![Colin Hay Discusses Males at Work, His Solo Profession, and the Music Biz [Part One]](https://i1.wp.com/fastly-s3.allmusic.com/cms/30954/ColinHay1.jpg?ssl=1 "Colin Hay Discusses Males at Work, His Solo Profession, and the Music Biz [Part One]")
Hay spoke to AllMusic shortly after the discharge of his newest solo launch, Man @ Work: Quantity 2, which like its profitable predecessor, comprises “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 determine to do a “half 2,” 22 years after the primary one?
“Effectively, 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 executed, and I launched a few albums a few years in the past on the finish of the pandemic, an album known as Now and the Evermore, after which a covers document [I Just Don’t Know What to Do With Myself], as nicely. 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 mentioned, ‘Effectively, no offense or something, however not many individuals know your identify. 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, nicely, we’ll do just a few 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 executed the perfect for me, which is Man @ Work.”
Had 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 attention-grabbing if you re-record them – you uncover new issues about them. And you set information on the market, and it’s extremely tough to get information observed nowadays. Particularly in the event you’re any person like myself, who’s of their 70s. And it isn’t 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 get pleasure from. And I actually loved recording them once more, and I actually like enjoying them once I exit and play stay. So, I feel all of the songs, whether or not it is a tune like ‘Catch a Star’ or ‘No Signal of Yesterday’ from the Males at Work days, or a tune known as ‘Frozen Fields of Snow,’ which I actually like, and I actually loved recording that once more.”
“I’ve a whole lot of materials, however I haven’t got a whole lot of completed materials. Once I’ve been on the highway 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 type of interim information that you just put out, that is not a ‘better of’ in a manner, however only a compilation document – which you’ll be able to afford to do when a whole lot of the songs have not been overexposed.”
How outdated had been you if you developed an curiosity in music and commenced writing your personal songs?
“I feel I used to be about 14. I began enjoying music a bit earlier. Began enjoying 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 system you might have 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 know the method, actually, but it surely’s simply one thing that because the age of 14, I’ve all the time type of executed. Which is basically simply to fiddle with musical concepts on guitar – normally guitar – and little concepts, chordal constructions, little melodies pop into your head, and also you comply with them. And miraculously, usually, you find yourself with a tune.”
“The concepts are free-flowing actually, a whole lot of the time, however the laborious work is basically ending the songs. Often, some songs appear to write down themselves. And whereas that is not actually true, typically songs seem in a manner that they appear to simply seem, and also you write them down. And so, it could 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 tune known as ‘Maggie’ that I recorded fairly just a few 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 tune. I am attempting to consider 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?
“Effectively, 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 absolutely appreciated, I feel now.”
“And likewise, Luude [Australian electronic dance music producer Christian Benson], he did an digital model of ‘Down Below,’ which I feel charted once more, and was top-5 within the UK. And that did very nicely. It did very nicely on TikTok, as nicely – so individuals turned conscious of the ‘Down Below’ tune. However past that, I am not likely positive what is going on on with the kids, and why they’d select to reappreciate Males at Work. However I might wish to suppose that it is simply due to the music, greater than the rest.”
Trying again, how did you first cross paths with the members of what’s thought-about the basic Males at Work line-up?
“Effectively, I might been by myself for years, and I met Ron Strykert in a yard in West Melbourne round 1977. He was enjoying a 12-string guitar. And it type of hit me like a bolt of lightning, in a manner – I noticed this younger man, very shy man, enjoying lovely 12-string guitar. And I instantly thought, ‘Ah, I wish to work with this particular person.’ So I bought 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 mentioned to Ron, ‘Once I’m executed with this musical – which can most likely be just a few months – once I come again, we must always work collectively.’ And he mentioned, ‘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 12 months – enjoying round just a few locations in Melbourne. And it was a terrific interval. We performed a whole lot of covers – we performed a whole lot of Bob Dylan and Beatles and James Taylor and Ry Cooder and various things. After which we might put in these songs we might written. So, we had been growing this type, in the event you like, of songs and songwriting which was fairly completely different from Males at Work, in a manner. It was extra influenced by individuals like Nick Drake and John Martyn, and really type of meandering acoustic music.”
