By the early 1980’s Australia’s music landscape was fuelled by its thriving live music scene with pub rock reigning supreme as bands sweated it out in beer barns across the country. The bulk of it was meat and potatoes rock n roll, served up by bands like The Angels, Cold Chisel and AC/DC who had all staked their claim during the 70’s. But as music became more visually oriented in the MTV era the style of music changed. Synthesisers replaced guitars, hair and fashion took off in ridiculous ways as pop bands became more disposable than ever.
Music also became futuristic – synthesisers, electronic drums and keyboards that looked like guitars played by androgynous and robotic figures shaped what looked and sounded like a much colder, less human – or at the very least humane world.
As the 80’s decade evolved new bands and sounds were set to make their mark. In Australia one of those bands was Flowers, led by Iva Davies, a classically trained musician with a cool and detached persona that seemed more German than Antipodean.
Iva’s heroes had primarily come from glam and punk, but he also had a keen interest in the emerging electronic music from Europe and the potential of new technologies to create his own sound.
Flowers’ debut album Icehouse was one of the most successful Australian albums released in 1980 and went on to become one of the biggest selling debut albums in Australian music history.
The band then changed its name to Icehouse to avoid a name clash with a European band and went on to enjoy international success with albums like Primitive Man, Measure For Measure and Man Of Colours.
In 2006 Icehouse were inducted into the Australian Record Industry Association Hall Of Fame and in 2017 the band will celebrate its 40th anniversary – what better time to chat to Iva Davies and reflect over the remarkable career of his band?
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Intriguing and excellent interview with Iva. Thank you! I look very forward to the next installment. Sometimes he is really enthusiastic and I was happy to hear him so chatty in this feature. I think you brought out that side of him. Good stuff! Very cool podcast–glad to have found you via Icehouse.
Hi Tina. Great to hear that you enjoyed the chat with Iva and the Sound Distractions podcast series. I think Iva can be a bit guarded with the media at times because as we know the press isn’t always favourable. It’s wonderful to see that there’s been renewed interest in Icehouse recently with the band returning to live work with new fans discovering the band’s music.
While listening to the interview, I could tell he responded well to you. You asked deft and insightful questions–questions perhaps certain fans would ask if they had the chance. I told Keith that Iva’s answers often seemed canned…but then the questions asked are usually just as vapid. I haven’t heard the second part of this podcast so hopefully you steered clear of mullet and bagpipe questions. 😉
I had the lucky chance to be introduced to Iva last February by Keith Welsh who himself is a top shelf guy.. Iva couldn’t have been lovelier and very warm. Thank you Trevor for such a new and exciting interview!
Hi Tina. That’s very kind of you to say. I’ve met Iva a number of times professionally and socially, so I know him perhaps a little better than some of his other interviewers. The first time I interviewed him (for a Sydney radio station around 1989/90) we ended up chatting a lot longer after the tape stopped rolling – unfortunately though that’s when you get the real revelations!
His manager at the time Rod Willis (one of the most amiable managers you’re ever likely to meet) sent me a fax afterwards thanking me on behalf of Iva for a great interview, so that’s certainly never hurt my prospects for future media opportunities with Iva.
You won’t have to wait long for Part 2, the podcast will be posted tomorrow afternoon. No questions about bagpipes or mullets though – sorry for the spoiler alert. 🙂
I look so forward to the second installment. What a pleasure!