The icy origin story behind one of Australia’s greatest bands
The icy origin story behind one of Australia’s greatest bands
The icy origin story behind one of Australia’s greatest bands
Gary Oberholzer
The icy origin story behind one of Australia's greatest bands
Few Australian bands have left a mark on the 1980s quite like Icehouse. With shimmering synths, atmospheric production and unforgettable songs like Great Southern Land, Electric Blue and Crazy, the band became one of Australia’s biggest musical exports. But before they were selling millions of records around the world, they were simply a Sydney pub band called Flowers – and their future identity came from one particularly miserable place to live.
Founding member Iva Davies, born Ivor Davies, was a classically trained oboist before turning his attention to rock music. By 1977, Flowers had become one of Sydney’s hottest live acts, earning an international recording contract after the success of their debut album.
There was just one problem: another band overseas already owned the name Flowers, forcing Davies and his bandmates to find a new identity before launching internationally.
Listen to the Backstory from HOT 1027’s Classic Countdown below:
Source: uDiscover Music
As Davies explains, the inspiration came from an old, freezing apartment where he once lived. The flat was so bitterly cold that everyone simply referred to it as “the Icehouse.” It was a name that perfectly captured the mood of one of the band’s earliest songs, and when the time came to choose a new identity, it stuck. The song “Icehouse” had already appeared on their debut album, making the transition feel surprisingly natural.
The name proved to be the start of something extraordinary. Icehouse embraced cutting-edge synthesiser technology at a time when electronic music was still finding its feet, helping shape the sound of Australian new wave. Albums including Primitive Man and Man of Colours produced international hits, while Electric Blue—co-written with John Oates—became the band’s only Australian number-one single and cracked the US Top 10.
Today, nearly five decades after Flowers first formed, Iva Davies remains at the helm of Icehouse. The band continues to tour, proving that great songs—and sometimes even freezing apartments—can leave a legacy that lasts a lifetime.
Check out the official music video of “Electric Blue” below:
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