Burke Shelley (Budgie) (1950-2022)

Burke Shelley (Budgie) (1950-2022)

Metallica covered them twice. Megadeth covered them. So have Iron Maiden, Soundgarden, and Van Halen. There are probably a bunch of other older bands from the 1980s and 1990s that have covered them. The rock music author Chris Pike (New Zealand) has written a multiple-book series about them (I have not read those books). Legendary metal music critic Martin Popoff, a most prolific Canadian author, has written about them and has, just on YouTube alone, analyzed their albums a ton.

Budgie.

John Burke Shelley (10 April 1950 – 10 January 2022) was a Welsh bassist and vocalist (with a high voice) for the early heavy metal band Budgie, a band that some people say sounds like Black Sabbath with Rush vocals or a similar combination. Formed in Cardiff, Wales, in 1967, Budgie was an early heavy metal power trio that, as critics have observed, was important between late-1960s blues-rock and the new sounds of 1970s metal. Their debut album, produced by Rodger Bain (Black Sabbath, Judas Priest) and released by MCA in 1971, featured a blues-oriented hard rock sound that evolved into a harder style over the course of ten studio albums released between 1971 and 1982. Considered by some to be among the heaviest metal of its day, the band featured heavy riffs and the high, melodic vocals of bassist Burke Shelley. They were not a commercially successful band, but their heaviness has come to be recognized as important, as already mentioned, due to, among other things, famous bands covering them; for example, Metallica has, and in certain eras repeatedly performed Budgie songs at their concerts, effectively introducing Budgie to millions of metal fans worldwide.

Budgie studio albums discography

1971 Budgie

1972 Squawk

1973 Never Turn Your Back on a Friend

1974 In for the Kill!

1975 Bandolier

1976 If I Were Brittania I'd Waive the Rules

1978 Impeckable

1980 Power Supply

1981 Nightflight

1982 Deliver Us from Evil

2006 You're All Living in Cuckooland

Some songs covered by famous bands:

Metallica - "Breadfan" – Originally on Never Turn Your Back on a Friend (1973). Metallica released it as a B-side for "Harvester of Sorrow" in 1988 and later on Garage Inc.

"Crash Course in Brain Surgery" – Originally a 1971 single. Metallica covered this for The $5.98 E.P. – Garage Days Re-Revisited (1987).

Iron Maiden - "I Can't See My Feelings" – Originally on Bandolier (1975). Iron Maiden released their version as a B-side to the "Holy Smoke" single in 1990.

Soundgarden - "Homicidal Suicidal" – Originally from Budgie's self-titled debut (1971). Soundgarden recorded this for a BBC session in 1992 (later released on the Echo of Miles compilation).

Van Halen - "In for the Kill" – Originally the title track of Budgie's 1974 album. While never released on a studio album, bootlegs of early Van Halen shows feature this song.

Megadeth - "Melt the Ice Away" (from Impeckable 1978).

FYI: If you have never heard them, do not expect thrash metal! Expect 1970s heavy metal in the style of heavy rock, with vocals similar to Rush and, in general, with music in the style of heavy blues-rock like Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath, and Rush.

Budgie - In For The Kill (HD)

Budgie - I Can't See My Feelings

Budgie - Melt The Ice Away

Budgie - Crash Course In Brain Surgery (2013 Remaster)

Budgie - Breadfan