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 will likely 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?
“Properly, it was actually Compass Information’ thought to do a sequel to it. I suppose as a result of the primary one was the best-selling solo album that I’ve performed, 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 file [I Just Don’t Know What to Do With Myself], as nicely. I am not likely certain 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, and so they stated, ‘Properly, 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, 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 certain 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 performed 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. The entire songs are fascinating while you re-record them – you uncover new issues about them. And you set data on the market, and it’s totally troublesome to get data observed today. Particularly for those who’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 could possibly be well-served by placing them on one other file.”
“I feel all of the songs that I re-recorded for this file have been songs I actually appreciated that in all probability most individuals are nonetheless very unaware of, that I get pleasure from. And I actually loved recording them once more, and I actually like taking part in them after I exit and play dwell. 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 quite a lot of materials, however I haven’t got quite a lot of completed materials. After I’ve been on the highway a lot, I have never had a lot time to put in writing and end songs and file them. So, it could be that it seems to be a type of interim data that you just put out, that is not a ‘better of’ in a approach, however only a compilation file – which you’ll afford to do when quite a lot of the songs have not been overexposed.”
How previous have been you while you developed an curiosity in music and commenced 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 after I was about 12, after which I began to put in writing little songs, I feel after I was about 14 years previous from then on.”
How did you discover you write your greatest songs? Is there a sure formulation you may 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 for the reason that age of 14, I’ve all the time type of performed. Which is basically simply to fiddle with musical concepts on guitar – normally guitar – and little concepts, chordal buildings, little melodies pop into your head, and also you comply with them. And miraculously, typically, you find yourself with a music.”
“The concepts are free-flowing actually, quite a lot of the time, however the exhausting work is basically ending the songs. Often, some songs appear to put in writing themselves. And whereas that is not actually true, typically songs seem in a approach 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 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 attempting 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?
“Properly, I would 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 have been first launched, and so they 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 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 folks grew to become conscious of the ‘Down Below’ music. However past that, I am not likely certain 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.”
Trying again, how did you first cross paths with the members of what’s thought of the basic Males at Work line-up?
“Properly, 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 type of hit me like a bolt of lightning, in a approach – I noticed this younger man, very shy man, taking part in stunning 12-string guitar. And I instantly thought, ‘Ah, I need to work with this individual.’ 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, really, in a musical known as Ned Kelly. And so I stated to Ron, ‘After I’m performed with this musical – which is able to in all probability be a couple of months – after I come again, we must 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 12 months – taking part in round a couple of locations in Melbourne. And it was a fantastic interval. We performed quite a lot of covers – we performed quite a 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 have been creating this type, for those who like, of songs and songwriting which was fairly completely different from Males at Work, in a approach. It was extra influenced by folks 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 stated, ‘I need to strive taking part in with you guys.’ And so Jerry got here down, and it grew to become a three-piece. After which I would recognized 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 a fantastic bass participant, very ingenious. 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 affix. 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 approach, 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’ll name ‘pub rock.’ There have been quite a lot of pubs in Melbourne, and folks would play in pubs – which suited most individuals. It did not actually go well with all people, as a result of for those who play in a pub, you are a part of the leisure. You are not the leisure, since you’re battling alcohol. For instance, for those who have been a singer-songwriter who required folks to take heed to your music and also you’re taking part in at a bar, you needed to type of combat towards folks speaking. And so, it was actually conducive to rock music – since you had massive black packing containers [amps], and you may beat folks into submission by your quantity.”
“And in order that was what was happening. There was quite a lot of pub rock, and there was quite a lot of bands taking part in, and quite a 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 probably the most half, it was a spot which was musically looking for an identification, attempting to outline itself and do fascinating issues. And in quite a lot 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’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 anything – in regards to the Southern Pacific, which was the place we have been all born and performed.”
“And it was wonderful. It was an excellent place to dwell, and an excellent place to have a band and play. I imply, earlier than we got here to America and began touring, after we grew to become well-known, we might tour up and down the coast of Australia, which was unbelievable – only a stunning a part of the world, and folks would come and see you play. And it was magic. It was unbelievable.”
Who got here up with the title “Males at Work”?
“Properly, I considered the title, as a result of I’d see ‘males at work’ indicators in all places. And I believed, ‘Properly, that is one thing that was simply in folks’s consciousness, regardless that they might not notice it.’ Nevertheless 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 together with Males at Work.’ So, we did.”
If I can title some Males at Work classics and for those who 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 midst of nowhere, and simply messing round with that concept. And it appeared to circulation 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 type of a ‘crowd favourite’ from the beginning.”
“Down Below.”
“‘Down Below’ was a mix of Ron and myself. Ron used to present me little cassettes of type of soundscapes that he had written – completely different musical concepts. Numerous it was percussive-based or bass and percussion. And this little musical thought was precisely that. And he gave me a little bit 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 would had this phrase working round my head for a couple of weeks earlier than that, which was ‘Dwelling within the land down underneath.’ 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 best way residence. And I believed, ‘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, ‘Properly, 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 may 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, sooner or later at college, I had a roast beef sandwich and this child stated, ‘You need to swap sandwiches?’ I stated, ‘What have you ever bought?’ He stated, ‘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 have been at rehearsal sooner or later, and the remainder of the fellows hadn’t turned up, so we had a little bit time on our fingers. And I bought this new guitar pedal, a little 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 could be cool to put in writing a music from the standpoint of a kid who’s all the time been advised to toe the lane and to be good, and comply with the straight and slender, for those who like. And like quite a lot of children, we might nonetheless keep in mind being a baby and being dreamers and wanting to simply make our personal approach with out essentially turning into our mother and father. And searching on the grownup world, and saying, ‘Yeah, nicely, I feel perhaps we might perform a little bit higher than that.'”
“Overkill.”
“‘Overkill’ got here a little bit bit later for me. And I feel I already made the belief that, as a result of we have been turning into fairly profitable, I believed, ‘Properly, 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 may 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 music in regards to 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 discipline you are in. I am attempting to think about what else I used to be going by way of at the moment…however I do not know, typically, simply issues pop into your head. You haven’t 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 grew to become a music.”
“It is a Mistake.”
“It was on the top of the Chilly Battle, and we have been fairly afraid of the US, as a result of while you develop up overseas, you may have a really completely different view of America than while you really dwell right here. So, we have 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 Battle conflagration – which was going to finish up with no winners. That is actually what it was impressed by.”
“Every part 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 a fantastic love for Melbourne.”
We bought so many nice tales from Colin, be looking out for half 2 of this interview within the upcoming weeks.
