UBPB Member Profile - Dave Budge

David Budge was born on 6^th September 1958 in Glasgow.
 
The Son of William Budge, a professional session drummer who played in the clubs in Glasgow.
 
Willie Budge was also a drummer in the Rutherglen Pipe Band in Glasgow, the connection to the Pipe Band world which would become a major part of David's life.
 
At the age of 4, David and his family left Glasgow and settled in Stevenage, Hertfordshire. There was a local Pipe Band where David's dad, soon became the leading drummer. It was from this time that David's interest in Pipe Bands began.
 
At age 8, David took up playing the chanter and was taught by the late Andy Pirie. After a short period of time David followed his heart and switched to learning the drums.
 
In 1970, David played in his first major competition, competing at the World Championships in Aberdeen, with the Stevenage Junior Pipe Band.
 
David played with the Stevenage band for numerous years, enjoying a fair amount of local success. He also moved onto the solo circuit where to, the success continued.
 
When David was 15, he played in some of London’s biggest hotels as part of a cabaret act. His drumming also took to all over the world, including, Europe, Japan and Dubai.
 
David also has made numerous TV appearances, including, "The Two Ronnies", "This is Your Life" and had the opportunity to appear in both film and music videos.
 
In 1991, David joined the Pride of Murray Pipe Band and played in grade 2 with Pipe Major Dixie Ingram. In 1993 he then dropped into the grade 4 band where he took over as Leading Drummer, where, in his 1^st year, the drum corps won the All England Championships. He continued playing with the Pride of Murray for about 10 years, moving into grade 3 with them and enjoyed a great deal of success on the local circuit.

 
In October 2000 David took over as Leading Drummer with the University of Luton Pipe Band in grade 3A. A mere 10 months later, the drum corps won the world Championships in that grade.

The band was then upgraded into grade 2.
 
Realising that the future of the band and its success needed to be kept going. In 2003, David and Pipe Major Tony Doherty decided to create a grade 4 band. The drum corps that David , with the help of his dad, was putting together were all youngsters, including his son, Craig Budge. The newly created Luton & District Pipe Band had quite rapid success on the local circuit. The band soon was renamed University of Luton Pipe Band. David continued to work with the grade 4 band and after 4 years, in 2007, the band won the World Pipe Band Championships in Grade 4b, under the new name of the University of Bedfordshire.
 
David continued to enjoy success with the grade 2 band on the local circuit and in Ireland as well.
 
David is currently building up a fairly new corps and is being guided by Michael O’Neill, the Leading Drummer of the grade 1 pipe band, Fife Constabulary.
 
David's biggest influences in drumming have been, his Dad, Alex Duthart, Gordon Brown and of course, Buddy Rich. David has also been lucky enough to have seen all of the afore mentioned play live!!!

David is pretty sure at this point in time, that a certain Mr. Michael O'Neill will soon be added to the list.
 
An Interesting Fact about David:

In 1978 his Dad won The English Champion Drum Corps title with a grade 4 band. In 1993, David himself lifted the trophy with a grade 4 band and in 2008, his son, Craig won the title in a grade 4 band. A remarkable achievement by any count, but to make the link complete, the trophy in which they all won was donated by David’s Grandmother and is known as the Lily Walker Memorial Trophy.

Dave collecting the silverware at at Ashbourne 2008