![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 will probably 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 Data’ concept 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 within the Evermore, after which a covers report [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 nearly ‘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, ‘Nicely, 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 considering was, ‘Okay, nicely, we’ll do a couple 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 needed to maybe do one other model of the solo recording, which has executed the most effective 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 whenever you re-record them – you uncover new issues about them. And you place data on the market, and it’s totally troublesome to get data seen as of late. Particularly in case 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 report.”
“I feel all of the songs that I re-recorded for this report have been songs I actually appreciated that in all probability 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 reside. So, I feel all of the songs, whether or not it is a music like ‘Catch a Star’ or ‘No Signal of Yesterday’ from the Males at Work days, or a music known as ‘Frozen Fields of Snow,’ which I actually like, and I actually loved recording that once more.”
“I’ve a variety of materials, however I haven’t got a variety of completed materials. Once I’ve been on the highway a lot, I have never had a lot time to put in writing and end songs and report 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 manner, however only a compilation report – which you’ll afford to do when a variety of the songs have not been overexposed.”
How previous have been you whenever you developed an curiosity in music and started writing your individual 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 put in writing little songs, I feel once I was about 14 years previous from then on.”
How did you discover you write your finest 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, however it’s simply one thing that for the reason that age of 14, I’ve all the time form of executed. Which is de facto simply to fiddle with musical concepts on guitar – normally guitar – and little concepts, chordal buildings, little melodies pop into your head, and also you observe them. And miraculously, typically, you find yourself with a music.”
“The concepts are free-flowing actually, a variety of the time, however the laborious work is de facto ending the songs. Sometimes, some songs appear to put in writing 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 might seem to be 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 have been simple, and others that have been troublesome 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 music known as ‘Maggie’ that I recorded fairly a couple 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 previous Males at Work music. I am making an attempt to think about one which was troublesome to put in writing…those that spring to thoughts are those that have been comparatively simple.”
What do you attribute to the reappreciation of Males at Work’s music lately?
“Nicely, I would wish to say that there is one thing a bit timeless concerning the songs. I feel the songs have had strengths once they have been first launched, they usually nonetheless have strengths now, and other people 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 Beneath,’ 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 Beneath’ music. 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 would wish to assume that it is simply due to the music, greater than anything.”
Wanting again, how did you first cross paths with the members of what’s thought of the basic Males at Work line-up?
“Nicely, I would been by myself 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 form of hit me like a bolt of lightning, in a manner – I noticed this younger man, very shy man, taking part in lovely 12-string guitar. And I instantly thought, ‘Ah, I need 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 mentioned to Ron, ‘Once I’m executed with this musical – which can in all probability be a couple of 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 few yr – taking part in round a couple of locations in Melbourne. And it was an awesome interval. We performed a variety of covers – we performed a variety of 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 have been creating this model, in case 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 form of meandering acoustic music.”
“And I had met Jerry Speiser, the drummer, at college. And Jerry known as and mentioned, ‘I need to strive taking part in with you guys.’ And so Jerry got here down, and it turned a three-piece. After which I would identified Greg [Ham] for years, and I requested Greg to hitch. 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 needed 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 hitch. Over the course of in all probability 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 try this. We solely did issues our manner, which, was to attempt 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’d name ‘pub rock.’ There have been a variety of pubs in Melbourne, and other people would play in pubs – which suited most individuals. It did not actually go well with all people, as a result of in case 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 case you have been a singer-songwriter who required individuals to take heed to your music and also you’re taking part in at a bar, you needed to form of combat towards individuals speaking. And so, it was actually conducive to rock music – since you had large black packing containers [amps], and you could possibly beat individuals into submission by your quantity.”
“And in order that was what was happening. There was a variety of pub rock, and there was a variety of bands taking part in, and a variety 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 might say that for probably the most half, it was a spot which was musically looking for an id, making an attempt to outline itself and do attention-grabbing issues. And in a variety of methods, we weren’t so slowed down by being both British or American. We have 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 form of get all jumbled up, and it might grow to be Australian music with out it being too ‘definable.’ It had some form of high quality, which was only a feeling greater than anything – concerning the Southern Pacific, which was the place we have been all born and performed.”
“And it was wonderful. It was a wonderful place to reside, and a wonderful 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’d tour up and down the coast of Australia, which was unbelievable – only a lovely a part of the world, and other people would come and see you play. And it was magic. It was incredible.”
Who got here up with the identify “Males at Work”?
“Nicely, I considered the identify, 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 individuals’s consciousness, though they might 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 start out on the Cricketers Arms Lodge in Richmond. And the man calls, and mentioned, ‘Pay attention, 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 case 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 midst of nowhere, and simply messing round with that concept. And it appeared to stream fairly simply and fairly rapidly. I simply wrote the phrases down, and that was it. The music was born, and took it to the band, and we began taking part in it that that week. It was form of a ‘crowd favourite’ from the beginning.”
“Down Beneath.”
“‘Down Beneath’ was a mixture of Ron and myself. Ron used to provide me little cassettes of form of soundscapes that he had written – completely different musical concepts. Loads of it was percussive-based or bass and percussion. And this little musical concept was precisely that. And he gave me a bit cassette which I might play within the automotive, and it was simply this [sings rhythm]. It was very hypnotic and tribal, nearly. I actually appreciated it.”
“And I would had this phrase operating round my head for a couple 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 form of sang that every one the way in which residence. And I assumed, ‘That is in all probability one thing.’ After which the subsequent day, I awoke and simply wrote down the phrases and the chordal construction to it, and we had a music.”
How typically 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 simple to search 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 instances. I arrived in Australia from Scotland, by no means having skilled Vegemite. So, in the future in school, I had a roast beef sandwich and this child mentioned, ‘You need to swap sandwiches?’ I mentioned, ‘What have you ever acquired?’ He mentioned, ‘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 have been at rehearsal in the future, and the remainder of the blokes hadn’t turned up, so we had a bit time on our arms. And I acquired this new guitar pedal, a bit delay pedal, and I began messing round with the chorus in the beginning of the music with this delay pedal.”
“And Greg and I made a decision it might be cool to put in writing a music from the standpoint of a kid who’s all the time been informed to toe the lane and to be good, and observe the straight and slim, in case you like. And like a variety of children, we might nonetheless bear in mind being a baby and being dreamers and wanting to simply make our personal manner with out essentially changing into our mother and father. And searching on the grownup world, and saying, ‘Yeah, nicely, I feel possibly we might perform a little bit higher than that.'”
“Overkill.”
“‘Overkill’ got here a bit bit later for me. And I feel I already made the belief that, as a result of we have 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 have been going to be okay with that, as a result of issues have 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 form of an growing love and dependence on alcohol – which was beginning to fear me.”
“Dr. Heckyll & Mr. Jive.”
“It is simply actually a music concerning the injustice of the world, actually, and the way troublesome it’s to be the underdog, or to have somebody who desires to make efficient change in no matter area you are in. I am making an attempt to think about what else I used to be going via at the moment…however I do not know, typically, simply issues pop into your head. You haven’t any actual cause, 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 music.”
“It is a Mistake.”
“It was on the top of the Chilly Battle, and we have been fairly petrified of america, as a result of whenever you develop up abroad, you might have a really completely different view of America than whenever you truly reside right here. So, we have been all very involved concerning 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 Battle conflagration – which was going to finish up with no winners. That is actually what it was impressed by.”
“Every little thing I Want”
“It was a love music. I feel it is a love music 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.
