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Colin Hay Discusses Males at Work, His Solo Profession, and the Music Biz [Part One]


Colin Hay was accountable for a number of the greatest pop hits of the ’80s because the chief of Males at Work, together with such worldwide smashes “Who Can It Be Now?”, “Down Underneath,” and “Overkill.” And for a quick interval, had been one of many greatest musical acts on the planet – as evidenced by happening second to final (slightly below headliners The Conflict] on “New Wave Day” on the mammoth US Pageant in 1983.

Hay spoke to AllMusic shortly after the discharge of his newest solo launch, Man @ Work: Quantity 2, which like its profitable predecessor, incorporates “re-imagined favorites from throughout Hay’s wealthy catalog, together with Males at Work classics, solo album highlights, and new materials.”

And it seems that Colin was in such a talkative temper, that there might be a “half two” of his chat coming quickly.

Let’s begin with discussing Man @ Work 2. What made you resolve to do a “half 2,” 22 years after the primary one?

“Nicely, it was actually Compass Information’ thought to do a sequel to it. I assume as a result of the primary one was the best-selling solo album that I’ve carried out, and I launched a few albums a few years in the past on the finish of the pandemic, an album known as Now within the Evermore, after which a covers document [I Just Don’t Know What to Do With Myself], as properly. I am not likely positive why they determined to do it. It simply appeared like a good suggestion on the time.”

“I’ve virtually ‘mined’ all of the Males at Work materials or songs from that interval, as a result of the explanation why we did the primary one was that I began working with Compass, they usually stated, ‘Nicely, no offense or something, however not many individuals know your title. However they know Males at Work. So, why do not we do an album known as Man @ Work?’ That is why we did the primary one. And in order that contained completely different variations of Males at Work songs and plus some new songs.”

“And I feel that the pondering was, ‘Okay, properly, we’ll do a number of extra Males at Work songs, after which re-record a few of my favourite songs from the solo recordings.’ However I am not likely positive past that, why we did the second. I feel it is simply principally as a result of they wished to maybe do one other model of the solo recording, which has carried out one of the best for me, which is Man @ Work.”

Have been there any tunes you rediscovered or developed a reappreciation for whereas re-doing them?

“Yeah. I feel all of them. All the songs are fascinating while you re-record them – you uncover new issues about them. And you place data on the market, and it’s extremely tough to get data observed nowadays. Particularly when you’re any person like myself, who’s of their 70s. And it is not like everybody’s ready for a brand new album from me, y’know? So, there are songs that I feel might be well-served by placing them on one other document.”

“I feel all of the songs that I re-recorded for this document had been songs I actually appreciated that most likely most individuals are nonetheless very unaware of, that I take pleasure in. And I actually loved recording them once more, and I actually like taking part in them once I exit and play stay. So, I feel all of the songs, whether or not it is a track like ‘Catch a Star’ or ‘No Signal of Yesterday’ from the Males at Work days, or a track known as ‘Frozen Fields of Snow,’ which I actually like, and I actually loved recording that once more.”

“I’ve numerous materials, however I haven’t got numerous completed materials. After I’ve been on the street a lot, I have never had a lot time to write down and end songs and document them. So, it might be that it seems to be a kind of interim data that you simply put out, that is not a ‘better of’ in a method, however only a compilation document – which you’ll be able to afford to do when numerous the songs have not been overexposed.”

How outdated had been you while you developed an curiosity in music and commenced writing your personal songs?

“I feel I used to be about 14. I began taking part in music a bit earlier. Began taking part in music once I was about 12, after which I began to write down little songs, I feel once I was about 14 years outdated from then on.”

How did you discover you write your greatest songs? Is there a sure components you’ve adopted all alongside, or has it modified over time?

“Sure little issues have modified. However principally, it is the identical course of. I do not declare to grasp the method, actually, nevertheless it’s simply one thing that because the age of 14, I’ve at all times sort of carried out. Which is de facto simply to fiddle with musical concepts on guitar – often guitar – and little concepts, chordal buildings, little melodies pop into your head, and also you observe them. And miraculously, usually, you find yourself with a track.”

“The concepts are free-flowing actually, numerous the time, however the arduous work is de facto ending the songs. Sometimes, some songs appear to write down themselves. And whereas that is not actually true, generally songs seem in a method that they appear to only seem, and also you write them down. And so, it might look like you seize them out of the air. After which some songs, you have to wrestle them to the bottom.”

Are you able to give examples of songs that had been straightforward, and others that had been tough to finish?

“‘Who Can It Be Now’ was quite simple. It took about 40 minutes and written within the bush of southern New South Wales with my girlfriend on the time. I used to be messing round with this concept, and that solely took 40 minutes. And a track known as ‘Maggie’ that I recorded fairly a number of years in the past – I simply wrote that down in a single sitting, and that appeared easy. After which ‘Overkill’ was a bit like that – the outdated Males at Work track. I am making an attempt to think about one which was tough to write down…those that spring to thoughts are those that had been comparatively straightforward.”

