Ultimate Collectors’ Edition
UK were one of the most underrated bands that arrived at the tail end of prog rock halcyon days. Taking a strange position between jazz-rock and pop, it was a combination of John Wetton and Eddie Jobson’s talents, initially fortified by the presence of Allan Holdsworth and then guitarless, with drums passing from Bill Bruford to Terry Bozzio: they released two studio and one live album and then they were no more.
The fans couldn’t be satisfied with rare airing of their classics by Eddie and songs like “Rendezvous 6:02” and “Thirty Years” often delivered by John, and hang on to the many bootlegs out there. 2011 saw the original pair get together again, and they played sporadically until 2015 when the ensemble ceased to exist, having left behind Japan-only box set, expensive and not affordable to many. That’s why, to rectify the situation, UK are to issue “Ultimate Collectors’ Edition”: out on April 15th, this whopping 16-disc set holds the group’s three records from the ’70s, the concert one remixed and expanded with additional 50 minutes of music, all on CDs and Blu-ray, as well as the Tokyo gig from 2011; plus three shows off the bootleg circuit, including the last concert from the band’s first lifespan, a smattering of rarities, a round of interviews and a book.
Here’s the breakdown of the whole bonanza. With no details on concert discs provided, the original set lists are given; with meager info on the bonus material, there may be more to it.
Disc 1 & 2 (CD/Blu-ray): UK
1. In The Dead of Night
2. By The Light of Day
3. Presto Vivace And Reprise
4. Thirty Years
5. Alaska
6. Time To Kill
7. Nevermore
8. Mental Medication
Disc 3 & 4 (CD/Blu-ray): Danger Money
1. Danger Money
2. Rendezvous 6:02
3. The Only Thing She Needs
4. Caesar’s Palace Blues
5. Nothing To Lose
6. Carrying No Cross
Disc 5 (CD): Night After Night – Pt.1
1. Night After Night
2. Danger Money
3. The Only Thing She Needs
4. Nothing To Lose
5. Bass Solo
6. Thirty Years
7. Carrying No Cross
8. Rendezvous 6:02
9. As Long As You Want Me Here
Disc 6 (CD): Night After Night – Pt.2
1. Alaska
2. Time To Kill
3. Violin Solo
4. Time To Kill (Reprise)
5. By The Light Of Day (Part II)
6. Presto Vivace
7. Drum Solo
8. In The Dead of Night
9. Caesar’s Palace Blues
Disc 7 (Blu-ray): Night After Night
Disc 8 (CD): Reunion – Pt.1
1. In The Dead Of Night
2. By The Light Of Day
3. Presto Vivace And Reprise
4. Danger Money
5. Thirty Years
6. Alaska
7. Time To Kill
8. Starless
9. Carrying No Cross
Disc 9 (CD): Reunion – Pt.2
1. Drum And Violin Solo
2. Nevermore
3. One More Red Nightmare
4. Caesar’s Palace Blues
5. The Only Thing She Needs
6. Rendezvous 6:02
Disc 10 (Blu-ray): Reunion
Disc 11 (CD): Live at the Paradise Theater, Boston – 7.10.1978
1. Alaska
2. Time To Kill
3. The Only Thing She Needs
4. Carrying No Cross
5. Thirty Years
6. Presto Vivace – In The Dead Of Night
7. Caesar’s Palace Blues
Disc 12 (CD): Live at Penn’s Landing, Philadelphia – 7.8.1978
1. Alaska
2. Time To Kill
3. The Only Thing She Needs
4. Carrying No Cross
5. Forever Until Sunday
6. Thirty Years
7. By the Light of Day
8. Presto Vivace
9. In The Dead Of Night
10. Improvisation
11. The Sahara Of Snow
12. Caesar’s Palace Blues
Disc 13 (CD): Live at the Agora Theater, Cleveland – 18.9.1978
1. Alaska / Time To Kill
2. The Only Thing She Needs
3. Carrying No Cross
4. Forever Until Sunday
5. Thirty Years / By The Light Of Day
6. Presto Vivace / In The Dead Of Night
7. Caesar’s Palace Blues
Disc 14 (CD): De Vereeniging, Nijmegen Netherlands – 17.12.1979
1. Alaska
2. Nothing To Lose
3. The Only Thing She Needs
4. Night After Night
5. Rendezvous 6:02
Disc 15 (CD): Outtakes And Extras
1. Danger Money (Jobson and Bozzio tracking session)
2. In The Dead Of Night (single version)
3. When Will You Realize (B-side)
4-11. UK (album backing tracks)
Disc 16 (CD): Interviews
