662:
dissatisfaction with the group's direction and musical development, commenting "when I think about the repertoire, I think about one-third to one-half of it was really good. But I think a lot of it, especially when I was leaving, was becoming a bit tame, like library music... stuff was just entertainment. I don't think many pieces transferred to a pure listening experience as a recording. They didn’t stand up that well. They're okay, but they're not great... For me, Sky was a question of being on stage and how I approached that... There were a lot of great things about Sky and the band did very good shows... For that generation of people in their twenties and thirties when we were doing Sky, I know it led a lot of people into the guitar. And in retrospect, I'm pretty proud of that."
439:. Other tracks included a Williams conflation of Spanish folk tunes, a Fry-penned tuned percussion piece, a cover of Curved Air's "Vivaldi", Peek's Arabic-influenced "Sahara", the psychedelic faux-Spanish folk dance "Hotta", and several cheerful Flowers compositions including his tuba showcase "Tuba Smarties" and "Scipio" (which Flowers described as "the first piece of music to have Parts I & II running simultaneously", although an unimpressed Monkman would later claim that it had been "motivated by a 'look, anyone can write a long piece' attitude" and refused "point blank" to ever play the piece live).
734:(who contributed the unusual semi-spoken album opener "Desperate For Your Love", ultimately Flowers' favourite piece on the record). Flowers recalled "we had the opportunity to use voice, brass and other things... which led onto a few adventurous experiments. It's definitely the most varied of the Sky albums but I'm glad about that. It stopped us being bored. You have to stick your head out of the window sometimes and look for different things." During the mixing stage, the band learnt that they had been dropped by Ariola Records. The album was eventually released on
846:
Despite this, Williams expressed interest in a possible reformation in 2016 with Fry adding in 2024 "I don't feel as though we took it as far as we could. It would be a bit difficult, but that’s not to say it wouldn't happen. I'd love to, and I know Herbie would too." In the same interview as Fry, Flowers commented "it's like when they ask, 'Are Oasis going to do
Glastonbury?' I think, 'Bollocks!' ... Sky were great at the time, but we all change. If I heard something I'd be like, 'Oh no, God, I didn't realise it was that bad!'"
529:. More recently, he had led WASP, a studio-based jazz-fusion band specialising in high-quality library music. Recalling Gray's recruitment, Flowers asserted "there aren't many musicians to my mind with whom everything they play and everything they write is beautiful... but Steve Gray was," adding "Steve was the gentlest of men, and when he rolled up it was just wonderful from the start." Gray's jazz credentials also appealed to Flowers, who confessed to being "an old jazzer" at heart.
568:, was released in March 1982. Sky's first album to feature no original material, it consisted predominantly of arrangements of classical compositions and was marketed under the slogan "Genius Past, Genius Forthcoming". Flowers has spoken of having thought that "John needed to be considered more. Perhaps the other albums had got a little too rocky and the idea of this was to slide us a little bit nearer to where we were all very comfortable... John was keen to do '
373:'s "Danza", as well as original compositions by Monkman and Flowers. Monkman's 'Cannonball' was a minor hit single, and the keyboard player also contributed the twenty-minute second-side composition "Where Opposites Meet" (a piece remembered by Williams as "an absolute masterpiece"), which was intended to combine and display the band's diverse influences. The band toured the UK in summer and autumn 1979, particular triumphs being sold-out concerts at the
694:
would find it a little daunting, but Lee was just brilliant." In order to deal with potential audience disappointments at
Williams' absence, since the guitarist had been considered to be Sky's biggest star and live draw, Flowers formally announced the news of Williams' departure at each concert and offered a full ticket price refund for anyone who was disappointed. Fry recalls that nobody actually took up the offer.
842:
group's remaining momentum was gradually lost. The last performance by Sky was at an RAF tribute concert in May 1995. Flowers has commented that "the last two or three years were more for the sheer joy of being in that fantastic band. We were still filling out places but I think we knew it would fizzle out and we nipped it in the bud before it did."
784:
Mozart's work with Sky incorporated into the arrangements (most of which were written by Steve Gray). The band and orchestra (with Paul Hart returning as guest musician) promoted the album with a one-off concert at the Royal Albert Hall on 1 November 1987. Although the album ultimately became Sky's most successful album in the United States,
698:
Williams, remaining as a quartet with the option of including other musicians and instruments as desired. Despite the band's ongoing collective efforts to present themselves as a partnership of equals, concerns over the commercial impact of
Williams' departure remained, and Sky released a stopgap "greatest hits" compilation called
665:"John leaving was tragic in a way," Fry admitted in 2014, "but the band was capable of standing on its own by then, and it did have a track record. So, we decided to carry on. We felt that there were things we still wanted to do and pursue. Ultimately we were stil enjoying it all too much to give it all up just then."
