Men at Work

Men at Work

Company type	Band
Industry	Music
Founded	1979 in Melbourne, Australia
Founder	Colin Hay
Headquarters	Melbourne , Australia
Products	Music albums, singles

Men at Work is a rock group originating from Melbourne, Australia, established in 1979. They gained recognition with popular tracks such as "Down Under", "Who Can It Be Now?", and "Overkill". The band’s founder and lead vocalist/guitarist is Colin Hay. Initially formed as an acoustic duo with Ron Strykert, the ensemble soon expanded to include Jerry Speiser on drums, Greg Ham handling flute, saxophone, and keyboards, and John Rees on bass guitar. Strykert transitioned to lead guitar. Under the management of Russell Depeller, this lineup achieved worldwide acclaim during the early 1980s.

In January 1983, Men at Work made history as the first Australian group to simultaneously hold the top spot on the US Billboard album and singles charts with Business as Usual and the single "Down Under". Their music also reached number one in Australia, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom. Their follow-up album, Cargo (1983), secured the No. 1 position in Australia and ranked within the top ten internationally. Their third release, Two Hearts (1985), achieved a top 20 chart position in Australia and entered the top 50 in the US.

The band earned the Grammy Award for Best New Artist in 1983 and was inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame in 1994. Globally, they have sold over 30 million albums. Their track "Down Under" holds the No. 4 spot on the APRA Top 30 Australian songs, while Business as Usual is listed in the publication 100 Best Australian Albums.

Following departures in 1984 by Speiser and Rees, Men at Work continued as a trio with Hay, Ham, and Strykert, supported by session musicians. During the recording of Two Hearts, Strykert left the band; Ham exited shortly after its release in 1985, leaving Hay as the sole remaining member. In 1986, Hay retired the Men at Work name to embark on a solo career.

Between 1996 and 2002, Hay and Ham revived Men at Work with new musicians for tours abroad. On 19 April 2012, Ham passed away due to an apparent heart attack.

In 2019, Hay reformed Men at Work with an entirely new lineup; aside from Hay himself, no original members are part of this iteration.

Origins

The formation of Men at Work took place in Melbourne around June 1979 with Colin Hay providing lead vocals and guitar, Ron Strykert initially playing bass guitar, and Jerry Speiser on drums. Shortly thereafter, Greg Ham joined on flute, saxophone, and keyboards, along with John Rees on bass guitar; Strykert shifted to lead guitar duties. Hay had relocated to Australia from Scotland in 1967. In 1978, he created an acoustic duo with Strykert which evolved by mid-1979 when Speiser joined them. Keyboardist Greg Sneddon (formerly of Alroy Band), who had played alongside Speiser previously, collaborated with them on compositions for "Riff Raff," a low-budget stage musical.

Hay invited Greg Ham to join after he completed his music degree; Ham became part of the band in October 1979. John Rees joined soon after. The name Men At Work was proposed by Hay and endorsed by Strykert when they sought a title for a blackboard outside The Cricketer's Arms Hotel located in Richmond. The group developed a strong following performing pub rock shows. In 1980, they self-released their first single "Keypunch Operator" backed with "Down Under," both co-written by Hay and Strykert, through their independent label M.A.W. Although it did not reach Australia’s top 100 charts, they emerged as one of the busiest and highest-paid unsigned bands that year.

In July 1980, Men at Work appeared at Melbourne’s Northcote Town Hall during the second Rock Against Racism concert alongside Indigenous band No Fixed Address and other local performers.

Global breakthrough – Business as Usual and Cargo (1981–1983)

At the start of 1981, Men at Work secured a contract with CBS Records Australia (which later became Sony Music), following a recommendation from A&R representative Peter Karpin. Their initial single under CBS, "Who Can It Be Now?", launched in June 1981, climbed to No. 2 and remained on the charts for 24 weeks. The production was handled by US-based Peter McIan, who also produced their debut album Business as Usual. The band worked closely with McIan in crafting the song arrangements.

The subsequent single, a revised version of "Down Under", released in October, dominated the charts for six consecutive weeks. The album Business as Usual also achieved No. 1 on the Australian Kent Music Report Albums Chart, holding the top spot for nine weeks. Critics praised its polished production and catchy melodies, particularly noting Greg Ham's flute and reed instruments as signature features.

