IQ rarities question

**progfan915** · 04-15-2015

I used to have Nine in a Pond is Here on CD. I loved the three original songs on there (intelligence quotient, fascination, it all stops here) so I made (poor quality) MP3 files of them and sold the disc. I am now regretting this. Should I try and find it again, or check out "seven stories into 98" which seems to have two versions of each of these songs, although both versions seem different than the ones I am used to? I'm worried I would not like them as much. I'm guessing Nine in a Pond has P. Menel on vocals whereas the other one had P. Nicholls?

Any thoughts or suggestions? Thanks!

**Paulrus** · 04-16-2015

I've never seen Nine in a Pond is Here on CD, so other than a rip of it from some torrent your only option are things like Seven Stories into 98. I think the band are happy about this because they consider the earlier versions inferior.

Anyways, that's been my experience as an IQ fan since 1990 or so.

**Crystal Plumage** · 04-16-2015

Originally Posted by progfan915

I'm guessing Nine in a Pond has P. Menel on vocals whereas the other one had P. Nicholls?

You're correct. TTBOMK these were reheasals for upcoming gigs. A bit raw and probably not even intended for release. The UGUM CD is possibly a bootleg?
Not sure about the LP which even had more tracks.

**Dodie** · 04-16-2015

But those songs on Nine In A Pond aren't the originals - those songs were all on the early EP Seven Into Eight, which was IQ's first recording (before Tales From The Lush Attic).
The original EP is included with the lush remixed Tales boxed set (which is vastly superior to the old bungled mix).
But I much prefer the 1998 re-recorded versions on Seven Into Ninety Eight, which I'd say is essential for IQ fans (and also featured the original EP versions on a bonus disc)

**iguana** · 04-16-2015

i have the old “j’ai pollette d’arnu”, IQ’s first release on their own GEP label. that contains the “nine in a pond”-ep and some bonus live tracks. no idea whether “the lost attic” is still available. excellent set.´of rarities. “seven stories into ‘98” happens to contain my favourite version of “it all stops here”.

**PeterG** · 04-16-2015

I haven't got any true rarities as such, but I have got "Are You Sitting Comfortably?" on original vinyl from 89. And I have got "The Wake" in its first CD version....you remember of course when two whole pages at the back of CD booklets were taken up with waffle about compact disc as a format.

**iguana** · 04-16-2015

Originally Posted by PeterG

I haven't got any true rarities as such, but I have got "Are You Sitting Comfortably?" on original vinyl from 89. And I have got "The Wake" in its first CD version....you remember of course when two whole pages at the back of CD booklets were taken up with waffle about compact disc as a format.

oh yes. and now people are climbing over themselves to get back into vinyl…

and i have the old “aysc” LP as well … with a photo of road crew legend lol dyer sporting a dapper CARDiACS t-shirt. not to derail this thread … the mellotron on “a little man” actually belonged to IQ’s martin orford.

**Paulrus** · 04-16-2015

Originally Posted by iguana

i have the old “j’ai pollette d’arnu”, IQ’s first release on their own GEP label. that contains the “nine in a pond”-ep and some bonus live tracks. no idea whether “the lost attic” is still available. excellent set.´of rarities. “seven stories into ‘98” happens to contain my favourite version of “it all stops here”.

Ah yes -- that was my first ever IQ acquisition way back when. I think I bought it just so I could get my hands on "Intelligent Quotient".

The prog crowd I was hanging out with back then used to have fun coming up with translations for that CD title, the best being "The Little Chicken of Arnu". Hey, it sounded very IQ-ish to us.

**Crystal Plumage** · 04-16-2015

I just listened to Nine in a Pond earlier today and it's definitely taken straight from vinyl. Perhaps with some added NR. Also it sounds like it's in mono or at least close to mono. I guess the whole thing was played live in the studio and recorded with just one stereo mic.
Anyway, there are better versions of these songs around as said by a few already, though it's fun to hear Menel doing these.

**Morphy65** · 04-16-2015

I have the double vinyl of Nine in a Pond in a plain white sleeve. It was only on sale when IQ toured as support to Magnum in 1984. I bought mine at the De Montfort Hall in Leicester and I distinctly remember that IQ were on the verge of being bottled off by the clearly unimpressed Magnum crowd! The CD version is definitely a bootleg as I remember receiving a newsletter (remember those!) from the fan club in the early nineties warning us that there were "naughty" CD copies (as they called them) of their albums out there on CD which had dodgy sound quality. A lot of Nine in a Pond was obviously arsing around in the studio but I remember there being a lovely instrumental Sno It Pe Crep (geddit?) and the hilarious Stomach of Animal but I haven't heard it for years as I don't have a turntable anymore.

**gingernut** · 04-16-2015

I too bought the vinyl NIAPIH at a concert, but sold it later when I bought the CD. The 3 tracks: intelligence quotient, fascination, it all stops here are indeed a little rough, but I really like them. I think they are worth getting hold of even if you have other versions.

**Orcopian** · 04-16-2015

I bought the vinyl but it was for sale mail order from the band not just on sale for the magnum tour. I saw a short tour they did before Nomzamo was released and they were promoting a picture disc with I think it all stops here and intelligence quotent on it, I think these were new studio recordings with paul Menel, but can't remember for sure. I have it somewhere, like most picture discs the sound wasn't briliant. Iq used to do fan club singles I have a few on vinyl at least one had paul Menel on, one had a track called bold grenadier on one side the other was another re-recording of an older song I think.

I have are you sitting comfortably on vinyl but I bought Nomzamo on cassette as it had an extra track colourflow I think. Anyone have the 12" mix of promises? I would imagine they had fun making that.

**Progbear** · 04-16-2015

I have the vinyl of Nine in a Pond, TAKRL-style paper-insert cover and all. Side 4 (which was dropped for the CD release) is deeply strange, the extremely wacky IQ version of the Residents. I am extremely fond of the songs on the A-side, especially “Fascination.” I’ve been searching for Seven Stories Into ’98 for ages and ages so I can finally hear the original. The only one of those songs I’d heard previously was “It All Stops Here” (on Living Proof, which I own on vinyl, and again the cover is different than the CD).

**Paulrus** · 04-16-2015

Originally Posted by Progbear

I am extremely fond of the songs on the A-side, especially “Fascination.” I’ve been searching for Seven Stories Into ’98 for ages and ages so I can finally hear the original.

Your wait is over.

**Morphy65** · 04-18-2015

I just dug out my original Seven Stories cassette, the sound quality is dire but it brings back great memories! I wonder how many of these are still around? The Seven Stories into 98 versions are quite different and probably better in most cases but the originals do retain great charm, especially Martin's ancient sounding keyboards. I too have the fan club singles, I think all the tracks are collected on the Lost Attic CD but I don't know if you can get it anymore.