Ivor Arthur Davies, AM (born 22 May 1955), known professionally as Iva Davies,[1] is an Australian singer, songwriter, composer, multi-instrumentalist and record producer.
Iva Davies | |
|---|---|
 Davies performing at the Alice Springs Masters Games in 2012 | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Ivor Arthur Davies |
| Born | 22 May 1955 Wauchope, New South Wales, Australia |
| Genres | |
| Occupations |
|
| Instruments |
|
| Years active | 1971–present |
| Labels |
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| Member of | Icehouse |
| Website | icehouse-ivadavies |
Davies' music career spans more than 40 years. He came to prominence in the early 1980s as co-founder and lead singer of rock band Icehouse, becoming one of Australia's top rock stars of that decade.[2]
In addition to his work with Icehouse and his solo career, Davies has made music for television series and films. He is known for his work as composer for the film Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World.
Early life
editDavies was born on 22 May 1955 in Wauchope, New South Wales, and was first attracted to bagpipes at the age of six. He played oboe with the Sydney Youth Orchestra and was a member of the Epping Boys High School Band where he also played the euphonium. He went on to be an oboe and composition student at the New South Wales Conservatorium of Music, but dropped out at age 21 to pursue a professional career.[3][better source needed]
Career
edit1970s
editDavies first performed professionally as a 16-year-old musician with the Lucy Fields Jug Band.[4] The band secured a recording contract with M7 Records, but the company changed hands shortly thereafter and the band's album was never released.[citation needed] In 1974, Davies performed Handel's Concerto for Oboe in E♭ major with Strathfield Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Richard Gill.[5] Davies would later use his woodwind skills on some tracks with his band Icehouse, playing oboe on several albums and adding cor anglais to "Man of Colours", the title track of their sixth studio album.[citation needed]
In July 1975, Davies released his first single, “Leading Lady”, on the RCA label.[6][better source needed]
In early 1977, Davies was working as a part-time cleaner at a squash court in Lindfield, New South Wales managed by bass player Keith Welsh's mother. Davies and Welsh got together to form the band Flowers, rehearsing in a house next door to the squash court.[7] In 1977, Davies re-established an old acquaintance with Cameron Allan, the director of Sydney-based independent label Regular Records; Flowers signed with the label in early 1977. In 1980, the band's debut album Icehouse, which included the song "Can't Help Myself", reached the Top Five, making it the highest-selling debut album in Australia.[6] To take advantage of this success, the band changed its name to Icehouse in 1981. The name was taken from a cold flat Davies lived in and the strange building across the road populated by itinerant people.[8]
1980s
editThis section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (April 2024) |
In 1983, Davies and Icehouse went on a European tour with David Bowie.[9]
In 1985, Davies and fellow Icehouse member Bob Kretschmer worked on the ballet Boxes with the Sydney Dance Company.[10] In addition to scoring the ballet, they also co-wrote the script with Graeme Murphy. Boxes opened at the Sydney Opera House in December, and Davies performed in an acting/singing/dancing role to sold-out crowds for three weeks straight.[citation needed] 1985 also saw Davies win an APRA Music Award for Most Performed Australasian Music for Film for Razorback.[11] Davies was an early adopter of the Fairlight which he used to compose the music of the film. His score has been described as "pioneering" and "an important contribution to Australian film scoring".[2]
In 1988, Davies and co-collaborator John Oates won an APRA Music Award for the Icehouse song "Electric Blue" (from the Man of Colours album) in the Most Performed Australasian Popular Work category.[12] On 25 January 1988, Icehouse performed "Electric Blue" at the Royal Command, New South Wales Bicentennial Concert in front of the Prince and Princess of Wales at the Sydney Entertainment Centre.[13]
1990s
editIn the early 1990s, the Sydney Dance Company worked on creating a work which became the ballet Berlin. As well as recording the score to the ballet, Davies performed live with Icehouse at each show.[14] Berlin was an instant success and ran for two seasons.[citation needed]
2000s
editIn 2003, Davies travelled to Los Angeles to record the soundtrack to the Peter Weir film Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World with Christopher Gordon and Richard Tognetti. Together, they won the 2004 APRA/AGSC Screen Music Award in the Best Soundtrack Album category.[15]
In 2005, Davies scored the miniseries The Incredible Journey of Mary Bryant. On 6 November 2006, he won the 2006 APRA/AGSC Screen Music Award in the Best Music for a Mini-Series or Telemovie category.[16] From 15 June 2008, Davies was a judge on Seven Network TV series Battle of the Choirs;[17] his band Icehouse performed "Great Southern Land" on the grand final show won by the University of Newcastle Chamber Choir.[18]
Personal life
editDavies lives in Whale Beach, New South Wales. He married Tonia Kelly in 1990; at the time, Kelly was the principal dancer at the Sydney Dance Company. The couple divorced in 2010. From his marriage to Kelly, he has two children, Brynn (born 1993) and Evan (born 1996).[10][better source needed]
Discography
editAlbums
edit| Title | Album details | Peak chart positions | |
|---|---|---|---|
| AUS [19] |
NZ | ||
| Razorback (Music from the Original Soundtrack of the Film) |
|
- | - |
| Boxes (with Sydney Dance Company) |
|
- | - |
| The Berlin Tapes (with Icehouse) |
|
- | 47 |
| The Ghost of Time |
|
63 | |
| The Far Side of the World (with Christopher Gordon & Richard Tognetti) |
|
- | - |
Awards and nominations
editIn 2013, Davies was honoured in the Queen's Birthday Honours as a "Member (AM) in the General Division" for services to music, entertainment and the community[20]
APRA Awards
editThe APRA Awards are held in Australia and New Zealand by the Australasian Performing Right Association to recognise songwriting skills, sales and airplay performance by its members annually.
