The last post about Derek Forbes’ autobiography touched on the connections between Australia’s Icehouse and Scotland’s Simple Minds as both bands had significant history dating back to their teaming up in 1981 for tours of Oz and the UK in each other’s company. But that’s last week’s news! On Friday the call came from Mr. Ware that the inevitable has happened: Icehouse and Simple Minds have teamed up on a new single together as Simple Minds are once more touring with Icehouse in the Antipodes in a few months.

Icehouse are no strangers to cover versions as the band began its life as “New Wave Jukebox” band Flowers where the Roxy/Bowie/T-Rex roots of the band were the foundation of what came afterward as Iva Davies began writing original music to move up a few levels. When the band signed to Chrysalis worldwide in 1981, they re-branded as Icehouse and they’ve been known by that moniker ever since.

Icehouse furthermore have a history of cover versions to grace the occasional B-side as well as one of my all-time favorite cover albums ever with their 1995 studio album, “The Berlin Tapes.” On it, the band managed to indelibly re-define some classics as well as cover a Simple Minds song in “Let There Be Love.”

Simple Minds have also not shied away from cover versions after many years where they didn’t release them. Once they recorded “Street Hassle,” the gloves were off. They had recorded two cover albums [“Neon Lights” – 2002, “Searching For The Lost Boys” – 2009] a few years after Icehouse did, and both bands covered The Human League’s “Being Boiled” on their own! Making it only a matter of time before they linked up to pay homage to the mutual influence of Marc Bolan on a new version of “Get It On.”

The ball started out in the Icehouse court as Iva Davies carried the meaty boogie guitar riffs that were the song’s calling card. Iva carries the first verse but both bands were all in on the chorus. Jim Kerr stepped up for the second verse as punctuated by a screaming Hammond organ patch. While I have little doubt that the lead guitar on the track was in Davies’ hands, right before the third verse came a lick perpendicular to the topline melody that was the calling card of Charlie Burchill; stepping back in time 42 years to replicate his modus operandi as it was in 1981. To add complexity to the song with a left-field countermelody that heightened the tension. That he was doing it in a song that was all about The Boogie was nothing short of miraculous.

In the last couplet of the third verse with Iva Davies, Simple Minds’ Sarah Brown joined in with her backing vocals an octave higher for a bit of ear candy that I cannot resist. Leading into the sax break and a further example of Charlie slashing into the song from an oblique angle as only he could do in the middle eight.

Sarah Brown joined Jim Kerr in the fourth verse; also at a split octave in the last couplet. After which the song climaxed with Iva, Jim, and Sarah trading off on the repeat chorus with Ms. Brown taking on [dare I say] a Merry Clayton aspect that I was more than down with. Until the guitar and sax doubled on the final, crunch chord riff that put the skidmarks into the song.

Both bands have a penchant for cover versions, but the disparity in execution could be quite profound. Icehouse have managed to re-define what were classic songs like “All Tomorrow’s Parties” in definitive performances that managed to leave artists like Bryan Ferry and David Sylvian in the dust. That’s how successful Davies has been in covering a song. Meanwhile, Simple Minds can make us break into a cold sweat at the notion of a cover version. Usually stumbling while never quite stealing away Duran Duran’s loving cup for worst ever cover artist.

Fortunately for our ears, both bands here navigated the centerline between such poles. No one has to rewire “Get it On” after the memory of what The Power Station did to it in 1985 still lingers to sting the inquisitive mind. Making this new cover neither triumph nor embarrassment. It gets to coast by on exactly what it was; a bit of fun for old friends ready to re-acquaint themselves with where they were at 40+ years later prior to an upcoming tour together. A tour with at least one sure-fire encore ready to go.

SIMPLE MINDS/ICEHOUSE | RED HOT SUMMER TOUR | OZ 2024

Feb. 10 | Mornington Racecourse | Mornington AUS | SOLD OUT
Feb. 11 | Rochford Wines | Yarra Valley, AUS
Feb. 17 | Sandstone Poin | Bribie Island QLD AUS | SOLD OUT
Feb. 21 | Kings Park & Botanic Garden | Perth, AUS

The Feb. 10 and 17th dates are sold out but the Yarra Valley and Perth dates still have tickets for any fans in Oz of what should be a great pairing of two of PPM’s favorite rock bands ever. The single is streaming at all the usuals or you can still buy a DL at iTunes if you’re an inveterate curmudgeon like we are.

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