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 can 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?
“Effectively, 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 accomplished, and I launched a few albums a few years in the past on the finish of the pandemic, an album referred to as Now within the Evermore, after which a covers document [I Just Don’t Know What to Do With Myself], as effectively. I am not likely certain 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, ‘Effectively, 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 referred to 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 believe that the considering was, ‘Okay, effectively, 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 certain past that, why we did the second. I believe it is simply principally as a result of they wished to maybe do one other model of the solo recording, which has accomplished the very 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 believe all of them. The entire songs are attention-grabbing once you re-record them – you uncover new issues about them. And you place information on the market, and it’s totally tough to get information seen lately. Particularly should you’re anyone 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 believe may very well be well-served by placing them on one other document.”
“I believe all of the songs that I re-recorded for this document have been songs I actually favored 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 taking part in them after I exit and play stay. So, I believe 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 referred to 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. After I’ve been on the highway a lot, I have not had a lot time to jot down and end songs and document them. So, it might be that it seems to be a type of interim information that you simply put out, that is not a ‘better of’ in a means, 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 previous have been you once you developed an curiosity in music and commenced writing your personal songs?
“I believe 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 jot down little songs, I believe after I was about 14 years previous from then on.”
How did you discover you write your greatest songs? Is there a sure components 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 grasp the method, actually, but it surely’s simply one thing that because the age of 14, I’ve at all times sort of accomplished. Which is actually 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, usually, you find yourself with a music.”
“The concepts are free-flowing actually, a whole lot of the time, however the exhausting work is actually ending the songs. Sometimes, some songs appear to jot down themselves. And whereas that is not actually true, generally songs seem in a means that they appear to only seem, and also you write them down. And so, it will appear 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 straightforward, and others that have 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 music referred to 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 previous Males at Work music. I am making an attempt to consider one which was tough to jot down…those that spring to thoughts are those that have been comparatively straightforward.”
What do you attribute to the reappreciation of Males at Work’s music in recent times?
“Effectively, I might prefer to say that there is one thing a bit timeless in regards to the songs. I believe the songs have had strengths after they have been first launched, they usually nonetheless have strengths now, and other people uncover extra issues about them. As a result of I believe 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 believe now.”
“And likewise, Luude [Australian electronic dance music producer Christian Benson], he did an digital model of ‘Down Underneath,’ which I believe charted once more, and was top-5 within the UK. And that did very effectively. It did very effectively on TikTok, as effectively – so folks turned conscious of the ‘Down Underneath’ music. However past that, I am not likely certain what is going on on with the children, and why they might select to reappreciate Males at Work. However I might prefer to suppose that it is simply due to the music, greater than the rest.”
Wanting again, how did you first cross paths with the members of what’s thought of 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 taking part in a 12-string guitar. And it sort of hit me like a bolt of lightning, in a means – 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 particular person.’ So I obtained 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 referred to as Ned Kelly. And so I mentioned to Ron, ‘After I’m accomplished with this musical – which can most likely be a number of months – after I come again, we should 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 yr – taking part in round a number of 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’d put in these songs we might written. So, we have been creating this type, should you like, of songs and songwriting which was fairly completely different from Males at Work, in a means. 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 referred to as and mentioned, ‘I need to attempt taking part in with you guys.’ And so Jerry got here down, and it turned 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 a terrific bass participant, very creative. However I wished Ron to change again to guitar, as a result of he is a really unimaginable 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 believe 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 means, 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 a whole lot of pubs in Melbourne, and other people would play in pubs – which suited most individuals. It did not actually swimsuit all people, as a result of should you play in a pub, you are a part of the leisure. You are not the leisure, since you’re battling alcohol. For instance, should you 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 sort of combat 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 a whole lot of pub rock, and there was a whole lot of bands taking part in, 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 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 whole 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’d collect music and musical concepts from all elements of the world, and it will sort of get all jumbled up, and it will change into Australian music with out it being too ‘definable.’ It had some sort of high quality, which was only a feeling greater than the rest – 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 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’d tour up and down the coast of Australia, which was unimaginable – only a stunning a part of the world, and other people would come and see you play. And it was magic. It was implausible.”
Who got here up with the title “Males at Work”?
“Effectively, I considered the title, as a result of I might see ‘males at work’ indicators in all places. And I believed, ‘Effectively, that is one thing that was simply in folks’s consciousness, although they might 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 Resort in Richmond. And the man calls, and mentioned, ‘Pay attention, what am I going to name you guys?’ And Ron mentioned, ‘Let’s go along with Males at Work.’ So, we did.”
If I can title some Males at Work classics and should 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 movement fairly simply and fairly shortly. 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 sort of a ‘crowd favourite’ from the beginning.”
“Down Underneath.”
“‘Down Underneath’ was a mix of Ron and myself. Ron used to offer me little cassettes of sort 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 concept was precisely that. And he gave me a little bit cassette which I might play within the automobile, and it was simply this [sings rhythm]. It was very hypnotic and tribal, nearly. I actually favored it.”
“And I might had this phrase operating 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 every one the best way dwelling. And I believed, ‘That is most likely one thing.’ After which the subsequent day, I awakened and simply wrote down the phrases and the chordal construction to it, and we had a music.”
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 referred to as Google – it is fairly straightforward 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 at college, I had a roast beef sandwich and this child mentioned, ‘You need to swap sandwiches?’ I mentioned, ‘What have you ever obtained?’ He mentioned, ‘I’ve obtained 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 little bit time on our fingers. And I obtained this new guitar pedal, a little bit delay pedal, and I began messing round with the chorus initially of the music with this delay pedal.”
“And Greg and I made a decision it will be cool to jot down a music from the standpoint of a kid who’s at all times been instructed to toe the lane and to be good, and observe the straight and slim, should you like. And like a whole lot of children, we might nonetheless bear in mind being a baby and being dreamers and wanting to only make our personal means with out essentially turning into our dad and mom. And searching on the grownup world, and saying, ‘Yeah, effectively, I believe possibly we might perform a little bit higher than that.'”
“Overkill.”
“‘Overkill’ got here a little bit bit later for me. And I believe I already made the conclusion that, as a result of we have been turning 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 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 believe what that was, was sort of an rising 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 tough 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 consider what else I used to be going by means of at the moment…however I do not know, generally, 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 music.”
“It is a Mistake.”
“It was on the peak of the Chilly Battle, and we have been fairly terrified of america, as a result of once you develop up abroad, you might have a really completely different view of America than once you really stay right here. So, we have been all very involved in regards to the Reagan years and anyone 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 believe it is a love music each to my spouse and likewise Melbourne as a metropolis. I’ve a terrific love for Melbourne.”
We obtained so many nice tales from Colin, be looking out for half 2 of this interview within the upcoming weeks.
