Iva Davies
b. Ifor Davies, Australia. Trained as a classical musician, Davies experimented with rock and pop in his first band the Flowers, which had success in the Australian chart with two singles Can't Help Myself and Walls. His vocal style and music seemed influenced by David Bowie and T. Rex, as did his work under the Icehouse moniker, by which time he had shed most of his side musicians save Bob Kretschmer. His music was synthesizer-based and by now Davies worked from his own studio, recording and playing single-handedly and, when required, organizing a touring band. Icehouse's third single Hey Little Girl was a hit in Australia and in the UK where it reached the Top 20 in 1983. Later singles in the UK gained minor placings, while a brief taste of success in the US BILLBOARD chart earned Icehouse a number 14 hit in 1987 with Crazy (UK Top 40 the following year) and a US Top 10 hit with Electric Blue (1988), the latter co-written with John Oates from Hall And Oates. The standout track on PRIMITIVE MAN, Great Southern Land, evoked images of the Australian desert. Working alone, Davies composed music for a ballet company, BOXES,and also the soundtrack to the film RAZORBACK (1984).