466:
the same interview, Flowers added, more pointedly, "I think felt a little bit that the music should all be completely original and serious... maybe by then the width of our material was too wide, you couldn't pin us down, and I think
Francis might have felt that it was beginning to take a bit too much time."
608:. Although the band did record a tongue-in-cheek, mock-pomp version of Wagner's "Ride of the Valkyries", Flowers recalled the arrangements on the album as having been "quite thorough... Doing an arrangement of another composer's work, you have to pay deference to it." The record also featured a version of
381:
in London (the latter a five-night sellout). In 2024, Williams recalled "we'd really go places. We'd play the Apollo venues in London, Glasgow, and
Manchester. Those were in areas you wouldn't want to find yourself at two o’clock in the morning on your own. A lot of the audience were rough and ready,
874:
Following Sky's last known collaborative work in 1995, Steve Gray continued his career as a respected composer (which he had been carrying out in parallel to his work with Sky). His compositions include two operas, a requiem mass for jazz big band and choir, the guitar concerto for John
Williams and
697:
Fothergill and Aspery kept their guest player positions for Sky's
European tour later in 1984, with Flowers commenting later "bringing in Ron and Lee broadened our horizons somewhat." While the duo were not eventually asked to join full-time, Sky also opted not to recruit a permanent replacement for
385:
Sky managed to appeal to a surprising breadth of music fans, with
Monkman recalling in 1999 that "the audiences contained a greater variety of people than you would believe possible - leather-clad youth refusing to sit next to their parents, that sort of thing. Amazing!", while Fry would add in 2024
858:
Following his own departure from Sky in 1984, John
Williams continued his original career as one of the world's leading classical guitarists. He would also commission two guitar concertos from other members of Sky, performing and recording Paul Hart's "Concerto For Guitar & Jazz Orchestra" with
833:
None of this work, however, made it to a studio-recorded album; and in 1991 Kevin Peek became the next member of the band to depart. Peek had been a full-time resident of
Australia since 1982 and had become busy with multiple recording projects at Tracks Studio, all of which inhibited his practical
825:
compilation. Although the album did not contain any new recordings, the band were still creatively active. At the concert, new compositions by Paul Hart ("Reverie" and "Praeludium") and Kevin Peek ("Jehad") were premiered, alongside a revisiting of Francis Monkman's "Cannonball" (from the debut Sky
681:
Though Williams' departure had been amicable, his departure still came as a shock to Sky, since it happened just before the start of a scheduled, sold-out Australian tour. "John leaving did put us in a spot," noted Flowers, in 2015, " we felt we couldn't let people down." The band quickly recruited
693:
Both musicians joined the Sky live band at short notice and without much rehearsal, but used their quick-learning session player skills to excellent effect. Fry recalls Fothergill's performances in particular as having been "phenomenal... he was playing both John's and Kevin's parts - well, anyone
465:
outfit... So, clearly outvoted in the dash for mediocrity that the third album, for me, represents, I quit." In 2014, Fry recalled, ruefully, "there was nothing personal as far as I know... one day he came in and said it wasn't for him any more - not quite those words, but something like that." In
399:
sixteenth-century pieces — just for five or six minutes — and the audience would hear them in a way they’ve never heard them before." The band were also technologically ambitious, with Williams noting "we were the first to combine acoustic and electronic instruments the way we did. We coupled the
319:
inspired Williams and Flowers to set up Sky, their own long-term cross-genre band. The band name Sky was suggested by flautist Pinuccia Rossetti, a member of the Carlos Bonell Ensemble, and a friend of Williams. Fry and Monkman were swiftly recruited, with Kevin Peek being the final addition. The
813:
concerts, broadening and reinforcing the band's sound. In 2024, Flowers would suggest that the band's first line-up change in 1981 had begun a process allowing the band's music and membership to broaden significantly over subsequent years: "when Steve took over , that opened the door a bit for a
661:
Having previously hinted that his work with Sky had been intended as a five-year stint, John Williams parted company with the band in February 1984, returning to a full-time classical career. Having favoured the approach and results on Sky's first two albums, in 2024 he would reflect on a certain
795:
Former member Francis Monkman has claimed that "in the late '80s, long after John Williams had left, it was suggested that I write another long piece , in the manner of 'Opposites' and 'Fifo'. The first movement of this work (which I determined to call 'Another Dish for the Roof') exists in demo
845:
Although the band never formally disbanded, Sky has never since returned to active recording and performance, with the increasing age of surviving members and the deaths of Steve Gray (in 2008), Kevin Peek (2013), Francis Monkman (2023) and Herbie Flowers (2024) making a band reunion unlikely.
