Budgie

Welsh hard rockers Budgie are often cited as one of the first U.K. heavy metal bands, known for their dark, blues-infused sound built from gloomy melodies and fierce guitar riffs. Along with Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath, Budgie made music that hit harder than their peers, and without the smiling disposition that was common among bands of the psychedelic era. Budgie's first albums -- 1971's Budgie, 1972's Squawk, and 1973's Never Turn Your Back on a Friend -- made them stars in the U.K. and cult heroes in America with their blunt power trio attack. Although they broke up in t...