IQ - How many of you on here

richardh wrote: I'll still stick with my opinion that IQ were (and for that matter still are) superior  to Marillion.Certified using phrases like 'contrapuntal inventiveness' doesn't impress me. It's not intended to be impressive, just an observation based on facts rather than opinion - to back up my assertion that at the time Marillion were the superior band, in simple disagreement with what you seemed to assert as fact! I read for a degree in music, which doesn't mean I know best, it just means that I talk in the language used to describe music at degree level without thinking about it sometimes. It's just a means of expression - nothing more. If you don't understand what it means, I can explain, although Google will probably do the job quite well! When people post opinion dressed as fact, I think it's unfair - hence my redressing of the balance. OK you prefer Marillion ...fair enough. But how you don't find very early IQ in the form of, say, 'The Last Human Gateway' ''inventive'' baffles me.I understand the points about 'The Wake' sounding like Genesis (it does!) but it still restored my faith in prog rock thanks to the 'going for it' attitude.Admittedly productionwise it's rough and ready but I love the rawness of it.Maybe IQ have gone on to better things with 'Ever','The Seventh House' and 'Dark Matter' but that's just part of a band growing up I suppose.As for Marillion I just find the first 3 albums lacking in dynamics compared to IQ's first 2. OK, you're presenting it as opinion now - I still disagree, I think Marillion had a far greater dynamic range, especially in the first 3 albums. Different strokes! Marillion seemed a lot more laboured in their attempts to be more precise. I don't understand that opinion, as I find them utterly seamless and precise in the first 3 albums - there seems to be no effort and it seems far from being laboured! The only IQ album I have heard ("The Wake") is the opposite... more different strokes, perhaps! IQ took more risks (careful - opinion presented as fact again!) and played 'on the edge' hence the mistakes.But it's like apples and oranges. My fave band ELP often made mistakes and could easily be considered inferior to other bands of the time like say Pink Floyd who took 'preciseness' to the nth degree.But then I appreciate bands that take risks.Prog is not for the 'lilly livered' IMO.

OK, I only took your initial post to task because it seemed to present the statement "IQ are superior to Marillion" as some kind of irrefutable fact. Naturally I refute it...

Being the absolutely newest member here I might as well take this opportunity to say that I do in fact worship IQ,I have other prog favourites of course (chiefly Camel), but no one shines with greater intensity than IQ for me in the entire history of Prog. And this is for one simple fact: The emotional intensity and sincerity in their music is much greater than any band I have ever heard,for me they manage to wrench the last drop of emotion from every note much more profoundly than anyone else. Like no other band they simply get me right where I live. But that's the purely subjective,emotional view. From an intellectual,objective view, most of the original prog bands from the 70's are of course better,but if your response to music is objective and intellectual,rather than subjective and emotional,then we're dealing with a very odd person indeed!

Most of anyone's response to music,whether it's Elton John or Stockhausen,is based on that person's emotional response to that music and my emotional response to IQ is more intense and immediate than with any other Prog band,therefore I rate them as the greatest Prog band for me personally. In compiling the greatest Prog bands of all time,a more objective approach would have to be put into effect and while I would definitely have included IQ, they would not have been at the very top since there are bands that were,and are,more original and innovative than IQ and they would have taken presedence over IQ in a ranking of that type,but as for pure,immediate emotional response,IQ will always be my favourites.

I mostly agree with my Pixel friend. I don't disregard 'The Wake', since I consider a prog masterpiece of the 80s, but yes, IQ's finest hour has been happening since 1993. These guys keep exploring in their own style coherently, while managing to improve their cohesiveness as an ensamble and incorporating new tricks that give their current repertoire an additional fresh air. Nicholls' singing has become more special, and has grown tremedously as a lyricist. As I stated somewhere else, the closing track to 'The Seventh House' (an album I enjoy less than 'Ever' and 'Subterranea') Guiding Light comprises one of the most moving set of lyrics I've known for the last years.

Certainly, one of the precursors of neo prog as many of you have added up in here. I don't think I'm much of an expert when it comes to IQ since I've only got 3 albums (but followed their prominent career); what I know is that "The Wake" is a determinant masterpiece to encourage the subsequent productions (and gems of neo prog rock), "The Seventh House" and "Dark Matter". Some other neo prog orientated bands, founded its beginnings on the IQ vein, that's for sure.

Regarding the issue about IQ relying on the GENESIS source, I think it's certainly false. As a precursor, the English neo prog band, came up with reinvented formulas, not copied or adopted. The sounds at some fragments may sound similar, since I believe a band has an iconic parameter to follow up and GENSIS was one of those to IQ; but the sound is completely different and renewed. IMHO, IQ is a proposing band, not a plagarist one.

I join in that bravo,a very good analysis of IQ.  And "The Enemy Smacks" had temporarily slipped my mind,Greenback. Another excellent IQ track and I look forward to that also getting the revamp treatment.

I have seen IQ a few times now as we are members of the CRS up in Rotherham UK (incidentally where IQ are playing at the awards night in November with Magenta)

I actually quite liked them the first time, it was the Subterranea tour I think as they had a projection backdrop that was very effective.

However, since then I've thought that Peter Nichols has become very operatic in his singing and performance and this becomes a bit irritating for me after a while. The albums I can take or leave they really do not do a lot for me but I admit they are a very good live band.

I was speaking to John Jowitt the Bass player of IQ last year when he was playing as part of the John Young Band and I told him that I enjoyed Jadis (one of his other bands) far more than IQ!!

Sorry about the constant plugging of you know who, I just can't help myself

Yes, I think that I have got into a lot of bands after we've seen them live, I suppose sometimes just listening to albums you can't always appreciate the musicianship and the sincerity of the band members.

It always amazes me how modest these wonderfully talented human beings are.