841:
Durrant joined the band in time for a comeback concert in September 1992 at the Barbican in London. However, although Sky toured the UK again during spring 1993, they were playing notably smaller venues than they had in the 1980s. As gaps in band activity grew longer, and audiences shrank, the
783:
album, which united the band with the orchestra of the Academy of St Martin in the Fields. The project was initiated by Tristan Fry (due to his parallel work with both band and orchestra) and was inspired by the bicentenary of Mozart's death. The album contained full orchestral performances of
871:" style investment scheme. In November 2011, he was back in court, bailed on 227 charges of gaining benefit by fraud: a trial date was scheduled for 27 January 2012, but abandoned due to Peek's ill health. He died in Perth, Western Australia, on 11 February 2013, from metastatic skin cancer.
936:
Richard Durrant has continued to develop his own career as a classical guitarist, as well as composing film and television music and working as a record producer (notably for the Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain). Durrant is also the founder of the acoustic record label LongMan Records.
987:
following on a different label, Castle Music). After this the reissues plan stalled (although occasional brief runs of the first two Sky albums would appear intermittently on small labels). It would be nine more years before a full Sky reissue programme was carried out properly.
804:
When Sky returned to action in 1990, they had become a quintet again, having recruited Paul Hart as a full member. A skilled performer on a variety of instruments (including piano, keyboards, guitars, bass, mandolin, cello and violin), Hart had already proved his worth on the
555:. A generally brighter and breezier album than its predecessors, the record demonstrated Steve Gray's new and prominent compositional role within Sky, moving away from the harpsichord-orientated and psychedelic elements of the Monkman years and taking the band towards a more
343:
Although Sky was run democratically (with all members contributing music and/or arrangements), the presence of John Williams in the line-up was regarded as the band's biggest selling point and was emphasised in publicity. Williams' concurrent solo instrumental hit –
417:. This was a double album that built upon its predecessor's success, becoming the tenth highest selling album in Britain that year. The album included Monkman's side-long rock suite "FIFO" (a piece inspired by computer information processing techniques, stands for "
866:
After leaving Sky in 1991, Kevin Peek continued to work as a musician and producer in Australia. In his later years, he underwent two bankruptcies, the first of which resulted in a three-year prison sentence. In 2010, he was linked to a
545:
and was the first-ever rock concert held at the abbey. The landmark event resulted in Sky receiving considerable positive media coverage: it was also videotaped for a BBC TV special and subsequently released on home video and laserdisc.
826:
album) and "Would You Say I'm In Love With You", a piece written by Herbie Flowers with his former Blue Mink colleague Roger Cook. The concert set was later recorded in the studio and also broadcast on television in 1991 as part of the
354:" – also helped to raise the band's profile. However, this selling was counterbalanced by some negative reviews from critics accustomed to Williams' classical performances, who remained unimpressed by his new direction with Sky.
721:
was the first Sky album to feature entirely original material without any classical content, although two pieces ("Allegro" and "Caldando") were strongly classically inspired. Guests included Aspery, Fothergill, pan-pipe player
854:
After leaving Sky in 1980, Francis Monkman divided his time between experimental rock music, library music and classical music recordings of solo keyboard work (generally harpsichord or church organ). He died on 11 May 2023.
394:
would jump up and down and go wild with enthusiasm. Culturally, this was really important. You wouldn’t get them into a normal harpsichord recital at a small hall. It was because of this setting. and I would also play some
461:). Monkman had also become dissatisfied with the band's direction, commenting later in 1999 "all I can say is, there seemed to emerge (from where?) a need for Sky to re-invent itself, come the third album, as a 'true'
658:, London were filmed and broadcast on Christmas Eve, 1983, with songwriter and singer-songwriter Patrick Ros as special guest. Ros provided three seasonal compositions of his own on which he was backed by the band.
532:
Despite Gray's initial reluctance to return to playing live, he was persuaded to join the band in time for their first European tour. This was followed by another UK tour and (on 24 February 1981) the "Sky at
995:, was released on Classic Rock Productions, drawing on the 1990 live-in-the-studio concert with the Peek/Flowers/Gray/Fry/Hart line-up, which had followed the band's lone Palladium concert in the same year.
559:-influenced sound. Flowers jokingly described the recording sessions as having been "a lot of laughter with some music in between." Sky went on to tour Australia, Europe and the UK in support of the release.
940:
Paul Hart went on to a career in film, television and commercial music and has written concert music for the London Symphony Orchestra, the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and the King's Singers. His
1049:(as a double set with three bonus tracks, a new sleevenote essay and a DVD combining a previously unreleased BBC recording of Sky at Drury Lane and a rare performance of the piece "Troika" on the
894:
Post-Sky, Tristan Fry continued his work as a classical percussionist. He still works with the Orchestra of the Academy of St Martin in the Fields, as well as the Tristan Fry Percussion Ensemble.
