August 2012:
Birdman films (the company producing the Subterranea movie based on IQ's classic concept album) have launched a Kickstarter fundraising campaign. Anyone with an interest in the band or the movie is able to pledge an amount to help ensure the film gets the funding it needs.
SUBTERRANEA 2012
IQ return to The Met, Bury on November 10th 2012 to perform their 'Subterrnaea' album in its entirety. This may be the only
UK Subterranea show so, as always with Bury, a sell out is expected. Tickets on sale soon.
Video of the live rehearsals here below + the final line upp.
Paul Menel the ex-singer of IQ, hits the road with John Jowitt.
Jan 2011:
IQ's Tim Esau is back; read more here.
Bass player John Jowitt has left IQ. read more here.
November:
We are delighted to welcome new keyboard player Neil Durant to the IQ family.
read more here.
Tour dates with dates in De Boerderij, Belgium, Germany & UK and more?
October 2010:
Mark Westworth to leave: read more here.
Sympho-band in the slipstream of Marrilion. They, Martin Offord and Mike Holmes, started in the New Wave and punk era as The Lens. A CeeDee (A World in your Eye) was released and let us hear a mix of Camel, Steve Hackett, Pink Floyd and Orzic Tentacles. It didn't worked for that moment and so IQ was born:
Peter Nichols - vocals,
Paul Cook- drums,
Tim Esau- bass,
Mike Holmes - guitar,
Martin Orford - keyboards, flute and sax.
They first released a cassette Seven Stories Into Eight ('82), followed by
first vinyl album called Tales From The Lush Attic ('83). Prog from the eighties, Pete sounds a bit like
Peter Gabriel, and yeah still impressive.
The Wake was their next album and Nichols left to form Niadem's Ghost.
Their third studio album, Nomzamo ('87), was
recorded with the new vocalist, Paul Menel.
It seemed that the albums Nomzamo (with the single Promises '87) and Are you
sitting comfortable ('88) IQ reached more audience. Certainly the last mentioned
album is great!
Menet en Essau leave and Nichols sings again in IQ. The bassist Les Marshall died tragically; committing
suicide.
Then Jown Jowitt (ex-Ark, The First) showed up ('91).
The double-live
album from '96 is very enjoyable;
Mike Holmes,
Paul Cook,
Peter Nicolls,
John Jowitt &
Martin Orford
Martin Orford and John Jowitt have in the meantime started another project; Jadis, with guitarist Gary Chandler.
Subterranae is from '97, some people find this their best album, so listen for your
self.
A live concert version, Subterranea: The Concert is also available on both CD and DVD.
The seventh House ('01) is nice again. Complex riffs of more instruments at the same time are very difficult to play. If you like "Subterranea" and earlier records, this one may not be absent in your collection.
Paul Cook,
Michael Holmes,
John Jowitt,
Pete Nicols,
Martin Orford &
Tony Wright - sax.
They' did a wonderful gig in Vervier, Spirit Of 66, ('03) and John came back in his underwear for the last encore....
The 20th Annirversery DVD came out in 2004. with a lot of extra's and a nice setlist.
New IQ album Dark Matter ('04)(seems Peter Nicholls' store of less than joyful lyrical subject matter hasn't been depleted yet). The record will boast five tracks:
Sacred Sound
Red Dust Shadow
You Never Will
Born Brilliant
Harvest of Souls
Michael Holmes: guitars
John Jowitt: bassm backing vocals
Peter Nicholls: vocals Martin Orford: keys, backing vocals
A great album, pure Symfo, 4 wonderful adventureous proggy songs and one great epic called "Harvest of Souls"! Well done my friends. It will end up high in my favourites of 2004.
Highly Recommended!.
News: April 2005:Paul Cook has decided to call it a day after 23 years with the band...
The new drummer will be 37-year-old Andy Edwards.
In 1997 Andy was asked to play a local gig with Robert Plant which led to the formation of The Priory of Brion and around 100 gigs all over Europe alongside B B King, Skunk Anansie and Billy Cobham at some of the great music festivals. In 2000 Andy became an endorsee of Tama drums, Meinl cymbals and Aquarian drum heads, and he is a regular clinician, playing alongside such drumming luminaries as Simon Phillips, Steve Smith and Thomas Lang. After touring with Thomas Lang on his UK clinic tour, Andy set up his own drum school in Cradley Heath, West Midlands.
25.10.05
IQ to contribute to the benefit CD for survivors of Hurricane Katrina.
Mike is currently working on a piece for the benefit CD for survivors of Hurricane Katrina. It’s a reworking
of the track ‘Subterranea’ taken from the album ‘Oh Subterranea, Impala that you are’. The track is called
‘Chemical rain’ and is 5 minutes and 25 seconds long.
1985 IQ 'Live From London' Performance Released on DVD ('05).
The date: 13th May 1985, many hundreds of years ago. The venue: London’s Camden Palace. In
the time of big hair, long fringes and dog collars, IQ were filmed onstage for the TV show
‘Live From London’.
