Colin Hay was the lead singer of Men At Work, who sold an unbelievable 15 million copies worldwide of their debut, Business as Usual, yielding hits like “Down Under” and “Who Can it Be Now.” After three albums, the band called it quits.  Since then, Hay has forged a solo career, showing an ability to write songs with incredible depth. He’s recently issued his 13th solo platter, Fierce Mercy, and it’s a diverse affair, with some songs featuring a heavy Americana feel, while another has a strong Phil Spector influence.

We chat about the inspiration for some of the new songs, plus he looks back on that incredible popularity of the early Eighties.