What do you attribute to the reappreciation of Males at Work’s music in recent times?

“Nicely, I might wish to say that there is one thing a bit timeless in regards to the songs. I feel the songs have had strengths after they had been first launched, they usually nonetheless have strengths now, and folks uncover extra issues about them. As a result of I feel there was extra issues there to the Males at Work music that maybe was missed the primary time round. So, there is a density to the music that was maybe not totally appreciated, I feel now.”

“And likewise, Luude [Australian electronic dance music producer Christian Benson], he did an digital model of ‘Down Underneath,’ which I feel charted once more, and was top-5 within the UK. And that did very properly. It did very properly on TikTok, as properly – so folks grew to become conscious of the ‘Down Underneath’ track. However past that, I am not likely positive what is going on on with the children, and why they might select to reappreciate Males at Work. However I might wish to assume that it is simply due to the music, greater than anything.”

Trying again, how did you first cross paths with the members of what’s thought of the basic Males at Work line-up?

“Nicely, I might been alone for years, and I met Ron Strykert in a yard in West Melbourne round 1977. He was taking part in a 12-string guitar. And it sort of hit me like a bolt of lightning, in a method – I noticed this younger man, very shy man, taking part in lovely 12-string guitar. And I instantly thought, ‘Ah, I wish to work with this particular person.’ So I acquired launched to him, and we chatted for some time, and I needed to go off as a result of I had a job, truly, in a musical known as Ned Kelly. And so I stated to Ron, ‘After I’m carried out with this musical – which can most likely be a number of months – once I come again, we should always work collectively.’ And he stated, ‘Yeah, okay.’ And that was actually the nucleus of Males at Work – was Ron and myself.”

“We labored as an acoustic duo for a couple of yr – taking part in round a number of locations in Melbourne. And it was an awesome interval. We performed numerous covers – we performed numerous Bob Dylan and Beatles and James Taylor and Ry Cooder and various things. After which we’d put in these songs we might written. So, we had been creating this type, when you like, of songs and songwriting which was fairly completely different from Males at Work, in a method. It was extra influenced by folks like Nick Drake and John Martyn, and really sort of meandering acoustic music.”

“And I had met Jerry Speiser, the drummer, at college. And Jerry known as and stated, ‘I wish to attempt taking part in with you guys.’ And so Jerry got here down, and it grew to become a three-piece. After which I might identified Greg [Ham] for years, and I requested Greg to affix. And Ron was taking part in bass then within the band. As a result of it was simply me and my guitar, Ron taking part in bass – which, he was an awesome bass participant, very creative. However I wished Ron to change again to guitar, as a result of he is a really unbelievable guitar participant.”

“Jerry knew John [Rees]. So, Jerry requested John to affix. Over the course of most likely two or three months, the basic line-up of Males at Work was born – I feel round October ’79, one thing like that.”

What was the music scene in Australia like on the time?

“We did not actually perceive it. We did not actually know what the music trade was, or how to do that, or how to do this. We solely did issues our method, which, was to try to discover an viewers. We simply discovered a spot to play, after which folks got here to see us. However there was a really wholesome…what you’d name ‘pub rock.’ There have been numerous pubs in Melbourne, and folks would play in pubs – which suited most individuals. It did not actually go well with everyone, as a result of when you play in a pub, you are a part of the leisure. You are not the leisure, since you’re battling alcohol. For instance, when you had been a singer-songwriter who required folks to hearken to your music and also you’re taking part in at a bar, you needed to sort of struggle towards folks speaking. And so, it was actually conducive to rock music – since you had large black bins [amps], and you would beat folks into submission by your quantity.”

“And in order that was what was happening. There was numerous pub rock, and there was numerous bands taking part in, and numerous bands being signed. Y’know, we performed for a few years earlier than we had any curiosity from CBS – who ended up signing us. However I might say that for probably the most half, it was a spot which was musically looking for an identification, making an attempt to outline itself and do fascinating issues. And in numerous methods, we weren’t so slowed down by being both British or American. We had been Australian bands.”

“And due to the isolation, the tyranny of distance and so forth, you’d collect music and musical concepts from all elements of the world, and it might sort of get all jumbled up, and it might grow to be Australian music with out it being too ‘definable.’ It had some sort of high quality, which was only a feeling greater than anything – in regards to the Southern Pacific, which was the place we had been all born and performed.”

“And it was superb. It was an excellent place to stay, and an excellent place to have a band and play. I imply, earlier than we got here to America and began touring, once we grew to become well-known, we’d tour up and down the coast of Australia, which was unbelievable – only a lovely a part of the world, and folks would come and see you play. And it was magic. It was improbable.”

Who got here up with the title “Males at Work”?

“Nicely, I considered the title, as a result of I might see ‘males at work’ indicators in all places. And I assumed, ‘Nicely, that is one thing that was simply in folks’s consciousness, although they could not understand it.’ However it was a reputation that had been put ahead, and we had a bunch of names.”

