Budgie (musician)

Budgie grew up in St Helens in the north west of England. He then lived in Liverpool in the 1970s, studying at an art school while being part of the local music scene. He rehearsed with other musicians at Eric's Club when there was no concert billed for the evening. He debuted as a drummer with the Spitfire Boys and Big in Japan{{LibraryOfMu|mu-id=271|title=Big in Japan – Where are they now?|work=Q|date=January 1992|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160916112152/http://www.libraryofmu.net/display-resource.php?id=271 |archive-date=16 September 2016 }} before playing with the Slits on the 1979 album Cut. Years later in 2010, Slits singer Ari Up commented: {{blockquote|Budgie could play anything. [...] Sting loved the Slits album Cut and what he said about it was that the drumming, he was fanatic about the drums. A lot of people at the time were raving about the drums. They knew that he had a lot of technique but he had a sensitivity, you know, and a variation about him. He could go from reggae to punk to funk to jazz, you know, all over the place, but still very steady.{{cite web|last=Macia|first=Peter|url=http://www.thefader.com/2010/10/21/read-our-interview-with-ari-up-from-the-siouxsie-siouxshabba-ranks-icon-issue/3/|title=Interview With Ari Up from the Siouxsie Sioux/Shabba Ranks Icon Issue |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140407193444/http://www.thefader.com/2010/10/21/read-our-interview-with-ari-up-from-the-siouxsie-siouxshabba-ranks-icon-issue/3/|date=21 October 2010 |publisher=thefader.com|archive-date=7 April 2014}}}}

In September 1979, he joined Siouxsie and the Banshees on their Join Hands tour. Initially he was intended to be a temporary replacement for Kenny Morris, who had left the band two days into a tour, but Budgie remained with the group. He first performed with guitarist John McGeoch on the album Kaleidoscope: Budgie became a permanent member of the band until they split up in 1996.Budofsky, Adam. [http://www.vamp.org/Siouxsie/Text/drummer.html Budgie interview], Modern Drummer, September 1990 He released nine studio albums with the Banshees.

In 1981, he formed a second group with Siouxsie Sioux, named the Creatures. Their music was based more on drums and percussion, with marimba and vibraphone. The 1981 Wild Things EP and 1983 full-length Feast were their first releases.

On subsequent Creatures albums, Budgie also played keyboards, guitars and harmonica. He conceived brass arrangements with Peter Thoms on 1983 single "Right Now" and 1989's Boomerang album.The Bestiary of the Creatures (booklet – cd 1997). Polydor Within the Banshees, he wrote the lyrics of several songs, including "She's Cuckoo", "Silver Waterfalls", "Staring Back", "Sick Child", "Hang Me High" and "Return" (the latter was co-written with Siouxsie). He also read the text on the 1992 b-side "Hothead"."Siouxsie and the Banshees Downside Up - booklet". Universal. 2004. The Banshees's co-founder Steven Severin said about the songwriting : "Budgie writes a hell of a lot of tunes, and you also get a lot of ideas from his drum style."{{cite magazine|last=Walmsley|first=Richard|date=April 1986|title=Tinder Is The Night|pages=74–79|url=http://www.muzines.co.uk/articles/tinder-is-the-night/5160|magazine=International Musician & Recording World|publisher=Cover Publications Ltd, Northern & Shell Ltd.|location=United Kingdom|access-date=2021-04-12}} For the Creatures, he wrote the lyrics for several Boomerang-era songs, including "Willow", "Morriña" and "Pluto Drive" (the latter was co-written with Siouxsie).

In August 2002, Budgie first collaborated with Japanese taiko player Leonard Eto (formerly of the Kodo Drummers), recording spontaneous drum-duet improvisations in Tokyo for the fourth Creatures album, Hái!. The drum performances were then edited, and the rest of the sessions took place in France. Budgie was the sound engineer of the album, and he mixed it near Toulouse before its release in 2003. After recording four studio albums as the Creatures, Budgie's final performance with Siouxsie (featuring Eto and the Millennia Ensemble) was filmed in 2004 at the Royal Festival Hall in London for the DVD Dreamshow. This was Budgie's last concert and collaboration with Siouxsie.

