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Artist
UK
12+ albums
Progressive rockFusionrocksymphonic progProgressive
about
There are multiple artists under this name and/or spelled U.K.: 1. a British prog rock band, 2. a Latvian folk rock band. 1) U.K. was a short-lived British progressive rock supergroup active from 1977 through 1980. In September 1976, singer/bassist John Wetton formerly of the British Psychedelic band Family (with Roger Chapman and Rick Grech) and drummer Bill Bruford, both alumni of King Crimson, worked on forming a band with Yes keyboardist Rick Wakeman. 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." Determined to work together, Bruford and Wetton next asked guitarist Robert Fripp to reform King Crimson which Fripp had disbanded in 1974. When Fripp declined, Bruford and Wetton decided that each would bring in a musician of his choice to formulate a 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 début 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 fusio
