Person · Male
John Thomas
early jazz trombonist
- From
- United States
- Since
- present
- Releases
- 0
About
Budgie were a Welsh heavy metal band from Cardiff. The band formed in 1967, and recorded a demo the following year. Bass player and lead vocalist Burke Shelley was the only permanent member of the band throughout their history. Original guitarist Tony Bourge left the band in 1978 following the release of their seventh album.
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In 1971, their first album was blues-oriented hard rock / heavy metal and produced by Rodger Bain, released by MCA. Later records found Budgie gradually moving into a harder and more aggressive sound. The band, usually a classic power trio with the occasional keyboard player, released ten albums, with MCA, A&M, and RCA, between 1971 and 1982, attracting a fair number of fans and achieving modest commercial success.
Budgie were one of the earliest heavy metal bands, and according to Garry Sharpe-Young they influenced many acts of that scene, particularly the new wave of British heavy metal, and later acts such as Metallica. The band have been noted as "among the heaviest metal of its day".
Member of
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Louis Armstrong and His Hot Seven trombone
Links
Reference
Identifiers
- MusicBrainz
- a67b42cc-1dc6-482f-9998-086af20be905
Data from MusicBrainz, saved 15 Nov 2026. Photo from Wikimedia Commons, covers from the Cover Art Archive and Apple Music.