Martin Orford is best known as the keyboard player and a founder member of the well-known progressive rock band IQ. After gaining experience in various school and college bands, Martin teamed up with Mike Holmes in 1977 in The Lens, a mainly instrumental outfit from Southampton, England. Having dissolved The Lens in 1981, Martin and Mike immediately formed IQ, and in spite of various line-up changes, the band is still active today, although Martin left in 2007.