Colin Hay, the frontman of the 1980s Australian rock band Men at Work, recently described the group’s rapid ascent to global stardom as an experience that eventually turned into a volatile internal struggle. In a conversation on the Rock & Roll High School podcast, Hay explained that the band’s meteoric rise—which saw them simultaneously holding the No. 1 single with “Down Under” and the No. 1 album with Business as Usual in both the U.S. and U.K. in 1983—was marred by personnel conflicts and a management dispute that felt like an episode of a reality competition show.
The band, which achieved international success with a sound blending pop and reggae influences, struggled to maintain cohesion as fame intensified. According to Hay, the internal friction centered on a disagreement regarding his manager, who was also his close friend. While some members of the group sought to dismiss the manager, Hay resisted, leading to a fractured environment where he felt the band’s professional success could no longer be enjoyed collectively. This period of instability preceded the release of their subsequent albums, Cargo in 1983 and Two Hearts in 1985, after which the band ceased operations.
The Impact of the ‘Down Under’ Copyright Litigation
Beyond the internal dissolution of the band, Hay faced a protracted and costly legal battle regarding the flute melody in the group’s signature hit, “Down Under.” The copyright infringement lawsuit, which began in 2009, alleged that the flute refrain in the song copied elements of the children’s folk song “Kookaburra Sits in the Old Gum Tree.” In 2010, the Federal Court of Australia ruled that the song infringed upon the copyright of the nursery rhyme, leading to an order that the band pay 5% of royalties earned from the track since 2002 and from future earnings, as confirmed by Reuters.
The legal proceedings lasted for several years, creating a significant emotional and financial burden for the songwriter. Hay expressed particular distress regarding the impact on his late bandmate, Greg Ham, who played the flute line in the original recording. Ham, who was not personally named as a defendant in the lawsuit, passed away in 2012 at the age of 58, as reported by the BBC. Hay noted that the experience was deeply painful, particularly because he felt it cast a shadow over the pride his father took in the band’s success as an immigrant to Australia.
A Second Act in Music and Recovery
Following the dissolution of Men at Work and his personal struggles with substance use, Hay moved to Los Angeles in January 1991 to pursue a new chapter in his life and career. This transition served as a turning point for the singer-songwriter, who has since maintained a long-standing solo career and served as a member of Ringo Starr & His All-Starr Band. Hay’s resilience and his ability to re-establish his artistry have been aided by new audiences discovering his work through the television series Scrubs and the film Garden State, both of which featured his music.
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Hay continues to perform and tour, utilizing his storytelling ability to connect with audiences who have followed his journey from the heights of 1980s pop fame to his sustained work as a solo artist. His reflections on the podcast highlight the importance of artistic integrity and the ability to find a fresh start after the collapse of a high-profile professional partnership. For those interested in his full account of his career, songwriting process, and the lessons learned throughout his four-decade tenure in the music industry, the full conversation is available at rockschoolpodcast.com.
As of the most recent updates, Hay remains active in the music industry, with ongoing performances and projects that continue to draw from his extensive catalog. Readers are encouraged to share their thoughts on Hay’s career or their memories of Men at Work in the comments section below.