The Icicle Works (also known as Icicle Works in the United States) are an English alternative rock band, named after the 1960 short story "The Day the Icicle Works Closed" by science fiction author Frederik Pohl.

History

1980–1983: Formation and early years

The band was founded in Liverpool in 1980 when bassist Chris Layhe answered an advertisement for a musical collaborator placed by 20-year-old Ian McNabb. The two got together and started writing. They added drummer Chris Sharrock, and began playing live shows as the Icicle Works.

In 1981, the band recorded a six-song independently released cassette entitled Ascending.</blockquote>

This 'second-generation' version of the Icicle Works broke up after Permanent Damage failed to chart, and Epic dropped the band.

For a series of North American dates in 2025, the group consisted of McNabb, drummer Mark Brzezicki and keyboardist Jack Hymers. Later that same year, the band played several UK dates with a line-up of Ian McNabb, Richard Naiff and drummer Nick Kilroe.

Band members

Current

  • Ian McNabb – guitar, lead vocals, keyboards (1980–1990, 2006–present)
  • Chris Layhe – bass, backing vocals (1980–1988, 2024–present)
  • Richard Naiff – keyboards (2006–2022, 2025–present)
  • Nick Kilroe – drums (2017–2022, 2025–present)

Former

  • Chris Sharrock – drums (1981–1988)
  • Zak Starkey – drums (1988)
  • Dave Green – keyboards (1986–1988)
  • Dave Baldwin – keyboards (1989–1990)
  • Ged Lynch – drums (1989)
  • Mark Revell – backing vocals (1990)
  • Paul Burgess – drums (1990)
  • Roy Corkill – bass (1988–1990, 2006–2022; died 2024)
  • Mathew Priest – drums (2006–2017)
  • Mark Brzezicki – drums (2025 North American tour)
  • Jack Hymers – keyboards (2025 North American tour)

Timeline

Discography

  • The Icicle Works (1984)
  • The Small Price of a Bicycle (1985)
  • If You Want to Defeat Your Enemy Sing His Song (1987)
  • Blind (1988)
  • Permanent Damage (1990)

Sources

  • Whitburn, Joel (1987). The Billboard Book of Top 40 Albums. New York: Billboard Publications, Inc.
  • Whitburn, Joel (1987). The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits (3rd ed.). New York: Billboard Publications, Inc.
  • Official Discography at the Ian McNabb web page
  • Barwood, Tony. Liner notes to "The Icicle Works" (2006 reissue).

References

  • Ian McNabb and The Icicle Works Detailed Discography
  • Video interview with Ian McNabb and Ian McNabb acoustic session from BBC Liverpool08