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Wendy Icon.
 The name Wendy Icon will be familiar to those ensconced in Adelaide's punk/hardcore scene; but according to band members Bakery Treat and Tommy Icon, Adelaide is only the beginning. If you were a face in a crowd of fans at Silverstein, Parkway Drive, The Bleeders or The Hot Lies 'Heart Attacks And Callous Acts' tour last year; or if you are a regular punter at Enigma Bar; or if you just love getting into a hard rockin' tune, then Wendy Icon just might be your new favourite band.
Formed in 2003, this rock-metal quintet has endured several lineup changes, broken many a guitar string and slurped plenty of celebratory baked beans along the way to realize what a hard road it is to Rock City. However, thanks to a call-up to appear on the 2006 Local Produce stage at the Big Day Out, this could be the year that Wendy Icon make it big.
I spoke to Tom and Bakery on a sweltering hot afternoon about their dreams and plans, and how they planned to bring them to fruition. The members of the band range in age from 16 years to 22. They're young and passionate, earnest about the choices they've made and are committed to realising their ambitions.
Speaking to the eldest of 'the crew', it became obvious that Icon is the driving force behind the machine that is Wendy Icon. He spoke at length about the band's plans, with both a faraway look and a steely glint to his eye. However, affable twenty one year old bassist Bakery Treat is simply enthusiastic about what lies ahead.
"This is the first big gig of 2006," he begins. "We play the Big Day Out on the Friday [Fri 3 Feb] and then the next day we're on the Ampt line-up on [Victoria's] Mornington Peninsula. It's good that we've been scheduled a good time slot - we're not competing against other big name bands."
That's just for starters, as they explain that the band plan to tour constantly during 2006 in support of their upcoming CD-EP 'Maximum Damage', which is set for release in February. Plans are also in place to record their debut LP later this year.
Wendy Icon have their own band of dedicated fans at grassroots level, which is expanding via the Internet thanks to the joys of MySpace: the online community which houses its own group of likeminded punters and music industry types.
"MySpace is great. We want people to visit www.myspace.com/wendyicon and download our songs and learn the lyrics so that when we play, everyone can get into it," insists Icon.
Sixteen year old drummer Screwbar has deferred his high school education to commit himself to the band's cause. Other members of the band work all hours to earn an income to support their collective rock ambitions. I ask Icon if this rock band lark is a serious pursuit for them all.
"This is a lifestyle," he states emphatically. "I work to sell pins, belts, t-shirts... but Adelaide has its limitations and all the gigs we've played so far has brought us to this point. Ideally, we want to support an international band on their national tour. We're supporting Anberlin at Enigma, but we plan to support national tours and take on our own headline tour as well.
"We're on the right track to where we want to be, and this means we'll have to relocate to the eastern states. Some bands are content to just write, record and gig around Adelaide and that's it," he shrugs. "They're comfortable with that."
Wendy Icon has an in-your-face sound that has been largely absent in Australian music of late. This, coupled with their raw attitude, gives them musical integrity which is sure to leave a respectable mark on the Aussie music scene. So to quote the band's catch-cry: "PBC unite!" You won't regret it.
Lauren Boxhall
 | Wendy Icon support Anberlin at the Enigma Bar on Wed 25 Jan and play the Local Produce stage at the Big Day Out on Fri 3 Feb. |
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