Outside the Banshees and Creatures, Budgie played drums and harmonica for a Annie Hogan song called "Vixo", featuring Nick Cave on lead vocals which was recorded in October 1983: the track was released in 1985 on the 12" inch vinyl "Annie Hogan – Plays Kickabye"."Annie Hogan Plays "Kickabye" – liner notes for "Vixo" on the label Doublevision – DVR9 on 12" in 1985. Budgie also worked with the Indigo Girls in 1992 on Rites of Passage, and briefly toured with them. That year, he was also a guest on Thomas Dolby's album Astronauts & Heretics playing drums on a few tracks. In 1994, Budgie recorded percussion on Hector Zazou's Chansons des mers froides, including a song for Jane Siberry. He later played drums for former Velvet Underground member John Cale on a US 1998 tour with The Creatures. Budgie played two sets each night, one with Cale and one with The Creatures.{{cite web|first=Bob |last=Gourley|url=https://www.chaoscontrol.com/the-creatures/|title=Budgie interviewed about The Creatures|publisher=Chaoscontrol.com|date=1999|access-date=2 June 2012}} In 2009, he toured Europe with Juno Reactor and moved to Berlin. Later that year, he also recorded drums for Jessie Evans' Is It Fire? album.Jessie Evans – Is It Fire? [cd-liner notes]. 2009 Fantomette Records – Fantomette 001

In 2010, he teamed up with two other drummers, Eto and Mabi, plus multi-instrumentalist Knox Chandler and guitarist Sugizo, for a programme called "The Butterfly Effect: East-West Percussive Parade." It was described as a "drumming extravaganza, featuring Western kit, Japanese taiko and African drums, that will launch the musicians into a new sonic galaxy!".[http://www.newvisionfestival.gov.hk/2010/en/prog/butterfly.html The Butterfly Effect: East-West Percussive Parade] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100702052205/http://www.newvisionfestival.gov.hk/2010/en/prog/butterfly.html |date=2 July 2010 }} newvisionfestival.gov.hk. Retrieved 6.09.2010 The programme's world première took place in Hong Kong in November 2010 as part of the New Vision Arts Festival. "The Butterfly Effect" featured improvised solos and ensemble works as well as new pieces and arrangements specially created for the festival, inspired by the pace, rhythm and character of Hong Kong.{{YouTube|Iv0SddzTYn0|Budgie – Butterfly Effect}} The Video. Live Excerpt. November 2010. Hong Kong. New Visions Festival

He served as the drummer for Efterklang on their worldwide tour in 2012. They were accompanied by an orchestra. The premiere at the Opera House in Sydney was praised by Time Out.[https://web.archive.org/web/20160305212233/http://www.au.timeout.com/sydney/music/events/29989/efterklang-and-sydney-symphony Efterklang The Danes make an art-music splash with the SSO]. Time Out. Retrieved 27 June 2012 His last concert with Efterklang took place in Brussels in November.[http://efterklang.net/home/2012/07/10/were-looking-for-a-singer-and-drummer-for-our-live-band/ "We’re Looking for..."] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121114083948/http://efterklang.net/home/2012/07/10/were-looking-for-a-singer-and-drummer-for-our-live-band/ |date=14 November 2012 }}. efterklang.net. Retrieved 27 August 2012 The Piramidia Concert, a live album recorded in Copenhagen, was issued in 2013.{{cite web |url=http://efterklang.net/home/2013/06/10/released-today-the-piramida-concert-by-efterklang-copenhagen-phil-conducted-by-andre-de-ridder/ |title=The Piramida Concert |date=10 June 2013 |access-date=2 April 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140407081655/http://efterklang.net/home/2013/06/10/released-today-the-piramida-concert-by-efterklang-copenhagen-phil-conducted-by-andre-de-ridder/ |archive-date=7 April 2014 |url-status=dead }}

Budgie and Eto performed live material from Hái! in Tokyo, 11 years after conceiving the drum parts in that city. The concert took place at the Studio Coast as part of Juno Reactor's set.{{YouTube|2YKs6sRv-M0|"Leonard Eto & Budgie ~ Juno Reactor Japan Tour 2013"}}. August 2013. Retrieved 3 March 2014 He also played drums for CocoRosie at several shows.{{cite web|url=https://twitter.com/larealcocorosie/status/381180724117659648|title=Just played Frankfurt twice in a row with special guest drummer Budgie. Was a blast!!!|publisher=Twitter CocoRosie official |date=20 September 2013|access-date=2 August 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190820091551/https://twitter.com/larealcocorosie/status/381180724117659648|url-status=dead|archive-date=20 August 2019}}