834:
ability to spend time in the UK working with Sky. Consequently, he no longer believed that he had enough time to commit to the band. Peek was replaced by classical/cross-discipline guitarist
922:
619:
Once again, the band toured the UK and Australia to promote the album (and followed this up with trips to Europe and Japan), as well as recording a live-in-the-studio set for the BBC's
455:
Following further tours of Australia and the UK, Francis Monkman left the band in October 1980 to concentrate on his own projects (having scored success with his soundtrack to the film
960:). [The complete "Sky Five Live", with "The Animals", was issued as a double CD on Esoldun, with four bonus tracks from the four earlier studio albums. These were "Carillon" (
883:(in collaboration with the original composer). From 1991, he worked closely with the North German Radio (NDR) Big Band in Hamburg (at the invitation of singer and composer
768:
From mid-1985 to 1986, the members of Sky worked on other projects. Sky returned in 1987 with another Australian tour (titled "A New Journey"), this time featuring former
682:
two guest members to fill in on tour - session guitarist Lee Fothergill (an accomplished all-round musician who had first met Tristan Fry as part of the house band for '
1590:
1624:
623:
series which was broadcast in July 1982. The Australian autumn tour featured the debut of plenty of new material, much of which was included on a live double album,
433:". The latter was released as a single (under the name "Toccata") and reached number 5 in the national pop charts, giving the band the opportunity of performing on
1973:
256:(who, in addition to his progressive and psychedelic rock background as guitar and synthesiser player, was a trained and accomplished classical harpsichordist).
1149:
469:
The remaining Sky members, however, had no doubts about carrying on despite the fact that Monkman had been Sky's most prominent original composer and arranger.
952:
In 1993, Arista reissued the band's first five albums on CD, although cuts were made to certain albums to suit CD running times (a shorter edit of "Scipio" on
1943:
646:"), alongside seven original compositions. It also featured the first examples of commissioned compositions from contemporary writers from outside the band:
244:
The three musicians became friends, kept in touch and continued working together on various projects during the 1970s. One of these was Williams' 1978 album
765:
had been significantly lower than they had been for previous Sky recordings, and the tour saw the band playing to smaller audiences than on previous tours.
1968:
1983:
271:. Peek was equally adept at classical guitar and pop/rock styles, having built a reputation both as a chamber musician and as a long-standing member of
925:) and again in 2018. He frequently collaborated with Sky's final guitarist, Richard Durrant, on various musical projects (including a trio with former
897:
As well as branching out as a light entertainment raconteur, Herbie Flowers continued to work as a high-profile session musician and collaborated with
1606:
572:' by Bach." The band drew from a more diverse "classical" catalogue than might have been expected, with the pieces recorded varying from better-known
1953:
1978:
1017:
were released as CD/DVD packages, each containing a DVD of Sky's television appearances (in 1979 and 1980 respectively). Remastered versions of
569:
430:
238:
201:, his first recording of non-classical music and the first on which he played electric guitar. Among the musicians working on the album were
1793:
1463:
1963:
1958:
1041:
followed on 30 March 2015 (with new essays but no bonus DVDs). The reissue set was completed by 27 April 2015 release of the remastered
448:
214:
1025:
were released on 26 January 2015, each with new sleevenote essays and companion live DVDs (the former featuring a companion DVD of the
1252:"'It was very mixed – we could get some lovely nuns as well as rockers': The story of Sky, the least rock’n’roll band of all time"
452:
which included an episode set in Australia. The music for this programme was by Sky, featuring tracks from the first two albums.
418:
814:
little jazz lilt to the music... and that gave me a bit more authority to ask someone like Paul Hart – one of the world’s great
386:"it was very mixed – we could get some lovely nuns as well as rockers." In 2024, Williams remembered "Francis would play Padre
248:, another substantially commercially successful cross-genre recording. As well as Fry and Flowers, the record featured former
888:
643:
750:
408:
synths. So, when you played the harpsichord, it would have a half-organ sound with all the dynamics of the harpsichord."
197:
1005:
The entire Sky back catalogue was eventually reissued by Esoteric Recordings (a progressive-rock-friendly subsidiary of
210:
1679:
Press release for Towson University's American Premiere of Paul Hart’s Concerto for Classical Guitar and Jazz Orchestra
320:
band began writing and recording instrumental music drawing on their collective experience of classical, light pop,
1948:
1649:
1306:
887:) and from 1998 he worked as guest professor of composition and arrangement in the Hanns Eisler jazz department of
788:
was roundly panned and dismissed by the press and the band took another two years off. A second compilation album,
462:
1842:
1334:
1090:
860:
655:
192:
159:
119:
1786:
573:
497:. Like most of the other band members, Gray was an established session musician: he had previously played with
821:
The revived band played a one-off concert at the London Palladium on 24 June 1990, in part to promote the new
979:
In 2001, the band began a reissue programme of their back catalogue on Sanctuary Records, beginning with the
702:
during 1984, released on mass-media label Telstar (and featuring a previously unreleased live version of the
902:
542:
390:'s 'Fandango in D minor' and it would go on for twelve minutes. The rock and roll audience at the Apollo in
276:
944:
was revived for performance in 2008 by the Towson University Jazz Orchestra and guitarist Michael Decker.
