Icehouse on the forecourt

It’s been a long journey, but for Icehouse frontman Iva Davies, the announcement of the band’s forecourt concert at Sydney’s Opera House on 12 December marks a high point in a 50-year association.

Raised in regional Wagga Wagga, Davies first took to the bagpipes before moving onto the oboe which gained him admission to the New South Wales Conservatorium of Music.

One of the singers at these shows was Marilyn Richardson, who would be recognised as one of the world’s best operatic sopranos.

“During those early years I played at the Opera House in various guises, and then I went in a completely different direction, and I arrived back there in 1985, having co-written a score for the Sydney Dance Company project called Boxes,” Davies said.

In the late 1970s Davies formed the band Flowers, which was soon signed to Regular Records before releasing Icehouse, their debut album.

One of the album’s singles, “Can’t Help Myself”, reached the top five, while the album became the highest selling debut album in Australia.

Flowers were an integral part of the booming Sydney music scene at the time, which included many of the bands who formed part of the ‘80s Australian music explosion.

“At the time there was a very busy circuit of venues,” Davies said. “I’ve seen a couple of posters from just one week at the Stagedoor Tavern and the lineup was incredible.

“INXS was a support band at the time, The Angels, Midnight Oil, Jimmy and the Boys, Men at Work — all incredible luminaries.”

Due to an international recording deal, in 1981 Flowers were forced to change their name, and chose Icehouse after their debut release.

Part of Icehouse’s success was down to their sound, which deviated from the four-on-the-floor rock of many of the bands of the time.

By serendipity, Davies had discovered the Fairlight sampling synthesiser, the world’s first digital synthesiser and sampler, invented by two Australians.

“I discovered the Fairlight when our management company left Kings Cross and relocated to Rushcutters Bay,” Davies said.

“When I got to the front door, I saw this sign, “Fairlight CMI”, and I had heard of these wonderful machines, and I went in.

“They recognised me and gave me a guided tour where they were being soldered together by hand, and that was an incredible piece of luck and the start of a great relationship.”

Davies’ first and much modified Fairlight now forms part of the Great Southern Land exhibition at the National Museum of Australia.

In the countdown to the year 2000, Davies, Icehouse, Richard Tognetti and Australian Japanese drum ensemble Taikoz prepared for a 25 minute version of “Great Southern Land” to be preformed before the countdown to the new millennium.

The highlight for me, and one to never forget, had been working for the best part of a year with Richard Tognettti, who was keen to showcase his electric violin,” Davies said.

“Together we wrote an extended version of “Great Southern Land” and it became a piece called “Ghost in Time” that was a kind of double concerto for electric violin and guitar.

“In the 25 minutes leading up to the countdown it was the place to be, and it was going out to four billion people on TV, and when we finished, the fireworks went off above my head.”

In the years since, and without new hits, Icehouse has become one of the most popular bands in the country with record breaking shows such as those at the Enmore, and as a headline act for many major festivals.

Icehouse will be performing December 12 at the Opera House forecourt with Sneaky Sound System and Karen Lee Andrews in seated and standing configurations.

December 12