Soft Machine

Soft Machine are an English rock band from Canterbury, Kent. The band were formed in 1966 by Mike Ratledge, Robert Wyatt, Kevin Ayers, Daevid Allen and Larry Nowlin. Soft Machine were central in the Canterbury scene; they became one of the first British psychedelic acts, and later helped pioneer progressive and jazz rock, widely regarded as the first progressive rock band. Soft Machine's lineup has undergone many changes, and has included Andy Summers, Hugh Hopper, Elton Dean, John Marshall, Karl Jenkins, Roy Babbington and Allan Holdsworth. As of 2025, the current lineup consists of John Etheridge, Theo Travis, Fred Thelonious Baker and Asaf Sirkis. The band's name originates from William S. Burroughs's novel The Soft Machine.

Originating from the band The Wilde Flowers, Soft Machine began as a psychedelic rock band, releasing their self-titled debut album in 1968. Their second album, Volume Two (1969), marked their move towards progressive rock and jazz rock, which was fully realised with the subsequent two albums, Third (1970) and Fourth (1971). By 1971, Soft Machine became a purely instrumental jazz rock band, continuing this direction across their subsequent albums, Fifth (1972), Six, Seven (both 1973), Bundles (1975), Softs (1976), and Alive & Well (1978).