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?