The Neo-Progressive movement
IQ were one of a small number of British bands formed during the early 1980s, including Marillion, Pendragon, Twelfth Night, Pallas, and Quasar that continued with the progressive rock style forsaken by 1970s bands such as Genesis and Yes. The music press coined the phrase neo-progressive to describe these bands, often accusing them of simply copying the styles of other bands. This accusation has been strenuously denied by IQ, which are against of the use of the term "neo progressive"and claim to have a wide-ranging and eclectic selection of musical influences.
The line-up
From 1982, the line-up consisted of Peter Nicholls (vocals), Mike Holmes (guitar), Martin Orford (keyboards), Paul Cook (drums), and Tim Esau (bass). Nicholls left in 1984 to form a new band, Niadem's Ghost, and was replaced by Paul (P. L.) Menel, but subsequently returned in 1990. Nicholls also created the cover art for most of the albums on which he appears. In early 2005 member Paul Cook left the band, and was replaced on drums by Andy Edwards. On 20 July 2007 Martin Orford announced he was leaving IQ and was replaced by Mark Westworth from prog-rock band Darwin's Radio. Despite his departure, Martin continues to run the band's label GEP and is still closely involved with the band, although he announced in late 2008 that he will leave the music business entirely and hand over the reins of GEP to someone else (as yet unnamed) in early 2009.
Musical style
The band's musical style, especially earlier in their career, was reminiscent of Peter Gabriel and Steve Hackett era Genesis because of singer Peter Nicholls' vocal and stage-presence similarities to Gabriel and keyboardist Martin Orford's grandiose keyboarding. However, guitarist Mike Holmes' role was far more assertive in the band, giving them a harder edge musically. After Nicholls' departure, the band's style became increasingly commercial and radio-friendly - albeit without much success - on Nomzamo (1987) and Are You Sitting Comfortably? (1989), although each album still featured some progressive rock-style tracks. Beginning with Nicholls's return on 1993's Ever, the band returned to its prog rock roots, with longer tracks featuring intricate arrangements and complex musicianship.
Band members
Current members
Peter Nicholls – vocals, backing vocals (1981–1986, 1993–)
Mike Holmes – guitars (1981–)
Paul Cook – drums (1982–2005, 2009–)
John Jowitt – bass guitar, backing vocals (1993–)
Mark Westworth – keyboards (2008–)
[edit] Former members
Martin Orford – keyboards, backing vocals (1981–2007)
Paul (P.L.) Menel – vocals (1986–1990)
Tim Esau – bass guitar (1981–1990)
Les 'Ledge' Marshall – bass guitar (1990)
Mark Ridout – drums (1981–1982)
Andy Edwards – drums (2006–2008)
Discography
Albums
Seven Stories into Eight (cassette) (1982)
Tales from the Lush Attic (1983)
The Wake (1985)
Nomzamo (1987)
Are You Sitting Comfortably? (1989)
Ever (1993)
Subterranea (1997)
The Seventh House (2000)
Dark Matter (2004)
Frequency (2009)
Live Albums
Living Proof (live) (1986)
J'ai Pollette D'arnu (1991) (b-sides and live tracks)
Forever Live (1996)
Subterranea : The Concert (2000)
The Archive Collection: IQ20 (2003) ("official bootleg" of live concert)
Compilations
Nine in a Pond is Here (1985) ("official bootleg" of demos etc, CD version is abridged)
Seven Stories into Ninety Eight (1998) (original 1982 album plus new re-recorded version)
1. Capital Letters (In Surgical Spirit Land) 2. About Lake Five 3. Intelligence Quotient 4. For Christ's Sake 5. Barbell Is In 6. Fascination 7. For The Taking 8. It All Stops Here 9. Eloko Bella Neechi
The Lost Attic (1999) (rarities)
Limited edition Frequency Tour CD 1 (2008) (rarities and live tracks)
Limited edition Frequency Tour CD 2 (2008) (rarities and live tracks)
[edit] Videos
Forever Live (VHS/CD set 1996, DVD set 2007)
Subterranea : The Concert (DVD, 2000)
IQ20 - The Twentieth Anniversary Show (VHS 2000, DVD 2004)
Live From London (DVD, recorded 13 May 1985 in London, 2005)
IQ Stage (DVD, 2006)
Harvest Of Souls
I.Q. Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Long before the living past
Had ripped it all apart
Something still remained
Until It flashed back to the start
Where it stands, nobody saw
Behind the blackest eyes
It pays to advertise wisely
Day after day with you in my head
I said some things I shouldn't have said
For reasons unknown that I now forget
I gave you no love, which I now regret
What I'd give to hear again
Those everlasting songs
Why did all the accidents
Contrive to fall at once?
Only day after day
With you in my thoughts
I never knew time was so short
For once in my life I wasn't alone
With blood on my hands,
How could I have known?
Used to be the great white hope
Once I walked on water
Now I barely stay afloat
Balance out of order
With every sympathy worn away
Who can I return to now?
For the time that I have left
I scan that cold horizon
Searching for a kindred soul,
Someone to rely upon
We disconnected and Heaven sent
Sheltered in dead air,
Hidden everywhere
II. The Wrong Host
The sky lights up above America
The world is lost but loves America
When the eyes of children
See the ones left standing
And the rest begin to finally understand
The hand of God defends America
And who would not defend America?
