Big Wheel (Icehouse album)

Big Wheel is the eighth studio album by the Australian rock synthpop band, Icehouse, which was released by dIVA Records – founder Iva Davies' own label – and Massive Records. It was recorded at Davies' home in Whale Beach during 1993 with Davies on vocals, guitar, bass guitar and keyboards, David Chapman on guitar, keyboards and backing vocals, and Paul Wheeler on drums, percussion and backing vocals.[2][3] Big Wheel peaked at #44 and was their first studio album not to reach the Top Ten on the Australian album charts.[4] The album was digitally remastered by Davies and Ryan Scott with five bonus tracks added for the 2002 re-release by Warner Music Australia.[3]

Big Wheel
Studio album by
Icehouse
Released25 October 1993
RecordedDIVA Studios, Whale Beach, Australia
GenreRock
LabeldIVA/Massive
ProducerIva Davies
Icehouse chronology
Spin One
(1993)		 Big Wheel
(1993)		 Full Circle
(1994)
Singles from Big Wheel
  1. "Satellite"
    Released: September 1993
  2. "Big Wheel"
    Released: October 1993
  3. "Invisible People"
    Released: April 1994
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic[1]

Singles

"Satellite" and "Big Wheel" were released as singles in 1993, and "Invisible People" in 1994. Of these, only "Satellite" reached the Australian charts, peaking at 83. The "Big Wheel" single had remixes by Bill Laswell (featuring fellow guitarist Buckethead) and General Dynamics (guitars by Jon Ingoldsby) as well as a demo version of the song and "Turn it Round".[5]

Reception

Reviewed in Rolling Stone Australia at the time of release, Big Wheel was described as tougher-sounding and less commercial than the band's previous releases, and arguably their best recording to date. The reviewer noted the "early-Seventies glam and Enoesque atmospherics" and praised the "sonic immediacy" of the "largely live performances".[6]

Track listing

All songs written by Iva Davies, David Chapman and Paul Wheeler except where noted. Songwriters according to Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA).[7]

No.TitleLength
1."Big Wheel" (Iva Davies, David Chapman)4:28
2."Satellite"4:19
3."Goodbye, Valentine" (Davies, Simon Lloyd, Wheeler)4:07
4."Judas"5:20
5."Invisible People"6:10
6."Feed the Machine"5:33
7."Cadillac"4:05
8."Sam the Man"3:55
9."Stolen Guitar"4:24
10."The System"6:56
2002 Remaster Bonus Tracks
No.TitleLength
11."Orbital Line"4:39
12."Turn it Round" (Davies)2:55
13."Driving Me Backwards (live)" (Brian Eno)5:54
14."Blank Frank (live)" (Eno, Robert Fripp)3:37
15."Satellite (The Ex-static Mix)"5:27

Personnel

Credited to:[3]

Icehouse

Additional musicians
  • Ben Nightingale – guitar on "Sam the Man".

Production
  • Producer – Iva Davies
  • Studios – dIVA Studios at Whale Beach, Australia. Additional recordings by Simon Leadley at Trackdown Studios assisted by James Cadsky, Richard Mould, Michelle Barry.
  • Mix, editing and mastering – David Lord with Iva Davies, David Chapman, Paul Wheeler at Trackdown
  • Mix, editing and mastering engineered by Simon Leadley at Trackdown.

Design
  • Cover concept – Iva Davies
  • Artwork and computer graphics – Patti Gaines for Genki.
  • Photography – Tony Mott.

References
  1. Allmusic review
  2. Holmgren, Magnus. "The Flowers / Icehouse". Australian Rock Database. Archived from the original on 29 September 2013. Retrieved 21 March 2014.
  3. "Big Wheel (bonus tracks) credits". allmusic. Retrieved 7 July 2008.
  4. Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970-1992. St Ives, NSW: Australian Chart Book. ISBN 0-646-11917-6. NOTE: Used for Australian Singles and Albums charting from 1970 until ARIA created their own charts in mid-1988.
    - "Search results for:Icehouse". australian-charts.com. Archived from the original on 2 December 2008. Retrieved 5 July 2008.
  5. Big Wheel CD single
  6. St John, Ed (November 1993). "Big Wheel". Rolling Stone Australia. No. 489. Sydney, NSW: Tilmond Pty Ltd. p. 82.
  7. "Australasian Performing Right Association". APRA. Archived from the original on 5 July 2008. Retrieved 5 July 2008. Note: requires user to input song title e.g. BIG WHEEL
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