selection of songs! If your a Budgie fan this is a good representation on of early Budgie tunes. My daughter thinks it rocks!

i like hard rock selectively - i generally buy compilations unless - there are superlative individual albums - like paranoid or machine head or led zep 2.

i bought this collection over getting bandolier individually and was pleasantly surprised.

superlative!!!

breadfan, in the grip ... (what a dramatic riff at the end), napolean bonaparte, parents are all standout tracks!

i think the band would have been more successful if they had been lucky to find a great guitarist - like page or blackmore or iommi or rhoads.

when i bought this this was pretty much the only disk i listened to for 2 months! and predictably i tired of it (as you will with any album). but for that two months it was great.

i enjoyed it so much that i bought an extra two for a couple of friends - it seemed the natural thing to do given that the cd was so cheap.

i now occasinally listen to this and enjoy it.

get it man!

I am a real fan of Budgie's first five studio albums. I think "Bandolier" is their best album. This album is unfortunately overproduced. The songs are not as good as before and there's a little phunkier style. I thought that they could have do this kind of album after Bandolier which was so great. I was wrong. Still, there's some great songs, like "Black Velvet Stallion", the title track, and "You're Opening Doors". However, "Anne Neggen" is one of the worst Budgie songs I've ever heard. And it's an opening track! I wonder why they made this kind of album - - - well Black Sabbath failed after "Sabotage" and Led Zeppelin after "Physical Graffiti" - so it's no wonder, I guess.
Stars: If I Were Brittania I'd Waive the Rules, Black Velvet Stallion

THIS ONE AND BANDOLIER ARE THEIR REALLY BEST, HEAVY, WELL COMPOSED RECORDS.

SOME TRACKS ACHIEVE ROCK GREATNESS, JUST LISTEN AND SEE.

TRULY WORTH IF YOU LIKE GOOD SEVENTIES MEMORABLE CLASSIC ROCK WITH GUTS.

They did enter another phase of fine arranging and producing. It started on BANDOLIER and got refined here.A little funky in the rhythm but still has some heavy crunch.Tony Bourge does errupt his trade mark sludge here and there, but this was the late 70's and funk and dance was creepin and cross breeding into all the acts on major labels. This was the first major on A & M in America and the kiss of death of course. They did one more with Tony and than went into Budgie- mach 4...

On this album Budgie starts to incorporate other styles, such as a little funk into their hard rock/metal formula, and the results are great. The band never sounded tighter. The songs are all good, with Tony doing a great lead vocal on the classic Heaven Knows Our Name. The standout for most fans seems to be Black Stallion, which never sounded better here. I love the title track as well. These aren't the loose free-for-all jams they've done in the past, but finely crafted well-produced songs. Something they really started doing on Bandolier. Although not my favorite Budgie, I find myelf playing it quite a bit. As for the bonus tracks, they are re-recorded in 2006, which although okay (black stallion remake is nice) I could live without them. I would of preferred some live tracks from the 70s instead.

I bought this album over the weekend and was very pleasantly surprised. Whilst there are two quieter short tracks that leave much to be desired, the other eight tracks are truly superb. Of note is the great song-construction, the amazing guitar-work, the thudding drum and bass, and the great mix. An utterly delightful album, packed with virtuosity, originality, and humour. Budgie deserve to be filling stadiums with this kind of material.

It is so good to have Budgie back delivering quality hard Rock to my ears again. This CD, as with most Budgie CDs, mixes Classic Hard Rock with Melodious Ballads. I just wish the CD was made up entirely of the Harder edged tunes as the majority are KILLER. I enjoyed many of Budgies Ballads from the past (Heaven knows our name/Riding my nightmare/Don't go away etc), but those were all in the 70s, and times have very much changed. If they were to continue this process for their NEXT release (Lets not have another 25 year wait Guys), how about a double album with one disc ROCKING and the other to smooch to? I think Burke's vocals have stood the test of time much much better than any of the other old school Warblers (Plant/Gillan/Ozzy etc) and would have to compare his durability to that of Steve Tyler. Just check out the "Live in San Antonio" CD. His voice really does stand out well considering the songs he performed which required extreme effort. Hey! Just imagine Ian Gillan singing "Child in Time" today in the manner it was sung in 1972. I think not!!
The recommended hard rock tracks you need to check out from the CD are:
JUSTICE/DEAD MEN DON'T TALK (Big time Groover)/FALLIN'/(DON'T WANT TO) FIND THAT GIRL (Great rhytmic feel here)/I DON'T WANT TO THROW YOU (Reminded me a bit of "Sweet Emotion")/I'M COMPRESSING THE COMB ON A COCKERELS HEAD (Just check out Burke's vocals on this one-Wow!)
The Ballads, as has been mentionned, give the CD an uneven feel. This really could have been one Hellbender of an Album, but as we know, Budgie don't waive their rules. Keep on Rockin' Lads, and hope to see you again soon.

