Colin Hay
You might know Colin Hay better for his work with the group Men At Work. Although he is one of Australia’s best-known musicians, he was born in Kilwinning, Scotland. Growing up, his mom and dad had a music shop, so there were instruments everywhere. He started playing guitar at the age of 12. A self-taught musician, he found himself in the middle of a vibrant musical community when the family moved to Melbourne in 1967. In 1978, Hay met Ron Strykert and was impressed by his musicality and technique. The two began playing acoustic music as a duo, influenced heavily by the music of Ry Cooder, John Martyn, Randy Newman, Joni Mitchell, Bob Dylan and the Beatles. In 1979, in quick order, drummer Jerry Speiser, sax and flautist Greg Ham, and bass player John Rees joined them and Men At Work was formed.
The group topped the worldwide charts in the 80s with songs like “Down Under,” “Overkill,” and “Who Can It Be Now?” Eventually the group broke up to pursue individual projects with Colin moving to Los Angeles to start his own record label. He joined with Greg Ham and toured with backing musicians as Men At work from 1996 to 2002 and played to an estimated 2 billion viewers during the closing ceremony of the 2000 Sydney Olympics.
Although Men At Work was a multiplatinum seller, I prefer Colin’s acoustic work. There’s something almost haunting in the way he play his old songs accompanied only by his acoustic guitar. One of my favorite songs is “Waiting for my real life to begin.” I’ve included a video that has the words attached. Hope you enjoy him.
It’s a beautiful spring evening here in Lincoln and the first night I’ve been able to enjoy sitting under the stars. And what better wine to welcome spring than a 2009 Miro Pinot Noir ($23.00). I love Pinot Noir and this is an excellent one. The wine is ruby red with garnet highlights and an aroma filled with cherries, strawberries, baking spices, vanilla and a touch of caramel. Its taste conjures up a cherry rhubarb pie accompanied by nice acidity and minerality. Just the thing to enjoy a spring night with a sky full of stars and the music of Colin Hay. Enjoy!
Cheers!
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