Ah! Jess you picked the right group but (maybe) the wrong person to ask about Men At Work!
Starting in the late summer of 1982,Men At Work almost instantly became my favorite group at that time (at least through 1985,along with Wham!)
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I heard,"Who Can It Be Now?" on the radio and I thought it was one of the freshest new songs in a good while. Their sound is a great fusion of jazz,pop & rock.
It went to #1 in October & that's from their debut LP,"Business As Usual".
That year (I missed it but) they were the opening act for Fleetwood Mac on their "Mirage" tour.
The second single,"Down Under" spent 4 weeks at the top 24 years ago this month in '83. At the Grammys they won Best New Artist (as well they should!)
Strangely,the third single,"Be Good Johnny" did not even crack the top 40!
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Not long after came the "Cargo" LP early that summer. "Overkill" was the first single and hit #3,then "It's a Mistake" went to #6 in the fall.
I made a video (in 1990) of myself lip-syching "Overkill" too,still have it!
All through 1983 I saw their videos on local channel TV-61,an all music video station located only 1/2 a mile from my home. Back in 1995,I had a friend make a copy of all 5 of their hit song videos and including "Be Good Johnny".
In September of '83,while that second single was still riding high,I saw them in concert at the Vetran's Memorial Colesium here in Phoenix!
Opening act Mental As Anything,another aussie group,that for some reason was booed! How rude!
I made a sign myself depicting the cover of Business As Usual with Men At Work Rules! above the picture.
I had to sneak it in (ooh,"B" you devious one!
)and I got down to the front of the stage holding it up high above my head after they hit the stage...they even had a kangaroo bouce across the stage for "Down Under".
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A couple of songs in lead singer Colin Hay saw my sign and smiled & gave me the thumbs up!
I was even wearing a t-shirt with that logo too.
Not long after,the last Cargo single "Dr. Heckyll & Mr. Jive" (big mistake for a single) barely hit the top 30.
It was then two years before another LP,two key members left John Reese & Jerry Spieser. Leaving the group a trio of Colin Hay (vocals/guitar),Greg Ham (keyboards & clarient) and Ron Stykert (guitar).
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Their 3rd and final LP,"Two Hearts" was released in 1985 but their sound was different and the LP didn't fly. I still bought it but was really let down.
The single,"Everything I Need" wasn't a hit.
Lastly,singer Colin Hay tried a solo LP,"Looking For Jack" in 1987. (I bought that too).
The single,"Hold Me" was the lowest ranking single of the entire year @ #97!
Since then there's been Best Of collections (what a waste of CD's!),and Colin has made TV appearences,most notably at the recent Olympics in Austrailia,singing (what else?) Down Under.
So Jess,aren't you glad you asked about them? LOL!
Ah...anyone else?
[ January 11, 2007, 19:41: Message edited by: Borderstone ]