The band had two break-ups – first in 1986 and again in 2002 after Hay and flute and keyboard player Greg Ham had reunited under the Men at Work name.

While Hay has been working on his solo career since 1987, he says he always had a Men at Work connection.

“I’ll always be in that band, I’ll always be a part of that band, I’ll always be associated with that band,” Hay said.

“It’s not like Men at Work for me is a thing of the past; I’m still in it, I’ll always be in it.”

But Hay said he wouldn’t be joining the rush of 1980s bands reforming and going on the nostalgia circuit – Ham died in 2012 and so Hay said any reformation “would be impossible”.

Hay is on tour to promote his latest album Next Year People and plays a range of solo songs in concert, as well as showing off his skills at storytelling in between each song.

Some Men at Work tracks, like Overkill and Down Under, also get an airing.

“Sometimes I’ll play a few of the others like Down by the Sea and a few other songs. They’re big songs,” he said.

”I play them because the song deserves to be played.

“They were very, very big songs, important songs.

“It doesn’t really have anything to do with the audience or me, it has do with the song.

“You have to respect the songs.”

Colin Hay and his band will perform at Wollongong Town Hall on March 18.