He played drums on John Grant's third solo album, 2015's Grey Tickles, Black Pressure,Hudson, Alex. [http://exclaim.ca/Music/article/john_grant_announces_grey_tickles_black_pressure_lp "John Grant announces grey tickles black pressure LP"]. Exclaim!. 23 June 2015. Retrieved 3 June 2015 playing in November with Grant on the accompanying tour."Pop & Trash -interview with Budgie". Alex-berlin.de live stream. 6 September 2015. He performed again with Grant in the UK in 2015 at the latter's March concerts.{{cite web|url=https://www.facebook.com/budgieofficial/|title=Budgie|website=Facebook.com|access-date=22 January 2018}} That year, he also played with tabla player Talvin Singh for the first time since their collaboration on the Siouxsie and the Banshees' 1991-92 Superstition tour: Singh and Budgie gave a one-off performance at the "100 Years of Beat" festival in Berlin.[https://web.archive.org/web/20191009020148/https://www.hkw.de/en/programm/projekte/veranstaltung/p_138938.php "Talvin Singh/Budgie/Jason Singh, Ghana Panorama, DJ Zhao"]. hkw.de. 28 April 2018. Retrieved 2 August 2018.
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=akDd22vHTC4 Talvin Singh & guests Budgie, part 4 – Berlin 2018 – "100 Jahre Beat"]. Youtube. 28 April 2018. Retrieved 2 August 2018.

He recorded percussion for Peaches for her cover version of Marc Bolan's "Solid Gold Easy Action" in 2020.{{cite web|first=Angie|last=Martoccio|url=https://au.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/peaches-t-rex-solid-gold-easy-action-15142/ |title=Peaches Takes T.Rex's 'Solid Gold, Easy Action' to Sensual Heights|publisher=Rollingstone.com|date= 3 August 2020|access-date= 23 August 2020}}

In October 2021, Budgie and Lol Tolhurst launched the Curious Creatures podcast, in which they talk about "post punk’s enduring legacy and contemporary relevance".{{cite web|url=https://curiouscreaturespodcast.com/ |title=Curious Creatures Podcast |publisher=Curiouscreaturespodcast.com|access-date=13 December 2021}} The second season of the Curious Creatures podcast started in March 2022, with a new episode uploaded every week.

On a suggestion of Anohni who admired the percussion work on the Creatures' records,{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zOSc_aPTrvM&t=464s|title=Hercules & Love Affair: new album marks musical shift to darker yet hopeful horizons|publisher=France 24 on YouTube|date=13 June 2022|access-date=14 June 2022|quote=Budgie was brought into the picture ... He had a side-project with Siouxsie called the Creatures... We were working on the atmospheric tracks ... Anohni is very much a fan. On the atmospheric tracks he said it would be great to have a sort of percussionist player like Budgie on this.}} Budgie contributed to Hercules and Love Affair's album In Amber: they contacted him "to derail some of the arrangements for more impact".{{cite web|first=Cerys |last=Kenneally |url=https://www.thelineofbestfit.com/news/latest-news/hercules-and-love-affair-announce-first-album-in-5-years-lead-single-grace|title=Hercules and Love Affair announce first album in five years with lead single "Grace"|publisher=Thelineofbestfit.com |date=24 February 2022|access-date=24 February 2022}} In Amber was released in June 2022 on vinyl.{{cite web|url=https://www.roughtrade.com/gb/hercules-and-love-affair/in-amber/lp-plus-x2-2 |title=In Amber Hercules and Love Affair|publisher=Roughtrade|access-date=22 June 2022}} The lead single "Poisonous Storytelling" featured a collaboration with Anohni on lead vocal.{{cite web|url=https://thequietus.com/articles/31519-hercules-and-love-affair-andy-butler-interview-anonhi-budgie-justin-broadrick|title=Push And Pull: An Interview With Hercules And Love Affair|first=

Patrick|last= Clarke |publisher=TheQuietus.com|date=17 May 2022|access-date=14 June 2022}}

He featured on Thomas Truax's album Dream Catching Songs, "A Wonderful Kind Of Strange" was out in 2022.{{cite web|first=Nick |last=L°inazasoro|url=https://www.brightonandhovenews.org/2020/02/15/new-mu0sic-machines-tour-to-hit-brighton/|title=New Music Machines' tour to hit Brighton|publisher=brightonandhovenews.org|date=15 February 2020|access-date=17 February 2020}}
{{cite web|url=https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=qTKeVRjUBcU&list=RDAMVMqTKeVRjUBcU|title= Budgie & Thomas Truax - 'A Wonderful Kind Of Strange'|publisher=music.youtube.com|access-date=2 June 2022}}
{{cite web|first=Katrina |last=Rowe|url=https://www.westwaleschronicle.co.uk/blog/2023/01/05/thomas-truax-in-cardiff-on-jan-18th/|title=Thomas Truax In Cardiff On Jan 18|publisher=westwaleschronical.org|date=5 January 2023|access-date=9 February 2023}}

