Revised Title:
Colin Hay of Men At Work Honors Legendary Music Producer Following Sudden Death

Key Adjustments:

• Simplified "lead singer" to "of Men At Work" for conciseness.
• Replaced "pays tribute to" with "honors" for variety.
• Changed "shock death" to "sudden death" to maintain professionalism while retaining urgency.
• Removed redundant phrasing to ensure clarity and brevity.

Men At Work’s Colin Hay Honors Late Producer Peter McIan
By Jimmy Briggs | 07:41 BST, 23 April 2025 | Updated: 07:41 BST, 23 April 2025

[Image: Colin Hay performing live]
Men At Work frontman Colin Hay, 71, has paid an emotional tribute to music producer Peter McIan following his sudden passing this month. McIan, who produced the band’s iconic Business As Usual (1981) and Cargo (1983) albums, played a pivotal role in shaping their global success.

In a heartfelt social media post, Hay wrote: “Peter McIan recently passed away. He was a warm, intelligent, and talented man who helped us arrange our songs and articulate our sound. We shared a close bond 40 years ago, and I wish we’d reconnected more.”

[Image: Men At Work’s Business As Usual album cover]
Business As Usual topped charts worldwide, selling over 10 million copies, and featured timeless hits like Down Under and Who Can It Be Now?. Fans flooded Hay’s post with condolences, praising McIan’s legacy: “His work brought joy to millions,” one fan wrote.

Legal Controversy and a Fractured Friendship
The tribute comes years after a copyright lawsuit over Down Under strained Hay’s friendship with comedian Adam Hills. In 2007, Hills’ ABC show Spicks and Specks posed a question about the song’s flute riff resembling the children’s tune Kookaburra. This sparked a 2009 lawsuit, with Larrikin Music claiming copyright infringement. Courts ruled against Men At Work, requiring royalty payments.

[Image: Adam Hills on Spicks and Specks]
Hills later revealed the fallout with Hay, telling TV Tonight: “We were close—I house-sat for him—but things turned sour. He knew it wasn’t my fault, but there’s still awkwardness.” Despite the tension, Hills insists there’s “no hate.”

Hay continues to honor McIan’s contributions, crediting him for translating Men At Work’s vision into a global phenomenon. McIan’s family and collaborators are remembered through the enduring legacy of his work.

— Reported with contributions from Daily Mail Australia staff.

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Note: The condensed version focuses on key details: McIan’s impact, Hay’s tribute, fan reactions, and the Hills controversy. Three image placements are noted to highlight pivotal moments. Further trimming could remove specifics about the legal case or fan comments if stricter length limits apply.