In 1987-1988, Icehouse went all Michael Jackson as the “Man Of Colours” album had an unprecedented five top forty singles peeled off of it in their native Australia. Only three of these got a release in the US, but “Crazy” rose to #14 on the Billboard Hot 100 with the followup “Electric Blue” hitting the top 10 at number 8. I finally managed to catch Icehouse twice on the subsequent grueling tour of The States. The first time was an awful gig opening for the last Cars tour at the USF Sundome in Tampa. Our seats were behind a column! Even though no one was in the hideous arena, the gig police would not let us move to see the band better. Hateful – like every other show at the Sundome. Fortunately, the album’s success found the band coming back through Florida later, and I also caught the band headlining at a summer Wet ‘N’ Wild water park show. Though not my milieu of choice, it was a fine concert that went a long way in making up for the first [non] event.
Icehouse Rarities 1987-1989
My Obsession OZ 7″
• My Obsession [7″ mix]
• Your Confession
Another Michael Brauer remix on the A-side of this single. This also got an American release as the third single from “Man Of Colours” here, but I don’t recall it troubling the charts very much.
Man Of Colours OZ 7″
• Komsaka B
The delicate title track only got an OZ release on 7″ [though there was a promo 12″ – not remixed]. The non-LP B-side appeared only here.
Nothing Too Serious OZ 12″
• Nothing Too Serious [12″ ver.]
• Nothing Too Serious [7″ ver.]
• NoCal 818
The final OZ single also got a Promotional Canadian 12″ but no other members of the commonwealth shared the single. Two mixes here were by producer David Lord with the traditional B-side.
Touch The Fire OZ Promo CD5″
• Touch The Fire – 4:02
• Last Cut – 3:39
• Heartbreak Kid [live] – 5:18
After the career best of MOC, Icehouse took a slight breather after the most touring they had ever done and went into the studio to release a few new singles. “Touch The Fire” had the stuff to be a decent American hit, but only Australia and Germany got the new song as a single release. The OZ promo CD had A/B sides plus a bonus live track of the great MOC deep cut, “Heartbreak Kid.”
Jimmy Dean OZ 7″
• Jimmy Dean
• Arabia
A second new single appeared in 1989, “Jimmy Dean.” This was an OZ 7″/cassette only with a B-side. Both of these last two singles figured on the first Icehouse compilation album, “Great Southern Land.”
Great Southern Land US CD
• Great Southern Land [’89 mix – 5:20]
• Sister [’89 mix – 3:24]
The various Icehouse territories each released their own mix of this album, which was a double LP in Australia. Many songs came and went, but the two of note here were Thompson + Barbiero remixes of “Great Southern Land” and “Sister” that were commissioned just for this compilation.
Next: …No Fun
Post-Punk Monk 
I think that this is part 6, not part 5. Or part 5b.
LikeLike
Tim – Whoops! You’re so right…
LikeLike
When Icehouse came back on that Cars Tour, my friends and I went and vowed we would leave after Icehouse’s set as The Cars had abandoned us as fans for some years already. We left not even half way into the first Cars song. The show was good, but the sound for Icehouse was a joke. Typical “screw the opening act” tactics.
LikeLike
Echorich – Inasmuch as I did not even own a bathing suit until I was in my 30s, the show at Wet ‘N’ Wild was infinitely better, even as I stood out like a sore thumb among the crowd. How I wish I had a few more such Icehouse shows under my belt!
LikeLike
Time out – between living in Florida and the normalized hazing called middle & high school physical education……how the hell did you not have a bathing suit until you were in your 30’s?
LikeLike
Tim – I was born in Los Angeles. We lived 2 miles from Malibu. Then we lived in Florida. First on the Gulf Coast, then in Central Florida. To this day I can’t swim. I only got a bathing suit when I met my wife. She liked the seashore.
LikeLike
Wow, I live in Wisconsin and it’s winter here for like 5 months and we still have mandatory swimming in PE.
LikeLike
I managed to see the Tampa and the Wet N Wild shows along with a third show in Atlanta at Centerstage. The guys signed our stuff and were really nice. I remember the opening set for The Cars sounding okay, but yeah, the sight lines sure sucked.
Before we move to the “Fun” of the next round of releases, we have one more MOC item. An Australian four track live promo 12″ with “Great Southern Land”, “Crazy”, “No Promises”, and “Nothing Too Serious” recorded at the Melbourne Music Show Feb. 1988.
LikeLike
Will this series continue? There’s more to the story…
LikeLike
Rob C – Where were you when we did that? https://postpunkmonk.wordpress.com/2016/10/26/raiding-the-ice-box-planning-an-icehouse-bsog-part-7/
LikeLike