Andy Budge

Salisbury-born Andy Budge grew up between two worlds: his father’s love of a good symphony orchestra and his mother’s ties to early 60s folk music and The Beatles. His subsequent career as a musician began early playing recorder along with Bob Dylan records by the time he was 4 before making his debut as a pianist at the prestigious Bristol Eisteddfod in 1981.

Things changed for ever In 1988 when the influence of older and wiser heads intervened in Andy's musical education. His beloved Uncle Dave gave him copies of The Best of Peter Green’s Fleetwood Mac, The Best of Cream and some early Black Sabbath and Deep Purple records. Around the same time Andy’s late chemistry teacher, the wonderful and dearly missed Pete Brown, also realised the young Andy needed steering away from the perils of mid/late 80s hair metal and sent him home one day with the first three Jimi Hendrix albums in vinyl. Nothing was ever the same again...

A founder member, along with future Scissor Sister John Garden, of Bristol-based funk legends MauveLaBiche, Andy’s experience as a bass player has evolved during his time with bands as diverse as The Glowbuzzers, SubRosa, and Baddmash before joining forces with USA native and synth manufacturer Cary Grace in the summer of 2006. Andy has performed on all Cary’s albums since then, as well as contributing as a co-writer on many tracks.

Andy has also performed with Vicki Burke’s Sutura, Steepways, and The Luck of Eden Hall as well as being a founding member of Icarus Peel’s Acid Reign and a member of The Crystal Jacqueline Band.

Andy’s time as a performer and co-writer in The Honey Pot began in 2018    where he is not only enjoying providing his characteristically solid bottom end, but where occasionally the rest of the band tolerate his dabblings and meanderings with vintage synthesisers - creating what Icarus delicately refers to as an 'rather good sonic sludge’!

Look out for Andy’s own project The Locker Room Cowboys where a debut album is almost ready... with a few familiar faces acting as contributors.