PROGRESSIVE ROCK
UNITED KINGDOM
great,great,great band
Former members:
John Wetton
Bill Bruford
Eddie Jobson
Allan Holdsworth
Terry Bozzio
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.Wetton and Bruford continued to work together on ideas. In September 1976, they worked on forming a band with keyboardist Rick Wakeman, who had previously worked with Bruford in 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."
Bruford and Wetton next asked guitarist Robert Fripp to reform King Crimson When Fripp 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. Bruford recruited guitarist Allan Holdsworth (formerly of Soft Machine and 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), first Holdsworth and then Bruford departed U.K. over musical differences, going on to form the jazz rock fusion group Bruford.
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. A live 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. Jobson stated that one song in particular was the reason of the band to disband: "When Will You Realize?", 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 on the 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 with Steve Howe, Carl Palmer and Geoffrey Downes. Bozzio formed 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 now play 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. Three tracks intended for the project found their way onto Voices of Life, a compilation by Bulgarian Women's Choir organised by 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. A CD compiled from various U-Z performances from 2009 is planned to be released in Japan on the 9th of June 2010, with a European/USA release to follow in August.
ALBUMS:
1978 - U.K.
UK is the eponymous debut album by the progressive rock supergroup UK. It features John Wetton (formerly of Family, King Crimson, Uriah Heep and Roxy Music), Eddie Jobson (fomerly of Curved Air, Roxy Music and Frank Zappa), Bill Bruford (formerly of Yes and King Crimson) and Allan Holdsworth (formerly of Soft Machine and Gong). It was released in 1978 on E.G. Records / Polydor
Line-up:
Eddie Jobson – electric violin, keyboards, Electronics
John Wetton – lead vocals, bass
Allan Holdsworth – guitars
Bill Bruford – drums, percussion
Track listing:
Side one:
1"In the Dead of Night" (Eddie Jobson, John Wetton) – 5:38
2"By the Light of Day" (Jobson, Wetton) – 4:32
3"Presto Vivace and Reprise" (Jobson, Wetton) – 2:58
4"Thirty Years" (Wetton, Jobson, Bill Bruford) – 8:05
Side two:
5"Alaska" (Jobson) – 4:45
6"Time to Kill" (Jobson, Wetton, Bruford) – 4:55
7"Nevermore" (Allan Holdsworth, Jobson, Wetton) – 8:09
8"Mental Medication" (Holdsworth, Bruford, Jobson) – 6:12
Look!!
(flac)
1978-08-08 Penns Landing Philadelphia (Bootleg)
This is perhaps the best sounding U.K. show that has been moving around the trading scene over the years with the quartet lineup. Originally broadcast on WIOQ - FM radio back in '78, this is one of the great progressive rock bands ever. Eddie Jobson on keyboards & violin, John Wetton on bass & vocal, Allan Holdsworth on guitar and the always superb Bill Bruford on percussives! This particular version that I have is not from the FM broadcast, but is a 1st generation DAT direct off of the open reel soundboard master tape that was used for the broadcast! The sound quality is superb. DAT transfer to CDR was done with loving care by yours truly! This is the complete show at 65 minutes on 1 CD and features an incredible set
Members:
Eddie Jobson on keyboards & violin
John Wetton on bass & vocal
Allan Holdsworth on guitar
Bill Bruford on drums
Tracklist:
01. Alaska / Time To Kill
02. The Only Thing She Needs
03. Carrying No Cross
04. Forever Until Sunday
05. Thirty Years
06. Presto Vivace / In The Dead Of Night
08. Caesar's Palace Blues
Look!!
1978 - ROAD TEST (Live in Cleveland 9 November 1978)Bootleg
Musicians
- John Wetton / Bass, Vocals
- Bill Bruford / Drums
- Allan Holdsworth / Guitar
- Eddie Jobson / Keyboards, ViolinTracklist:
01. Alaska - Time To Kill
02. The Only Thing She Needs
03. Carrying No Cross
04. Forever Till Sunday
05. Thirty Years
06. By The Light Of Day
07. In The Dead Of Night
Look!!
1979 - Danger Money
Danger Money is the second album by the group U.K., featuring John Wetton, Eddie Jobson and Terry Bozzio. It was released by E.G. Records / Polydor in March 1979. Tracks 3, 4 and 6 had been performed on tour throughout 1978 (and an early version of 6 included what became the intro to the title track) by the band's original line-up with Bill Bruford and Allan Holdsworth. From the session of the album, a new version of "In The Dead Of Night" was recorded, and was released as a B-side of singles taken from the album. This "new" version has yet to appear on any CD release.
Line -Up:
Eddie Jobson - keyboards, electric violin
John Wetton - lead vocals, bass
Terry Bozzio - drums, percussionTrack listing:
1"Danger Money" – 8:12
2"Rendezvous 6:02" – 5:00
3"The Only Thing She Needs" – 7:53
4"Caesar's Palace Blues" – 4:42
5"Nothing to Lose" – 3:57
6"Carrying No Cross" – 12:20
Look!!
(flac)
1979 - Night After Night
Night After Night is the title of an album recorded live by the British band UK.
Recorded in early June 1979 at Sun Plaza and Seiken Kan, Tokyo, Japan, it is UK's third album and their first live album, released in September 1979 in support of the band's US tour supporting Jethro Tull (which Eddie Jobson joined after UK's split), and later headlining European tour. The title track and "As Long As You Want Me Here" do not appear on any studio release by the band. The title track was released also as a single (in a slightly edited version), with a non-LP studio track as a B-side titled "When Will You Realize?" that has yet to appear on any CD (although it was re-recorded with different lyrics on John Wetton's solo album Caught In The Crossfire in 1980). This track is said to be the one who split up UK.
Line-up:
Eddie Jobson: Keyboards and Electric Violin
John Wetton: Lead Vocals and Bass
Terry Bozzio: Drums
1"Night After Night" 5:21
2"Rendezvous 6.02" 5:17
3"Nothing to Lose" 5:25
4"As Long as You Want Me Here" 5:00
5"Alaska" (Jobson) 4:21
6"Time to Kill" (Jobson, Wetton, Bill Bruford) 4:17
7"Presto Vivace" (Jobson) 1:12
8"In the Dead of Night" 6:22
9"Caesar's Palace Blues" 4:58
Look!!
(flac)
2011 - U.K. - 2011-04-11 - New York City (Bootleg)
Great Performance
Musician:
John Wetton - Bass, Vocals
Eddie Jobson - Keys, Violin
Alex Machacek - Guitar
Marco Minnemann - Drums
Tracklist:
CD1
1 In the dead of night
2 By the light of day
3 Presto Vivace & Reprise
4 Danger Money
5 [Talking]
6 30 Years
7 Alaska
8 Time to kill
9 Starless
10 Carrying No Cross
11 Zero 1 [Drum solo]
CD2
1 Zero 2 [Jobson violin solo]
2 Book of Saturday
3 Nevermore
4 One more red nightmare
5 Ceasar's palace blues
6 Sahara of snow part 2
7 Night after night
8 The only thing she needs
9 Rendezvous
Look!!
