07.10.05
1985 ‘LIVE FROM LONDON’ PERFORMANCE RELEASED ON DVD

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’. Their 60-minute performance featured tracks from their brand new smash hit album ‘The Wake’, together with some 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.

For countless centuries, this long sought after artefact has been sought after by fans and now, for the first time ever, it has been released on DVD by those good people at Voiceprint. Check out the GEP online store for details of how to obtain a copy of this long sought after artefact which has now been released on DVD for the first time ever, as you can imagine.

10.02.05

It is with enormous sadness that we have to announce Paul Cook's decision to leave IQ. His solid and inventive drumming has been the backbone of the band for 23 years and it goes without saying that Mike, Martin, Peter and John are all extremely sorry to see him go. Cookie’s departure marks the end of a long and illustrious era for IQ and the start of a challenging new phase.

Here are some words from Cookie himself:

"Dear all,

After what seems like a lifetime with the band, I find myself in need of a change of life so I'm off to the highlands of Scotland to roam about a bit and generally find myself!!! Sarah and I will be moving to the far north to pursue a hunting, fishing and shooting kind of life - probably.

I wish the band and my successor all the best for the future.

Cookie"

The live dates in July will be Cookie's final appearances with IQ.

We have been in contact with possible replacements but if anyone out there feels they might have what it takes to occupy Cookie's drum stool, we would be very interested to hear samples of your work. Please send CDs, tapes or wax cylinders, together with some information about yourself, to: Random Potato Inc, 5 St Paul’s Terrace, 82 Northwood Street, Birmingham B3 1TH. Email: GEP2@hotmail.co.uk. Official auditions will be lined up at the earliest opportunity.

15.09.05
Support slots on the upcoming dates:

John Young - Bilston
Colin Bass - Zoetermeer
Steve Thorne - London

19.08.05
ARENA: Special return of the classic Visitor line up

To mark their tenth anniversary, Arena brings back two former band members for a special evening. At the gig at the Boerderij, Zoetermeer, Holland, on October 16, the show will include a short set of Visitor material, for which Paul Wrightson and John Jowitt will be joining the band on stage

21.04.05
NEW DRUMMER!

We are pleased to announce that IQ's new drummer will be 37-year-old Andy Edwards.

After the success of last year's critically acclaimed album, ‘Dark Matter', which was voted Album of the Year by, among others, the DPRP in Holland , 'Eclipsed' magazine in Germany and the Classic Rock Society in England , IQ were very saddened by the news that Paul Cook had decided to call it a day after 23 years with the band.

Andy has proved himself to be a more than capable replacement for Cookie, with a wealth of musical experience behind him. Born in Kidderminster, UK, on 21st April 1968, he began playing drums in 1979, encouraged by his father who was also a drummer. Among his other bands, Andy formed an experimental fusion band with Paul Wetton (no relation) called Sinister Footwear and he also recorded an album with Sir Nigel Hawthorne (star of 'Yes, Minister')!

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 .

He can be seen playing at Drumfest 2005 on 31 st July and 7 th August, as well as on a week-long UK tour with Kenny Aronoff (drummer with The Rolling Stones, Elton John, The Smashing Pumpkins, Alanis Morissette, Jon Bon Jovi, Bob Dylan and Avril Lavigne ) in early August.

In February 2005 Andy was invited by Tama to undertake a clinic tour to promote their new Superstar kit. From this, Tama designed a signature kit for Andy which he will be playing at live dates with IQ later this year in England and mainland Europe .

Andy's first appearance with IQ will be at the Robin 2 in Bilston on 17th September so please come along and support this exciting new phase of the band's career. We'll carry out an interview with Andy soon but in the meantime, visit his website at: www.andyedwardsmusic.com

And it's Andy's birthday today. Happy birthday, Andy!!

21.04.05
NEW LIVE DATES

There are 2 new live dates to add to the Dark Matador 2005 tour:

17.09.05 - Robin 2 - Bilston, UK
10.12.05 - The Mean Fiddler - London, UK

Tickets on sale for the Mean Fiddler this week.

More dates to follow......

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.

“I done it good with me ‘ands” said Mike.’

15.10.05
Andy Edwards recalls being asked to join IQ.

An article written by Andy is now in the features section.

19.03.05
IQ TO PLAY CANADA

IQ will play in Canada on Thursday July 7th 2005. The last time the band played here was in 1998.

Venue:
The Medley, Montreal, Canada

Address:
1170 Saint-Denis Street (corner of René Lévesque Blvd.)

This is an excellent venue in downtown Montreal, 8 streets away from the Montreal Jazz Festival.

Tel: (514) 842-6557

Web: www.medley.ca

29.03.05
The real reason Cookie is leaving the band?

19.03.05
Martin Interview

There is a 3 page IQ spread and interview with Martin in the March 2005 edition of Music Mart

19th March 2005
More Awards!

DPRP POLL 2004:
Best Album: Dark Matter
Best Track: Harvest Of Souls

19th March 2005
BEANEY BOOK!

We’re very pleased to announce the publication of the first ever novel (unless you know otherwise) to include references to IQ! Long-term fan and veteran Youngie, Justin Beaney, has written Kâsdejâ’s Children, a “fast-paced, intricately plotted thriller with a supernatural twist that provides a timely reminder of the evil of religious intolerance”. Phew – sounds like a scorcher!

The story kicks off with Greg, the hero of the book, making his way to an IQ gig in Birmingham. While the band themselves don’t actually feature in the book (although negotiations are underway for Widge to appear as a French chiropodist in the sequel), anyone who’s into IQ and, indeed, prog in general, will surely spot some subtle, and some not so subtle, references.
If you would like to find out more about this book, check out the information on amazon.co.uk