14 Iced Bears are a pop band oftentimes associated with the C86 scene. But the band are somewhat atypical of that sound, combining chaotic pop with a psychedelic 60’s slant. The band formed in 1985 in Brighton by Robert Sekula (songwriter, vocalist) and Kevin Canham (songwriter, guitarist). Through various lineup changes, Robert and Kevin have remained the core members. Although recorded output has not been the most prolific, 14 Iced Bears have consistently delivered quality songs and have a strong fan base to this day. Joining me for this little Q&A is Robert Sekula.
Welcome Robert.
The band formed in Brighton. Is that where you were born?
Hello Greg, no I was born Camberwell, South London.
What are your recollections of childhood?
Mainly playing football on council estates, writing songs – I can still remember one I wrote for my brother’s teddy bears – playing ‘war’, visiting our relatives in France and dreaming of falling in love.
Siblings?
Two brothers, I was the middle one.
Were either parent musically inclined?
My mum won a singing contest when she was young in the war and had always dreamt of being a singer, while my dad used to play the harmonica.
Do you remember music being played in the household?
Yes, When I was four, my teachers said I was musically talented when I tried out a xylophone. So my mum decided I should have private music lessons, which couldn’t have been easy, as we didn’t have a lot of spare cash around. I learnt the piano and recorder, practising for all the exams you had to go through. I wasn’t really into classical music though I did like Beethoven’s stuff. I gave out all up for the guitar when I was sixteen. My parents loved the old crooners, like Frank Sinatra, Andy Williams and Charles Aznavour, while I would often hear Led Zep, Yes and Marc Bolan blasting out from behind my older brother’s door. Bolan was the only one I really liked.
Can you recall your first 45 or album?
I think the first thing I bought was a cassette of either the Boomtown Rats or Gary Numan.
What bands did you like as a teen?
In my early teens I just loved the pop music I saw on TV and heard on the radio. Then, later on I got more into 60s pop, psychedelia, The Jam, the Teardrop Explodes and Echo and the Bunnymen.
First concert?
The Police at Milton Keynes Bowl.
Was there a favorite record store you would frequent?
On the way to Elephant & Castle, there was a shop called A2, which was the nearest place to where we lived, and also more of a punky/new wave one just further up the road.
Prior to 14 Iced Bears, were you in any bands?
I had a band in south London with my friend, Eddy, called The Storm or In a Dream. We had a drum machine and played a gig or two in front of our mates. When I got to university near Brighton, a few of us formed a band called the Velvet Underground and only played their songs, like “New Age” and “What Goes On”. Maybe one of the first tribute bands!!
Talk about the formation of 14 Iced Bears. How were the members recruited? What influences did everyone bring to the band?
My main intention on going to university was to form a band. I had become friends with Nick Emery, and he decided to try the drums in the new band. He had quite a different, raw, style of playing. The other members were mainly through ads in record shop windows. It was only people with similar influences to us that we wanted.
Who came up with the name? What is the meaning?
I wanted something that sounded a bit odd, like the Bunnymen or the Teardrops names. I used to say it was something that happened to me as a kid, to confuse people. But really it was a packet of biscuits called 15 Iced Bears, which I amazingly morphed into 14, due to the fact that I loved that number as it was Johan Cruyff’s one when he played football for Holland or Ajax. When I first saw the Dutch team, I was blown away by this bunch of long-haired bead-wearing geniuses who magically blew other teams away.
How did you come to sign with TV Personality Mark Flunder’s Frank label?
He saw our first gig with that line-up at Sussex Uni and thought our song “Jumped in a Puddle” was an instant mod classic. We released Inside instead as I thought “Jumped in a Puddle” was a bit too commercial and catchy (and not moddy!).
You cut a couple of singles on Frank, 1986’s “Inside” and ‘87’s “Balloon Song”. Were you surprised at the positive response to these releases?
