One of the most interesting things about Budgie is that they were one of the few proto-metal bands, originators along with Sabbath of the metal sound, that were able to survive and see their music evolve into true metal.This transformation is never more clear than on We Came, We Saw. . . ."
After being an unheralded influence through the ‘70’s, crafting powerfully original proto-metal as far back as 1971, Budgie found the most unlikely renaissance at the Reading Festival in 1980. With NWOBHM riding high, Budgie took to the stage Sunday August 24th, after such NWOBHM bands as Tygers of Pan Tang and Girl and before Def Leppard and headliner Whitesnake and the boys simply cleaned house. Suddenly, everything they’d been doing for the last decade made sense. Instantly, they were propelled to the esteemed status of the Godfathers of NWOBHM.
One listen to this 2-disc CD set made up of Budgie’s 1980 and later 1982 Reading appearances, and it’s easy to see why. Always a great live band, the boys tore it up. The set, originally broadcast across the BBC, starts off with the kicking "Breaking All The House Rules." From the initial crowd noise, it seems that the punters didn't quite know what to expect when this aging band of metal forefathers took the stage, but from the initial pounding of Steve Williams's drums, leading into that great John Thomas riff, the crowd was sold. Burke Shelley's voice is in fine form, a little low in the mix, but that's not distracting. All you hear is a band at the top of their game playing incredibly tight. The ovation at the song's end tells you immediately that Budgie had won the crowd, and as the guitar riffs right into "Crime Against the World," none of the momentum is lost transitioning to the newer material.
The epic "Napoleon Bona Part One and Part Two," leads right into a rousing version of the then new "Forearm Smash," which devastates live, as does the full-on metal attack of "Panzer Division Destroyed." Unfortunately, the only version of the Budgie classic "Breadfan," a lost edit that wasn't transmitted over the BBC, starts off without the trademark accelerating guitar riff, which actually makes the song unrecognizable at first. But by the time the verses start, the band is flying high, pounding out a metal classic that Metallica would make famous fifteen years later.
Just as pleasing is the 1982
Combined with the double-CD "Heavier Than Air," "We Came, We Saw. . ." demonstrates a band that somehow managed to slip through the collective grip of many rock fans. Certainly, in America, Budgie never got their due as a seminal force in the creation of this beast we call metal. Fortunately, Metallica, Soundgarden and Iron Maiden kept their music alive long enough for some recognition to flow their way, and as I understand it, the boys are still tearing it up live. Steve Williams told me that they just returned from a knock-em-dead tour in Australia, are getting some new material together and will hopefully hit the road again soon.
And damn it. They better get out to the west coast of the USA, this time. We got an entire Ripple staff lining up, just ready to see them. In the meantime, we'll satisfy our urges with this excellent two-disc platter. As the first official document of these two crucial shows, the shows that helped create the Budgie legend, you don't want to miss this one either.
--RacerBuy here: We Came We Saw (Live on the BBC)
Buy here: Heavier Than Air: Live on the BBC
Buy here: The Very Best of Budgie
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