Budgie released some gems 30 years back. "Never Turn Your Back On A Friend," "In For The Kill" -- dynamite. "Bandolier" -- fantastic. And such fun. Wouldn't it be something if the band's 2006 album, "You're All Living In Cuckooland," sounded like those '70s titles? It would indeed be something -- something inexplicable. Vocal chords have aged. Personnel have changed. We've entered a new century, no less.

Budgie have evolved, which of course they'd have to to have a new(ish) album. The new does have some in common with the old. Lots of big guitar. [The new(ish) guitarist, Simon Lees, is good.] Vocals by Burke Shelley -- recognizable, though (understandably) less nimble. Quirky song titles. Interesting cover art. And Steve Williams' drumming.

The result is a solid album (3 1/2 stars) and a bit of redemption from Budgie's rather run-of-the-mill recordings in the early 1980s. New feathers. Wings flapping.

Everyone got used to that edgy raw sound this group produced in the past. Over time they have created a different sound. If you listen to the whole thing track 1-10 it does'nt flow as good as it could which is the only detraction. Like all their albums, you go from a jammmin' song to a melody. Anyhow, if you're in a music rut this release ought to wake you up if you crank it up! After a few listens it grows on you. They can still rock after all this TIME.

This is the very first full-lenght Budgie album. Although they are not so famous, they have inspired many bands, including Soundarden and Metallica. This album sounds quite dirty, indeed. I mean that the sounds are not so good. Still, however, the songs are very good, and I enjoy the lyrics especially. "Nude Disintegrating Parachutist Woman" and "Rape of the Locks" are brilliant provements of great metal. I would say that their music is something between Black Sabbath and Rush with hosted of Led Zeppelin riffs and melodies of The Beatles. Mainly this is heavy metal but there's two peaceful but short songs "Everything in My Heart" and "You And I". With those two songs Budgie wanted to show their The Beatles influences. This was the second Budgie album I bought, the first was "Bandolier". They both are great albums. I recommend you to get at least the first five Budgie albums.
Stars: Homicidal Suicidal, Nude Disintegrating Parachutist Woman, Rape of the Locks

This is a dirty little gem of a debut. You can listen to all of Budgie's output, all the great variety. But this baby always wails. Yes right from the beginning riff to the screams and screeches of Burke Shelly you can not help your self from feeling that surge that rock is all about. This is heavy and does remind you of all your favorite hard rock heroes. Budgie were contemporaries with all our heroes. They were right there since 1970. This is the beginning and a great introduction to this band, The follow up SQUAWK is on the dirty side too, worth checking out !

For a few years I've seen cds of this band while browsing through the B section of local record stores (they can still be called "record stores" right?). I had no idea who they were or what they sounded like...in fact, with all the garrage rock revival that has happened, I thought they might be a modern band. I looked them up here on Amazon and found out they were another early metal band from England at the time of Zeppelin, Purple, Sabbath, Heep, etc. I checked out the sample of "Homicidal Suicidal" and was knocked out (much like I was by Sir Lord Baltimore a month earlier...check out my review for them). Good crunchy Sabbath-like guitar riffs with a Geddy Lee like vocal on top...sounded good to me!

I ordered the 2004 remastered version on Noteworthy...not the inferior Repertoire release some years back. This band is really good...not awesome because it dosen't really compare to Zeppelin, Purple, or even Grand Funk Railroad for that matter. However this album does not sound like it came out in 1971, it's loud, heavy, and packs one hell of a wallop...just check out the opening guitar chords for first song "Guts." Tony Bourge was another good guitarist for this time...a little Tony Iommi and Ritchie Blackmore mixed together. Burke Shellys lead vocals were most definately unique..like I said think Geddy Lee of Rush only with a bit more gusto and emotion poured into them. If you want to check out Budgie, start at the begining with this album. Oh by the way did I mention Metallica covered two of their songs...."Crash Course In Brain Surgery" and "Breadfan." Obviously James Hetfield and co. were listening!

