Comparisons to The Police are inevitable, both for the "pop reggae" sound of their music and the similarities of their singers' voices. Both bands split up in 1986; both singers began solo careers, as well as acting in films and TV. Another similarity: Stewart Copeland and Sting once came to blows, but Men At Work cofounder Ron Strykert was arrested for threatening to kill frontman Colin Hay.
This month, Colin Hay released his 15th solo album, Now And The Evermore. Meanwhile, Stinky has compiled another Homemade Live Album that recreates Business As Usual. Bonus tracks include b-sides (such as the original studio version of "Down Under") and a live version of their 1983 hit "It's A Mistake".
Business As Usual Live: https://tinyurl.com/2tkk2ar9
ReplyDeleteAnother Stinky Production
I was never a huge fan of these guys back in the day. The last couple of years I've gone back and listened for the first time to most of it. I then became to like the singers solo outtings. I had no idea about the co-founder! LOL. This certainly looks interesting. Thanks for posting. BTW I too, have always referred to that album as Ghosts in the Latrine.
ReplyDeleteI had originally written "Your move, Stewart!" after the part about the cofounder, but I didn't want to encourage more entertainer on entertainer violence, with the Will Smith vs Chris Rock thing having happened just the other night. Like Chris Rock, Colin Hay decided not to press charges.
DeleteWhen I was reading about Men At Work's hit singles, I couldn't remember what their song "Overkill" sounded like. The song title is only mentioned in passing, rather than being repeated in the chorus. Like you, I went back to listen to it again. That's a really good song, better than a lot of what was on the radio in 1983. Thanks for your comment!
Wow, you and stinky never cease (and desist) to amaze. Thank you thank you from the bottom of my Australian ancestor's hearts.
ReplyDeleteFrom The U.K.’s Daily Record:
ReplyDeleteIn 2009, Down Under was the subject of a copyright case which claimed a flute line was taken from popular Australian children's song Kookaburra Sits In The Old Gum Tree.
It is two bars of music that have proved costly beyond belief.
Not only did the legal proceedings cost in the region of $4.5million but Colin believes the stress of the case also contributed to the loss of his friend and fellow band member Greg Ham.
He said: “I don’t have a problem with Down Under the song at all because I know what happened – I wrote the song. I know there was nothing appropriated from anything. It’s completely clean for me.
“I play it every night and I have been playing it every night since 1978. “You play that song and people enjoy it, so as far as my relationship with the song is concerned, there is no stain on it whatsoever.”
Kookaburra was written in 1932 by teacher Marion Sinclair. Down Under was written in 1978 and nobody brought the two together until a 2007 episode of an Australian quiz show, Spicks and Specks, which asked which Australian nursery rhyme the flute riff in the chart hit was based on.
Larrikin Music Publishing – who had bought the song rights for Kookaburra in 1990 from the estate of Sinclair, who had died two years earlier – then sued Colin, fellow songwriter Ron Strykert and EMI.
Larrikin were after a 50 per cent royalty cut but were ultimately awarded five per cent of Down Under’s future profits as well as royalties dating back to 2002.
Greg, who played the flute solo and died of a heart attack in April 2012, was devastated by the ruling, saying: “I’m terribly disappointed that’s the way I’m going to be remembered – for copying something.”
https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/entertainment/celebrity-interviews/45million-kookaburra-scots-rocker-reveals-8624295
I read about this too, and I think it's a shame that it affected him so deeply. Greg Ham was a talented multi-instrumentalist, and his saxophone and flute melodies are a big part of the Men At Work sound. He was probably very familiar with the jazz tradition of quoting familiar melodies, and the "Kookaburra" quote seemed like a clever nod in the context of a song that was about popular Australian culture. It's too bad that a lawsuit motivated by a publisher's greed would leave him with a lasting sense of disappointment despite his musical achievements.
DeleteAmen, Jonder!
ReplyDeleteThe original version of "Down Under" is great. Regatta da Blanc with a touch of Aussie country thrown in.
ReplyDeleteGlad you found something you like! And thank you for commenting!
ReplyDeleteJust listened to the acoustic solo version of "Down Under" which is also pretty rad. Just a really good song, no matter how they played it. Listening to the rest of the live tracks now. Good job, Stinky.
ReplyDeleteAlways nice to get feedback, One Buck Guy! Thank you!
ReplyDeleteThanks for another great compilation! I just discovered your blog and I'm so glad!!
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you found us! Thanks for the comment.
DeleteGlad to see that Larrikin didn't get as much as they wanted. Sad to hear about Greg Ham.
ReplyDelete