Ian McNabb started his musical career with a cabaret band called "Young World" working men's clubs, weddings and other such events. Chris Sharrock joined the band at the age of nine. At the age of 16, Ian joined another band called "City Lights". Throughout this time, Chris and Ian remained good friends. When Chris Sharrock tired of playing in the 'Mod' band called "The Cherry Boys" he hooked up with Ian again. They found a third band member in Chris Layhe who had previously been playing with the band "Eleanor" and taking their name from a science fiction novel, formed "The Icicle Works" in 1980.
Hailing from the same city the Beatles had emerged from some 20 years before, they issued their debut single Ascending the following year. They followed with Nirvana and Birds Fly (Whisper To A Scream) which secured them a contract with Beggars Banquet. Love Is A Wonderful Colour was their first U.K. hit peaking at number 15.
In 1984 they released their first album, a self titled effort that hit top 30 on both sides of the Atlantic. This was accomplished primarily on the strength of the song that was renamed in the U.S. Whisper To A Scream (Birds Fly). In 1985 the band issued their second album, The Small Price of a Bicycle which failed to live up to the success of its predecessor. A compilation album, Seven Singles Deep followed in 1986 but surprisingly didn't fare well.
In the dying days of the original band, If You Want To Defeat Your Enemy Sing His Song in 1987 preceeded the swansong Blind in 1988. After this both Chris Layhe and Sharrock departed. Chris Sharrock went on to drum for The Lightning Seeds while Layhe retired from the band scene.
For a time Zak Starkey played the same role his father had in the Beatles while The Icicle Works underwent a series of changes. Dave Green and Roy Corkill joined for a brief period and in 1989 Ian McNabb and Roy Corkhill formed a new Icicle Works band with Dave Baldwin, Mark Revell, and Paul Burgess. The so-called "Second Generation" group moved from Beggars Banquet to Epic in 1990 with the dark and foreboding Permanent Damage. This was to be the final album for The Icicle Works although 1992 saw the release of BBC Live In Concert and The Best Of The Icicle Works was issued in 1994.
Ian McNabb departed The Icicle Works for his solo career, starting with Truth And Beauty in 1993 and followed by Head Like A Rock (1994), Merseybeast (1996), The Words & Music of Ian McNabb - My Own Way released in 1997. He followed these with A Party Political Broadcast On Behalf Of The Emotional Party (1998), and Live At Life in 2000. Never sitting back, Ian went on to release Waifs & Strays in 2001 and Gentleman Adventurer in 2002. We look forward to more in the future.
