The Icicle Works is an alternative rock band which formed in Liverpool, Eng… Read Full Bio ↴The Icicle Works is an alternative rock band which formed in Liverpool, England in 1980. The band's original lineup consisted of Ian McNabb (vocals, guitar), Chris Layhe (bass, percussion) and Chris Sharrock (drums). Layhe and Sharrock left the band in 1988, but McNabb continued the band with replacement members until 1990. McNabb reformed the band with different replacement members in 2006, but this incarnation lasted only until 2008. In 2011, McNabb reformed the band once more for a tour celebrating the band's 30th anniversary. Since leaving the band, Chris Sharrock became the drummer for numerous bands, including The La's, World Party, Oasis and Beady Eye.

Named after the 1960 short story "The Day The Icicle Works Closed" by science fiction author Frederik Pohl, The Icicle Works joined Liverpool's early 1980s 'neo-psychedelia' wave, which also propelled Echo & the Bunnymen and The Teardrop Explodes to stardom.

The band was founded in Liverpool by 18-year-old singer, songwriter, guitarist, keyboardist and frontman Ian McNabb. In 1980, McNabb joined up with drummer Chris Sharrock (who had been playing with McNabb on and off since he was nine) and bassist Chris Layhe (who had been recruited though a classified ad), and they began playing as The Icicle Works. By the end of 1981, the trio had recorded a six-song independently released cassette, and in 1982 they released the independent single "Nirvana". The following year, The Icicle Works were signed to the Beggars Banquet label, who issued the single Birds Fly (Whisper to a Scream) on their subsidiary label Situation Two.

Later that year, The Icicle Works' would release their biggest UK hit, 1983's Love Is a Wonderful Colour. Their debut eponymous album (1984) would follow shortly thereafter, reaching number 24 on the UK charts, and also hitting the U.S. top 40. Also appearing on the U.S. top 40 singles charts at around the same time (and hitting the Canadian top twenty) was Whisper to a Scream (Birds Fly), a retitled and very slightly remixed version of The Icicle Works' Situation Two release of 1983.

However, commercial success for The Icicle Works after this point was minimal. Their second album, The Small Price of a Bicycle (1985) spun off no hit singles, and wasn't even released outside the UK. Later albums If You Want to Defeat Your Enemy Sing His Song (1987), and Blind (1988) were both issued in the UK and North America, and even spun off minor hits. Nevertheless, no post-1984 Icicle Works single would chart higher than 52 in the UK, and after "Whisper To A Scream", the band never again made the US Hot 100.

Some have attributed this unfortunate commercial decline to The Icicle Works' change in sound over the years, from an initial 'new wave' feel to a more straight-ahead rock sound inspired by Neil Young, The Doors, and the Ramones, amongst others. But whatever the cause, despite critical acclaim the band was unable to consistently record hit singles. As well, by the late 1980s, tensions within the group were increasing allegedly due to McNabb's controlling ways. By 1988, in addition to writing virtually all of The Icicle Works' material, as well as singing and playing guitar, McNabb was also producing the group's records.

Accordingly, shortly after Blind was issued, drummer Chris Sharrock departed to The La's. Sharrock would later be a member of The Lightning Seeds and World Party, and would also drum for Robbie Williams, Del Amitri and Eurythmics. Around this same time, Layhe also departed, and Beggars Banquet dropped the group from their roster.

Undaunted, McNabb soldiered on under The Icicle Works banner for a while. Zak Starkey, son of Ringo Starr, briefly occupied the drumstool, while various keyboardists, bassists, and guitarists passed through before the band released Permanent Damage (1990), recorded for Epic/Sony. By that time, the band's lineup was McNabb, bassist Roy Corkill, former 10cc and Jethro Tull drummer Paul Burgess, keyboardist Dave Baldwin, and backing vocalist Mark Revell.

This 'second-generation' version of The Icicle Works quietly broke up after Permanent Damage failed to chart, and Epic dropped the band. Ian McNabb's solo career officially began in 1991 with the release of the single Great Dreams of Heaven; for further details on McNabb's solo career, please see the entry for Ian McNabb.

In 1992, a compilation called The Best of The Icicle Works was released, containing the best of their work from the Beggars Banquet years. Two years later, a live recording of a 1987 concert was issued.

On December 31, 2005, after having been a solo act for 15 years, McNabb announced he was reviving "The Icicle Works" name in 2006 for a series of concerts and an album. However, this version of the band would contain no original members other than McNabb.

Waterline
The Icicle Works Lyrics

We have lyrics for 'Waterline' by these artists:

Dizzy Mizz Lizzy Really easy You want to know the answer Feel me easy You wan…
Dog's Eye View Well I'm walking with my father's ghost And he's talking to…
dog’s eye view Well I'm walking with my father's ghost And he's talking to…
Frances Cone In full view Powder blue Her left hand moved to the sky We…
Francis Sage I just sit there and let the thoughts flood And I…
Jedward Flood gates, can?t wait Here she comes, shut?em fast Better…
Jedward (Ireland-Eurovision 2012) Flood gates, can?t wait Here she comes, shut?em fast Bett…
Jump Little Children The damage to come is in the deep Beating the drums…
Kim Mitchell Hard headed man lookin' for a heart starter Hand held man…

