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Biography
Infobox musical artist || name = U.K.| background = group_or_band| image = UK_Polydor_1978.jpg| caption = UK, 1978. L-R: John Wetton, Allan Holdsworth, Bill Bruford, and Eddie Jobson.| origin = England | genre = Progressive rock , jazz fusion | years_active = 1977–80, 2011-| label = E.G. Records Polydor Records Virgin Records | associated_acts = Asia (band)|Asia , Roxy Music , Frank Zappa , King Crimson , Bruford , UKZ , HoBoLeMa , Bryan Ferry | website = http://www.ukreunion.info| past_members = John Wetton Bill Bruford Eddie Jobson Allan Holdsworth Terry Bozzio U.K. were a short-lived British progressive rock Supergroup (music)|supergroup active from 1977 until 1980. The band was composed of singer/bassist John Wetton (formerly of King Crimson , Bryan Ferry 's band and Uriah Heep (band)|Uriah Heep ), keyboardist/electric violinist Eddie Jobson (formerly of Curved Air , Roxy Music and Frank Zappa 's band), guitarist Allan Holdsworth (formerly of Tempest (UK band)|Tempest , Soft Machine , The Tony Williams Lifetime|The New Tony Williams Lifetime and Gong (band)|Gong ) and drummer Bill Bruford (formerly of Yes (band)|Yes and King Crimson ), later replaced by drummer Terry Bozzio (formerly of Frank Zappa 's band).
History
Formation and first album
Singer/bassist John Wetton and drummer Bill Bruford had worked together in King Crimson from 1972-4, when guitarist Robert Fripp disbanded the group. http://www.dgmlive.com/kc/index.htm? group=wetton& bio=true King Crimson In July 1976, Bruford assisted Wetton on demos for a proposed solo album by the latter (a couple of these demos were later released on Monkey Business ). In September 1976, they worked on forming a band with keyboardist Rick Wakeman , who had previously worked with Bruford in Yes (band)|Yes . The project was stopped by Wakeman's label. According to Bruford, " A& M Records were unwilling to let their 'star,' Wakeman, walk off with a used, slightly soiled King Crimson rhythm section, and the idea failed." http://www.dprp.net/proghistory/index.php? i=1978_03 DPRP : Counting Out Time : UK - UK
Bruford and Wetton next asked guitarist Robert Fripp to reform King Crimson. http://www.dgmlive.com/archive.htm? artist=25& show=1172 Robert Fripp on June 18, 1979 in Chicago When Fripp eventually declined, Bruford and Wetton decided that each would bring in a musician of his choice to form a new band. Wetton brought in keyboardist/violinist Eddie Jobson , whom Wetton knew from his work with Roxy Music in 1976 – "stealing" him from Frank Zappa . http://www.webcitation.org/query? url= http://www.geocities.com/SunsetStrip/8827/uk.html& date=2009-10-25+10:10:16 U.K. Humbled in U.S.A Bruford recruited guitarist Allan Holdsworth (formerly of Soft Machine and Gong (band)|Gong ) who had played guitar on Bruford's 1977 debut solo album, Feels Good to Me .
U.K. released their self-titled debut album in 1978 and followed it with a supporting tour. Following two lengthy American tours (June–October 1978), Wetton and Jobson decided to fire Holdsworth over musical differences and Bruford chose to depart as well. Bruford soon formed jazz rock fusion (music)|fusion group Bruford and invited Holdsworth to join him.
Trio line-up
After the departure of Bruford and Holdsworth, U.K. did not bring in another guitarist, instead becoming a trio with drummer Terry Bozzio (another one-time Frank Zappa band member). They recorded the studio album Danger Money , released in March 1979, and spent much of that year touring North America as opening act for Jethro Tull (band)|Jethro Tull . A live album, Night After Night (UK album)|Night After Night , was recorded in Japan that Spring and released in September. Following a final European tour in December 1979, and in spite of plans to record a new studio album in America in March 1980, U.K. disbanded as Jobson and Wetton had different ideas on how the band should develop. Jobson wanted UK to go on with more long instrumental pieces, while Wetton thought that performing shorter songs was a better idea. http://www.elephant-talk.com/wiki/Interview_with_John_Wetton_in_Big_Bang_Magazine Interview with John Wetton in Big Bang Magazine Jobson stated that one song in particular was the reason of the band to disband: "When Will You Realize? ", http://www.eddiejobson.com/forum/read.php? f=3& i=1204& t=1178#reply_1204 New UK bootleg / New editions a non-LP B-side (to date still unavailable on CD) featured on the "Night After Night" single, which Wetton would re-record (with slightly different lyrics) in 1980 on his solo album Caught In The Crossfire .