In a 60-minute performance, they played tracks from their brand new smash hit album ‘The
Wake’, together with a selection of old favourites. The full set was: Awake and Nervous,
Outer Limits, It All Stops Here, Just Changing Hands, The Wake, The Magic Roundabout,
Widow’s Peak, The Thousand Days and Corners.
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pictures by Pierre Romainville. |
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Setlist of The Spirit of 66:
01. Failsafe | . |
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12. The Darkest Hour 13. NTOC / TTC 14. Outer Limit / Sweet Caroline States Quo! 15. Gateway. and yes no Wake! | . |
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Picture by Jean Luc.
Wonderful gig!
From the opening images on the three screens till the last hilarious credit titles.
Pete got still that amazing etheral voice (something like Jon Anderson?) and that great
ability to interact with the audience (if nescessseray only with the
his eyes). He's got that stage charisma like a Peter Gabriel, so always nice to watch.
On the right of him was standing Mike Holmes, sometimes the opposite, looks like an older
settled houseman... just doing his job perfectly with amazing guitarriffs and solo's. And then
realizing he's on stage, funny, happy and spreading out that he's got a good time.
Johnny Jowitt (aka Big Bush Pants) and his bass (-es), he walks arround how normally the
leading guitarplayer does.
He stirs up the enthousiasm of the crowed, changes basses like David Gilmour changes
guitars, and plays them like hell. And as always dressed up well. A wonderful chap.
Mr Ken Bodfish (aka Martin Orford) hiding behind his keyboards & organ, sometime jumping of
and showing that he's freaking out too. Don't want to mention his ability on the
keys... that stands for it self.
The new drummer, Andy Edwards... just so short related with the band and playing if he
was there for ages. Great drummer dares to improvise and is well accepted in the band.
The sound was incredible well, thanks to Rob Aubrey.
Read a great review at DPRP.
Martin Orford said farewell to the band and he wants to stop with his musical career. Very sad sad news indeed.
Mark Westworth is the new keybaord wizard. Mark played in Darwin's Radio.
The much discussed vinyl pressing of IQ's 2004 album Dark Matter will finally be released on the Primal Vinyl label. The record will be pressed on 180g vinyl and presented in a de-luxe gatefold sleeve. Although not strictly a limited edition, the run will be for 1500 albums and at this stage it's not expected to be re-pressed beyond that quantity.
IQ: have now finally finished the mixing of their new album entitled Frequency - their longest single album to date at a running time of 62 minutes and 2 seconds ...
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1. Frequency (8:29) 2. Life support (6:28) 3. Stronger than friction (10:32) 4. One fatal mistake (4:54) 5. Ryker skies (9:45) 6. The province (13:43) 7. Closer (8:11) |
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They are now working on the audio mix of the DVD for the special edition of the album... Here are some IQ tour dates:
Live pictures June 2010.
As of yesterday (30th July 2010) GEP are shipping the 4 disc version - 25th Anniversary Edition of "The Wake"...
To celebrate the 25th anniversary of IQ´s classic album “The Wake“, GEP is to release an extraordinary 4 disc edition of this recording.The 4-disc-boxed set includes:
• the remastered version of the album
• two additional discs with:
**work in progress
**rough mixes
**studio outtakes
**demos
**writing sessions
• a fourth disc containing:
** minutes of ultra-rare live video from 1984 (the oldest existing footage of the band)
** a full album video commentary by Peter Nicholls, Mike Holmes and Paul Cook
** the multitrack files for a DIY-mix of the song “Corners“
** tons of additional audio-material and interviews as mp3 files.
• a 60-page-full-colour-booklet, featuring new artwork, unseen photographs, memorabila and a documentary of the album´s history with contributions from all members of the band.
• a double sided poster featuring the original album artwork
2011:
So after som hassling the 2011 line upp will be:
Neil Durant - Keyboards
Tim Esau - Bass
Michael Holmes - Guitar
Peter Nicholls - Vocals
Brand new YouTube of the first rehearsals.
Tour dates 2011!
SOLO / SESSION:
JOHN JOWITT
Read more about John and his loads of session work at his own page: Ark, Jadis, IQ, Arena, Frost, Neo, Blind Ego, Paul Menel Band and more.
NEWS Jan 2010:
Former iQ vocalist Paul Menel has been working on a new solo album with amongst others John Jowitt (ex-Arena, ex-iQ)
and John Mitchell (Arena, Frost* and pretty much every other band in the universe).
The full band line-up is as follows:
Ian Diment (co writer / keyboards)
John Mitchell (guitar)
John Jowitt (bass guitar)
Bill Devey (drums)
Mat Taylor (sax, flute)
Emma Skipp (backing vocals)
Tour dates.
John Mitchell will not join the band on their tour, John Jowitt and guitarist Steve Haris (Ark) will hit the road with Paul.
MARTIN ORFORD: Classical Music and Popular Songs.
John Wetton,
Dave Kilminster played with John Wetton, Ken Hensley and now in Roger Waters band ('06),
Tony Wright,
Gary Chandler and more members of Jadis
& IQ.