741:
During April and May 1985, Sky toured the UK to promote the record, again performing with guest players –
1678:
1542:
1850:
1117:
687:
683:
538:
526:
498:
494:
426:
131:
1523:
1361:
1002:, featuring the original Sky line-up and recorded at a German television show in either 1979 or 1980.
154:
group that specialised in combining a variety of musical styles, most prominently rock, classical and
707:
457:
370:
1653:
1045:(as a double CD with new sleevenote essay and with "The Animals" restored to the running order) and
983:
compilation album. After four years wait, Sky reissued their debut album on the label in 2005 (with
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906:
634:
329:
67:
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1006:
746:
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284:
1574:
1408:
1766:
1550:
1189:
930:
605:
581:
534:
374:
151:
60:
158:. The group's original and best-known line-up featured two Australians - classical guitarist
639:
609:
378:
345:
325:
321:
233:, as well as a busy session musician who, among other things, had recorded the bassline for
53:
537:" concert. A benefit show to commemorate the 20th anniversary of human rights organisation
336:. After a protracted search for a record company, Sky signed with the small European label
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the National Youth Jazz Orchestra in 1987, and Steve Gray's "Guitar Concerto" with the
754:
613:
593:
585:
577:
522:
510:
337:
292:
222:
167:
111:
95:
91:
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Russell Emerson, "Police, regulators on rock star Kevin Peek's trail for Ponzi scheme"
1937:
1921:
1889:
1882:
1727:
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concert, the latter featuring the band's July 1982 live set for the BBC TV programme
898:
876:
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651:
625:
589:
551:
514:
506:
422:
413:
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The Westminster Abbey concert was also the launch event for the band's third album,
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868:
773:
735:
723:
502:
365:
and Australia, quickly reaching gold record status and eventually topping out as a
296:
1607:
Phil Hickey, "Former rock guitarist Kevin Peek to fight $ 8 million fraud charges"
1524:"John Williams and Sky Discussion Board >> Unlisted Australian tour ?"
1280:
738:(coincidentally, also the label releasing John Williams' albums) in April 1985.
425:
pieces (played entirely straight) and the band's souped-up electric treatment of
1821:
1081:
703:
647:
260:
218:
202:
171:
115:
686:') and woodwind/keyboard player Ron Aspery (Steve Gray's former mentor in both
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758:
731:
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268:
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163:
127:
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20:
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form... The other three movements were planned, but scarcely sketched."
638:, in December 1983. The album contained a classical-rock arrangement of
1762:
1757:
1709:
956:
and the complete removal of the twenty-minute suite "The Animals" from
654:
collaborator) provided two further original tunes. Two concerts at the
391:
206:
1575:
Neal Prior, "Sky was the limit: Peek has a second crack at bankruptcy"
1464:"Amazing Legacy: John Williams Reflects on Five Decades of Recordings"
863:
in 1989 (although the latter was not released on record until 1996).
815:
369:. The album featured versions of Eric Satie's "Gymnopedie No. 1" and
1058:
In 2016, the band's entire output was reissued on coloured vinyl.
749:) and multi-instrumentalist Paul Hart (a former composer for the
556:
333:
155:
1775:
710:", performed as a classical guitar duet by Williams and Peek).
1147:
875:
the LSO, and a piano concerto written for French jazz pianist
443:
1748:
1444:
1442:
1440:
616:", arranged by Gray and Williams to suit Williams' approach.
267:, on which he collaborated with Australian session guitarist
713:
In September 1984, Sky began recording their seventh album,
362:
879:. Gray also provided a full orchestration of the works of
421:") and four classical pieces including three established
913:. He also played in the band for the first live tour of
411:
In 1980, Sky recorded and released their second album,
1771:
1625:"Small funeral for disgraced Sky guitarist Kevin Peek"
1505:
1503:
1501:
1499:
1497:
1495:
1493:
1491:
1489:
1404:
1402:
1400:
1398:
1330:
1328:
717:, in Kevin Peek's Tracks Studio in Western Australia.
998:
In 2005, Quantum Leap Productions issued a live DVD,
800:
Fourth and fifth line-ups, and final years: 1990–1995
779:
For the rest of 1987, the core quartet worked on the
1749:
Richard Sliwa's comprehensive unofficial Sky website
1276:
1274:
1272:
1270:
1268:
1266:
1264:
1009:). On 27 October 2014, fully remastered versions of
584:
compositions (the aforementioned "Fantasy", part of
1913:
1867:
690:and the Middlesbrough Municipal Junior Orchestra).
