SKY - CANNONBALL

Released: May 4, 1979

Album: Sky

In 1979, at the height of progressive rock’s experimentation and just before the new wave took over radio waves, a group of virtuoso musicians released an instrumental track that fused classical technique with rock energy. That group was Sky, and the song was “Cannonball.” As its name suggests, the piece came out like a blast—loud, fast, precise, and unstoppable.

Formed in the late 1970s, Sky was a supergroup in the truest sense. It brought together australian classically trained guitarist John Williams, harpsichordist and keyboardist Francis Monkman (formerly of Curved Air), electric guitarist Kevin Peek, bassist Herbie Flowers (best known for his work on Lou Reed’s “Walk on the Wild Side”), and drummer Tristan Fry, who had played with the Academy of St Martin in the Fields.

“Cannonball” appears on “Sky”, the band’s debut album released in June 1979, which enters the UK Albums Charts. It was one of the standout tracks, known for its blazing tempo and technical precision. Built around a relentless, driving motif, “Cannonball” is something like a baroque fugue being shot out of a machine gun. Monkman’s synthesizers whirl and jab, Fry’s drumming is ferocious and locked-in, and the interplay between electric and classical guitars gives the piece its distinctive tension between elegance and chaos.

Sky wasn’t a rock band in the traditional sense. They didn’t sing. They didn’t write chart-topping ballads. Instead, they blurred the lines between genres: part classical ensemble, part prog-rock juggernaut, part jazz fusion outfit. Their live performances often included Bach preludes, Latin dances, and electric improvisation—all in the same set. “Cannonball” encapsulated this ethos: it was fast, dramatic, and intellectually demanding, but also undeniably thrilling. It stood as proof that instrumental virtuosity could still move crowds and sell records.