14 Iced Bears

Formed in Brighton in 1985 around Robert Sekula and Nick Emery, 14 Iced Bears are part of the British indie pop scene of the C86 era. The lineup changed repeatedly but later coalesced around Sekula and guitarist Kevin Canham. Their music blends jangly guitars, a rougher, proto‑punk–influenced texture and a melodic sensibility close to late‑1980s English noise pop and twee pop. After early singles “Inside” (1986) and “Balloon Song” (1987), the band released “Come Get Me” on Sarah Records in 1988 and the album 14 Iced Bears the same year. A second album, Wonder, followed in 1991, after several singles and the compilation Precision in 1990. Active until 1992, 14 Iced Bears also recorded two sessions for John Peel’s show, an important milestone in their career and in securing a place on the UK indie circuit. Their discography was later reissued across several compilations, including Let the Breeze Open Our Hearts (1998), In the Beginning (2001) and the retrospective Hold on Inside (2013). Since reforming in the early 2010s, 14 Iced Bears have made occasional live appearances, notably in the UK and the United States.