Formed in Melbourne in 1979 and best known for breakthrough hits such as “Down Under”, “Who Can It Be Now?”, “Be Good Johnny”, “Overkill”, and “It’s a Mistake”, Men At Work achieved global success as a Grammy-winning, multi-platinum selling act before disbanding in 1985. Shortly thereafter, Colin Hay embarked on a solo career with the release of his debut album Looking For Jack, in 1987.
“The first two M@W records went crazy,” Colin reflects. “And when you have success like that, the dust never really settles. I learned only through time and experience, not to compete with my past, but embrace it, and let it live with me…. not in the main house of course, but in the casita down the back yard.”
Due to demand, Men at Work have toured in fits and starts since 1996, most consistently beginning in 2018.
“What has clearly stood the test of time, are the songs. Forty five years on, I still hear them in the street, on the radio, in supermarkets, they are still going strong. I would never have predicted back in 1985, that 40 years on, I would still be fronting Men At Work, this version featuring Cubans, a Peruvian, an American, and me.”
The current touring line up of Men At Work is Jimmy Branly on drums, Yosmel Montejo on bass, and SanMiguel on guitar, all originally hailing from Cuba. On sax, flute and keyboards is Rachel Mazer, and Cecilia Noël on harmony vocals and percussion.
“Over the last few years, I have gone out on tour as Men At Work, on a quest of discovery. To discover whether or not we still have an audience. Turns out we do, people of all ages, of all different backgrounds, who find something in the songs that brings them joy. This summer of 2026, we are happily traveling with our musical compatriots, Toad The Wet Sprocket, and Shonen Knife. Very much looking forward to it.”
In 2003, Colin Hay released Man @ Work, a career retrospective of solo studio renderings from the Men at Work catalog, remixes of solo works and cover songs. The latest in the series, Man @ Work: Volume 2, was released in 2025.