The Icicle Works

The Icicle Works were a post-punk band from Liverpool, UK originally formed in 1980. The group underwent various personnel changes throughout the eighties, all centred mainly around founder member Ian McNabb.

Chamoioned to some extent by John Peel (for whose show they recorded three sessions) in 1982 and 1983, the group had a Top 20 hit with Love Is A Wonderful Colour in early 1984 followed by their Top 30 eponymous debut album. Successive single and album releases failed to match these successes however.

The group effectively dissolved in 1990 after being dropped by the Epic label. While McNabb has continued to release and perform solo material, The Icicle Works as a group has also occasionally played live as the original albums have been re-issued.

Charts
Top 40 only
 * Singles: Love Is A Wonderful Colour (peak no.15 )
 * Albums: The Icicle Works (peak no.24 )

TV
info mostly via tvpopdiaries.co.uk Links to video footage, where available.
 * 02 December 1983: The Tube - Chop The Tree / Love Is A Wonderful Colour
 * 12 January 1984: Top of the Pops - Love Is A Wonderful Colour (24)
 * 17 February 1984: OGWT live special
 * 17 March 1984: Saturday Superstore
 * 18 August 1984: The Tube Return Ticket - Love Is A Wonderful Colour
 * 07 December 1984: The Tube - Hollow Horse
 * 18 April 1985: Mirror Image (C4) - Seven Horses Deep
 * 28 May 1985: Whistle Test - promo clip (song unknown)
 * 08 October 1985: Whistle Test - When It All Comes Down, Perumbulator (live at Shelley’s, Stoke)
 * 19 July 1986: TVAM Wide Awake Club - song unknown
 * 23 January 1987: The Tube - Up Here In The North of England, Evangeline
 * 07 March 1987: programme unknown (TVS) - Seven Horses Deep
 * 04 April 1987: Mirror Image (ITV) - unknown
 * 12 February 1988: The Chart Show - unknown
 * 25 May 1988: Off The Wall (TVS) - unknown
 * 22 July 1988: Meltdown (TSW) - unknown
 * 27 October 1988: 60 Minutes (?) (Central)

Other

 * 30 June 1984: Pop Quiz - Ian McNabb with Dave Edmunds and Thomas Dolby
 * April 2011: winkball.com interview with Ian McNabb

Radio
all BBC Radio 1 unless otherwise stated
 * 26 January 1982: John Peel - 1st session
 * 02 March 1983: John Peel - 2nd session (repeated 29 December 1983 as one of the best of the year)
 * 15 March 1983: The Peel and Jensen Merseyside Music Show - from the Royal Court Theatre, Liverpool.
 * 03 March 1984: Janice Long - session (also 14 April 1984 - possible repeat)
 * 15 August 1984: John Peel - 3rd session
 * 13 April 1985: Graham Bannerman - session (also 18 May 1985 - possible repeat)
 * 25 May 1985: Marathon Music Quiz - live concert
 * 11 April 1987: The Stereo Sequence - in concert London Hippodrome.

Other

 * 09 February 1986: The Great Rock 'n' Roll Trivia Quiz - Ian McNabb
 * 24 October 1986: Singled Out - Ian McNabb