Ron Strykert
The co-founding guitarist and songwriter who helped craft the quirky, globally infectious sound of Men at Work.
Born 1957 (age 69)·Australian musician·Birthday: August 18·Baby Boomers
Biography
Ron Strykert was the musical architect standing beside Colin Hay in the creation of Men at Work. As the band's lead guitarist and a key songwriter, his sharp, reggae-inflected riffs and inventive arrangements were fundamental to their signature sound—a blend of new-wave energy, pop hooks, and distinctly Australian character. The band's explosive rise from Melbourne pubs to worldwide fame in the early 1980s was dizzying, driven by hits like 'Who Can It Be Now?' and 'Down Under,' on which Strykert's playing is instantly recognizable. However, the pressures of massive success and internal dynamics took their toll. Strykert, a more reserved figure, gradually withdrew from the spotlight, leaving the band before its eventual dissolution. His post-Men at Work life has been intensely private, with only sporadic musical activity. Despite his retreat from public life, Ron Strykert's contribution remains etched into one of the most successful and idiosyncratic chapters in Australian music history.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Ron was born in 1957, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Ron Was Born
The biggest hits of 1957
#1 Movie
The Bridge on the River Kwai
Best Picture
The Bridge on the River Kwai
#1 TV Show
Gunsmoke
Ron's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1957Born
Sputnik launches the Space Age
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $10,550Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"All Shook Up" — Elvis PresleyBest Picture: The Bridge on the River Kwai
1962Started school
Cuban Missile Crisis brings the world to the brink
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $12,800Min wage: $1.15/hrPresident: John F. Kennedy"Stranger on the Shore" — Acker BilkBest Picture: Lawrence of Arabia
1970Became a teenager
First Earth Day; The Beatles break up
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $17,000Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Bridge over Troubled Water" — Simon & GarfunkelBest Picture: Patton
1973Could drive
US withdraws from Vietnam; Roe v. Wade decided
Gas: $0.39/galHome: $22,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree" — Tony Orlando & DawnBest Picture: The Sting
1975Could vote
Fall of Saigon ends the Vietnam War
Gas: $0.57/galHome: $27,600Min wage: $2.10/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Love Will Keep Us Together" — Captain & TennilleBest Picture: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
1978Turned 21
First test-tube baby born
Gas: $0.63/galHome: $35,300Min wage: $2.65/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Shadow Dancing" — Andy GibbBest Picture: The Deer Hunter
1987Turned 30
Black Monday stock market crash
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $72,400Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Walk Like an Egyptian" — The BanglesBest Picture: The Last Emperor
1997Turned 40
Princess Diana dies in Paris car crash; Harry Potter published
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $104,100Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Candle in the Wind 1997" — Elton JohnBest Picture: Titanic
2007Turned 50
iPhone released; Great Recession begins
Gas: $2.80/galHome: $172,600Min wage: $5.85/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Irreplaceable" — BeyonceBest Picture: No Country for Old Men
2017Turned 60
#MeToo movement; solar eclipse crosses the US
Gas: $2.42/galHome: $195,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Shape of You" — Ed SheeranBest Picture: The Shape of Water
2026Age 69 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Co-wrote the international number-one hit 'Down Under' with Colin Hay for Men at Work.
- Played lead guitar and co-wrote songs on Men at Work's multi-platinum debut album 'Business as Usual.'
- His guitar work was central to the band's unique fusion of ska, reggae, and new wave pop.
- Performed on the band's Grammy-winning debut album, which helped popularize Australian rock globally.
Did You Know?
He was working as a TV repairman when Men at Work first started playing together.
Strykert was known for building some of his own guitar effects pedals to achieve his distinctive tone.
He reportedly left Men at Work in 1985, citing a dislike for the touring lifestyle and the music business.
He has lived a very reclusive life in rural Australia for decades, largely avoiding the music industry.
“The guitar part should serve the song, not the other way around.”