Aftermath
Jobson worked with Jethro Tull (band)|Jethro Tull on the album A (Jethro Tull album)|A and went on to a solo career. Wetton, following a brief stint with Wishbone Ash (October–December 1980), and the recording of his solo album Caught In The Crossfire (Summer 1980), eventually left E.G. Records to sign with Geffen Records and ex-Yes manager Brian Lane and started Asia (band)|Asia with Steve Howe (guitarist)|Steve Howe , Carl Palmer and Geoffrey Downes . Bozzio formed Missing Persons (band)|Missing Persons with his then-wife Dale Bozzio , guitarist Warren Cuccurullo and bassist Patrick O'Hearn – all four also from line-ups with Zappa. Holdsworth and Bozzio played together in HoBoLeMa .
Legacy project
From 1995 to 1998, Jobson and Wetton worked together on a proposed U.K. reunion album, also recording contributions by Bruford, Tony Levin , Steve Hackett and Francis Dunnery . However, when Wetton departed, "Legacy" became an Eddie Jobson solo project, with Wetton replaced on lead vocals by Aaron Lippert . However, Jobson eventually abandoned the project. Three tracks intended for it found their way onto Voices of Life , a compilation by Bulgarian Women's Choir organised by Jobson. http://mixonline.com/mag/audio_edge_eddie_jobson/ On The Edge With Eddie Jobson
UKZ and reunion
In October 2007, Jobson announced a new band, UKZ , with Lippert and former King Crimson bassist/guitarist Trey Gunn among others, which released an EP called "Radiation" in March 2009. In late 2009, Jobson and Wetton both talked about a possible reunion of U.K. A U.K. reunion tour in February/March 2010 with Jobson, Wetton, Marco Minnemann on drums (from UKZ) and Greg Howe (Victor Wooten, Vitalij Kuprij, Michael Jackson) on guitar was described to promoters, but not confirmed by Wetton.
Wetton and Jobson performed three concerts in Poland in November 2009 as part of Jobson's Ultimate Zero (U-Z) project. The line-up also featured Marco Minnemann (drums), Greg Howe (guitar) and Tony Levin (stick). They performed music from UK and King Crimson . Ultimate Zero - The Best Of The U-Z Project Live|A CD compiled from various U-Z performances from 2009 , including multiple tracks from the Polish shows, has been released. http://www.ukzband.com UKZ
It was announced on February 11, 2011 and later confirmed by John Wetton on his website that UK were to play 2 shows in Japan on April 15 and 16, 2011. The lineup will be Jobson, Wetton, Alex Machacek, and Marco Minnemann. Wetton's comment was "I think you can drop the 'Z', now." US dates, including a show in San Francisco, were also announced and performed in April 2011.
UK have recently reformed with John Wetton, Eddie Jobson and Terry Bozzio for a world tour in 2012.
Musical style
Throughout their brief existence, U.K.'s music was characterised by skilled musicianship, jazzy harmonies, close harmony vocals, odd-numbered time signatures, mixed meters, electric violin solos, and unusually varied synthesizer|synthesiser ( Yamaha CS-80 ) sonorities.
Discography
UK !! Notes
1978
1979
1979
1999
References
reflist|1U.K. DEFAULTSORT:Uk (Band) Category:English progressive rock groups Category:British rock music groups Category:Supergroups Category:Musical groups established in 1977 Category:Musical groups disestablished in 1980 Category:Polydor Records artists Category:Virgin Records artists Category:E.G. Records artists