Still unmistakably Budgie, but with a slightly different sound - perhaps due to the keyboards, perhaps a more modern mix. Not a dud track, but haunting Flowers in the Attic is my firm favourite. I met Shelly after their concert at Marquee while promoting this album and he spoke of future plans. Sadly this remains the last "proper" album and only numerous compilations are a proof that Budgie fans are still out there...

Great disc by Budgie that I am proud to finally add to my CD collection. The band continues to rock in what would prove to be their final studio CD, although I would still like more! As always Budgie fills a disc with excitement and fun. Great tunes in this are "Bored With Russia", "Don't Cry", "Give Me the Truth", and "Allison". Get this....there's even a string ensemble on "Flowers in the Attic", which by the way is my favorite from this disc. It's amazing to listen to everything out by Budgie again on CD finally and still not understand why they never broke over the top. Don't wonder, pick this up, or, cry when it is no longer available and one of your friends plays it for you!

This is the last studio album from the Welsh flyers. Possibly the weakest release from their catalogue. Their sound is very diluted and borders into AOR territory. Not the album to start your collection, but necessary for all those completists out there.

please don't buy this one. i recommend the first 5 albums

THIS ONE AND IF 'I WERE BRITTANIA' ARE THEIR REALLY BEST, HEAVY, WELL COMPOSED RECORDS.

SOME TRACKS ACHIEVE ROCK GREATNESS, JUST LISTEN AND SEE.

TRULY WORTH IF YOU LIKE GOOD SEVENTIES MEMORABLE CLASSIC ROCK WITH GUTS.

If you only own one Budgie CD this is the one. Some of the catchiest riffs you'll hear from the late 1970's. Once this one gets its claws in you its there to stay. This is a three piece band that gets it done!

This is Budgie's fifth album and is part of the recently remastered Noteworthy edition. As of 6/10/07, this edition includes all the original albums through 'If I Were Brittania I'd Waive the Rules' (1971-1976). It was remastered by the same guys who did the first, and excellent, Uriah Heep remasters, Robert M. Corich and Mike Brown. The redesign and artwork are by the guy who did the first, and somewhat problematic, Black Sabbath remasters, Hugh Gilmour. (Actually, his work was excellent; it was the music remastering that had problems.) The bonus tracks were remastered by Martin Giles and Robert M. Corich. This edition has been done with the cooperation of the band and its management.

The packaging is fine, though I really wish Noteworthy had gone to the trouble of hiring a proofreader: the liner notes have errors galore. The credits seem thorough, which is nice, and the interview quotes provide some meaningful information. The bonus tracks are acceptably annotated as well.

This edition sounds better than the first Repertoire CD edition--sharper, clearer, broader, deeper--but not better enough for me to want to invest in a whole new edition.

What make the Noteworthys noteworthy are the bonus tracks. But even there I'm not sure they're worth the investment. Some of the bonus tracks do seem very enticing, especially the ones with Tony Bourge.

Such as "Honey"! Although not listed in the amazon description, it is the first bonus track on 'Bandolier.' "Honey" is mentioned in the Repertoire discography accompanying some of their Budgie CDs, but unfortunately Repertoire didn't include it in their otherwise great 2CD Budgie compilation, 'An Ecstasy of Fumbling.' To give potential customers an idea of the value of the Noteworthy edition and one of its problems, here's the note to this track:

"First released as the B-side to the 'I Ain't No Mountain' A rare and much sought after Budgie acoustic number. Great track and it's a joy to have it added to the remaster."

Inept copyediting aside, it really is "a joy" to finally have this track available.

But the bonus tracks on the Noteworthy edition of the Budgie albums present another, more significant problem for me. I don't like the rationale behind their inclusion. Many are rerecordings by the current version of the band, with Simon Lees on guitar. Some were recently rerecorded with the involvement of Tony Bourge. Some are previously unreleased live recordings from the John Thomas version of the band.

For example, the band on 'Bandolier' is Burke Shelley, Tony Bourge, and Steve Williams. The album was released in 1975. Two of the bonus tracks are from 1975, but the other two are not. "Breaking All The House Rules" and "Napoleon Bona-Part 1 and 2" (this title is written three different ways in this edition) were recorded live at Chatham Town Hall in 1980 by the John Thomas version of the band. The note to "Napoleon . . . " points out "how very different he was from his predecessor Tony Bourge."

