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Icon (band)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Icon
OriginPhoenix, Arizona, U.S.
Genres
Years active1979–1990, 2008–present
LabelsCapitol, Atlantic
MembersDan Wexler
Stephen Clifford
Tracy Wallach
John Aquilino
Pat Dixon
Past membersJohn Covington
Dave Henzerling
Jerry Harrison
Kevin Stoller
Drew Bollmann
David Lauser
Scott Hammons
Sheldon Tarsha
Gary Bruzzese

Icon is an American rock band that formed in 1979 and initially disbanded in 1990, but later reformed in 2008. As of 2024, Icon currently consists of all five members of the classic lineup: Dan Wexler (guitar), Stephen Clifford (lead vocals), John Aquilino (guitar), Tracy Wallach (bass) and Pat Dixon (drums).

History

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Formation

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Originally known as The Schoolboys in 1979 (maybe earlier), Icon was formed in 1981 in Phoenix, Arizona,[1] by high school friends Dan Wexler (guitar), Stephen Clifford (lead vocals) and Tracy Wallach (bass - a grandson of actor Eli Wallach[2]).[3] They were joined by Dave Henzerling (guitar) and John Covington (drums) from a band initially called Driver (which also had Jim Seagraves on vocals.[4][3] Schoolboys released an EP Singin' Shoutin' and had a few songs on local compilation albums.

In 1984, Icon was signed to Capitol Records.[3] By this point, Henzerling and Covington had left the band and were replaced by John Aquilino (guitar) and Pat Dixon (drums) (former drummer for Loosely Tight).[5]

Background

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In 1984, Icon released their self-titled debut, Icon,[3] produced by Shrapnel Records owner Mike Varney,[4] and toured to support it. The tour set list featured quite a few new songs intended for the next album as well as a few Deep Purple ("Highway Star") and Judas Priest covers.

In 1985, Night of the Crime was released, produced by Eddie Kramer,[3] mixed by Ron Nevison and featuring the songwriting talent of Bob Halligan Jr. During the mixing of the album, vocalist Stephen Clifford decided to leave the band for personal reasons.[5] Regrouping, the band tried out a few different vocalists, lost their record deal[6] and released a local-only cassette; More Perfect Union,[3] featuring a polished pop-rock sound, a new singer (Jerry Harrison) and a keyboardist (Kevin Stoller). Although it was only released locally, it garnered enough attention to renew major-label interest in the group.[3]

In 1989, Right Between the Eyes was released on Atlantic/Megaforce, with Jerry Harrison on vocals and Drew Bollmann on second guitar.[3] A video for "Taking My Breath Away" was played on MTV's Headbangers' Ball. Following the release of Right Between the Eyes and a supporting tour in the US opening for Ace Frehley and in the UK for King's X, the later included David Lauser on drums (currently Sammy Hagar's drummer) replacing Dixon, Icon disbanded.[3] Singer Harrison recorded with a new project called Harlequin. The other band members continued to be involved in music projects; guitarist Dan Wexler in particular wrote and recorded with Alice Cooper (who had performed backing vocals on "Holy Man's War" from Right Between the Eyes). In 1994, (An Even) More Perfect Union—an expanded version of A More Perfect Union, including tracks recorded for potential release on Right Between the Eyes—was released on CD.

2008 reunion

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In August 2008, Icon celebrated their reunion with a re-issue of a 1984 Bootleg Concert on DVD. Original members Wexler, Aquilino and Dixon, along with former member Dave Henzerling and new singer Scott Hammons had plans to record new material potentially for a new album.

On November 29, 2008, Icon opened up for Tesla at the Dodge Theatre in their home town of Phoenix, Arizona. They received a very warm reception. Copies of their 1984 DVD were signed and sold and the band promised that new material was on the way. 93.3 KDKB, the local rock station, plugged Icon as a band they love yet rarely play.

In May 2009, singer Scott Hammons decided to pursue a solo career so he decided to leave the band and was replaced with former Adler's Appetite vocalist Sheldon Tarsha, with whom the band played at Rocklahoma and opened for Queensrÿche in 2010. Previous plans to record new songs—possibly for a new album—still exist. However, Tarsha has left the band and original singer Stephen Clifford has been with the band since 2011.

Both the original self-titled album Icon and Night of the Crime were remastered and re-released in 2000 by French hard rock label AxeKiller. "Night of the Crime" was remastered again in 2009 by UK label Rock Candy Records.

Side projects

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Wexler participated in other musical projects after Icon's disbandment, most notably co-writing several tracks with Alice Cooper and releasing an album with the band Thieves in the Temple. Henzerling was one of the guitarists for Carmine Appice's band King Kobra; played on the Lizzy Borden album Master of Disguise; and later joined forces with Wexler and Dixon (and Asphalt Ballet singer Tommy Dean) in the band Tomcats. Several Icon members and Surgical Steel drummer Bob Milan backed Arizona vocalist Lydian on her 1990 album "With a Vengeance". Covington played with early Mötley Crue and Dokken guitarist Greg Leon in the Greg Leon Invasion before joining Henzerling in the band Big Cock.

Icon also did a project together with lead singer Randy Baker, founder of the original Strange Daze a Tribute to the Doors[7] band which included a four-song demo and performing live.[8] According to Baker, "I was never a member of Icon we did a project together as suggested by mutual management."[9]

Members

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Timeline

Discography

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Studio albums

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Live albums

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  • 1984: Live Bootleg CD and VHS (1999)

Video and live sound recording by Paul Gasparola

Compilation albums

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Music videos

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  • On Your Feet (1984)
  • Taking My Breath Away (1989)

References

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  1. ^ "Icon Songs, Albums, Reviews, Bio & More". AllMusic. Retrieved August 9, 2023.
  2. ^ Confirmed by band member Drew Bollmann in a facebook post 2024-06-14
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i Colin Larkin, ed. (1995). The Guinness Who's Who of Heavy Metal (Second ed.). Guinness Publishing. p. 176. ISBN 0-85112-656-1.
  4. ^ a b "Icon". Icon ~ 80's AOR & Melodic Rock Music. September 12, 2014. Retrieved March 22, 2024.
  5. ^ a b Means, Andrew (October 26, 1985). "Success Poses New Problems For Icon". Arizona Republic. p. 55.
  6. ^ Means, Andrew (April 20, 1986). "Icon Guitarist Says Fall Was Predictable". Arizona Republic. p. 89.
  7. ^ "Randy Baker and Strange Daze / Raven Black with Randi Eve". YouTube.
  8. ^ "Randy Baker and Icon (Wexler, Stoller, Dixon and Wallach)". YouTube. Archived from the original on December 13, 2021.
  9. ^ "Randy Baker and Icon (Wexler, Stoller, Dixon and Wallach)". YouTube.
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