Icehouse is a rock band from Sydney, formed in 1977. Initially known in Australia for their pub-rock style, the band later achieved mainstream success playing new-wave and synthpop music and attained Top 10 singles chart success locally and in both Europe and the U.S. The mainstay of both Flowers and Icehouse has been Iva Davies supplying additional musicians as required. The name "Icehouse", adopted in 1981, comes from an old, cold flat Davies lived in and the strange building across the road populated by itinerant people.
Primitive Man is the second studio album by Australian synthpop band Icehouse, released in September 1982. In January 1982, Icehouse founder Iva Davies started recording Primitive Man essentially as a solo project, it was co-produced with Keith Forsey who later worked with Simple Minds and Billy Idol. Forsey supplied additional percussion; Davies supplied vocals, lead guitar, keyboards, bass guitar and programmed the Linn drum machine. Released as an Icehouse album, Primitive Man reached number 3 on the National album charts and provided their international breakthrough single, "Hey Little Girl", which peaked at number 7 in Australia, number 2 in Switzerland, number 5 in Germany, the top 20 in UK, Sweden and Netherlands, and number 31 on the US Billboard Mainstream Rock chart. Another single "Great Southern Land" made the Australian top 5, it was later featured in the 1988 Yahoo Serious film Young Einstein, and remains their most popular song according to listeners of Triple M in 2007. To promote Primitive Man on tour, Davies re-assembled Icehouse with Michael Hoste (keyboards) and John Lloyd (drums), and new members: Bob Kretschmer, Guy Pratt and Andy Qunta.
Ivor Arthur Davies, AM, known professionally as Iva Davies, is an Australian singer, songwriter, composer, multi-instrumentalist and record producer. He is known for his distinctive singing voice, which was influenced by contemporary glam rock singers.
Icehouse is the debut album released by Australian rock/synthpop band Flowers, later known as Icehouse, on the independent label Regular Records in October 1980. The title and the artist are sometimes incorrectly swapped, because the band changed their name from Flowers to Icehouse after this album was released. Containing the Top 20 Australian hits "Can't Help Myself", "We Can Get Together" and "Walls"; the album made heavy use of synthesisers, which would continue to be used throughout the band's career. Founder Iva Davies wrote all the tracks including four co-written with keyboardist Michael Hoste, however Hoste was replaced during recording sessions by Anthony Smith.
Sidewalk is the third studio album by Australian rock band Icehouse. It was originally released in June 1984, on the labels Chrysalis, Regular, and reached No. 8 on the National albums chart. Founding member Iva Davies used the Fairlight CMI digital sampling synthesizer on this more sombre and reflective album. This is the first album bassist Guy Pratt worked on as a member of the band. Pratt would later become a session musician, and go on to work with artists such as Pink Floyd, Roxy Music, David Bowie, Madonna and Michael Jackson.
Measure for Measure is the fifth studio album by Australian rock/synthpop band Icehouse and was the third album in the world to be recorded entirely digitally. The album's title refers to the Shakespearean play of the same name.
Great Southern Land is a compilation album by Australian rock/synthpop band Icehouse, released by Chrysalis Records / Regular Records in October 1989. It peaked at No. 2 on the Australian albums charts, and contained two new singles "Touch the Fire", which peaked at No. 13 on the singles chart, and "Jimmy Dean", which peaked at No. 47. Several different versions of this album exist; the Regular Records release for Australian / New Zealand markets was as a 16 track double vinyl LP, twin music cassette or CD; Chrysalis Records US versions were as 10 track LP / music cassette or 11 track CD release with a different track order; Chrysalis Records UK versions had 12 tracks ; and a video version of 15 tracks was released in VHS PAL format.
Code Blue is the seventh studio album by the Australian rock/synthpop band Icehouse and was released in November 1990 by Regular Records. Although less commercially successful than their previous studio album, 1987's Man of Colours, Code Blue peaked at #7 on the Australian album charts.
Masterfile is a compilation album by Australian rock band, Icehouse. It is the second compilation released by the band following 1989's Great Southern Land. The album covers material from the band's first album Icehouse to 1986's Measure for Measure. It also features a re-recorded version of their 1981 single "Love In Motion" with Christina Amphlett of Divinyls.