105:
101:
87:
77:
45:
35:
28:
1449:"Sky - Cadmium & Sky - The Great Balloon Race"
1426:
1424:
1422:
1420:
1384:
1382:
1380:
1378:
1376:
1374:
596:fantasia) to assorted twentieth century works by
493:Monkman was replaced as Sky's keyboard player by
205:(an established session drummer who was also the
1126:Paul Hart – keyboards, guitars, mandolin, cello
942:Concerto for Classical Guitar and Jazz Orchestra
1247:
541:, the latter was conceived by British producer
1245:
1243:
1241:
1239:
1237:
1235:
1233:
1231:
1229:
1227:
1787:
1357:
1355:
1353:
1351:
1349:
1347:
761:). Despite some favourable reviews, sales of
592:'s "Valses Nobles and Sentimentales", and a
8:
1102:– harpsichord, synthesisers, organ, guitars
361:(released in 1979) was highly successful in
1335:"Album review: SKY – Reissues (Sky, Sky 2)"
1794:
1780:
1772:
1281:"John Williams - The Subtlety of Emotions"
25:
1728:"Esoteric Recordings | New Releases"
1513:2015 reissue, compiled by Sid Smith, 2015
1483:2015 reissue, compiled by Sid Smith, 2015
1434:2015 reissue, compiled by Sid Smith, 2014
1409:"Sky - Sky3 & Sky - Sky4 Forthcoming"
1392:2015 reissue, compiled by Sid Smith, 2014
1301:
1299:
1297:
1295:
1293:
891:. Steve Gray died on 20 September 2008.
166:- alongside three Britons - bass player
19:For the telecommunications company, see
1466:- interview by Thérése Wassily Saba in
1223:
818:writers and violin players – to join."
275:'s band, as well as from working with
1974:Musical groups disestablished in 1995
964:, listed as "Carillion"), "Toccata" (
745:(better known as keyboard player for
16:British/Australian instrumental group
7:
650:(Kevin Peek's old friend and fellow
588:'s "Symphonie Fantastique", one of
1944:British instrumental musical groups
1623:Rebecca le May (18 February 2013).
449:Great Railway Journeys of the World
215:Academy of St. Martin in the Fields
1969:Musical groups established in 1978
1362:"Sky: Vinyl Reissues album review"
933:). He died on September 5th 2024.
838:(an associate of Herbie Flowers).
41:Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
14:
1984:1995 disestablishments in England
1075:– bass guitar, double-bass, tuba
948:Post-split releases and reissues
632:Sky released their sixth album,
1954:British progressive rock groups
1541:Sweeting, Adam (31 July 2023).
446:produced the television series
39:London, England, United Kingdom
1979:1978 establishments in England
1692:"Sky (4) - Live In Nottingham"
1283:- interview by Anil Prasad in
921:show (having performed on the
830:concert series on Central TV.
259:In 1979, Monkman performed on
1:
1084:– drums, percussion, trumpet
850:After Sky: individual careers
751:National Youth Jazz Orchestra
1254:- article by Paul Lester in
776:in the guest musician slot.
642:'s "Sleigh Ride" (from the "
629:, released in January 1983.
431:Toccata and Fugue in D Minor
217:, and had played Timpani on
211:Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
1451:- review by Henri Strik in
1411:- review by Henri Strik in
1364:- review by Jerry Ewing in
991:In 2002, a live Sky album,
889:Berlin Hochschule für Musik
221:' "A Day in the Life") and
150:were an English–Australian
2000:
1964:Musical groups from London
1959:Musical groups from Sydney
1543:"Francis Monkman obituary"
1156:
1033:). Remastered versions of
382:but with hearts of gold."
195:released the fusion album
18:
1809:
1579:The Sydney Morning Herald
1468:Classical Guitar Magazine
861:London Symphony Orchestra
753:who had also played with
656:Theatre Royal, Drury Lane
1710:"Sky Live in Bremen DVD"
1027:Sky at Westminster Abbey
792:, was released in 1990.
170:, drummer/percussionist
1120:– keyboards, saxophone
359:self-titled debut album
162:and electric guitarist
1732:Esotericrecordings.com
1654:"Obituary: Steve Gray"
1511:The Great Balloon Race
1205:The Great Balloon Race
1122:(1980–1995; died 2008)
1113:(1978–1991; died 2013)
1104:(1978–1980; died 2023)
1077:(1978–1995; died 2024)
1035:The Great Balloon Race
763:The Great Balloon Race
719:The Great Balloon Race
715:The Great Balloon Race
671:The Great Balloon Race
562:The fourth Sky album,
1055:from December 1983).
923:original studio album
730:Band keyboard player
684:The Val Doonican Show
644:Lieutenant Kijé Suite
539:Amnesty International
239:Walk on the Wild Side
708:The Fool on the Hill
458:The Long Good Friday
225:(a former member of
187:Roots and prehistory
174:and keyboard player
1681:, 14 February 2008.