“And I had met Jerry Speiser, the drummer, at college. And Jerry known as and mentioned, ‘I wish to strive enjoying with you guys.’ And so Jerry got here down, and it turned a three-piece. After which I might recognized Greg [Ham] for years, and I requested Greg to affix. And Ron was enjoying bass then within the band. As a result of it was simply me and my guitar, Ron enjoying bass – which, he was a terrific 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 manner, which, was to try to discover an viewers. We simply discovered a spot to play, after which individuals got here to see us. However there was a really wholesome…what you’ll name ‘pub rock.’ There have been a whole lot of pubs in Melbourne, and folks would play in pubs – which suited most individuals. It did not actually swimsuit all people, as a result of in the event you play in a pub, you are a part of the leisure. You are not the leisure, since you’re battling alcohol. For instance, in the event you had been a singer-songwriter who required individuals to hearken to your music and also you’re enjoying at a bar, you needed to type of struggle in opposition to individuals speaking. And so, it was actually conducive to rock music – since you had massive black packing containers [amps], and you may beat individuals into submission by your quantity.”
“And in order that was what was happening. There was a whole lot of pub rock, and there was a whole lot of bands enjoying, and a whole lot of 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’d say that for essentially the most half, it was a spot which was musically looking for an identification, attempting to outline itself and do attention-grabbing issues. And in a whole lot of 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’ll collect music and musical concepts from all elements of the world, and it could type of get all jumbled up, and it could change into Australian music with out it being too ‘definable.’ It had some type of high quality, which was only a feeling greater than the rest – in regards to the Southern Pacific, which was the place we had been all born and performed.”
“And it was wonderful. 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, after we turned well-known, we might 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 incredible.”
Who got here up with the identify “Males at Work”?
“Effectively, I considered the identify, as a result of I’d see ‘males at work’ indicators in all places. And I believed, ‘Effectively, that is one thing that was simply in individuals’s consciousness, regardless that they could not notice 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 begin on the Cricketers Arms Lodge in Richmond. And the man calls, and mentioned, ‘Hear, what am I going to name you guys?’ And Ron mentioned, ‘Let’s go together with Males at Work.’ So, we did.”
If I can identify some Males at Work classics and in the event 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 evening, and it was in the course of nowhere, and simply messing round with that concept. And it appeared to stream fairly simply and fairly shortly. I simply wrote the phrases down, and that was it. The tune was born, and took it to the band, and we began enjoying it that that week. It was type of a ‘crowd favourite’ from the beginning.”
“Down Below.”
“‘Down Below’ was a mixture of Ron and myself. Ron used to present me little cassettes of type of soundscapes that he had written – completely different musical concepts. A variety of it was percussive-based or bass and percussion. And this little musical thought was precisely that. And he gave me just a little cassette which I’d 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 just a few weeks earlier than that, which was ‘Dwelling 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 type of sang that each one the way in which residence. And I believed, ‘That is most likely one thing.’ After which the following day, I awakened and simply wrote down the phrases and the chordal construction to it, and we had a tune.”
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, ‘Effectively, 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 might have 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, at some point at college, I had a roast beef sandwich and this child mentioned, ‘You wish to swap sandwiches?’ I mentioned, ‘What have you ever bought?’ He mentioned, ‘I’ve bought 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 at some point, and the remainder of the blokes hadn’t turned up, so we had just a little time on our palms. And I bought this new guitar pedal, just a little delay pedal, and I began messing round with the chorus at first of the tune with this delay pedal.”
“And Greg and I made a decision it could be cool to write down a tune from the standpoint of a kid who’s all the time been instructed to toe the lane and to be good, and comply with the straight and slim, in the event you like. And like a whole lot of youngsters, we might nonetheless keep in mind being a baby and being dreamers and wanting to simply make our personal manner with out essentially changing into our dad and mom. And searching on the grownup world, and saying, ‘Yeah, nicely, I feel possibly we might do some bit higher than that.'”
“Overkill.”
“‘Overkill’ got here just a little bit later for me. And I feel I already made the belief that, as a result of we had been changing into fairly profitable, I believed, ‘Effectively, 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’ll be able to now not simply anonymously observe the world. And there was a sure darkness creeping into my life. And I feel what that was, was type of an growing love and dependence on alcohol – which was beginning to fear me.”
“Dr. Heckyll & Mr. Jive.”
“It is simply actually a tune in regards to the injustice of the world, actually, and the way tough it’s to be the underdog, or to have somebody who desires to make efficient change in no matter discipline you are in. I am attempting to consider what else I used to be going via at the moment…however I do not know, typically, simply issues pop into your head. You don’t have any actual motive, 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 turned a tune.”
“It is a Mistake.”
“It was on the top of the Chilly Conflict, and we had been fairly terrified of america, as a result of if you develop up abroad, you might have a really completely different view of America than if 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 finally making a mistake and inflicting some Third World Conflict conflagration – which was going to finish up with no winners. That is actually what it was impressed by.”
“Every thing I Want”
“It was a love tune. I feel it is a love tune each to my spouse and likewise Melbourne as a metropolis. I’ve a terrific love for Melbourne.”
We bought so many nice tales from Colin, be looking out for half 2 of this interview within the upcoming weeks.