Budgie, Tolhurst, and Jacknife Lee released their album Los Angeles in November 2023.{{Cite news |last=Breihan |first=Tom |date=24 July 2023 |title=Lol Tolhurst, Budgie, & Jacknife Lee – "Los Angeles" (feat. James Murphy) |work=Stereogum |url=https://www.stereogum.com/2230965/lol-tolhurst-budgie-jacknife-lee-los-angeles-feat-james-murphy/music/ |access-date=August 2, 2023}} They recorded it with guest musicians and singers including LCD Soundsystem frontman James Murphy, U2 guitarist the Edge, Primal Scream vocalist Bobby Gillespie, and Modest Mouse singer Isaac Brock.{{Cite news |last=Trendell |first=Andrew |date=24 July 2023 |title=Lol Tolhurst, Budgie and Jacknife Lee talk new project Los Angeles |work=NME |url=https://www.nme.com/news/music/lol-tolhurst-budgie-and-jacknife-lee-talk-new-project-with-los-angeles-3472310 |access-date=24 July 2023}} Mojo praised it as "thrilling", saying that "Los Angeles lands with a visceral impact, rich texturing and smart distortions adding a destabilising wobble".{{Cite news |last=Segal |first=Victoria |date=October 27, 2023 |title=Lol Tolhurst x Budgie x Jacknife Lee Review: The Edge, LCD Soundsystem, Bobby Gillespie and more join post-punk drummers' dystopian party. |work=Mojo |url=https://www.mojo4music.com/articles/new-music/the-cure-siouxsie-and-the-banshees-supergroup-review/ |url-status=live |access-date=October 28, 2023 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20231103100740/https://www.mojo4music.com/articles/new-music/the-cure-siouxsie-and-the-banshees-supergroup-review/ |archive-date=November 3, 2023}} The album was issued on vinyl, CD and digital. Budgie and Tolhurst toured in the US in spring 2024.

On 17 July 2025, Budgie's memoir, The Absence: Memoirs of a Banshee Drummer, will be published by White Rabbit.{{cite web |title=The Absence |url=https://store.whiterabbitbooks.co.uk/products/the-absence

|website=White Rabbit |access-date=7 February 2025}} A limited edition with signed copies of the book and prints will be available through online stores.{{cite web |url=https://geni.us/Budgie |title=Budgie The Absence - Limited Edition - UK websites|publisher=Budgie |access-date=2025-02-05}}

NME readers voted Budgie the best drummer of 1983.{{cite web|title=NME awards history 1983|work=NME|url=http://www.nme.com/awards/history/1983|access-date=18 February 2015}} Spin rated him at No. 28 in their list of "The 100 Greatest Drummers of Alternative Music",{{cite web|author=Azerrad, Michael|title=The 100 Greatest Drummers of Alternative Music: N°28 Budgie of Siouxsie and the Banshees|url=http://www.spin.com/2013/05/best-drummers-list-alternative-music/130516-budgie|publisher=Spin.com|date=21 May 2013|access-date=21 January 2014}} writing: "Post-punk introduced a lot of amazing drummers, but none more influential than Budgie. With the Banshees, Budgie didn't just play rhythms—he played hooks and leads, brilliant parts that set the songs on fire. His tom-tom-intensive approach, [was] enlightened by his awareness of world music". Spin considered his "most booming moment" to be "Into the Light", from 1981's Juju, saying: "Budgie drums up a marvel of kinetic syncopation and invention".