I was especially delighted that John Peel was into the first single and gave us a session. I can’t say I was surprised because I had been hopeful that it would happen. I was just very happy that some people liked it.
Actually, I like the b-side of “Balloon Song”, “Like a Dolphin”.
The title was sort of a joke on Like a Virgin but no one got it, typical!
You followed this up with a UK and European tour. What are your memories of the tour?
Did we? I don’t actually remember us doing a tour. We just got gigs as they were offered, we didn’t organise it really.
The press was particularly kind to the band. Any reasons you think as to why?
I don’t think they were particularly kind. We got ridiculous reviews that said the music was great but the name was too bad. It’s a bit sad and one-dimensional when people say that – it still happens now. Our best press came from fanzines, the writers were more engaged in the music and were not just doing it to get paid.
When were the Peel Sessions? Did you meet John? How did the sessions go?
The Peel Sessions were at the end of 1986 and the beginning of 1987. We’d changed line-up in-between, with just Kevin and me in the band for both. We didn’t meet Peel there but I’d chatted to him on the phone before. I actually bumped into him on the street in London about ten years later. It was amazing to play our stuff in BBC studios and the producers were great. We had Dale Griffin, who’d been in Mott the Hoople, producing and he said he really liked “Cut”, which cheered me up no end! After the second session we managed to break the van key in its lock and we had to sleep on the floor of the BBC foyer!
Why did you switch to Sarah Records to record your 3rd single “Come Get Me”?
They offered to do us a single and I loved the Sea Urchins stuff. We‘d drifted apart from Mark a bit so the timing was perfect.
What was “Thunderball Records”? I take it was named after the James Bond film?
It was a one-person label by someone in Harlow, Graeme. When he was introduced to me at a party for the first time, he headbutted me! I’d met people from Essex before, so I knew this was normal for them (only joking!). He became a good friend after a while and set up tours in Europe for us, which nearly ended in disaster van-wise but that’s another story! I think it was named after James Bond, but have no idea.
Then in 1988 came your first album, the eponymously titled release. My favorite track is the mellow “Hay Fever”.
Yeah that one came out well, thanks. It was recorded in a tiny basement in North London in the heat of the summer, and we all caught colds! I think there’s a claustrophobia that eeks through the recording of the whole album.
Both 1989’s “Mother Sleep” single and ’91’s “Hold On” are quality tracks, psych assaults on the senses.
Thanks a lot. We weren’t really listening to indie stuff at the time, we all were more into 60s psyche, like the 13th Floor Elevators, and 70s guitar stuff like Big Star, so that came across a lot more.
Your 2nd album Wonder came out in 1991. I’ve always liked “When It Comes”.
At last someone likes that one! That’s my favourite one probably out of all the Bears songs written. I play it today in my solo set, and it’s even now still difficult! I’ve done a changed version of it so am thinking of putting that on my new album.
Between 1991 and 2010 was there any activity?
In about 2000 Slumberland released the compilation In the Beginning, and about two years later I went across to play on the US east coast, with Tim from the Wonder album and a couple of friends. We played a mix of Bears and my solo stuff: New York, thanks to Gail from Chickfactor, Philadelphia and Boston, where we managed to break Ladybug Transistor’s keyboards through the amp vibration! They took it well and we remained friends.
Ok, so the band reformed in 2010. You toured the east and west coat of the US. How did these go?
Tim, Graham the drummer and I went over after being invited by people on the internet in the US. We initially played New York, Philadelphia and Northampton MA. It was great fun and Tim made a two-part video of it. Here is the first part.
So we thought, let’s try the west coast… people we knew got us on tour for a bit of it with Phil Wilson and the June Brides, so that was great. We just drove up and down the coast in a hired car, a great adventure, playing SF, Sacramento, Portland, Seattle and LA, where we recorded what became the Three Wishes collection with the June Brides and Aberdeen, in Robert from the Brian Jonestown Massacre’s studio. It really worked as a three-piece live and, once we were in the swing of it, was probably the best we’ve ever sounded.
