''The Wake'' is the second studio album by British
neo-progressive rock band
IQ, released in June 1985 by Sahara Records. Recorded at Falconer Studios in London from March to April 1985, it was produced by Mike Holmes and Tim Esau.
Release and reception
''The Wake'' is IQ's only album to reach the
UK Charts, peaking at number 72 with a stay of one week.
''The Wake'' has been described by
AllMusic
AllMusic (previously known as All-Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the dat ...
as "definitely a classic" which "helped define what neo-progressive was and generated dozens of sound-alike albums." The review argued that it "remains the band's true classic, a must-have for anyone remotely interested in progressive rock from the 1980s."
Sleeve art
The cover art was designed by lead singer Peter Nicholls. In the image, most of the characters are original, except the central one, which is based on Canadian actress
Rae Dawn Chong
Rae Dawn Chong (born February 28, 1961) is a Canadian-American actress. She made her big screen debut appearing in the 1978 musical drama film '' Stony Island'', and in 1981 starred in the fantasy film '' Quest for Fire'', for which she received ...
wearing clay face paint as Ika in the film ''
Quest for Fire'' (1981). However, according to Nicholls, many fans of the band misinterpreted this as a self-portrait, since he wore extensive stage makeup at the time.
In what is thought to be the earliest photograph ever taken of the band
Radiohead, a poster of ''The Wake'' is shown on the wall behind
Thom Yorke at
Abingdon School
Abingdon School is a day and boarding independent school for boys in Abingdon-on-Thames, Oxfordshire, England. The twentieth oldest independent British school, it celebrated its 750th anniversary in 2006. The school was described as "highly ...
.
Track listing
Personnel
IQ
*
Peter Nicholls – vocals and
tambourine
The tambourine is a musical instrument in the percussion family consisting of a frame, often of wood or plastic, with pairs of small metal jingles, called " zills". Classically the term tambourine denotes an instrument with a drumhead, thou ...
; design and illustration
*Mike Holmes – guitars; production
*Tim Esau – bass; production
*
Martin Orford – synthesizer, organ,
Mellotron
The Mellotron is an electro-mechanical musical instrument developed in Birmingham, England, in 1963. It is played by pressing its keys, each of which pushes a length of magnetic tape against a capstan, which pulls it across a playback head. ...
,
flute and backing vocals
*Paul Cook – drums and percussion
Technical personnel
*Harun Coombes – engineer
*George Bodnar – cover photography
Charts
References
External links
IQ Official Website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Wake, The
IQ (band) albums
1985 albums