Never Turn Your Back on a Friend

Never Turn Your Back on a Friend
Cover art by Roger Dean
Studio album by Budgie
Released	18 May 1973
Recorded	February–March 1973
Studio	Rockfield Studios, Rockfield, Wales
Genre	Heavy metal [1]
Length	41:29
Label	MCA
Producer	Budgie
Budgie chronology
Squawk (1972) Never Turn Your Back on a Friend (1973) In for the Kill! (1974)

Never Turn Your Back on a Friend is the third studio album by Welsh heavy metal band Budgie, released on 18 May 1973. ^[2] This was drummer Ray Phillips' final appearance on a Budgie recording date. The album shows the band continuing the successful heavy metal formula of their previous album Squawk , adding a hint of speed metal in the single "Breadfan", one of the band's best known songs. ^{[1] [3]}

Roger Dean created the artwork for the album. ^[3]

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	[1]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Burke Shelley, Tony Bourge and Ray Phillips, except "Baby, Please Don't Go", written by Big Joe Williams.

Side one

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Breadfan"	6:04
2.	"Baby, Please Don't Go"	5:25
3.	"You Know I'll Always Love You"	2:12
4.	"You're the Biggest Thing Since Powdered Milk"	8:45

Side two

No.	Title	Length
5.	"In the Grip of a Tyrefitter's Hand"	6:18
6.	"Riding My Nightmare"	2:35
7.	"Parents"	10:10

2004 remaster bonus tracks

No.	Title	Length
8.	"Breadfan" (2003 version)	5:27
9.	"Parents" (2004 acoustic version)	5:37
10.	"Breadfan" (Live, 1973)	6:10

Personnel

Budgie

• Burke Shelley - bass, lead vocals
• Tony Bourge - guitar, backing vocals
• Ray Phillips - drums

References

1. Allmusic review
2. "Never Turn Your Back on a Friend". Henry Howard, facebook.com. Retrieved 18 May 2025.
3. Dick, Chris (1 August 2018). "Budgie – 'Budgie'". Decibel . Retrieved 6 August 2022.