Icehouse came into being when Australian group Flowers signed a global recording deal with Chrysalis Records and were compelled to change their name in 1981 for legal reasons – a number of bands called ‘Flowers’ already existed in the US and Britain.
Flowers had enjoyed two Top Ten singles in Australia – Can’t Help Myself and We Can Get Together – and released an album entitled Icehouse before they took the name of their first album for the band name.
Critics overseas were not kind to Icehouse – calling them ‘Ultrabruce’ in reference to them being nothing but an Australian copy of Ultravox.
Returning to Australia, founder Iva Davies – a former oboe player with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra – recorded the Primitive Man album (September 1982) and Great Southern Land single on his own, releasing it under the name of Icehouse. He then assembled a new band to tour the album.
In 1984, the band became one of the first Australian bands to perform behind the Iron Curtain, playing in Budapest, Hungary, alongside British groups Spandau Ballet and Ultravox.
The single Hey Little Girl reached #7 in Australia and was a Top 20 hit in the UK, a Top 5 hit in Germany, and reached #1 in Switzerland.
Iva Davies
Vocals, guitar Michael Hoste
Keyboards, vocals John Lloyd
Drums Robert Kretschmer
Guitar, vocals Guy Pratt
Bass, vocals Andy Qunta
Keyboards, vocals Glenn Krawczyk
Bass Paul Wheeler
Drums Simon Lloyd
Sax, trumpet, keyboards Steve Jensen
Drums Stephen Morgan
Bass Keith Welsh
Bass, vocals Adam Hall
Keyboards
Video
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