He?s got the same familiar voice, the same charming smile and a legion of loyal fans.
Colin Hay, perhaps best known as the front man of the 1980s band Men at Work (“Who Can It Be Now?” “Down Under”) is well into his solo career.
“Men at Work were six men together for six years. That?s part of the problem right there,” Hay said, confirming that the band has no plans to follow in the reunited footsteps of the Police or Van Halen. “The only reasons to reunite are for money or to be creative. Neither is a good enough reason. When we played the big tours, it wasn?t fun in the first place.”
But it was the perfect time ? just after the Aug. 1, 1981, launch of MTV ? for Men at Work to make a mark in music. For a few years, Hay and the band played before festival crowds and heard their music and videos constantly played.
No question, it was a bit daunting to embark on a solo career afterward, but Hay never looked back. “I literally went from playing before 150,000 people one year to playing before four people the next,” he said. “But I kept going because I love what I am doing.”
Putting a studio together in his Los Angeles home, Hay continued to make music and tour.
Successes built.
Ringo Starr invited him to tour. His song “I Just Don?t Think I?ll Ever Get Over You” a part of the soundtrack for the movie “Garden State.”
“During the past 10 to 15 years, I built up a very, very small but quite dedicated following,” Hay said. “In the past three or four years, it?s started to take off.”
Now touring to promote the Compass-label CD “Are You Lookin? at Me?” Hay said he?s in a good place professionally.
“I keep saying it, but I really am lucky,” Hay said. “For one minute, my band was king of the world. I know what that?s like to achieve that. Now I can have the excitement of making music without wondering if I can achieve that success.”
IF YOU GO
» Colin Hay
» Venue: Rams Head On Stage, 33 West St., Annapolis
» When: 6:30 p.m., 9:30 p.m., April 24 (two shows)
» Tickets: $26.50; 410-268-4545; ramsheadonstage.com
