Family friend, coleague, dead. RIP Gregg Ham, Men at work.

Yes, just read about this. Just 58, same age as my big sister when she passed away earlier this year.

Saw MAW live a couple of times - they rocked, tight as a fish's behind, and excellent sound. Greg H added much to their sound and appeal with his versatility. I thought they were at their best early on before Colin Hay started getting serious. Especially enjoyed their first single http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P6v6fmb2kpE

That law suit was a joke - I understand that a judge in the US received a gaol term after it became known that he was using a penis pump under the desk during cases (pity the defendants!). I imagine the judge in the Kookaburra case must have been similarly preoccupied to make the decision he did ...


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P6v6fmb2kpE
 
Loved Greg Ham and Men at Work. Colin Hay tours the U.S. non-stop these days. Is here annually in my town, almost.

Well, MAW a very underrated band musically.
 
That's pity!

Rest (Rock) In Peace - Gregg Ham...Men At Work - excellent band and musicians.
 

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SYDNEY -- Greg Ham, a musician with the iconic Australian band Men at Work, was found dead in his Melbourne home on Thursday, Australian reports said.

Victoria state police confirmed that the deceased was the 58-year-old resident of the house but did not identify him by name, in keeping with local practice. Ham was 58 and neighbors said he was the lone occupant of the house.

Two concerned friends who had not heard from Ham in some time found the body after going to check on him, police said, declining to release any details on how Ham died or if the circumstances were suspicious.

I too just saw this. RIP
 
Sad indeed.

I've crossed paths with him at the Kent hotel in Carlton from time to time. Didn't know him other than a nod, smile and a quick g'day mate. He was always a friendly guy. A real shame.
 
Sad to hear. MAW was the first concert I ever saw way back in the day. Love the band and loved Ham's work. RIP.
 
Just wondering how is Jerry Speiser doing?
 

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Sad news. Last year I downloaded a whole bunch of MAW material onto my iPod, reliving songs I hadn't heard in 20 years. Their music was very unique and I loved the drum parts.

Polly - sorry to hear about your sister. :(
 
Ironically I was watching a Ringo Starr concert on TV last night and he had Colin Hay on as a guest.
 
When I heard the final decision of the court case, I thought that is the biggest load of bullshit I've ever heard. What a way to shit on one of the most iconic songs of Oz music.
What gets me mad though is that the flute bit in question in Land Down Under is paying homage to the Kookaburra song as being truely Australian - that was the whole point!!
So what's the next natural step? Sue the poor buggers. Real Australian of you. That whole thing sucked very big things IMO and that's why Gregg sank into depression during his final years.
RIP brother and may your music live on.
 
Just wondering how is Jerry Speiser doing?

As far as I know he's playing in a band called After Burner http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mDOsK3itv0I. Rock solid player.


Polly - sorry to hear about your sister. :(

Thanks INOG. I miss her - she was very smart and her insights bailed me out more than once. Definitely a reminder of one's mortality ...


When I heard the final decision of the court case, I thought that is the biggest load of bullshit I've ever heard. What a way to shit on one of the most iconic songs of Oz music.
What gets me mad though is that the flute bit in question in Land Down Under is paying homage to the Kookaburra song as being truely Australian - that was the whole point!!
So what's the next natural step? Sue the poor buggers. Real Australian of you. That whole thing sucked very big things IMO and that's why Gregg sank into depression during his final years.
RIP brother and may your music live on.

+1

Apparently Larrikin (or a part of it?) was taken over by Warner and that's when the company acted. The song was written in the 1930s and it's just a snippet. The rats were going for an ambit claim of 40-60%. I think they got 5% in the end.

It was all so hard core.
 
+1

Apparently Larrikin (or a part of it?) was taken over by Warner and that's when the company acted. The song was written in the 1930s and it's just a snippet. The rats were going for an ambit claim of 40-60%. I think they got 5% in the end.

It was all so hard core.

+2
I couldn't agree more dude. There's a lot of greedy peeps out there who would love nothing more than to destroy an Australian classic. The bastards should've got thrown out of court.
 
+2
I couldn't agree more dude. There's a lot of greedy peeps out there who would love nothing more than to destroy an Australian classic. The bastards should've got thrown out of court.

Or Dudette, as the case may be :) It was just typical amoral economic rationalist hard core behaviour. Those multinats are like machines - they don't consider fairness, the courts here operate in a machinelike way too. Not sure this would have happened in the French legal system, where judges have more discretionary powers.

It seems that the depression caused by the case contributed to Gregg Ham's death. We care but the machines don't.
 
Or Dudette, as the case may be :) It was just typical amoral economic rationalist hard core behaviour. Those multinats are like machines - they don't consider fairness, the courts here operate in a machinelike way too. Not sure this would have happened in the French legal system, where judges have more discretionary powers.

It seems that the depression caused by the case contributed to Gregg Ham's death. We care but the machines don't.

Oh sorry mate, I call everyone dude - I don't discriminate. lol
The thing that gets me the most is that the part of the flute riff in question is only a small piece of the Kookaburra song. It reminds me of when Vanilla Ice was sued for his usage of the Under Pressure riff for Iced Cold. If I remember correctly it was thrown out of court because he added an extra note to the riff.
So why the hell must a great band get dragged thru the dirt just because of one 5 second bit of music that sounds similar to something that was written around the turn of the last century?
Maybe Men at Work should've gotten a better attorney, but why the hell should they. If that was me in that situation, I would have gone literally mad with rage. Or in Gregg's case, it was probably the straw that broke the camels' back.
Tragic either way. So sad it had to end like this for him.
 
I'm sorry to hear you've lost someone who touched your life Dale. & yes, I liked MAW too. Such a happy vibe to the band.

Thanks mate. The first drive in movie I attended was after being shoved into a car boot by Gregg and my brother. "How is it back there?". Sods!

So funny years later when we recognised each other at his studio. I was all grown up. I had no idea he'd become famous. Never knew his surname. He was just Gregg.

Thanks KIS for seeing the personal nature behind this thread. A very personal loss for my family.
 
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