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1986 | Razorback | Most Performed Australasian Music for Film | Won |
| 1989 | "Electric Blue" (Iva Davies, John Oates) by Icehouse | Most Performed Australasian Popular Work | Won |
| 2004 | Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World (Iva Davies, Christopher Gordon, Richard Tognetti) | Best Feature Film Score | Nominated |
| Best Soundtrack Album | Won | ||
| 2006 | The Incredible Journey of Mary Bryant (Iva Davis) | Best Music for a Mini-Series or Telemovie | Won |
ARIA Music Awards
editThe ARIA Music Awards is an annual awards ceremony that recognises excellence, innovation, and achievement across all genres of Australian music. They commenced in 1987.
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 | The Berlin Tapes | Best Original Soundtrack, Cast or Show Album | Nominated | [21] |
| 2000 | The Ghost of Time | Nominated |
Australian Songwriter's Hall of Fame
editThe Australian Songwriters Hall of Fame was established in 2004 to honour the lifetime achievements of some of Australia's greatest songwriters.[22]
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | himself | Australian Songwriter's Hall of Fame | inducted |
TV Week / Countdown Awards
editCountdown was an Australian pop music TV series on national broadcaster ABC-TV from 1974 to 1987; it presented music awards from 1979 to 1987, initially in conjunction with magazine TV Week. The TV Week / Countdown Awards were a combination of popular-voted and peer-voted awards.[23]
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1980 | himself | Best Recorded Songwriter | Nominated |
| 1982 | himself | Best Songwriter | Nominated |
| Best Australian Producer | Nominated | ||
| himself | Most Popular Male Performer | Won | |
| 1984 | himself | Most Popular Male Performer | Nominated |
References
edit- ^ "Iva Davies Biography" (PDF). icehouse-ivadavies.com. Archived from the original (PDF) on 24 July 2013. Retrieved 14 January 2017.
- ^ a b Robert Cettl (12 December 2010). Australian Film Tales. Wider Screenings TM. p. 29. ISBN 978-0-9870500-2-1.
Icehouse musician Iva Davies was one of Australia's premier 80s rock stars.
- ^ "Iva Davies - Icehouse+author=Duncan, Carol". 1233 ABC Newcastle. 10 March 2014. Retrieved 26 January 2017.
- ^ "Iva Davies on Afternoons". 6PR Radio: News Talk. 7 October 2011. Retrieved 12 July 2016.[permanent dead link]
- ^ "Strathfield Symphony Orchestra - 1974 Season 1 Program" (PDF).
- ^ a b "Iva Davies Biography" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 24 July 2013. Retrieved 26 January 2017.
- ^ Kruger, Debbie (2 November 2005). "City Songlines". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 21 June 2008.
- ^ Grech, Jason (23 July 2004). "An interview with Iva Davies". Countdown Memories. Archived from the original on 8 November 2007. Retrieved 16 June 2008.
- ^ "Icehouse's Iva Davies remembers the warmth and wonder of touring with Bowie". Sydney Morning Herald. 3 July 2016.
- ^ a b "Rockportraits - Icehouse". 29 September 2014. Retrieved 26 January 2017.
- ^ "Winners 1985". APRA Music Awards. Archived from the original on 4 September 2007.
- ^ "Winners 1988". APRA Music Awards. Archived from the original on 3 September 2007.
- ^ "The New South Wales Royal Bicentennial Concert". University of South Australia. Archived from the original on 2 October 2009.
- ^ "Berlin program". Retrieved 26 January 2017.
- ^ "Winners". APRA Screen Music Awards. 2004. Archived from the original on 19 December 2005.
- ^ "Winners - 2006". APRA Screen Music Awards. Archived from the original on 5 September 2007.
- ^ Blundell, Graeme (14 June 2008). "Choir wars". The Australian. Archived from the original on 1 August 2008.
- ^ "Newcastle group wins Battle of Choirs". National Nine News. 3 August 2008. Archived from the original on 2 December 2008.
- ^ Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010 (pdf ed.). Mt. Martha, VIC, Australia: Moonlight Publishing. p. 74.
- ^ "Queen's Birthday Honours List 2013". News.com.au. 10 June 2013. Retrieved 10 June 2013.
- ^ ARIA Award previous winners. "History Best Original Soundtrack, Cast or Show Album". Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA). Retrieved 12 July 2022.
- ^ "Hall of Fame". asai. Retrieved 17 September 2020.
- ^ "Countdown to the Awards" (Portable document format (PDF)). Countdown Magazine. Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC). March 1987. Retrieved 16 December 2010.
External links
edit- Icehouse official site
- Spellbound – Icehouse News, interviews, discography, photo gallery
- Iva Davies at AllMusic
- Iva Davies discography at Discogs
- Iva Davies at IMDb