Krista Detor WATERLINE © Krista Detor and David Weber, Cover T…
Lloyd Cole Well it used to be everything was fine Everything, this all…
Max Webster Hard headed man lookin' for a heart starter Hand held man…
Nobody's Girl Right here, this is how high we watched it rise Right…
Oritsé I won′t mess you around again I swear on my life You've…
OWS I won't mess you around again I swear on my life You've…
Patrick Lite I took a walk down by the waterline That fifth of…
Sage Francis I just sit there and let the thoughts flood And I…
Spoons There is a corner in her heart Where everything always show…
The Korea Шторм танцует вальс, рассекая волны Слышен мачты стон, лопаю…
The Spoons There is a corner in her heart Where everything always show…

We have lyrics for these tracks by The Icicle Works:

A Factory in the Desert (McNabb) It rolls in like a cold wind, It fills me up…
All the Daughters Forgive me for the state I'm in They cut the rope…
As The Dragonfly Flies As the dragonfly flies, as the flowers rise As the sleeping…
Assumed Sundown On the road into the assumed sundown A marching band is…
Baby Don't Burn (McNabb) Baby don't burn your bridges now, Remember how you…
Birds Fly Love come down upon us till you flow like water Burning…
Birds Fly (Whisper To A Scream Love comes Down upon us and it flows like water Burning wi…
Birds Fly (Whisper to a Scream) (McNabb) Some things take forever, But with building bricks…
Blind CHORUS Am I so blind I cannot see? Am I so blind…
Book of Reason I will take the left fork I will meet you ten…
Chop The Tree When in the winter of our discontent We found a way To…
Conscience of Kings Ethos is a special gift It’s all I’ve got to win…
Don't Let It Rain On My Parade Where is that place you said to go I've been thinking…
Dumb Angel (McNabb) In the quiet hours, I will lay me down, To your…
Evangeline It was sometime after midnight I was looking for a…
Everybody Loves To Play The Fool (McNabb) You can beat me to submission You can bring me to…
Factory In The Desert (McNabb) It rolls in like a cold wind, It fills me up…
Here Comes Trouble Yesterday, I woke up To a storm inside my room Rain fell…
High Time Is there someone holding on to you? Is there something I…
Hollow Horse Be careful what you dream of it may come up and…
Hope Springs Eternal (McNabb) Spent the night in a stranger's house Trying to re…
Hope Street Rag (McNabb) nd you're always here on time, Lightly doused but …
Hot Profit Gospel Whoo Lafayette run He had some fun He's gone now, Mama …
i never saw my hometown 'til i went around the world I NEVER SAW MY HOMETOWN 'TIL I WENT ROUND THE…
I Still Want You (McNabb) Yesterday I saw you walking with your new man, I k…
In the Cauldron of Love Daddy, daddy, I have found the girl that I want to…
Into The Mystic We were born before the wind Also younger than the sun And…
Intro When you run for shelter Yu don't feel the pain You don't…
Little Girl Lost I don't know why it is you scare me I don't…
Looks Like Rain (McNabb) Looks like rain, looks like rain, It's just what I…
Love Is a Wonderful Colour My friend and I, were talking one evening, Beside some burni…
Love Is a Wonderful Colour (long version) My friend and I Were talking one evening Beside some burning…
Lover We are seldom fully contented We may have this cross to…
Melanie Still Hurts (McNabb) Julie's gone, Jackie's gone, Carol's gone, where h…
Motorcycle Rider (McNabb) I've seen the moonlit lake, The brown leaves blown…
Nirvana Armadillo skin and the leafy green Our minds are where we…
One Good Eye (McNabb) See me comin' man, you better run, Pocket full of …
Out Of Season Daddy, daddy, I have found the girl that I want…
Perambulator Karma and I'll bruise my pride Estimated I'll slip and slid…
Permanent Damage (McNabb) Fall in love with a sweet young thing, Big brown e…
Rapids Vagrant suspicious and quite out of breath Stumbles into a t…
Reap the Rich Harvest (McNabb) When day is done, wind in my sails, With confidenc…
Seven Horses Lo, the poor Indian Whose poor untutored mind Clothes him in…
Shit Creek When times are good, when times are bad Let my verse…
Starry Blue Eyed Wonder What makes you think the girl will love you? Is the…
stood before saint peter In the moment of my madness In the presence of my…
Sure Thing Baby, I'm gonna make you mine I get a little nearer…
Sweet Thursday (McNabb) Spend my time running around this town Don't know …
The Kiss Off Ow She didn't want to know me She didn't want to see…
Tin Can Tin can on my feet Tin can on my feet I got…
Travelling Chest Tell me fair young maiden Will you take me as your…
Truck Driver's Lament (McNabb) You might step up here, have you no soles on…
Turn Any Corner Turn any corner Tell, what do you see? You can ask any…
Two Two Three Baby I can't win your favours I can't gat you high But…
Understanding Jane I've been so lonely she can't understand the way I…
Up Here In The North Of England Traveling overseas I was accosted by a student Who asked me…
Up Here In The North Of Englandtrack=1 Traveling overseas I was accosted by a student Who asked me…
Walk A While With Me Walk a while with me Walk a while with me See the…
Walking With A Mountain (McNabb) I see myself and where I'm standing in the scheme…
What Do You Want Me To Do? (McNabb) I'm not yet convinced that pride will come before …
What She Did To My Mind (McNabb) I'm lookin' across a frozen landscape, I'm lookin'…
When It All Comes Down There is a place where angels rest just west of…
When You Were Mine (McNabb) A different set of eyes for every story A heaven n…
Whisper To A Scream Love come down upon us till you flow like water Burning…
Who Do You Want For Your Love (McNabb) I'm not yet convinced that pride will come before …
Windfall On this day I find myself in rain and rags…

Woman On My Mind There's food in the kitchen And there's money in the bank, A…

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