Regardless of the shifting musical landscape and industry pressures, the late 1970s still managed to generate one of the finest progressive rock bands of the 1970s: UK. This supergroup featured highly skilled musicians and composers from King Crimson, Yes, Frank Zappa’s band, and Gong.
Founded in 1977, UK assembled bassist and vocalist John Wetton (King Crimson, Roxy Music); drummer Bill Bruford (Yes, King Crimson); keyboardist and electric violinist Eddie Jobson (Roxy Music, Frank Zappa); and guitarist Allan Holdsworth (Soft Machine, Gong).
Their 1978 self-titled debut album, UK, was a striking fusion of symphonic progressive rock, jazz-rock, and electronic experimentation. Songs like “In the Dead of Night” presented a mix of melodic sophistication and instrumental fireworks, with Jobson’s masterful violin and Holdsworth’s prodigious, fluid, jazz-inflected guitar work pushing the genre into new territory. The album was both accessible and complex—an elegant balance that made UK stand out at a time when progressive rock was being marginalized.
However, despite critical acclaim, the band’s lifespan was short-lived. Bruford and Holdsworth departed after the first album, leaving Wetton and Jobson to continue as a duo, joined by drummer Terry Bozzio (Frank Zappa’s band). Their 1979 follow-up, Danger Money, leaned toward a more streamlined sound, reflecting the growing industry pressure to commercialize. While still a strong album, it lacked the freewheeling improvisation of its predecessor.
By 1980, UK had disbanded, marking one of the last major contributions to progressive rock’s classic era. Yet, their brief existence left an enduring impact. The band demonstrated that even in a hostile industry climate, there was still room for complexity, virtuosity, and ambition.
Discography:
UK (Polydor, 1978)
Danger Money (Polydor, 1979)
Night After Night, live album (Polydor, 1979)
Live in Boston (Universal Japan, 2007)
Live in America (The Store for Music, 2007)
Reunion – Live in Tokyo (2013)