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