We've got light on our side
We're in pole position
So praise the Lord
And raise the ammunition high
Raise it high
Hide where you can
We will shoot you where you stand
I've walked a million miles
Upon an open road
And once in every while
Without the will to carry on
Hours held me too long
In one location
An old familiar tale,
A glory to behold
A work of genius,
The greatest story ever sold
As you sign on the line,
As you do what you're told
All you sell is your soul
I've been this way before
I've seen it many times
Collision on the track
The fiction turning into fact
No-one dares to look back
Best you start to prepare
For the harvest ahead
All you lose is yourself
III. Nocturne
I'm brought to life with a series of shocks
I realise that you are gone from my life
And still I cling to the fear of the dark
Don't follow them for
They don't care how you are
And I'm finding a way of being
Accepting life all alone
And I'm hoping I'll wake up seeing
A way to live on my own
It wasn't hard to believe in the lie
Although I've come to know it wasn't my fault
Why does the world continue to spin
While everything around me grinds to a halt?
And I'm finding a way of being
Accepting life all alone
And I'm hoping I'll wake up seeing
A way to live on my own
IV. Frame And Form
Mine is a real fine line
I get harder the higher I climb
Shine like a star so bright
Anybody can see anytime
No-one will want to follow
This will be gone tomorrow
We enter an age of permanent doubt
Where we communicate without words
But I must be heard
So I cut through the smoke and the noise
Mine is a real fine line
It imagines it's one of a kind
Goodbye to all expression
Farewell to superstition
We enter an age of permanent doubt
Where we communicate without words
And the noise expands
As it covers the lie of the land
Shine like a star so bright
Till we shut out the light,
Put out the fire
Cut through the smoke and the noise
Lately I've been talking to myself
Been remembering and doing little else
The road ahead is anything but clear
Last time around, where did we go from here?
V. Mortal Procession
What about some golden hours?
I was alive, certainly you were wrong
Anyone can be persuaded
Given the time, we all scream alone
What about this good for nothing season again?,
Everything's come and gone
And I can't believe that I'm not watching you
I'm in a sorry state
Return to ordinary thoughts now
If you can
The words I hardly understand
Gather 'round me while I wait
What about those colder rewards
Arming against lost intelligence?
Anyone who saw me crawling there
Would have known that I was normal once
Return to ordinary thoughts
Too young to take the stand
But old enough to kill anyone
HA!
In the days when love divided up the looks
No drastic means were used
Like rod and hooks
To enhance what nature's sculptor
Had designed
No augmentation needed to refine
In the valley of the dollar, we rejoice
For plastic is the currency of choice
And beauty born is strictly for the birds
Your cash is fine but credit is preferred
When I held myself aloft,
I walked across the water
Now I barely cut across,
Lives are getting shorter
And they open up another door
To a border far below
For the time that I'm allowed,
There's a new horizon
But a soul as cold as ice
Is nothing to rely upon
If I'm hanging onto angels' wings
Then I'm safer in the air
Do I still qualify, suspended from on high?
No other sanctuary have I
VI. Ghosts Of Days
And when the eyes of children
See past the ones left standing
And the time has surely come
To understand who we are
Slowly the fires are burning
Bearing their silent witness
And the living past returns
To reap the Harvest of Souls
The song "Harvest of Souls" by IQ is rich with deep and intriguing lyrics that touch on a variety of themes. "First of the Last" is the first section of the song and it speaks of the past and how it has affected the present. The singer expresses his desire to go back to the time of everlasting songs, but the accidents that happened all at once prevented it from happening. The lyrics also touch on regret and the realization of having taken someone for granted. The singer feels that he missed the opportunity of showing someone love when he had the chance. And now, with every sympathy worn away, he searches for a kindred soul, someone to depend on, but he finds himself disconnected and sheltered in dead air.
"The Wrong Host" is the second section and it is more political in nature. The singer talks of America and how everyone is willing to defend it because God is on their side. The lyrics reveal a sense of fear and insecurity as he repeatedly tells those who are against them to hide or face the consequences of their actions. The singer also talks of a personal journey, walking miles on an open road and sometimes finding himself paralyzed by fears that don't allow him to carry on. Finally, the lyrics paint a picture of a collision on the track of life, where the fiction is turning into fact and nobody dares to look back. The harvest of souls is coming, and it's important to prepare for it.
"Nocturne" is the third section and it speaks of the fear of the dark, the loss of a loved one and the realization that it wasn't your fault. Acceptance of life all alone is the theme that runs through these lyrics, and the singer hopes to find a way to live on his own.
"Frame and Form" is the fourth section, and it talks about the importance of being heard amid the smoke and noise. The theme of doubt and lack of expression runs through the lyrics as the singer laments that nobody follows him, and doubts permeate everything. The lyrics also touch on the impermanence of things and how communication is changing without words.
"Mortal Procession" is the fifth section, and it speaks of the past when love didn't require drastic means like augmentation to refine. Plastic has now become the currency of choice, and beauty born is strictly for the birds. The singer laments that he is nothing to rely on, and if he is hanging onto angels' wings, then he is safer in the air.
"Ghosts of Days" is the final section and it speaks of the time of reckoning. The fires are burning, and the silent witness is bearing the testimony of the living past. The harvest of souls is coming, where everyone will reap what they had sowed.
Line by Line Meaning
First Of The Last
Looking back in time, before the world was destroyed, there was something that remained. But even that has reset to the beginning.
The Wrong Host
A call to arms for America to defend itself from its enemies. The singer believes their side has God on their side and will win.
Nocturne
The singer is struggling to come to terms with the loss of someone important in their life and is afraid of the dark.
Frame And Form
The artist talks about our current era of constant doubt and noise, and how they must cut through it to be heard and find truth.
Mortal Procession
The artist reflects on lost love, plastic surgery, and how intelligence is being lost. They feel like they are running out of time and there is no sanctuary left.
Ghosts Of Days
Children can see past the superficial and understand who we truly are. The fires of the past return to reap the consequences of our actions, symbolized as the Harvest of Souls.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA/AMCOS
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