Primitive Man is an album by the Australian band Icehouse, released in September 1982. In January 1982, Icehouse founder Iva Davies started recording Primitive Man essentially as a solo project, it was co-produced with Keith Forsey who later worked with Simple Minds. Forsey supplied additional percussion; Davies supplied vocals, lead guitar, keyboards (Sequential Circuits Prophet-5), bass guitar and programmed the Linn drum machine. Released as an Icehouse album, Primitive Man reached #3 on the National album charts and provided their international breakthrough single, "Hey Little Girl" which peaked at #7 in Australia, #2 in Switzerland, #5 in Germany, Top 20 in UK, Sweden and Netherlands, and #31 on the U.S. Billboard Mainstream Rock chart. Another single "Great Southern Land" made the Australian Top 5, it was later featured in the 1988 Yahoo Serious film Young Einstein, and remains their most popular song according to listeners of Triple M in 2007. To promote Primitive Man on tour, Davies re-assembled Icehouse with Michael Hoste (keyboards) and John Lloyd (drums), and new members: Bob Kretschmer (guitar, backing vocals), Guy Pratt (bass guitar, backing vocals) and Andy Qunta (keyboards, backing vocals).

After the United Kingdom Top 20 chart success of "Hey Little Girl" the album was re-released as Love In Motion in 1983 and contained the same tracks in different order except "Break These Chains" being replaced by "Love in Motion"; the alternate cover work was a still from the Russell Mulcahy directed video for "Hey Little Girl" (see infobox below right). In 1996, Icehouse released a compilation album called Love in Motion on dIVA / Massive Records, which contains "Love in Motion" but does not have any material from the original Australian release of Primitive Man.

Primitive Man represented a slight departure from earlier material and a move from the more rock based style of their first album to the synth based, more atmospheric albums such as Sidewalk and Measure for Measure. This style is exemplified in "Hey Little Girl", a very relaxed, introspective song which reflects the overall tone of the album punctuated by the heavier "Glam" and the more dance based "Mysterious Thing".

Track listing

Original Australian release

1. "Great Southern Land" - 3:22
2. "Uniform" - 5:19
3. "Hey Little Girl" - 4:25
4. "Street Cafe" - 4:13
5. "Glam" - 4:13
6. "Trojan Blue" - 5:03
7. "One By One" - 4:25
8. "Break These Chains"
9. "Mysterious Thing" - 3:43
10. "Goodnight Mr. Matthews" - 4:00

Track 10 is a re-recording of the B-side to the 1981 single "Love in Motion".

The album was re-issued on CD in 2002 with the following bonus tracks:

11. "Over The Line" (B-side to "Street Cafe")
    
12. "Glam" (Extended Dance Mix)(B-side to "Hey Little Girl")
    
13. "Uniform" (German version)(B-side to "Great Southern Land")
    
14. "Street Cafe" (Single Mix)
    
15. "Love In Motion" (U.S. Recording)
    
16. "Can't Help Myself" (live)
    
17. "We Can Get Together" (live)
    

U.S./UK releases

1. "Uniform" - 5:19
2. "Street Cafe" - 4:13
3. "Hey, Little Girl" - 4:25
4. "Glam" - 4:13
5. "Great Southern Land" - 3:22
6. "Trojan Blue" - 5:03
7. "Love In Motion" - 4:02
8. "Mysterious Thing" - 3:43
9. "One By One" - 4:25
10. "Goodnight Mr. Matthews" - 4:00

Singles

• "Love In Motion" c/w "Goodnight Mr. Matthews" ) (#10 Aus)
• "Great Southern Land" c/w "Uniform" (German version) (#5 Aus, #83 UK)
• "Hey Little Girl" c/w "Glam" (Extended Dance Mix) (#6 Aus, #5 Germany, #17 UK, #31 U.S.)
• "Street Cafe" c/w "Over The Line" (#57 Aus, #28 Germany)
• "Uniform" c/w "Mysterious Thing" (#83 UK) U.S./Euro release only

Chart Positions

See also

• Love In Motion

Personnel

Icehouse members

• Iva Davies — vocals, guitar, Sequential Circuits Prophet-5, bass guitar, Linn drum machine
• Michael Hoste — keyboards (bonus tracks)
• Bob Kretschmer — guitar (bonus tracks)
• John Lloyd — drums (bonus tracks)
• Guy Pratt — bass guitar (bonus tracks)

Additional musicians

• Keith Forsey — additional percussion
• Abraham Laboriel — bass guitar (bonus tracks)

Recording details

• Mixing — Cameron Allan, Bob Clearmountain, Iva Davies, Keith Forsey
• Engineer — Dave Jerden, Brian Reeves, David Price, Rick Butz
• Produced — Iva Davies, Keith Forsey
• Digital remastering (2002) — Iva Davies, Ryan Scott

Art work

• Front Cover — Bill Tom
• Sleeve & Back Cover Photography — Craig Dietz
• Cover Concept — Janet Levinson, Iva Davies
• Cover design (Love in Motion) — David Storey

References