Icehouse Artistfacts

Icehouse song list

Icehouse Artistfacts

1977-
Iva DaviesLead vocals, various instruments
Anthony SmithKeyboards1978-1982
Keith WelshBass1977-1981
John LloydDrums1979-1984
Michael HosteKeyboards1982-1983
Bob KretschmerGuitar1982-1989
Andy QuntaKeyboards1982-1988
Guy PrattBass1982-1986
Simon LloydHorns, keyboards1984-1991
Paul WheelerDrums1986-
Steve MorganBass1987-1989
Roger MasonKeyboards1989-1990
Paul GildeaGuitar1990-
Steve BullBass1990-
Tony LlewellynKeyboards1991-2004
Icehouse are an Australian band who are very popular in their home country, where they have over 20 chart hits. Their best known song is "Electric Blue" from 1987, their only Aussie chart-topper and their only Top 10 hit in America.
They used the name Flowers from 1977-1981 but had to change it because of legal action by a US band of the same name. As Flowers, they released an album called Icehouse in 1980; when they needed a new band name, they decided to go with Icehouse.
When the band formed, Australia had a vibrant hard rock scene led by AC/DC and Cold Chisel, but they bucked that trend, going in an unabashedly pop direction with a keyboard-driven sound and songs about the various stages of love. Men At Work came up around the same time and found a huge global audience with their pop songs, but they split after three albums.
Icehouse is led by Iva Davies, who was classically trained on oboe before forming the band. He's their singer and main songwriter, and he also plays various instruments with the group.
In Australia, an icehouse is slang for an insane asylum, which is the subject of their 1980 song "Icehouse." Iva Davies used to live across the street from one.
Many of their '80s songs use drum machines that Davies programmed. He may have been the first musician to bring a LinnDrum to Australia - he picked one up when the band was touring America in 1982, the year it was introduced.
Their first overseas tour, which took place in 1981, was a rough one for the band, and by the end of it they were all burned out. By 1982, the band had essentially broken up. When Iva Davies wrote a new set of songs, he considered recording them solo but instead formed a new version of Icehouse with three new members. That second Icehouse album was called Primitive Man and issued later in 1982. Davies kept the band going with different lineups over the years.

Comments: 2

David from Hobart, AustraliaActually Icehouse Took their name from their FIRST album, called "Icehouse" in 1981. They were previously called "Flowers" from 1977-1981, but had to change their name because of legal action by a Irish band of the same name.
Marlow from Perth, Australiaman of colours is a classic.........

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