Men at Work is an Australian group formed in Sydney in 1978 by Colin Hay, Jerry Speiser and Ron Streykert. Joined quickly by Greg Ham and John Rees.
Group whose particularity, among other things, is to be the first Australian group to simultaneously take first place in 1983 on the Tops Singles and American Albums with respectively "Down Under" and "Business as usual". Ditto in the New Zealand, Australian and British charts.
Their first single "Keypunch operator" was released in 1980 and enjoyed some esteemed success.
It was a year later, in 1981, that success suddenly overwhelmed them when the single "Who can it be now ?" was released. Single flagship that will make a real sucess in the southern hemisphere and explode their notoriety
The ultimate consecration comes a few months later with the release of the enormous single "Down under", which will be even stronger than its predecessor, especially when it will be broadcast - like its predecessor - in the Northern hemisphere current 1982. The two singles will then truster the first steps of the podiums of many Charts.
The single "Be good Johnny" also released in 1982 will experience a course less prestigious but more than honorable.
The second album "Cargo" was released in 1983 and was also very successful. Album from which will be extracted two new mega hits "Overkill" and "It’s a mistake".
Paradoxical as it may sound, the group took a sabbatical year in 1984.
A break that was to prove fatal for the group as the reunion would be difficult between some members and the release of the album "Two hearts" in 1985 would not equal the success of the previous two.
To discover or rediscover.
Discography (among others ...) :
Who can it be now 1981
Down under 1981
Be good Johnny 1982
Underground 1982
Dr. Heckyll and Mr. Jive 1982
Overkill 1983
It’s a mistake 1983
High wire 1983
Everything I need 1985
Maria 1985
Man with two hearts 1985
Children on parade 1985
Clips :
1981 ... not even the time to settle down and break in... From the outset, the group signed a global mega hit that propelled them One Shot to the forefront of the international scene. What a start !
1981 ... but that's without counting on this title ! A HUGE interstellar hit which definitely consecrates them as one of the most shattering revelations of the moment and especially of the decade. And these are only their beginnings ...!
1982 ... 1981 was such an exceptional year for the group that we can imagine a sequel that could hardly do better ... Indeed, what was foreseeable happens, namely a slight drop in speed ...
1982 ... a title of transition between 2 waves of mega hits ... They are good, even very good but cannot always produce Masterpieces, that's clear ...
1982 ... an obvious rise in power which allows them to return to the success of Charts summits. We suspected that they still had plenty under the pedal ...
1983 ... surely one of their most emblematic titles. A title which makes them definitively return to the musical legend of the 80s and ensures them a new mega hit of Intergalactic Class
1983 ... they do it again in the wake with what will surely remain as one of their best titles. First-rate inspiration !
1983 ... a sumptuous year which ended with a third hit, certainly not compared to the previous two but which still holds up
1985 ... the last notorious hit .... Already ?! And yes, when you allow yourself a sabbatical year in full glory, obviously, it is not without consequences ...
1985 ... a sequel of certain quality but which will go completely unnoticed for lack of cohesion within the group
1985 ... the end of an extraordinary adventure for one of the best 'Made In Kangaroos Country' groups of the decade ! And who will have left among the biggest hits of the decade ...
1985 ... come on, an adventure that is not quite over with one of their very rare Intimist titles. An area that they will have exploited very little and in which they are far from being ridiculous, however ...
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