Colin Hay Proudly Carries on Distinctive Legacy of Men at Work

With the recent release of his latest solo effort, Are You Lookin' at Me?, former Men at Work frontman Colin Hay carries the torch for a glaringly small contingency of '80s artists who have continued to release a consistent stream of original material since their original heyday. After all, most '80s artists still kicking these days may tour more or less often, and almost always with a nostalgic retro focus, but considerably fewer of the decade's key players have sustained long-term musical careers when separated from their respective claims to fame. That's why Hay's decision to work quietly as an indie singer-songwriter for the past 20 years has been a wise one, allowing him to gain independence from his former band while also honoring its past achievements.

Speaking of Hay's '80s past, Men at Work may have only lasted three albums and barely that many years, but the Australian pop bar band always emphasized fierce originality at the top of the charts. Join me as I go back a quarter-century to a time when Men at Work stood among the top bands on earth, though just a few years away from showing up, unjustly, on "Where Are They Now?" one-hit wonder lists. Ultimately, the music of Men at Work has persevered with calm determination, much like the continuing career of its driving force.

• Men at Work Profile
• Top 6 Men at Work Songs of the '80s
• Official Colin Hay Website