The "Soft Machine" was one of the most important band of the "Canterbury Scene" in the late 60s and early 70s. Their musical style that combined psychedelic rock, progressive rock and jazz rock influenced several bands and artists. The "Soft Machine" named after the book "The Soft Machine" by William S. Burroughs and the first line-up arises from the disbanded of a group called "Wilde Flowers". The "Soft Machine" were Robert Wyatt (drums and vocals), Kevin Ayers (bass), Daevid Allen (guitar) and Mike Ratledge (keyboards). Allen left the band before the issue of the first album (he then formed the "Gong") and Kevin Ayers left the "Soft Machine" a short later and was replaced by Hugh Hopper. After the acclaimed album "Third" (1970) and the following "Fourth" (1971), the band went to a musical direction more markedly jazz, this shift did not please to Robert Wyatt who left the band to form the "Matching Mole" that they were an ideal continuation of the work of the early Soft Machine. Unfortunately the "Matching Mole" broke up after about one year following the serious accident that cost to Wyatt paralysis. From the album "Fifth" (1972), the first without Robert Wyatt, joined the "Soft Machine" some ex members of a jazz rock band called "Nucleus": the double bassist Roy Babbington, the drummer John Stanley Marshall and mostly Karl Jenkins on sax e oboe, who became the leader of the band. In 1976 left the "Soft Machine" the last original member, Mike Ratledge and joined the band the guitarist Allan Holdsworth. The "Soft Machine" continued to perform until 1984 also if their last studio album is "Land of Cockayne" (1981).