By February 1982, both "Down Under" and Business as Usual had reached No. 1 in New Zealand—the latter marking the first Australian album to attain this position. Despite this success and having an American producer involved, Columbia's US branch initially declined to release the album twice. Persistent advocacy by Russell Depeller and Karpin eventually led to its launch in the US and UK in April 1982, six months after its Australian debut.

In April 1982, the single "Be Good Johnny" was released, peaking at No. 8 in Australia and No. 3 in New Zealand. Men at Work began penetrating North American markets starting from western Canada, with "Who Can It Be Now?" entering Canada's top 10 by May 1982 and reaching No. 8 on Canada's RPM chart in July. That August, they toured North America supporting Fleetwood Mac, gaining momentum on Canadian radio and breaking into the US top 40.

October 1982 saw "Who Can It Be Now?" reach No. 1 on the US Billboard Hot 100, while "Down Under" simultaneously topped Canadian charts. The album Business as Usual then embarked on a 15-week tenure at No. 1 on the US Billboard 200 chart. "Down Under" debuted on US charts at No. 79 and ascended to No. 1 within ten weeks. By January 1983, Men at Work uniquely held both the leading album and single spots simultaneously in the US and UK—a first for any Australian band. The track "Be Good Johnny" enjoyed moderate airplay in the US and reached Canada's top 20.

Further international recognition for "Down Under" came when it was chosen as the anthem for the victorious Australia II team during the September 1983 America's Cup.

Their sophomore album, Cargo, released in April 1983, also achieved No. 1 status in Australia for two weeks and peaked at No. 2 in New Zealand. Recorded by mid-1982 with McIan producing, its release was postponed to leverage the global success of Business as Usual. Cargo attained No. 3 on the US Billboard 200 and reached No. 8 in the UK charts. Its lead single "Dr. Heckyll & Mr. Jive" reached No. 6 in Australia (October 1982) and No. 28 in the US (1983). Follow-up singles "Overkill" and "It's a Mistake" saw significant success in the US charts, peaking at No. 3 and No. 6 respectively. Throughout 1983, the band embarked on extensive international tours.

Two Hearts era and dissolution (1984–1986)

In 1984, internal conflicts between Hay and Speiser culminated in a split; both Rees and Speiser were dismissed, while Hay, Ham, and Strykert enlisted session musicians to complete their third album, Two Hearts, released on 23 April 1985. Hay explained that the rhythm section was dismissed due to their attempt to remove manager Russell Deppler, whom Hay considered a close ally. Speiser criticized Deppler's capacity to guide them internationally. Session players included Jeremy Alsop on bass and Mark Kennedy on drums. Production duties were shared by Hay and Ham. Commercially and critically, Two Hearts fell short of previous releases, peaking at No. 16 domestically and reaching only No. 50 in the US. Strykert exited during recording.

The album spawned four singles: "Everything I Need" (May 1985), "Man with Two Hearts", "Maria" (August), and "Hard Luck Story" (October); however, only "Everything I Need" charted modestly in Australia (No. 37) and the US (No. 47). The record featured extensive use of drum machines and synthesizers which diminished Ham's saxophone presence. For touring purposes, Hay and Ham recruited new members: Alsop, Kennedy, James Black (guitar/keyboards), later joined by Colin Bayley (guitar) with Chad Wackerman replacing Kennedy on drums. Guest vocal contributions came from Australian artists Kate Ceberano and Renée Geyer.

On 13 July 1985, Men at Work performed three songs—"Maria," "Overkill," and an unreleased track "The Longest Night"—for the Oz for Africa concert (part of Live Aid). Broadcast across Australian TV networks as well as MTV in the US, "Maria" and "Overkill" were also included in ABC’s Live Aid telecast. During this supporting tour period, Ham departed from the group and was succeeded by saxophonist Paul Williamson. By October 1985, the official lineup comprised Hay, Alsop, Bayley, Black, Wackerman, and Williamson—who featured on Australia's exclusive single "Sail To You." However, by early 1986 Men at Work disbanded entirely. Hay then commenced work on his solo debut album Looking for Jack (January 1987), employing Alsop and Wackerman as session musicians.