1652:(31 October 2008).
1595:Adelaide Advertiser
1453:Background Magazine
1413:Background Magazine
419:First In, First Out
400:harpsichord with a
330:light entertainment
68:classical crossover
1897:Sky 4: Forthcoming
1613:, 2 November 2011.
1432:Sky 4: Forthcoming
1341:, 13 December 2014
1190:Sky 4: Forthcoming
1023:Sky 4: Forthcoming
1007:Cherry Red Records
993:Live in Nottingham
972:) and "Fantasia" (
807:Great Balloon Race
747:the Rolling Stones
612:'s 1940s pop hit "
565:Sky 4: Forthcoming
479:Sky 4: Forthcoming
1949:Crossover (music)
1931:
1930:
1339:Get Ready to Rock
1313:on 10 August 2009
1307:"Francis Monkman"
1138:
1129:
1123:
1114:
1105:
1096:
1087:
1078:
1052:Val Doonican Show
931:Malcolm Mortimore
919:War of the Worlds
823:Sky: Masterpieces
535:Westminster Abbey
375:Royal Albert Hall
371:Antonio Ruiz-Pipò
265:(per-spek-tiv) n.
152:instrumental rock
143:
142:
61:instrumental rock
1991:
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1581:, 30 March 2002.
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1509:Sleevenotes for
1507:
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1479:Sleevenotes for
1477:
1471:
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1446:
1435:
1430:Sleevenotes for
1428:
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1393:
1388:Sleevenotes for
1386:
1369:
1359:
1342:
1332:
1323:
1322:
1320:
1318:
1309:. Archived from
1303:
1288:
1278:
1259:
1249:
1136:
1127:
1121:
1112:
1103:
1094:
1085:
1076:
772:keyboard player
610:Hoagy Carmichael
473:Second line-up,
379:Dominion Theatre
326:psychedelic rock
108:
80:
70:
63:
56:
54:Progressive rock
26:
1999:
1998:
1994:
1993:
1992:
1990:
1989:
1988:
1934:
1933:
1932:
1927:
1909:
1863:
1859:Richard Durrant
1829:Francis Monkman
1805:
1800:
1756:discography at
1745:
1740:
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1597:, 27 July 2010.
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1279:
1262:
1258:, 18 April 2024
1250:
1225:
1220:
1161:
1159:Sky discography
1155:
1150:
1148:
1145:
1133:Richard Durrant
1100:Francis Monkman
1069:
1064:
968:), "Westwind" (
950:
852:
836:Richard Durrant
802:
679:
669:Third line-up,
491:
436:Top of the Pops
367:platinum record
351:The Deer Hunter
315:The success of
313:
303:First line-up,
254:Francis Monkman
189:
184:
176:Francis Monkman
138:Richard Durrant
136:
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124:Francis Monkman
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1744:
1743:External links
1741:
1738:
1737:
1719:
1714:Plum.cream.org
1701:
1683:
1671:
1641:
1615:
1599:
1583:
1567:
1533:
1528:Plum.cream.org
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1370:
1368:, 13 June 2016
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1157:Main article:
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1073:Herbie Flowers
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1000:Live in Bremen
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911:Paul McCartney
885:Norma Winstone
851:
848:
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798:
755:John Dankworth
678:
667:
523:Sammy Davis Jr
511:Michel Legrand
490:
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338:Ariola Records
312:
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293:Shirley Bassey
223:Herbie Flowers
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1091:John Williams
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1043:Sky Five Live
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743:Nicky Hopkins
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652:Cliff Richard
649:
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626:Sky Five Live
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598:Khatchaturian
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442:In 1980, the
440:
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432:
428:
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423:chamber music
420:
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407:
403:
402:Fairlight CMI
398:
393:
389:
388:Antonio Soler
383:
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348:– Theme from
