1) U.K. were 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 fusion group Bruford. After the departure of Bruford and Holdsworth, U.K. didn't bring in another guitarist. Drummer Terry Bozzio (another one-time Frank Zappa band member) joined Wetton and Jobson, and as a result U.K. became a trio with a progressive rock lineup of keyboards/bass/drums (albeit supplemented by Jobson's violin). The trio recorded the 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. The reason for this was Jobson's and Wetton's different ideas on how the band should have gone on. 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 Realise?, 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.
Throughout their brief existence, U.K.'s music was characterised by skilled musicianship, jazzy harmonies, close harmony vocals, use of odd time signatures (like 7/4 on the song In the Dead of Night), electric violin solos, and unusually varied synthesiser (Yamaha CS-80) sonorities.
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2) A folk rock side-project of members of Latvian band The Hobos. After the release of Radio Jah Jah, The Hobos decided to take some time to do other projects. Vilnis Krieviņš went back to play with the legendary Latvian hard rock band Līvi. Rolands Ūdris and Egons Kronbergs formed a side-project called U.K. and released the album KU. Finally, in year 2006 The Hobos went back to studio and a new album was expected sometime in 2009.
Presto Vivace and Reprise
UK Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The writing's on the wall – what's the score what's the deal?
No wonder we can't see through the wood to the trees
No perfume we design can ever veil the sickness on the breeze
By the light of day
In the dead of night
The lyrics of UK's song "Presto Vivace and Reprise" touch upon themes of sin, deception, and moral decay. The first line, "Don't tell me that the wages of sin are for real," questions the idea of divine punishment for immoral actions. The following line, "The writing's on the wall - what's the score what's the deal?" suggests that the consequences for sin are already evident, and the singer is questioning why they are not being acknowledged.
The third line, "No wonder we can't see through the wood to the trees," is a metaphor for being unable to see the bigger picture or the underlying issues because of distractions or superficialities. The final line, "No perfume we design can ever veil the sickness on the breeze," suggests that society's attempts to hide and cover up corruption and immorality are ultimately futile.
Overall, the lyrics suggest a disillusionment with societal values and a call for greater awareness and mindfulness of the deeper issues at play.
Line by Line Meaning
Don't tell me that the wages of sin are for real
I refuse to believe that immoral behavior is truly rewarded.
The writing's on the wall – what's the score what's the deal?
There are clear signs that something is wrong, what's the story?
No wonder we can't see through the wood to the trees
It's no surprise that we can't see the big picture and understand what's truly happening around us.
No perfume we design can ever veil the sickness on the breeze
We cannot mask or cover up the underlying problems and issues that surround us.
By the light of day
In broad daylight, in a transparent manner.
In the dead of night
In the darkest hours, when things are hidden in shadows and not easily seen.
Contributed by Eli H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@chunkystylemusic
No MIDI, no Pro Tools, no Auto Tune, all played live with only their hands, heads and hearts to guide them. The real thing.
@FusionHowie
Awesome comment ! I saw this live in 78 with Terry Bozzio , seen thousands of bands this still stuck out tremendously!
@foivostheofilopoulos333
If they DID have these tools back then, I can assure you they would have used them. The fact that they achieved such level is undeniable, but imagine if they had all these tools.
@jamie_amaru
Technology bad
@reubennb2859
There's a live version of this on spotify where Allan plays this in unison with Eddie. Must be one of the most technically difficult works on electric guitar pre-1980s.
@tb-cg6vd
You forgot to mention a galactic amount of bloody talent.
@michaelk3235
Bruford is a MASTER
@Spillage66
@MorbidManMusic I thought this one was Terry Bozzio.
@jerryvivanco4352
Self indulgent!!!!!!!!! U fucking moron!!!!
@tomburns70
I agree! I saw Bruford' at his finest, in Florida, some time in the early '70s I was so close on the chicken wire that surrounded Buford. What a thrill to watch him play, closely , so methodical! The band was KING CRIMSON playing LARK'S TONGUE IN ASPIC'. I'VE SEEN COBHAM LIVE WITH SECOND ACT BEING TONY WILLIAMS PLAYING SOLO. THEY'RE ALL GIFTED DRUMMERS, But 'BILL BUFORD STANDS OUT. I LOVE THE HIT OF WHAT MUST BE A STEEL SNARE DRUM. HE DRAWS A BLUEPRINT IN HIS HEAD IT SEEMS AND NEVER MAKES MISTAKES. He was impressive to watch.I TAKE BILL BUFORD!