In 2013 Cherry Red released a 2 CD retrospective, Hold on Inside. Did you notice if this helped to solidify and/or broaden your fan base?
I don’t really know actually but it was great to get virtually everything on a collection with great art work too.
Robert, your first solo single “Not Santa Claus” came out in 2019. I like the tempo and the echoey guitar.
Thanks, once that chorus had found its way into my head, it wouldn’t go away so I felt I had to release it or it would have driven me mad. It was using motifs of Christmas to make a point, it’s not a Christmas record! In my more imaginative moments, I think it actually predicted Covid! It would take too long here but any time someone wants to ask I’ll happily explain why. I’ve done a new version for my forthcoming album.
Your 2nd single was just released at the end of June. How is “Pamela” being received?
It’s had some lovely reviews, with one saying it was the best single of the year so far. Unfortunately it hasn’t had any radio play from people like BBC 6 music, even though they still play the Bears sessions, which is a touch frustrating, but hey never mind.
How do you compose a song? Where does your inspiration come from?
A tune or line of words seems to pop into my head and if I still like it after a few days, I start working on the rest of what the song might be. I don’t sit down with a determined thought to write about something normally. I prefer not to get too involved in a controlled, mental way but keep the space open for things to emerge. I don’t know where it comes from, I like to think it’s some kind of mystical link to a higher consciousness but, who knows?
The latest thing I’ve written, which I’ll probably put on the album, is a one-line chant with loads of weird effects around it!
In the past, what studio did you like recording in the most?
The one that I felt the recording went best was maybe this little studio in Kemptown, Brighton, where we recorded “Summer Nights”, The Grease cover. I think we recorded some other stuff there but it was so long ago I’ve forgotten, unfortunately. But all the places we recorded had their own characters and were great. The Wonder LP and Mother Sleep were recorded in a house in the middle of the Norfolk countryside. That was great staying for a week, getting inspiration from lovely walks alone in the trees and nature.
Do you prefer playing live gigs in a conventional format – or festival concerts?
We only did one proper festival, Indietracks, and it was great to look out at a field of people in the countryside. I’d love to do more. But I also love the intensity of a small room where you can feel the people around you (but not in a rude way!).
What bands have you enjoyed playing with on the same bill or opening for?
That was one of the best things about gigging. We played with Alex Chilton, Mo Tucker and Sterling Morrison, Julian Cope, Vic Godard, Blue Orchids as well as loads of fellow indie travellers. For me, Chilton was the highlight in around 1991. After we played, he said he really enjoyed our set, and we had a great time smoking and chatting in the dressing room. I met him a few times after that.
What’s on the horizon for 14 Iced Bears and Robert Sekula?
Not much for the Bears at the moment but I’m playing electric solo gigs, my next is supporting the Orchids and Jetstream Pony in London in October. I’m making a solo album, I have enough songs already, so hopefully I’ll get that out in not too long a time.
What other interests do you have outside of music?
I’m really into a mix of yoga and meditation I’ve developed over the years. It’s called Body Meditation and I explain the process on https://m.facebook.com/100063656646041/ its really simple to do and I’ve found it works for things I’ve come up against like colds, achy joints, gout, headaches and hangovers. It’s all about focusing on the sensation fully and letting it get as strong as possible, which for me seems to clear it. So either this works for other people too or I’m some weird mutant!
How about family and home life?
I live a fairly solitary life but it’s ok as I like my own space. As I’ve got older my social life has decreased a lot but that’s life I suppose. I prefer being in nature more to crowds these days, anyway. I’m at my happiest doing my meditation and having a smoke in a quiet natural spot somewhere.
Well thank you Robert for taking the time to respond to the questions. I wish you best of luck and success in all your future endeavors!
Pleasure Greg, thanks for asking!
Tending The Pale Bloom 