347:
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160:John Williams
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1827:
1820:
1813:
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1731:
1722:
1713:
1704:
1695:
1686:
1674:
1662:. Retrieved
1658:The Guardian
1657:
1650:John Fordham
1644:
1632:. Retrieved
1628:
1618:
1610:
1602:
1594:
1586:
1578:
1570:
1558:. Retrieved
1547:The Guardian
1546:
1536:
1527:
1518:
1510:
1480:
1475:
1467:
1459:
1452:
1431:
1412:
1389:
1365:
1338:
1337:- review in
1317:30 September
1315:. Retrieved
1311:the original
1284:
1255:
1210:
1204:
1196:
1188:
1180:
1172:
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927:Gentle Giant
918:
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844:
840:
832:
827:
822:
820:
810:
806:
803:
794:
789:
785:
780:
778:
774:Rick Wakeman
767:
762:
740:
736:Epic Records
724:Adrian Brett
718:
714:
712:
700:Masterpieces
699:
696:
692:
680:
674:
670:
664:
660:
633:
631:
624:
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563:
561:
550:
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543:Martin Lewis
531:
503:Quincy Jones
492:
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384:
356:
349:
342:
316:
314:
308:
304:
297:Gary Glitter
277:Manfred Mann
264:
258:
245:
243:
196:
190:
147:
146:
144:
107:Past members
79:Years active
1914:Live albums
1822:Tristan Fry
1560:24 November
1153:Discography
1137:(1992–1995)
1128:(1990–1995)
1095:(1978–1984)
1086:(1978–1995)
1082:Tristan Fry
1031:Night Music
790:Classic Sky
726:and former
677:: 1984–1990
648:Alan Tarney
621:Night Music
606:Theodorakis
602:Villa-Lobos
582:Renaissance
489:: 1980–1984
322:progressive
311:: 1979–1980
261:Louis Clark
219:the Beatles
203:Tristan Fry
172:Tristan Fry
116:Tristan Fry
1938:Categories
1851:Steve Gray
1836:Kevin Peek
1285:Innerviews
1218:References
1135:– guitars
1118:Steve Gray
1111:– guitars
1109:Kevin Peek
1093:– guitars
915:Jeff Wayne
759:Cleo Laine
732:Tony Hymas
527:John Barry
495:Steve Gray
397:Praetorius
317:Travelling
289:Jeff Wayne
269:Kevin Peek
250:Curved Air
246:Travelling
164:Kevin Peek
132:Steve Gray
128:Kevin Peek
1855:Paul Hart
1629:Perth Now
1611:Perth Now
1555:0261-3077
1062:Personnel
981:Anthology
881:Brian Eno
728:Jeff Beck
688:Back Door
640:Prokofiev
574:classical
519:Peggy Lee
499:Back Door
285:Tom Jones
263:'s album
227:Blue Mink
207:timpanist
191:In 1971,
135:Paul Hart
83:1978–1995
21:Sky Group
1660:. London
1143:Timeline
929:drummer
578:Romantic
406:Oberheim
377:and the
346:Cavatina
235:Lou Reed
213:and the
209:for the
1904:Cadmium
1758:Discogs
1698:. 2002.
1696:Discogs
1664:15 June
1634:15 June
1481:Cadmium
1198:Cadmium
1067:Members
1047:Cadmium
903:Clannad
828:Bedrock
704:Beatles
635:Cadmium
614:Skylark
594:Mubarra
586:Berlioz
570:Fantasy
487:Cadmium
392:Glasgow
363:Britain
252:member
198:Changes
182:History
1553:
1287:, 2024
1213:(1987)
1211:Mozart
1207:(1985)
1201:(1983)
1193:(1982)
1185:(1981)
1177:(1980)
1169:(1979)
1039:Mozart
816:jingle
811:Mozart
786:Mozart
781:Mozart
706:song "
675:Mozart
357:Sky's
231:T. Rex
96:Arista
92:Ariola
88:Labels
46:Genres
36:Origin
1890:Sky 3
1883:Sky 2
1390:Sky 3
1182:Sky 3
1174:Sky 2
1019:Sky 3
1015:Sky 2
985:Sky 2
974:Sky 4
970:Sky 3
966:Sky 2
954:Sky 2
869:Ponzi
590:Ravel
552:Sky 3
475:Sky 3
414:Sky 2
309:Sky 2
1767:IMDb
1666:2013
1636:2013
1562:2023
1551:ISSN
1366:Prog
1319:2009
1256:Prog
1037:and
1021:and
1013:and
909:and
809:and
757:and
673:and
604:and
557:jazz
525:and
485:and
429:'s "
427:Bach
404:and
334:jazz
332:and
324:and
307:and
295:and
281:Lulu
241:").
237:'s "
229:and
156:jazz
1876:Sky
1803:Sky
1765:at
1763:Sky
1754:Sky
1166:Sky
1011:Sky
976:).
962:Sky
917:'s
770:Yes
463:MOR
444:BBC
305:Sky
148:Sky
30:Sky
1940::
1730:.
1712:.
1694:.
1656:.
1627:.
1609:,
1593:,
1577:,
1549:.
1545:.
1526:.
1488:^
1439:^
1419:^
1397:^
1373:^
1346:^
1327:^
1292:^
1263:^
1226:^
905:,
901:,
600:,
521:,
517:,
513:,
509:,
505:,
501:,
481:,
477:,
340:.
328:,
299:.
291:,
287:,
283:,
279:,
178:.
94:,
1795:e
1788:t
1781:v
1734:.
1716:.
1668:.
1638:.
1564:.
1530:.
1321:.
867:"
580:/
576:/
344:"
23:.
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