Budgie

An influential heavy metal act whose hard-hitting music helped pave the way for younger bands like Iron Maiden and Metallica, Budgie formed in 1967 in Cardiff, Wales. Originally known as "Hills Contemporary Grass," the group changed its name to Budgie in 1968, with Burke Shelley, Tony Bourge, and Ray Phillips comprising the initial lineup. A self-titled debut album was released in 1971 and charted at Number 36 in Australia, followed by records like 1972's Squawk, 1973's Never Turn Your Back on a Friend, and 1974's In for the Kill! The latter album peaked at Number 29 in the UK, while its follow-up, Bandolier, climbed to Number 36 one year later. Although the band never managed to transform its cult status into mainstream appeal, Budgie continued releasing albums until the early 1980s, influencing a number of heavy metal's largest acts along the way. Following 1982's Deliver Us from Evil and several years of subsequent touring, the band took an extended hiatus from 1988 to 1999, then released one final studio album, You're All Living in Cuckooland, in 2006. As the only bandmate to appear on every Budgie album, Burke Shelley effectively forced the band into retirement when he began suffering severe health issues in 2010. He passed away a dozen years later on January 10, 2022, after battling issues like Stickler syndrome and an aortic aneurysm.