So why attach these two songs to 'Bandolier'? Especially when the first bonus track, "Honey," and the last bonus track, "Who Do You Want For Love" (sic), are both contemporary? ("Who . . . " was recorded live in 1975 for The Old Grey Whistle Test.)

Moreover, the John Thomas bonus tracks are of bootleg quality, in mono and with significant distortion. They sound good, as bootlegs go, and I certainly understand the value of any Budgie archival material, given how very little there has been. But the difference in sound quality, along with the difference in sound, detracts from the unity that was the original 'Bandolier.'

"Who Do You Want For Love" (actually, "Who Do You Want for Your Love"--another proofreading error) also suffers sound problems, such as tics and then a skip from what I suspect was a BBC transcription disc, but at least it's a 1975 recording by the Budgie that recorded 'Bandolier.'

I wish that the non-contemporary bonus tracks had been compiled separately as an album. I don't think they would have held together as an album any better than they hold together on the individual albums; still, the original albums would have retained their unity, and Budgie collectors would have more to listen to, in a convenient package, from this band.

This was the first Budgie that I bought. the first song I heard, I'm A Faker Too - was being played on the local college radio station. I was hooked from the start.

Years later I was watching USA's Night Fligt and they were showing a B&W movie.(J-men Forever) I was only half paying attention when I heard Budgie!. I believe Budgie and Head East were the first bands to be used in this particular way.

I can't believe Budgie aren't going to re-release Impeckable. They have done everything else up to with extra tracks. Looking at the price of this out-of-print. I am getting worried that someday the seal will be broken and the CD wil stop playing.

Budgie is a three man band from the early 70's with a terrific sound. Hard driving and melodic with song's like Don't Dilute the Water, and Smile boy Smile. A real joy to listen to.

This was the first Budgie LP I ever bought and then I saw them open for Styx (Grand Illusion) and I was hooked. I immediately bought everything else I could find by them. Truely a band more deserving of a better fate. I was taken by the first song, "Melt the Ice Away". The energy of Budgie albums is alive in their stage shows; I'm talking non-stop. The singer couldn't keep his glasses on. He probably should have contacts! Other songs here worth mentioning are "Love For You & Me", "Dish It Up" and "Don't Dilute the Water". This is a good release to start with, since none of the songs made the Best of album, but it was on a different label. Budgie is different, so, if you're looking for mainstream look somewhere else. Not to say this isn't great music, but you have to like something unlike the rest to enjoy Budgie. The only place I would start other than here or Best of would be Never Turn Your back on a Friend. Highly recommended!

This is a fine Budgie album, and the last one they made worth owning before ace guitarist Tony Bourge was inadequately replaced by Big John Thomas and the band headed for a bland stab at commercialism, releasing 3 more lame albums and 1 EP(that didn't sell anyway!!) before calling it quits in the early 80's. Impeckable shows the band in fine form. To call this music just metal does it a disservice, as they flirt with a funky kind of progressive rock Zeppelin only hinted at.Guitarist Myf Isaac was added to the line-up for live shows and is credited on the album sleeve(I'm assuming he might have played some extra parts but his contribution is not specified), as Bourge was layering more tracks and the music was going beyond a basic power trio sound. Rush fans take note, bassist Burke Shelley is a dead ringer for Geddy Lee both in appearance and (somewhat)vocally.I always believed their style was the perfect marriage of Rush and Sabbath,and they should have had the same worldwide poularity as the quality and quantity of their output in the years '71-'78 was at least equal to if not superior to those bands . Impeckable and 1978 marked the end of an era as Bourge left Budgie and Ozzy Osbourne left Black Sabbath (making Never Say Die and appropriate sister album to Impeckable)and both bands were never the same again. Oh the good old days!!Note,the wrong album (If I Were Brittania,I'd Waive The Rules)is pictured with this review of Impeckable.

Tony Bourge is one of the all-time least-appreciated genius guitar players, and this album showcases his riffing beautifully. For those looking for sonic sludge (think Sabbath) then you might like to start with IN FOR THE KILL, but this album is technically more proficient and has better songwriting. The bass and drums are swell enough, and the vocals are pretty sweet for metal, but Bourge is the standout. He left the group after this album, and the albums got progressively less interesting as a result. Latch onto this one and (if it doesn't make you love it right away) it will grow on you until you consider it one of the best in your collection, IMHO.