Flowers - Sister (1981)

[sharyn452]

How nice to see Ice house on here they were the Flowers back in the 80's then they brought out an Ablum called Ice house and that is how they got their new name

[axelfoley1973]

been hearing this song for the last few weeks and for the life of me i couldn't find it till now. i didn't know who sang it or anything and to find out that one of australias' favourite bands performed it makes me feel a little sheepy. Rock On!

[gforce4all]

I love icehouse!!!

[TheFarkwit]

The best version of this song I've ever heard. Iva is awesome in this.

[urissister]

God, how do you find these things! BRILLIANT! I think I'll have to subscribe... be flattered!

[urissister]

God, how do you find these things! BRILLIANT!

[xyaqua]

30 years ago i thought this was the coolest song ever.

30 years later, i still thin it is one of the top ten, and this is the best version i've ever heard. 30 listens later, it sounds even better!

[durashka123]

Thanks for all the music, nzoz. I'm curious, how complete do you consider your collection; is there something of which you're aware you lack that you'd like?

[nzoz1981]

@durashka123

absolutely!!! there are many holes in these channels that need to be filled with some Aussie band - known or obscure. I use what others have uploaded to build up playlists that accompany these channels, just for the sake of completion.  However, it's never ever really complete.

[durashka123]

@nzoz1981 Awesome.

[cbmdg8551976]

@nzoz1981 whats the possibility of you having 'walls' live version from this performance in your archives?

[nzoz1981]

@cbmdg8551976 i got this clip from the VHS release of 'Great Southern Land' back in 1989. I've owned the tape for over 20 years.

[cbmdg8551976]

@nzoz1981 pretty good quality for a 20+ yr VHS tape. Wasn't the 'Walls' performance on that tape? I dig your year-to-year stuff going back to 60's and 70's. Its cool to see early "Down-Under" stuff that was never shown here in California. I do remember this clip from MTV back in its first month or so when they played cool vid's. I also recall 'Skin', 'Walls" and maybe "fatman" from this performance.

[nzoz1981]

@cbmdg8551976

That's cool... you've seen more of that performance than I ever did. The only clip from that concert I've seen in 'Walls'. I believe the gig was taped for Nightmoves back in '80/'81 and managed to find its way to MTV.

Thanx for the comment on my work... it's certainly been a tough five years of work and dedication to make these series of channels... I'm glad you've explored them!

[nzoz1981]

@cbmdg8551976 i don't have the live version of 'walls'... sorry

[MrGziss]

how great itd be to have this and more live shows like it. from them....ill never get sick of these guys.

[slappyswirl1]

Love this song. Great band.

[monkeypuzzle351]

gary numan meets punk rock :)

[cbmdg8551976]

@monkeypuzzle351 Go early gary numan 77-79 see his punk rock stage, pretty interesting

[ssheep65]

Brilliant. Now who can get a copy of the gig? From Nightmoves it seems - Lee Simon do you have a copy?

[TheMrsympathetic]

The album was fantastic I couldn't believe how many good tracks it had, this song has to rank amongst the best ever recorded. Love Iva's quiet "thankyou" at the end.

[xyaqua]

My favorite "mix" tape of icehouse was imply theor ffirst two albums back to back! There were/are awesome. Yeah its an 80s sound, but the best 80s sound, battles with psyche, existance, growing up. Man what a rush!

We've got a VP in our office is nearly DEAD RINGER for Ian, it's a running joke, we may even get him to do a karoke of this-

Any cover is a tribute, even karoke!

[paisleyvespa]

They always played this fast, live. I remember the earliest days of Flowers, often referred to back then as "the punk jukebox" with some really great covers in amongst the originals. Introduced me to some more obscure T-Rex tracks such as Think Zinc, One inch rock and Beltane walk, and a heap of others I've since forgotten! Actually preferred the punky powerpop fun of the original Flowers line up to later incarnations of Icehouse which became more of a personal vehicle for Iva - "..too serious!"

[luthier67]

There was a video they played on MTV from this same show for the song "Skin". I havent seen it anywhere on youtube or the net- anyone know whatever happened to that video? Lost forever? They billed the band as Icehouse- I remember that.

[MrRazorspirit]

They changed their name from Flowers to Icehouse as they were trying to crack the U.S. market and there already was a band called Flowers so they simply took the name from the debut album and became Icehouse. The Angels had to do the same for the same reason and for a very short time became Angel City

[pixilator]

Brother,.... are you serious?

This is classic 80's Aus rock, history.

Memories that can't be erased,... yes,.. memories :)

[xyaqua]

Dead favorite of all time. 

In the middle of wisconsin in the early 80's, this was my oasis of sanity, and my clutch to real music.

Too fast? NEVER!!! Live music is best when played to the limit. Who cares about a few dropped of missed notes? The band is having fun, the crowd is having fun. Icehouse was good live.

[curetril]

Nearly wore this track out on my vinyl disc in 1980.

[mytorque]

oh yeah AWESOME

[ksmit]

too fast..............

[Stumperx]

Awesome music...

[TW458]

Not half sped up *rolls eyes*

[vinylman4533]

This song really cooked 30 years ago. The Flowers were one of the bands that had a whole new sound that announced that the 80's were here.

[Swamibondi]

Amphetamines and Gin aaargh

[flamingcookbook]

I am most disturbed by this incestual song. I am going for a stiff drink now. I hope you are scared too.

[xyaqua]

Fade back my dolls, 30 year ago.

this was gold, supply side economics, cocaine, ketamine.

You've got nobody else but yourself sister...

Such a fucking cool song... I play this in my head while i'm storming up hills while cycling. It's better even than adreneline!

