While Liverpool was cool in the early eighties (Teardrops, Bunnymen etc) on the periphery were a trio of raggedy assed looking hippies called The Icicle Works. They produced four albums of varied and generally great music. Then, frontman Ian McNabb got the offer of a major deal as long as he dropped the chaff from the band.
Their last album was effectively his first solo one. And, since then, he’s had more success as a solo artist (Mercury nomination, making an album with Crazy Horse’`erm, writing a musical about trains with Mike Reid ‘` the crap one). One of the other two dropped off the radar, while drummer Chris Sharrock has been in nearly every band since from the The La’s to his current role with Robbie Williams.
Despite all hopes, this 25th anniversary tour is McNabb and some session musos playing back catalogue, mainly in support of the three disc reissue of the seminal self-titled first album. Not only do we get all the ‘`hits’ (ok, technically the one-hit and a bunch that really should have been) and a damn fine selection from the album tracks. All performed with McNabb’s comfortable insouciance and charm. ‘Shit Creek’ is still hilarious. ‘When It All Comes Down’ is still awesome. And, ‘Understanding Jane’ is still the only track to challenged Ace Of Spades for universal brilliance.
It’s strange to finally be at a nostalgia gig with your peers. And, there is a whiff of Dave Presley’s Troggs 2006. But, the quality of the songs on show here has never been bettered by any of the original participants, and very few others.