The Icicle Works

The Icicle Works formed in Liverpool in 1980, Ian McNabb, Chris Layhe, and Zak Starkey — later replaced by Chris Sharrock — developing a sound rooted in post-punk and indie rock that drew on the melodic tradition of Liverpool music while finding its own atmospheric voice. McNabb's vocals were warm and distinctive, and his songwriting combined melodic directness with a lyrical ambition that set them apart from many of their contemporaries.

Their debut album 'The Icicle Works' (1984) produced 'Love Is a Wonderful Colour' and 'Reaping the Rich Harvest' — melodically irresistible songs that earned strong reviews and radio play. 'The Small Price of a Bicycle' (1985) and 'If You Want to Defeat Your Enemy Sing His Song' (1987) continued their development, with each album showing McNabb's continued melodic gifts.

The Icicle Works dissolved in 1990, and McNabb subsequently pursued a solo career that produced several strong albums. They are remembered as one of the more underrated acts of the 1980s British indie scene — a band with genuine melodic gifts who never quite achieved the commercial success their music deserved. 'Love Is a Wonderful Colour' in particular stands as one of the great lost singles of the era.