[bjmob66]

In fact, When i was a DJ at the Sandown Park Hotel, i remember a time when Pseudo Echo had to borrow 20 bucks of me to buy a Pizza..3 bands for $3 those were the days......

[sirgarence]

That's an expensive pizza, esp for those days ;-)

[tyran64]

dude who did you manage that! lol wish i were you at the time

[lisafs1]

pseudo echo were playing for free in Noosa two weeks ago!!

[cwegers1]

you would have to pay me to see them.

[bjmob66]

Hey nzoz,threre were plenty of gay people out and about supporting live music in the 80s, especialy in melbourne,so whats wrong with gay.......

[steveforsale09]

Icehouse was the first new wave band that i got into, probably around 81. They made me want to smash my guitar and buy a keyboard. I got off the train when Iva grew that mullet though :( Good to see em here on youtube though, this (video 4 Sister) is the Icehouse I remember!!!

[stigbigstoorm]

there's something unusual about this comments section, people know what they're taliking about and there's no name calling, too weird I'm going!

[nzoz1981]

don't let the door hit you on your way out, bitch! your account sucks. go and listen to ABBA records! You listen to EMO, you're gay!

There.. feeling more comfortable now? :-P

[stigbigstoorm]

that's more YouTube! I was "weirded out" by the lack of abuse.

Just found MEO245 Lady Love thanks for that one.

It was probably that same episode of Countdown where I remember Martha Davis testing out to see if Molly really didn't respond as other men by putting her legs on his lap.

[Barsopen1970]

But .. But .. ABBA were pretty damn good i thought !

* hides face n' runs

[schuey7wc]

one of the best versions you will get of this song

[wonkipop]

thanks.

saw flowers a lot in 79 - hearts polaris inn and other joints in carlton melb. dudes were from sydney but for a moment in time blewdoors off melbs bands. clip captures that even tho its later. RRR had some live to air stuff from that time thats like this.

[wilderskies1]

It does not get much better!!!!A truly great piece of Rock. Great musicians really bending thier backs. I have no doubt Flowers inspired many folk along with myself to compose and perform music. A Masterpiece. Thanks for posting.

[MottTheWot]

Must have seen them live at least 20 or 30 times in 1979/80 'The Punk JukeBox' they were called then. I had a great time at every gig, loved Flowers.

[caiofons]

Great band. I prefer this original lineup of the band.

[xyaqua]

Wow! really nice! These guys are just too cool.

The solo pause in the middle has just too many possibilities,

I'd love to hear the covered by either Gary Numan or Our Daughters Wedding

[ssheep65]

Raw talent & brilliant...does anyone have the full gig they can find? From 'Nightmoves' or similar vid show in the 80's I believe

[nzoz1981]

Keith Welsh, the bassplayer (the one you see in this clip here) sent me a message many months ago asking me the very same question. I told him that I only got this from 'Great Southern Land' video and do not know where else to get it.

He told me he'd ask Iva instead....

I do believe the entire concert was played on MTV USA at one time.

[boogiefever1985]

Wow I have this on album, but this live version has actually blown me away. I'm impressed. Please reform Iva!

[jakeschrock]

YC45D!

[daihong68]

Gotta love that ribbon controller solo at 1:51! Have a look at their early Flowers-Can't Help Myself video for more YC-45D goodness-reminds you that back then not everyone could afford a Moog, Prophet or Jupiter, but the music was still great!

[yardelli]

Indeed The Flowers bassist here is Keith Welsh

[RockGodfromTas]

Did you know that Guy Pratt (bass) went on to join Pink Floyd?

[nzoz1981]

Guy Pratt was not in the band at this stage. He joined Icehouse in 1982 and after that, played with Pink Floyd and other people.

[ggh7664]

It's because of great music like this that I can forgive Iva and Co. or their atrocious "Electric Blue" and "Crazy". Every great band is allowed a couple of mulligans now and then.

[runehealing]

I really had no idea Iva was this proficient on the guitar. It's kinda wierd not seeing any other guitarist here. Just bass, keys, drums...and Iva with guitar and vocals. Impressive.

[musicforanyone]

The pre-Icehouse Australian band with great tunes...unforgettable band...Listen to all their songs. they still up to date and will not fade away

[jlbrpt]

I still have their first self-titled album (as Icehouse). The thing that impressed me is that the copyright date is 1981, but the sound was so modern that I played this for someone recently, and they thought it was a brand new band. I always loved this song since the first time I heard it, among others.

[goonsquid]

The band's name was Flowers (no The). In a sellout to the US they allowed their name to be changed to Icehouse, but eventually Icehouse was just Iva Davies anyway.

[cilit99]

i remember Icehouse as the Flowers

[malinwj]

I remember this from MTV - I think they played the whole show as a saturday night concert at 11:30pm if memory serves me correct. Great band!

[4321Blastoff]

Never heard this band before but I'm a big fan of the Australia early punk and music of that time. This band's sweet!

[nzoz1981]

You've never heard of Icehouse? Before changing their name into Icehouse, they were performing as The Flowers.

As Icehouse, they had a few international hits...

[MayWeSay]

Flowers became Icehouse due to the existence of a Scottish band at the same time whose name was also Flowers. Due to legal reas.ons, not by choice, Iva decided to adopt the title of the first album as the new band name, as it was a name that people would most likely recognise. At the end of the day, it was merely a name change - from Flowers to Icehouse, Iva Davies had always been the man behind the machine.

[Davroz71]

great sound recording on these old 80's oz live gigs, analog lives on ;) .. sorta

thnx for the blast from the past.

[Confedgirl]

Fantastic!

[Davroz71]

Thanks btw great audio for a live track ! Those old analog soundies new there trade ;)

[ReginaldMafunga]

Brilliant, thanks for the upload.