Andy Summers is 67 years old today.
And Pete Quaife is 66.
The two played instrumental roles in bands I love; The Police and The Kinks respectively. I was standing over the sink washing dishes when the local BBC radio station played songs by both bands and mentioned that today, Dec. 31, was the day both were born. As I scrubbed stir-fry residue from a wok, I thought about some of my favorite bands or performers that come from the UK. Below are a few of them in video form. No, they aren’t part of the British Invasion of my parent’s generation that was ushered in by the Beetles, but they weren’t far behind.

Andy Summers opens this favorite Police song of mine.

Yes, I know what the song is about, but you gotta understand the Kinks. They never took themselves that seriously.

These guys may have been some of the most preeminent musicians ever. I never get enough Yes.

Is it possible to make a list of great British bands without Queen? NO BODY has a voice like Freddie Mercury had. (I know, I know….and I’ll probably hear it from my mom).

They weren’t there in the beginning, but Genesis easily makes my list.

It is possible to go on and on but I’ll end this list with another of my favorite British bands with Pink Floyd, the musical equivalent of Fantasia…only better (by the way, which one’s Pink?)