The Wake (IQ album)

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The Wake is the third studio album by the British neo-progressive rock band IQ and was released in 1985. It entered the UK album chart on 22 June 1985, one week before Marillion's Misplaced Childhood album. Reviewed in Kerrang! magazine, both albums were equally praised. It is the only album by IQ to enter the UK album chart, spending one week at 72.

An associated single release, "Barbell is In", was a "white reggae" song along the lines of Led Zeppelin's "D'yer Mak'er". The band were reportedly amused when the single reached no. 7 in the British heavy metal chart.

The cover art is by lead singer Peter Nicholls. Most of the characters in the image are original, but the central character is based on Rae Dawn Chong wearing clay face (and body) paint as Ika in the film Quest for Fire (1981). However, according to Nicholls, many of the band's fans 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 clearly shown on the wall behind Thom Yorke. The photograph was taken at Abingdon School.

Track listing

1. "Outer Limits" – 8:15
2. "The Wake" – 4:12
3. "The Magic Roundabout" – 8:18
4. "Corners" – 6:20
5. "Widow's Peak" – 9:12
6. "The Thousand Days" – 5:12
7. "Headlong" – 7:25

Bonus tracks:

8. "Dans le Parc du Château Noir" – 7:37
9. "The Thousand Days" (demo) – 3:55
10. "The Magic Roundabout" (demo) – 6:27

Personnel

• Paul Cook – drums and percussion
• Tim Esau – bass guitar
• Mike Holmes – guitars and sitar
• Peter Nicholls – vocals and tambourine
• Martin Orford – flute, keyboards and backing vocals

Production

• Tim Esau – producer
• Mike Holmes – producer
• Harum Coombes – engineer
• Peter Nicholls – artwork

Charts

Album

Year	Chart	Position
1985	UK Album Chart	72