“However we needed to have a reputation, as a result of we had this residency to start out on the Cricketers Arms Lodge in Richmond. And the man calls, and stated, ‘Pay attention, what am I going to name you guys?’ And Ron stated, ‘Let’s go along with Males at Work.’ So, we did.”

If I can title some Males at Work classics and when you can share some ideas about writing them, beginning with “Who Can It Be Now.”

“My girlfriend and I used to have this little bit of a bush block, what they name in Australia, in southern New South Wales. And it was fairly distant. And I simply arrived there one night time, and it was in the course of nowhere, and simply messing round with that concept. And it appeared to circulate fairly simply and fairly shortly. I simply wrote the phrases down, and that was it. The track was born, and took it to the band, and we began taking part in it that that week. It was sort of a ‘crowd favourite’ from the beginning.”

“Down Underneath.”

“‘Down Underneath’ was a mixture of Ron and myself. Ron used to provide me little cassettes of sort of soundscapes that he had written – completely different musical concepts. A number of it was percussive-based or bass and percussion. And this little musical thought was precisely that. And he gave me slightly cassette which I might play within the automobile, and it was simply this [sings rhythm]. It was very hypnotic and tribal, virtually. I actually appreciated it.”

“And I might had this phrase working round my head for a number of weeks earlier than that, which was ‘Residing within the land down beneath.’ And I simply began singing that line together with Ron’s little bassline, and it appeared to work. And I sort of sang that each one the way in which house. And I assumed, ‘That is most likely one thing.’ After which the subsequent day, I wakened and simply wrote down the phrases and the chordal construction to it, and we had a track.”

How usually are you continue to requested about what Vegemite is and did you ever eat it your self?

“Yeah, I nonetheless get requested about it. However these days I simply say, ‘Nicely, y’know, there’s a factor known as Google – it is fairly straightforward to seek out out what Vegemite is!’ However it’s a product of the beer trade. It is a yeast extract, and Australians are introduced up on it. And you’ve got it on toast, or you’ve it on a sandwich.”

“And sure, I’ve had had Vegemite many occasions. I arrived in Australia from Scotland, by no means having skilled Vegemite. So, sooner or later at college, I had a roast beef sandwich and this child stated, ‘You wish to swap sandwiches?’ I stated, ‘What have you ever acquired?’ He stated, ‘I’ve acquired Vegemite.’ That was the primary time that I ever skilled a Vegemite sandwich. And I fairly loved it.”

“Be Good Johnny.”

“Greg and I had been at rehearsal sooner or later, and the remainder of the fellows hadn’t turned up, so we had slightly time on our palms. And I acquired this new guitar pedal, slightly delay pedal, and I began messing round with the chorus in the beginning of the track with this delay pedal.”

“And Greg and I made a decision it might be cool to write down a track from the standpoint of a kid who’s at all times been informed to toe the lane and to be good, and observe the straight and slender, when you like. And like numerous youngsters, we may nonetheless keep in mind being a toddler and being dreamers and wanting to only make our personal method with out essentially changing into our dad and mom. And searching on the grownup world, and saying, ‘Yeah, properly, I feel perhaps we may perform a little bit higher than that.'”

“Overkill.”

“‘Overkill’ got here slightly bit later for me. And I feel I already made the conclusion that, as a result of we had been changing into fairly profitable, I assumed, ‘Nicely, nothing’s going to be the identical from this level on.’ And it is like asking your self the query about taking a dive into the unknown, and whether or not you had been going to be okay with that, as a result of issues had been completely different. You possibly can now not simply anonymously observe the world. And there was a sure darkness creeping into my life. And I feel what that was, was sort of an growing love and dependence on alcohol – which was beginning to fear me.”

“Dr. Heckyll & Mr. Jive.”

“It is simply actually a track in regards to the injustice of the world, actually, and the way tough it’s to be the underdog, or to have somebody who needs to make efficient change in no matter discipline you are in. I am making an attempt to think about what else I used to be going by at the moment…however I do not know, generally, simply issues pop into your head. You don’t have any actual purpose, no actual understanding of why or the place it is coming from, and it turns into a pleasant melody. And I just like the play on phrases with Jekyll and Hyde and Heckyll and Jive – so, it simply grew to become a track.”

“It is a Mistake.”

“It was on the peak of the Chilly Warfare, and we had been fairly afraid of america, as a result of while you develop up abroad, you’ve a really completely different view of America than while you truly stay right here. So, we had been all very involved in regards to the Reagan years and any person making a mistake. It was very influenced by the movie Dr. Strangelove. And the 2 superpowers in the end making a mistake and inflicting some Third World Warfare conflagration – which was going to finish up with no winners. That is actually what it was impressed by.”

“All the things I Want”

“It was a love track. I feel it is a love track each to my spouse and likewise Melbourne as a metropolis. I’ve an awesome love for Melbourne.”


We acquired so many nice tales from Colin, be looking out for half 2 of this interview within the upcoming weeks.

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