Emerging from the profligate network of Liverpudlian bands that existed during the punk rock and new wave era, the Icicle Works was formed by Ian McNabb (b. 3 November 1960, Liverpool, Merseyside, England; vocals/guitar), Chris Layhe (bass), and Chris Sharrock (drums). McNabb was formerly in City Limits with the near-legendary Edie Shit (b. Howie Mimms), and Sharrock played with the Cherry Boys (who also included Mimms at one point). Taking their name from a science fiction short story - Frederik Pohl's The Day The Icicle Works Closed Down - they made their recording debut with a six-track cassette, Ascending, released on the local Probe Plus emporium in 1981. The band then founded their own Troll Kitchen label on which they prepared "Nirvana", their premier single. Gaining support from BBC disc jockey John Peel, they came to the attention of Beggars Banquet Records, initially through their Situation 2 offshoot. Their second single, "Birds Fly (Whisper To A Scream)", was an "indie" hit, but they had to wait for the next effort, "Love Is A Wonderful Colour", to breach the UK Top 20. The subject matter was typically subverted by McNabb's irony and cynicism ("When love calls me, I shall be running swiftly, To find out, just what all the fuss is all about").

Listen to Icicle Works at Finetune.

• (2006)  Whisper To A Scream (Birds Fly) - Remixes

• Whisper to a Scream (Birds Fly)

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