Budgie - Birmingham and Poland - Double Header.

This is two concerts from Welsh rockers Budgie the first recorded for broadcast in Birmingham, England back in 1978 (or possibly 1979, some cite 1975 however this is unlikely). The second is an audience recording that is clear and very listenable recorded live in Bydgoszcz - Poland on the 3rd, August 1982 (Budgie have maintained a large fan base in Poland for many years).

 Budgie formed in 1967 in Cardiff, Wales under the name Hills Contemporary Grass. Their original line-up consisted of Burke Shelley on vocals and bass, Tony Bourge on guitar and vocals, and Ray Phillips on drums. After performing several gigs in 1968, the band changed their name to Budgie the following year and recorded their first demo. The band originally formed under such names as Hills Contemporary Grass and Six Ton Budgie. Burke Shelley has said that the band's name came from the fact that he, "loved the idea of playing noisy, heavy rock, but calling ourselves after something diametrically opposed to that".

Their debut album in strong blues oriented hard rock lines was recorded at Rockfield Studios with Black Sabbath producer Rodger Bain and released in 1971, followed by Squawk in 1972. The third album, Never Turn Your Back On a Friend (1973), contained "Breadfan", which was covered by Metallica in 1988, the band having covered another Budgie song, "Crash Course In Brain Surgery" earlier in their career. Ray Philips left the band before the fourth album In for the Kill was recorded and was replaced by Pete Boot.

In late 1974, the band were joined by drummer Steve Williams for the album Bandolier, for live shows promoting this album and the follow up, 'If I Were Brittania I'd Waive the Rules', the band were augmented by Welsh guitarist Myf Isaac, but both Bourge and Isaac left mid 1978 and were replaced by ex Trapeze guitarist Robert Kendrick. Music from the 1978 LP Impeckable was featured in the 1979 film J-Men Forever (shown frequently on the USA Network's "Night Flight" television series in the 1980s) which is now a cult classic. In late 1978, having been dropped by A&M and with no new recording contract, this line up floundered, and after 12 months Kendrick was replaced by "Big" John Thomas in late 1979. This line up recorded two albums for Kingsley Wards 'Active' label: 'Power Supply' and 'Nightflight'. 1982 saw them signed to RCA for 'Deliver us From Evil' their final recording for a 'major label'.

The band continued to have success during the New Wave of British Heavy Metal scene, playing the Reading Festival in 1980 and then headlining the festival in 1982. They built a particular following in Poland, where they played as the first heavy metal band behind the Iron Curtain, in 1982. Also notable was their tour support of Ozzy Osbourne's Blizzard of Ozz Tour.

Source: FM Broadcast - Birmingham, Audience - Poland.

Sound Quality: Good mp3@128kbps Birmingham and mp3@160kbps Poland.

Genre: Heavy metal, hard rock, progressive rock

Set: Two sets.

Set List:

Birmingham 1978:

01 Breaking the Rules
02 Pyramids
03 Ain't no Mountain
04 Can't Get Out of Bed
05 You and Me
06 Parents
07 Napoleon Bona-Part 1 & 2
08 Quacktors and Bureaucrats
09 Melt the Ice Away
10 In For The Kill Medley
11 Breadfan

Poland 1982:

1. Introduction
2. Forearm Smash
3. Crime Agains The Word
4. Napoleon Bona-Part One
5. Napoleon Bona-Part Two
6. Truth Drug
7. I Turned To Stone
8. Superstar
9. Panzer Division Destroyed
10. She Used Me Up
11. Wild Fire
12. Breadfan

Website: Official HERE.

Download links (two) in comments below.