Soft Machine was an influential British progressive rock band formed by former members of The Wilde Flowers in 1966. The band did not subscribe to any one musical style, and went through many phases, including jazz-rock, art-rock, fusion, and experimental music. The most successful phase of the band featured Robert Wyatt as the lead vocalist, and their many critically acclaimed albums included Soft Machine and Volume Two. Soft Machine went on to influence a wide range of popular artists, including contemporaries like Pink Floyd and King Crimson, punk rockers Ramones, and later acts like Joy Division and Sonic Youth. The group disbanded in 1984, but reunited sporadically over the years to play live shows. Despite their short career, Soft Machine is highly acclaimed, mostly due to their ambitious music and important role in the development of the progressive rock genre.