Reunion period followed by second disbandment (1996–2002)

After a decade-long hiatus, Hay and Ham reassembled Men at Work mid-1996 to tour South America amid strong regional fan interest. This iteration included Stephen Hadley (bass/backing vocals), Simon Hosford (guitar/backing vocals), and John Watson (drums). The tour culminated with a São Paulo concert recorded for their Brazilian live release Brazil '96 (1997), co-produced by Hay and Ham under Sony Music. In 1998 it was reissued worldwide as Brazil, featuring a new studio track titled "The Longest Night," their first fresh material since Two Hearts.

Drummer Tony Floyd replaced Watson in 1997. By 1998, membership comprised Hay, Ham, James Ryan (guitar/backing vocals), Rick Grossman (bass), and Peter Maslen (drums). Further lineup changes occurred through to 2000—including Stuart Speed and Rodrigo Aravena on bass plus drummers Heta Moses and Warren Trout—before Stephen Hadley returned on bass in 2001.

Between 1998–2000 Men at Work toured extensively across Australia, South America, Europe, and North America. Notably during this period they performed "Down Under" alongside Paul Hogan at the closing ceremony of the Sydney Olympics in 2000. A European tour planned for mid-2000 was cancelled, leading to another disbandment by 2002. Since then Hay and Ham have occasionally revived Men at Work with guest musicians—for example performing "Down Under" during the Australia Unites Victorian Bushfire Appeal Telethon in 2009.

Legal dispute over copyright infringement & Greg Ham’s passing

In February 2010 Larrikin Music Publishing prevailed in court against Hay, Strykert, their label (Sony BMG Music Entertainment), and publisher (EMI Songs Australia) concerning uncredited use of "Kookaburra", a composition from 1932 by Marion Sinclair owned by Larrikin Music Publishing. The lawsuit addressed its incorporation into Men at Work's "Down Under" flute riff. Previously, TV quiz show Spicks and Specks had hinted that elements of "Kookaburra" were present within that riff.

Following Larrikin’s sale to new owners who demanded between 40%–60% of six years' royalties from "Down Under", a February 2010 ruling acknowledged that while the flute riff derived from "Kookaburra," it neither constituted the main hook nor a significant portion of the song—which had been composed prior to Ham adding that riff. In July 2010 a judge decreed Larrikin was entitled to receive five percent of past royalties since 2002 along with future earnings.

Ham was profoundly impacted by this judgment; he felt culpable for performing the contested riff which he believed overshadowed his creative contributions—resulting in depression and anxiety. On 19 April 2012 he passed away from a heart attack aged 58 at his home in Carlton North.

Post-2012 developments

By June 2019 Colin Hay toured Europe using Los Angeles-based session musicians under the Men at Work banner without participation from other original members. This touring ensemble included Hay (vocals/guitar), Scheila Gonzalez (saxophone/keyboards/vocals/flute), San Miguel Perez (guitar/backing vocals), Yosmel Montejo (bass/backing vocals), Jimmy Branly (drums/percussion), along with Cecilia Noël providing backing vocals.

In 2021 Tasmanian tech house producer Christian 'Luude' Benson from duo Choomba remixed "Down Under" into a drum-and-bass version that gained viral attention online. Colin Hay re-recorded vocals for this official release credited as Luude featuring Colin Hay. The remix reached number 32 on the UK Singles Chart in January 2022 as well as number 48 on Australia's ARIA Top 50 Singles.

Other ventures

Colin Hay continued his solo career trajectory alongside appearances with Ringo Starr & His All-Starr Band during tours spanning years including 2003, 2008, and from 2018 onward. Ron Strykert relocated from Los Angeles back to Hobart in 2009 releasing his solo album Paradise that same year but expressed grievances towards Hay regarding royalties while also encountering legal troubles. Greg Ham remained musically active playing saxophone with Melbourne's The Nudist Funk Orchestra until his death. John Rees pursued music education roles around Melbourne while performing violin/bass with Beggs 2 Differ. Jerry Speiser continued drumming professionally with The Afterburner.