It resulted in a wonderful mixture of some light classical piano pieces, a couple of lost
IQ tracks, some nice pop songs and a few prog rock pieces with folky influences.
He put a band together, The Martin Orford Band, and did a few shows ('01):
Martin Orford - key, electronic sax, vocals,
John Jowitt (Jadis, IQ) - bass,
Mark Westwood - guitar (Dirtbox)
Steven Christy (Jadis) - drums.
Martin Orford and John Jowitt are full members of; Jadis, with guitarist Gary Chandler.
He did a guest appearance on Parallel or 90 Degrees, see
Guy Manning.
Martin Orford has released his solo album called The Old Road. At the time of writing, the Aubitt-website informs us that there's just one more part to lay down, which is a vocal by John Wetton. Martin's employed an all star cast, including Peter Nichols (vocals on one track), Paul Cook, Nick d'Virgilio Spocks Beard and Steve Christey on drums, Gary Chandler, and Mike Holmes (guitars), Steve Thorne (acoustic guitars) and John Jowitt on bass.
News August 2007:
Martin has left IQ.
October 2007;
All the best,
Martin Orford."
About downloading:
"With regard to the downloading thing, personally I'm not impressed if we have 2 million fans that download for free - they're no use to us whatsoever and I'd rather have just one that actually buys the CDs. Because if everyone expects to get music for free, all the middle ground of the music business (and that includes IQ) will disappear. And all that will be left are the amateur no-hopers and the superstars. The rest of us will all have given up due to lack of funding. This is not something that could happen, it's happening already, and based on current trends I give bands like IQ and record companies like GEP a life-expectancy of 5 years at best.
New solo album by former IQ keyboardist Martin Orford ...
"The Old Road" is an album in the good old musical tradition of IQ and Jadis with a release date of 10th November on the InsideOut label. Special guests are John Wetton (Asia), John Mitchell (It Bites, Kino, Frost), Gary Chandler (Jadis), Nick D'Virgilio (Spock's Beard), a.o.
Nick D'Virgilio - drums & tambourine, (Spocks Beard),
Mike Holmes - harmony guitars, (IQ),
John Mitchell - lead guitar, (Arenea, It Bites),
Dave Meros - bass & fretless bass, (Spocks Beard),
John Wetton - vocals & bass, (Asia, UK),
Steve Thorne - vocals, bass harmonica, guitars, percussion
Colm Murphy - fiddle,
Dave Oberle - backing vocals & tambourine,
David Longdon - lead vocals,
Andy Edwards - drums (IQ) &
Martin - vocals, keyboards, guitars, Flute, piano, Moog Taurus Pedals, bass
Rob Audrey - enginering & mixing &
Tony Lythgoe - beautiful artwork.
01. Grand Designs 02. Power And Speed 03. Ray Of Hope 04. Take It To The Sun 05. Prelude 06. The Old Road 07. Out In The Darkness 08. The Time And The Season 09. Endgame |
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Session for:
Martin Darvill & Friends Greatest Show on Earth (2000).
Ayeron ('04).
Lee Abraham ('04), see Galahad.
Martin plays flute on Guy Manning's (2006).
The D Project (Shimmerimg Lights, with Fred Schendel (Glasshammer) and Thomas Bodin (Flower Kings)).
Big Big Train ('10).
Steve Thorne (2012).
Martin Orford, Pete Nicholls & John Jowitt are joining ProgAID ('05 you'll find a interview with Martin there too) and
The Tsunami Project with Spocks Beard ('05).
Martin, John and Paul did some session for Steve Thorne ('05).
The sad news is that you Paul will leave the band...
Symfo-Index.
Thanks to John Jowitt & Pierre, please take a look at his site &
Jean Luc's site.
These Tour CDs (Archive Collection Volumes 2 and 3) will be limited to 1000 copies each and will be on sale at the concerts in November and December. For those of you unable to attend these shows, the discs will also be available by mail order at a later date, details to be announced shortly.
The full track listings are as follows:
1. Frequency (Alternative Mix, from ‘Frequency’ sessions, 2008)
2. Already Gone (From ‘Frequency’ sessions, 2008)
3. Lost In Paradise (From 'The Tsunami Projekt', 2005)
4. Crazy Horses (Live at the Mean Fiddler, London: December 15, 2001)
5. Corners (Original Demo, January 1985)
6. Suffragette City (From ‘Frequency’ sessions, 2008)
7. Crashed And Burned (Stronger Than Friction) (Live at De Boerderij, Zoetermeer: December 1, 2007
1. The Province (Studio Outtake, from ‘Frequency’ sessions, 2008)
2. One Fatal Mistake (Extended Version, from ‘Frequency’ sessions, 2008)
3. Chemical Rain (From ‘After The Storm’, 2005)
4. Jet (Live at the Mean Fiddler, London: December 15, 2001)
5. Outer Limits (Original Demo, January 1985)
6. Frequency (Live at De Boerderij, Zoetermeer: December 1, 2007)