focusinterview. ICEHOUSE

Iconic Australian band, ICEHOUSE recently released the Flowers Icehouse 30th Anniversary Edition and also White Heat: 30 Hits, which as testament to how timeless the bands music is, went Gold aft er only two weeks. As well, in 2012 ICEHOUSE’s entire studio catalogue was reissued. Primitive Man and celebrate their 30th and 25th anniversaries respectively.

he band is promoting the mentally. However, luckily it’s not something Performing in today’s environment is a very Australia and New Zealand and getting the two anniversary albums with we do week in week out, year in year out, technologically sophisticated production, and band into the best form possible. its Primitive Colours tour and so there’s still a lot of novelty to it, and the we don’t cut corners on anything. Is the Primitive Colours tour bringing in a ICEHOUSE frontman and excitement that goes with that. The fact is of Hall & Oates fame co- whole new audience for ICEHOUSE? Tmainstay, Iva Davies, is on the that because we’ve been together a long wrote Electric Blue, one of ICEHOUSE’S One of the things that we discovered, publicity circuit. He talks to FOCUS about time, and because we are split between most renowned songs... Hall & Oates during shows that we did last year and at getting the band back together and being on Melbourne and Sydney, it’s a bit of an and ICEHOUSE are teaming up for a the beginning of this year, is that we have the road again... occasion when we end up getting together. series of concerts across New Zealand a whole new audience of younger listeners. Iva, ICEHOUSE was originally formed And, let’s face it, it’s a rock and roll band, and Australia - can you tell about this? It’s a bit of a mystery as to why this is as Flowers in 1977 and has experienced and we are not only there to provide a good We toured with Hall & Oates earlier this happening but my theory is that because of numerous incarnations and a plethora of experience for the audience, but we’re also year and it was great fun. I spent a lot of time new technologies like personal mp.3 players band members with you remaining the there to have a good time as well. hanging out with John and he and his and the Internet, that young audiences are mainstay of the band... Who else is in ICEHOUSE is renowned wife even came up to my house accessing music that may have been fi rst the Primitive Colours line up? for having an for a day to check out the local released decades through these technologies Many of the members have been together uncompromising area, and our little part of in a way that my generation never could. It One of the for a very long time, 27 years, 22 years, 17 approach to music “things that we Australia. also seems that the 80’s, and the music that years etc. So we are very old friends and production, which discovered, during Watching Hall & Oates was produced in the 80’s is for some reason certainly consider ourselves a team, which was recognised shows that we did live was a real blast, and quite fashionable for a lot of young people. has been together a long time. Even our tour by ARIA (the last year and at the we were side stage every So one of the things that we have in manager, Larry, has been working with has Australian beginning of this year, single night listening the back of our minds is that some of is that we have a whole been part of the team since 1985. Recording Industry to them play all those our younger audience will have not had new audience of ” So the line up is Paul Gildea on lead guitar, Association) when younger listeners. classic hits. You never tire the opportunity to see the band as a live Paul Wheeler on drums, Steve Bull on bass, it inducted the band of listening to really great performing unit before, and I get the Glenn Reither on keyboards and sax, and into the ARIA Hall of songs, sung by wonderful impression from the feedback so far that we have an incredible young musician from Fame in 2006. Production- singers. many are surprised by the energy that the Melbourne who has been working with us wise, what do you refuse to cut You’ve enjoyed eight Top Ten band has in concert. So I suppose the short for the last year on guitar and keyboards, corners on? albums plus 20 Top Forty singles in answer to the question is that while still Michael Pynter. All the band are great singers Well, as a priority it has always been the Australia ... Then theres the multiple performing to our established audience we a and Michael is even featured occasionally music for me, so we make sure that we have hits and successes in Europe and North fi nding a new younger audience as well. taking lead vocal parts, so they’re a very back up equipment, in case of breakdowns, America. Are there any new markets Anything you’d like to say to your legion talented crew. a really skilled team of crew members for you’re hoping to crack with the Primitive of diehard fans out there? “On the road again... Just can’t wait both audio and production, and a really great Colours tour? I think diehard fans will enjoy hearing some to get on the road again”... Unlike our lighting designer who has the very latest in We are not touring this show outside of of the songs from these two albums, which friend Willie Nelson, some musicians can technology to play with. The fact is that the Australia this year. Part of the rebuilding haven’t been played by the band for a very wait to get on the road again and dread band is only as good as both the members process that has been going on over the last long time, some of them for 30 years. At the the physical and emotional toll that can but also the crew, because they are the ones two years has been aimed at streamlining same time it’s obvious to see how much the come with being on it... What’s your who insure that everything runs smoothly the band as a unit; in order to eventually band is also enjoying that experience, the position on touring? so that we can perform the way we need get back to Europe fi rstly, and then perhaps experience of playing those songs, and how It’s true that touring is very strenuous, and to. Most people would be amazed at what the USA. However for the time being we are they work as live entities. that it takes a toll on me both physically and goes one ‘behind the scenes’, as it were. concentrating of building our recognition in Thank you Iva. Interview by Karen Farrell.

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