ARIA Music Awards

Since their inception in 1987 celebrating Australian music excellence annually worldwide recognition has been given through ARIA Music Awards. In recognition of their contribution Men at Work were inducted into ARIA Hall of Fame during the ceremony held in 1994.

Template:Awards table |- | 1994 | Men at Work | ARIA Hall of Fame | Template:Yes2

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Countdown Australian Music Awards

The Australian pop music television program Countdown, broadcast on ABC-TV from 1974 until its end in 1987 presented annual music awards between years spanning from late '70s through '80s combining popular vote alongside peer recognition.

Template:Awards table |- | rowspan="5" |1981 | "Down Under" | Best Australian Single | Template:Nom |- | Business as Usual | Best Debut Album | Template:Won |- | "Who Can It Be Now?" | Best Debut Single | Template:Won |- | rowspan="2" | Themselves | Best New Talent | Template:Won |- | Most Popular Group | Template:Nom |- | rowspan="3" |1982 | Colin Hay (Men At Work) | Best Songwriter | Template:Nom |- | rowspan="2" | Themselves | Most Popular Group | Template:Nom |- | Most Outstanding Achievement | Template:Won |- | rowspan="3" |1983 | Cargo | Best Australian Album | Template:Nom |- | rowspan="2" | Themselves | Most Outstanding Achievement | Template:Won |- | Most Popular Group | Template:Nom

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Grammy Awards

Template:Awards table |- | 1983 | Men at Work | Best New Artist | Template:Won

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Additional accolades

In August of 1983 their American label honored them with a Crystal Globe award recognizing sales exceeding $100 million records worldwide that year alone. They also secured a Canadian Juno Award for “International LP of the Year.” Globally Men at Work have sold over thirty million albums.

On May 28th of 2001 “Down Under” was ranked number four among APRA Top 30 Australian songs. In October 2010 their debut album Business as Usual was listed among selections featured within 100 Best Australian Albums.

Band members

Main article: List of Men at Work band members

Throughout all phases Colin Hay has been the sole continuous member.

Current

• Colin Hay – lead vocals, rhythm guitar, bass (1978–1986, 1996–2002; occasional appearances until 2012; since 2019)

Former

• Ron Strykert – lead guitar, bass guitar, vocals (1978–1985)
• Jerry Speiser – drums/percussion/backing vocals (1979–1984)
• Greg Ham – keyboards/vocals/saxophone, harmonica/flute (1979–1985; 1996–2002; occasional until 2012; deceased 2012)
• John Rees – bass guitar/backing vocals (1980–1984)

Current touring members

• Jimmy Branly – drums (since 2019)
• San Miguel Perez – guitar/backing vocals (since 2019)
• Yosmel Montejo – bass/backing vocals (since 2019)
• Rachel Mazer – saxophone/flute/keyboards/backing vocals (since 2025)
• Scheila Gonzalez – saxophone/flute/keyboards/backing vocals (since 2019; currently inactive)
• Cecilia Noël – backing vocals (since 2019)

Former touring members

• Jeremy Alsop – bass/backing vocals (1985–1986)
• James Black – guitar/keyboards/backing vocals (1985–1986)
• Mark Kennedy – drums (1985)
• Colin Bayley – guitar/backing vocals (1985–1986)
• Chad Wackerman – drums/backing vocals (1985–1986)
• Paul Williamson – saxophone/keyboards/backing vocals (1985–1986)
• Simon Hosford – guitar/backing vocals (1996–1998; 1999–2001)
• Stephen Hadley – bass/backing vocals (1996–1998; 2001)
• John Watson – drums (1996–1997)
• Tony Floyd – drums (1997–1998; 1999–2000)
• Rick Grossman – bass/backing vocals (1998–1999)
• James Ryan – guitar/backing vocals (1998–1999)
• Peter Maslen – drums (1998–1999)
• Stuart Speed — bass/backing vocals (1998–1999)
• Rodrigo Aravena – bass/backing vocals (2000–2001)
• Heta Moses – drums (2000–2001)
• Warren Trout – drums (2001)

Discography

Main article: Men at Work discography

• Business as Usual (1981)
• Cargo (1983)
• Two Hearts (1985)

See also

• List of artists who have simultaneously topped the UK and US charts

References

General

• Note: The archived online version offers limited features.

Specific