Biography

Icon were formed in Phoenix, Arizona, USA, in 1981, by school friends Dan Wexler (guitar), Tracy Wallach (bass, backing vocals) and Stephen Clifford (lead vocals). Drummer Pat Dixon and John Aquilino (guitar) joined a couple of months later. Icon spent their first three years playing local bars and recording demo tapes, originally under the name of the Schoolboys. Mike Varney heard the band and subsequently signed them to his Shrapnel label, after which Icon recorded their first album with Varney and Dan Wexler producing. After the sessions were completed, Varney realized that he had a commercial record on his hands, and sold Icon’s contract to Capitol Records. In late 1984 Icon was released, a dynamic record in the Dokken tradition of melodic heavy metal. Brushing aside poor sales, they returned to the studio in 1985 with producer Eddie Kramer to record the follow-up, Night Of The Crime. Capitol dropped them from their roster following further disappointing sales, and Icon returned to Phoenix. At this point, Clifford, who had become a born-again Christian, was replaced by Jerry Harrison. In 1987 Icon released a cassette album, A More Perfect Union, which was sold locally and was reissued in 1995 as An Even More Perfect Union, also featuring four unissued tracks from the same sessions. Two years later Johnny Zazula heard the tape and signed them to his Megaforce label, which had just negotiated a worldwide distribution agreement with Atlantic Records. In the middle of 1989 Icon were about to start recording when Aquilino left the band. His replacement was Drew Bollmann, a Phoenix native. With Dan Wexler again producing, Right Between The Eyes saw Icon deliver their best record to date - again in their familiar AOR/melodic heavy rock vein - it also featured Alice Cooper guesting on two tracks. However, this did not signal Icon’s triumphant return. After a short UK tour, Wexler announced their break-up.