"Hey Little Girl" is a single released by Australian band Icehouse, the second single from the band's 1982 album, Primitive Man. The album and single were co-produced by band member and the track's writer, Iva Davies, and Keith Forsey. It was released in 1982 on Regular Records in 7" vinyl single and 12" vinyl single formats. UK and Europe releases by Chrysalis Records were also on 7" and 12" formats, but with different track listings. The single was then released in the US in 1983 on the same formats. On "Hey Little Girl", Iva Davies uses the Linn drum machine—the first for an Australian recording. It peaked at No. 7 on the Australian singles chart and No. 2 in Switzerland, No. 5 in Germany, Top 20 in UK, Sweden and Netherlands, and No. 31 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart.
Big Wheel is the eighth studio album by the Australian rock synthpop band, Icehouse, which was released by dIVA Records – founder Iva Davies' own label – and Massive Records. It was recorded at Davies' home in Whale Beach during 1993 with Davies on vocals, guitar, bass guitar and keyboards, David Chapman on guitar, keyboards and backing vocals, and Paul Wheeler on drums, percussion and backing vocals. Big Wheel peaked at #44 and was their first studio album not to reach the Top Ten on the Australian album charts. The album was digitally remastered by Davies and Ryan Scott with five bonus tracks added for the 2002 re-release by Warner Music Australia.
Man of Colours is the sixth studio album by Australian rock/synthpop band Icehouse, released locally on 21 September 1987 on Regular Records / Chrysalis Records.
The Berlin Tapes is a covers / soundtrack album by Australian rock musician Iva Davies and his band Icehouse. The record was a collaboration between Davies and classical music composer Max Lambert to accompany the Sydney Dance Company's production of the ballet Berlin, for which Icehouse performed live on stage. The covers are mostly acoustic, with piano, strings and subtle electronica incorporated into most tracks. The record was initially released as a single or double disc set, with the second disc consisting of instrumental Icehouse tracks performed with the ballet. A 1996 Japanese re-release included three bonus tracks; a 2002 digitally remastered version with five bonus tracks was released in Australia – this time credited simply to Icehouse. It was re-released in Australia in August 2004 and re-titled as Heroes, coinciding with Seven Network's TV broadcast of the Athens Olympic Games, which had two tracks removed and a second mix of "Heroes" added. "Heroes", a cover of David Bowie's original hit, was released in August 2004 and peaked at #93 on the Australian singles charts.
"We Can Get Together" is the second single released by the Australian rock band Flowers, later known as Icehouse. It was released in September 1980, on the independent label Regular Records from their first album, Icehouse, two weeks before the album itself was released. It peaked at #16 on the Australian Kent Music Report Singles Charts.
The discography of Icehouse, an Australian rock and synthpop band, includes releases under the earlier band name, Flowers, which was formed in 1977 by the mainstay Iva Davies, and was renamed Icehouse in 1981; material was also released by "Iva Davies and Icehouse". Flowers or Icehouse have released nine major studio albums, as well as four remix albums, forty singles and twenty-six music videos. Icehouse and/or Iva Davies have also issued two film soundtracks and contributed to ballet scores.
Spin One is a four-track EP released by Australian rock/synthpop band Icehouse in June 1993. It was issued by Massive Records. Three tracks, "Shakin' the Cage", "Dedicated to Glam" and "MLK", are also on the double CD remix album, Full Circle, released in December 1994. "Byrralku Dhangudha" is an edited version of "The Great Southern Mix" with guest appearance by aboriginal performers, keyboardist Bernie Worrell (Parliament-Funkadelic) and avant-garde guitarist Buckethead, and was produced by Bill Laswell.
"Can't Help Myself" is the first single released by the Australian synthpop/rock band Flowers, later known as Icehouse. It was released in May 1980 as a 7" vinyl single on independent label, Regular Records, five months ahead of debut album Icehouse. A 10" vinyl single was released in July and had a cover depicting individual images of band members diagonally across the band's name and the single's title. It peaked at #10 on the Australian Singles Charts.
"Walls" is the third single released by the Australian rock band Flowers, later known as Icehouse. It was released in January 1981, on independent label Regular Records from their debut album, Icehouse, it peaked at #20 on the Australian Kent Music Reoport Singles Charts. It was also released in New Zealand, with a different cover, which was the last release before the band was renamed as Icehouse.
"Icehouse" is a song by the Australian rock band Flowers, later known as Icehouse. It was released as a single in Europe in 1982 by Chrysalis Records from the band's first album, Icehouse, after the band changed its name to Icehouse. In the United States, the song peaked at number 28 on the Billboard Top Tracks chart in 1981.
White Heat is a compilation album released in August 2011 by Australian rock band Icehouse. This album was released as a two disc set and a three disc set including a DVD of Icehouse video clips. The album peaked at number 5 on the ARIA Charts and it also charted at number 10 on Recorded Music NZ.