Stewart Copeland of the Police described Budgie's playing as "very economical and offbeat", adding, "Budgie didn’t play your standard hi-hat–kick–snare; there were a lot of tom-toms and a big throb."{{cite web|author=Joe Bosso|url=http://www.musicradar.com/news/drums/stewart-copeland-picks-16-fun-drum-albums-578893/15|title=Stewart Copeland picks 16 fun drum albums 14/16 Siouxsie And The Banshees – Once Upon a Time: The Singles (1981) |website=Musicradar.com|date=24 June 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140220053708/http://www.musicradar.com/news/drums/stewart-copeland-picks-16-fun-drum-albums-578893/15|access-date=21 January 2014|archive-date=20 February 2014}} Ari Up of the Slits felt that he was "a very sensitive drummer", saying, "He could go from reggae to punk to funk to jazz [...] but still very steady."{{cite web|last=Macia|first=Peter|url=http://www.thefader.com/2010/10/21/read-our-interview-with-ari-up-from-the-siouxsie-siouxshabba-ranks-icon-issue/3/|title=Interview With Ari Up from the Siouxsie Sioux/Shabba Ranks Icon Issue |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140407193444/http://www.thefader.com/2010/10/21/read-our-interview-with-ari-up-from-the-siouxsie-siouxshabba-ranks-icon-issue/3/|date=21 October 2010 |publisher=thefader.com|archive-date=7 April 2014}} Music journalist David Cavanagh commented that "Terry Chambers was, along with Budgie of Siouxsie and the Banshees, the outstanding English drummer of the post-punk era".{{cite journal|author=Cavanagh, David |title=Zesty XTC: Clever to the power [XTC Fossil Fuel: The XTC Singles Collection album review] |journal=Q Magazine|date=September 1996|quote=Terry Chambers was, along with Budgie of Siouxsie and the Banshees, the outstanding English drummer of the post-punk era.}} Ian McCulloch said that Echo & the Bunnymen's drummer "Pete de Freitas loved his drumming".{{cite book|last=Adams|first=Chris|title=Turquoise Days: The Weird World of Echo & the Bunnymen|publisher=NY: Soft Skull Press|year=2002|isbn=1887128891|page=61|quote=we banned hi-hats and anything else that 'tsss.' We told him to get stuck into the toms. Budgie [from the Banshees] was the only other drumming doing that stuff at the time and Pete loved his drumming. – Ian McCulloch, 1995}} Taylor Hawkins of the Foo Fighters said: "I discovered Juju in my early 20s:... The way Budgie played drums was so influential – the tribal thing he was doing was so innovative."{{Cite magazine |last=Needs, Kris |title=Heart of Darkness |date=February 2021 |magazine=Classic Rock |page=56 |quote=[Siouxsie and the Banshees] were an influence on so many people. I discovered Juju in my early 20s and went: "Oh my god". [...] The way Budgie played drums was so influential – the tribal thing he was doing was so innovative. |author-link=Kris Needs}} [Jamie Miller (US musician)|Jamie Miller]] of Bad Religion cited him as his favourite drummer for having "a signature feel" and the Banshees as his favourite band.{{cite web|first=Adam |last=Budofsky|title=Jamie Miller|publisher=Modern Drummer|accessdate=2 April 2025|url=https://www.moderndrummer.com/article/june-2015-jamie-miller/|quote=

LllMy favorite drummer is probably Budgie from Siouxsie and the Banshees. That’s sort of my favorite band, and he’s always been my favorite drummer. Whenever I hear one of their songs, I can hear his drumming and know that it’s him. I love drummers like that. It’s not necessarily that they have a signature sound, but rather a signature feel.}}

Budgie married Siouxsie in May 1991. In 2007, the pair publicly announced their divorce.Cairns, Dan. [https://web.archive.org/web/20110517081539/http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/music/article2309979.ece?Submitted=true Siouxsie Sioux is back in bloom]. The Sunday Times. 26 August 2007 Budgie has remarried and he is the father of two children: a daughter born in 2012 and a son born in 2014.{{cite web |first=Danil |last=Volohov|url=http://www.peek-a-boo-magazine.be/en/interviews/peter-budgie-clarke-siouxsie-the-banshees-the-creatures-2019/|title=Interview – Peter Budgie Clarke|publisher=Peek-a-boo-magazine.be|date=5 August 2019|access-date=10 November 2021}}

With Lol Tolhurst and Jacknife Lee

• Los Angeles (2023)

• The Absence :Memoirs of a Banshee Drummer. White Rabbit. 2025. {{isbn|1399621564}}

{{Reflist}}

• [https://www.facebook.com/budgieofficial Official Facebook page]
• {{url|https://curiouscreaturespodcast.com/ |Curious Creatures Podcast – Budgie and Lol Tolhurst's Podcast}}

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Category:1957 births

Category:Living people

Category:English rock drummers

Category:English new wave musicians

Category:New wave drummers

Category:People from St Helens, Merseyside

Category:Siouxsie and the Banshees members

Category:Big in Japan (band) members

Category:The Slits members

Category:English post-punk musicians

Category:Juno Reactor members