* En anglais uniquement
Featuring members of
Yes,
King Crimson,
Roxy Music, and
Soft Machine,
U.K. was one of the most prominent progressive rock supergroups of the late '70s. Various members of
U.K. -- guitarist
Allan Holdsworth, keyboardist/violinist
Eddie Jobson, bassist/vocalist
John Wetton, and drummer
Bill Bruford -- had all played together in their previous bands, but when the group formed in 1977, it was the first time all of the musicians had played together. Although the lineup was unstable --
Holdsworth and
Bruford left after one album, with former
Frank Zappa drummer
Terry Bozzio replacing
Bruford -- and the group was short-lived, the band maintained a dedicated cult following years after their early-'80s breakup.
Prior to the formation of
U.K.,
Bruford and
Wetton had recently played together in
King Crimson, and
Holdsworth had played guitar on
Bruford's debut album, 1978's
Feels Good to Me. Shortly after the recording of
Feels Good to Me,
Bruford,
Holdsworth, and
Wetton formed
U.K., adding former
Roxy Music member
Eddie Jobson to the lineup.
U.K. released their eponymous debut in 1978 and the album captured the attention of progressive rock and jazz fusion fans, as did the record's supporting tour. At the conclusion of the tour,
Holdsworth and
Bruford left the group to form
Bruford, leaving keyboardist
Jobson as the band's leader.
U.K. didn't hire another guitarist, but they did have
Terry Bozzio replace
Bruford. The new lineup of
U.K. released Danger Money in 1979 and followed the album with a tour. Once the tour was completed, the group broke up. The posthumous live album Night After Night was released shortly afterward. Following the disbandment of
U.K.,
Eddie Jobson became a member of
Jethro Tull,
Terry Bozzio formed
Missing Persons, and
John Wetton formed
Asia with fellow progressive rock stars
Steve Howe,
Carl Palmer, and
Geoffrey Downes. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine