Chris Layhe
Encyclopedia
Chris Layhe is an English
musician, and founding member of Liverpool
alternative rock
band, The Icicle Works.
Signed to Beggar's Banquet, The Icicle Works had a handful of chart
hits
(notably "Birds Fly (Whisper to a Scream)
") and toured the US
and mainland Europe before the departure of original members Layhe and drummer Chris Sharrock
in 1989.
In the 1990s, Layhe worked as events organiser at Blue Coat Arts Centre in Liverpool, co-ordinating appearances by Tori Amos
and Doris Lessing
, among others.
Though originally a bassist, Layhe currently teaches guitar at the Manchester Adult Education Service. Co-writer (with Ian McNabb
) of several early Icicle Works songs, he has also performed his own work solo, and with blues rock band Oyster, in venues throughout the north of England.
In 2009, Layhe formed the indie rock
band Shadow History, with the Australian singer/guitarist Ben Winch
, and returned to bass playing after a lengthy hiatus.
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
musician, and founding member of Liverpool
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
alternative rock
Alternative rock
Alternative rock is a genre of rock music and a term used to describe a diverse musical movement that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1980s and became widely popular by the 1990s...
band, The Icicle Works.
Signed to Beggar's Banquet, The Icicle Works had a handful of chart
Record chart
A record chart is a ranking of recorded music according to popularity during a given period of time. Examples of music charts are the Hit parade, Hot 100 or Top 40....
hits
Hit single
A hit single is a recorded song or instrumental released as a single that has become very popular. Although it is sometimes used to describe any widely-played or big-selling song, the term "hit" is usually reserved for a single that has appeared in an official music chart through repeated radio...
(notably "Birds Fly (Whisper to a Scream)
Birds Fly (Whisper to a Scream)
"Birds Fly " was a hit single in 1984 written by Ian McNabb, produced by Hugh Jones and performed by The Icicle Works...
") and toured the US
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and mainland Europe before the departure of original members Layhe and drummer Chris Sharrock
Chris Sharrock
Chris Sharrock is an English drummer from Bebington, Merseyside, England who has a long history of being an official member of many noted British bands, including The Icicle Works, The La's, The Wild Swans, World Party, The Lightning Seeds, The Robbie Williams Band, Oasis, and Beady...
in 1989.
In the 1990s, Layhe worked as events organiser at Blue Coat Arts Centre in Liverpool, co-ordinating appearances by Tori Amos
Tori Amos
Tori Amos is an American pianist, singer-songwriter and composer. She was at the forefront of a number of female singer-songwriters in the early 1990s and was noteworthy early in her career as one of the few alternative rock performers to use a piano as her primary instrument...
and Doris Lessing
Doris Lessing
Doris May Lessing CH is a British writer. Her novels include The Grass is Singing, The Golden Notebook, and five novels collectively known as Canopus in Argos....
, among others.
Though originally a bassist, Layhe currently teaches guitar at the Manchester Adult Education Service. Co-writer (with Ian McNabb
Ian McNabb
Robert Ian McNabb is a British singer-songwriter and musician from Liverpool, England. He is known both for his work as leader and songwriter-in-chief of The Icicle Works in the 1980s, and his critically acclaimed solo career throughout from the early 1990s to date...
) of several early Icicle Works songs, he has also performed his own work solo, and with blues rock band Oyster, in venues throughout the north of England.
In 2009, Layhe formed the indie rock
Indie rock
Indie rock is a genre of alternative rock that originated in the United Kingdom and the United States in the 1980s. Indie rock is extremely diverse, with sub-genres that include lo-fi, post-rock, math rock, indie pop, dream pop, noise rock, space rock, sadcore, riot grrrl and emo, among others...
band Shadow History, with the Australian singer/guitarist Ben Winch
Ben Winch
Benjamin Roy Winch is an Australian writer and musician.Brought up in the Adelaide Hills of South Australia, Winch performed in the alternative rock band Movement from 1990-92 before starting to write fiction....
, and returned to bass playing after a lengthy hiatus.