Collection: Martin Orford

This is the story of an artist who did something extraordinary and rather unique in the rock business: he retired.

In 2009, Martin Orford, one of Britain's most respected keyboard players and founding member of IQ, decided to end his career in music. A few short months after he left the band, he played his final solo concert, making it very clear that he never would return to either studio or stage.

It was not the lack of new ideas or fading love for music that forced Orford to leave it all behind, but an enemy he couldnt beat: the Internet.

According to him, illegal downloading was the 'beginning of the end' for the music scene so he decided to make his stand - If people wouldn't pay for music anymore, there would be just one way to teach them: don't produce the music.

Always a man of strong convictions, there's no doubt that his last album on GEP, 'The Old Road' marks the final chapter in an interesting career.

After joining The Lens in 1978 he and guitarist Mike Holmes formed IQ in 1981. In the early 90's, Orford could be seen helping out long time friends Jadis on keyboards and later he became a member of John Wetton's (King Crimson, Asia, UK) live and studio band.

His first solo album 'Classical Music and Popular Songs' dates back to 2000. It took him nine years to work on it's successor, 'The Old Road', which now has to be seen as the heritage of a man who rated his conviction higher than his art.

A truly unique story in the world of rock music...