Colin Hay

As part of our commitment to capturing and sharing great Australian music stories, the Australian Music Vault asked some of the country’s most influential trailblazers and unsung heroes to open up about their lives in music.

Singer, songwriter, and actor Colin Hay first came to prominence as the lead vocalist of the band, Men at Work. In 1981, the band released their landmark album, Business as Usual, featuring their two biggest singles, ‘Who can It Be Now?’, and ‘Down Under,’ both written by Hay (the latter co-written by Ron Strykert). ‘Down Under’ was a worldwide smash, reaching No. 1 in Australia, America, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, Canada and Switzerland. As a solo-artist, Hay has released 13 albums, starting with Looking for Jack (1987), and most recently, Fierce Mercy (2017). He has also made appearances in film and television, including Australian films Wills & Burke and Cosi, and US television shows Scrubs and JAG.

In this interview with Brian Nankervis, Hay discusses moving to Australia from Scotland at the age of 14, Men at Work’s immense international success, and more recently playing guitar with Ringo Starr & His All Starr Band.

Interviewer: Brian Nankervis

Location: Melbourne Room, Arts Centre Melbourne, 2017