Hailing from the small Oxford town of Leamington Spa, the English post-grunge quintet Budapest came together in 1999. Tagging themselves after the Hungarian capitol, John Garrison (vocals/guitar), Adrian Kelley (bass), Mark Walworth (guitar), Paul Possart (drums), and Chris Pemberton (piano) aimed for heavy melodies and cinematic soundscapes, and within three years Budapest was in the studio making a debut album. Too Blind to Hear captured Garrison's lush lyrical imagery and a solid performance from the band itself; however, a tragic event would overshadow the newly recorded material. Budapest was completely disillusioned when founding guitarist Walworth committed suicide a week after completing Too Blind to Hear. In tribute to him, the remaining members trudged on with their debut, releasing it on Easy Street Music. Matt Parker eventually joined the group as its lead guitarist, giving Budapest the motivation to keep things going. The British press praised Budapest's heartfelt songs, and a tour of Canada followed in 2001. Two years later, Republic/Universal offered Budapest an American deal; Too Blind to Hear appeared stateside in March 2003. ~ MacKenzie Wilson, Rovi
