Colin Hay

joneve

Forgot to mention this a few weeks back, but I saw him Supporting Barenaked Ladies in Bristol the other week.

I only knew him as the front man of Men at Work, so didn't know what to expect as I only really knew "Down Under"...Fuck a duck, what a superb musician. Funny anecdotes between songs and an absolute boss songwriter. His acoustic versions of his MAW stuff was jaw-droppingly good. 

Anyone else a fan?

citizen68

Yes - his acoustic version of Overkill is sublime - he's a funny fecker too

sticker

Yep , thanks to his songs featuring heavily in a few episodes of 'Scrubs' . My personal gave is 'Beautiful World' .

Alnico

citizen68 said:

Yes - his acoustic version of Overkill is sublime - he's a funny fecker too

This.

Way overshadows the original MAW song.

I had no idea Colin Hay had a solo career after MAW until i saw that episode of 'Scrubs' and heard that version.

It is sublime and it turned me into a massive fan of his solo music. To hear i missed him gigging in the UK at all is not good. I will have to keep an eye out now because having heard his solo music, i bet he's amazing live.

Proper Talent.

joneve

Alnico said:

citizen68 said:

Yes - his acoustic version of Overkill is sublime - he's a funny fecker too

This.

Way overshadows the original MAW song.

I had no idea Colin Hay had a solo career after MAW until i saw that episode of 'Scrubs' and heard that version.

It is sublime and it turned me into a massive fan of his solo music. To hear i missed him gigging in the UK at all is not good. I will have to keep an eye out now because having heard his solo music, i bet he's amazing live.

Proper Talent.

I can confirm he was fucking superb. @robwright will concur, I'm sure. 

It was a support slot, so you can probably be forgiven for missing the memo - I'll certainly be making the effort to see him again if/when he comes back to town. 

andyoz

I saw and met him when he played our small town in Ireland around 2008.  Got talking to his manager...Colin's a prickly character from what I could gather reading between the lines...I guess that's one of the reasons he never really kicked on big time after Men At Work imploded.

Here he is in fine form with some pre-song banter.  My favorite bits at 03:40



Into the Cornfields was a highlight for me - if I could sign I would want to sound like either him or Glenn Tilbrook out of Squeeze.  Listen to the natural control on his voice in the chorus.

joneve

andyoz said:

I saw and met him when he played our small town in Ireland around 2008.  Got talking to his manager...Colin's a prickly character from what I could gather reading between the lines...I guess that's one of the reasons he never really kicked on big time after Men At Work imploded.

From what I can gather, the fact he became a raging alcoholic also didn't help with the implosion of MAW and him not really kicking on. 

andyoz

I didn't relaise he was that bad an alcoholic.

Was just reading this.  http://www.theage.com.au/news/Music/Hes-up-from-Down-Under/2004/12/01/1101577540747.html

His comments about his career in the late 80's rings a bell.  I remember watching a shitty TV Show (Prisoner or something like that) and Colin turned up in some bit acting part.  I was thinking, isn't that the fella from that band...then thought nothing of it.  They were nowhere by that stage.  I know those pubs he's talking about to.

Most Aussies in the 1980's had no idea how big that band were Worldwide (the same with Inxs).

joneve

andyoz said:

I didn't relaise he was that bad an alcoholic.

Was just reading this.  http://www.theage.com.au/news/Music/Hes-up-from-Down-Under/2004/12/01/1101577540747.html

His comments about his career in the late 80's rings a bell.  I remember watching a shitty TV Show (Prisoner or something like that) and Colin turned up in some bit acting part.  I was thinking, isn't that the fella from that band...then thought nothing of it.  They were nowhere by that stage.  I know those pubs he's talking about to.

Most Aussies in the 1980's had no idea how big that band were Worldwide (the same with Inxs).

"raging" might have been a bit strong - but when we saw him, he did speak about his issues with the drink.