Ron Strykert

{{short description|Australian musician (born 1957)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=January 2020}} {{Use Australian English|date=December 2013}} {{Infobox musical artist|  | name = Ron Strykert | image = Ronintrosite.jpg | caption = Strykert in 2009 | image_size = | background = solo_singer | birth_name = Ronald Graham Strykert | birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=y|1957|8|18}}<ref name="VH1 Rock Stars Encyclopedia">{{cite book|first1=Dafydd|last1=Rees|first2=Luke|last2=Crampton|title=VH1 Rock Stars Encyclopedia|date=15 September 1999|publisher=DK ADULT|isbn=0789446138|page=[https://archive.org/details/rockstarsencyclo00rees/page/661 661]|url-access=registration|url=https://archive.org/details/rockstarsencyclo00rees/page/661}}</ref> | birth_place = Korumburra, Victoria, Australia | death_date = | instrument = Vocals, guitar, bass guitar, percussion | genre = Pop, rock, new wave, acoustic | occupation = Singer, songwriter, producer | label = Columbia Records<br>Le Coq Musique | years_active = 1978–present | associated_acts = Men at Work }}

'''Ronald Graham Strykert''' (born 18 August 1957) is an Australian musician. He is best known for playing lead guitar, co-founding and composing songs with the 1980s band Men at Work.

==Career== Strykert co-founded Men at Work with Colin Hay as an acoustic duo in 1978, regularly performing at the Cricketer's Arms Hotel in Richmond, Victoria.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.theage.com.au/news/Music/Hes-up-from-Down-Under/2004/12/01/1101577540747.html |newspaper=The Age |location=Melbourne |accessdate=14 December 2013 |title=He's up from Down Under |first1=Michael |last1=Dwyer |first2=Chris |last2=Johnston |date=4 December 2004}}</ref> From 1979 to 1985 he provided guitar, vocals and bass guitar for that group.<ref name="Holmgren">{{cite web | archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20130927234251/http://hem2.passagen.se/honga/database/m/menatwork.html | url = http://hem2.passagen.se/honga/database/m/menatwork.html | title = Men at Work | work = Australian Rock Database | first1 = Magnus | last1 = Holmgren | first2 = Stefan | last2 = Warnqvist | archivedate = 27 September 2013 | url-status = usurped | accessdate = 21 July 2014 }}</ref> He contributed to all three Men at Work studio albums. He wrote or co-wrote many of their songs, including "Down Under" which appears on their first album ''Business as Usual''. He sings lead vocals on "Settle Down My Boy", one of his self composed songs on their second album ''Cargo''.

Strykert played bass guitar on the very first recordings of the early group in a stage musical called ''Riff Raff'' in 1979. When bassist John Rees was later added in 1980 to the band, he moved forward to lead guitarist.<ref name=Encyclopedia>{{cite encyclopedia |first=Ian |last=McFarlane |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030513171104/http://www.whammo.com.au/encyclopedia.asp?articleid=482 |title=Men at Work |encyclopedia=Encyclopedia of Australian Rock and Pop on Whammo.com.au |accessdate=14 December 2013 |url=http://www.whammo.com.au/encyclopedia.asp?articleid=482 |archive-date=13 May 2003}}</ref> He developed a unique soaring style of playing which added a high amount of energy to their songs. His signature playing went from long sustained notes, to a rapid fire, staccato lead guitar style, with some similarities to bass technique, most often using a customised Yamaha SC-800 guitar with EMG S pickups. He would often duel with fellow guitarist Hay adding dimension to his presentation as well as blending strong backing vocals. He often weaved his guitar playing around the stylistic playing of Greg Ham on his keyboards, saxophone, clarinet and flute.

As a founding member of the group, Strykert was concerned when the group lost their rhythm section of Jerry Speiser and Rees. During the process of recording their ''Two Hearts'' album in 1985, he decided to leave the group.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.allmusic.com/artist/men-at-work-mn0000873085/biography |title=Men at Work Biography & History |access-date=12 December 2013 |first=Stephen Thomas |last=Erlewine|website=AllMusic }}</ref>

== Legal troubles == On 15 February 2009, Strykert was arrested for allegedly making death threats against former bandmate Colin Hay.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.digitalspy.com/music/a147205/men-at-work-star-arrested-for-threats.html |title= Men at Work star arrested for threats |publisher=Digital Spy |date=19 February 2009 |accessdate=4 February 2010}}</ref> Strykert denied making any such threat (which was said to have occurred during a phone call), and Hay told investigators he did not believe the guitarist would carry out the threat.<ref>{{cite news |date=February 17, 2009 |title=Men at Work guitarist threatened to kill singer, police say |url=http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2009/02/new-meaning-to.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090221003107/http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2009/02/new-meaning-to.html |archive-date=21 February 2009 |accessdate=6 August 2016 |newspaper=LA Times}}</ref>

==Compositions== Strykert composed and co-composed 13 songs for Men at Work:<ref>{{cite web |url=http://australian-charts.com/showinterpret.asp?interpret=Men+At+Work |work=Australian Charts |access-date=14 December 2013 |title=Men at Work}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable unsortable" |- ! Title ! Composed ! From |- | "Keypunch Operator" | Hay & Strykert | Early single |- | "Down Under" | Hay & Strykert | B side to early single, A side single & ''Business as Usual'' |- | "Anyone for Tennis" | Hay, Strykert, Ham, Speiser & Rees | B side to "Who Can It Be Now?" single |- | "Crazy" | Strykert | B side to "Down Under" single |- | "People Just Love to Play with Words" | Strykert | rowspan="3" | ''Business as Usual'' |- | "Touching the Untouchables" | Hay & Strykert |- | "Down by the Sea" | Hay, Ham, Strykert & Speiser |- | "Settle Down My Boy" | Strykert | ''Cargo'' |- | "Upstairs in My House" | Hay & Strykert | B side to "Dr. Heckyl & Mr. Jive" 12" & ''Cargo'' |- | "I Like To" | Strykert | ''Cargo.'' A live version of this song appears as the US B-Side of "Dr. Heckyl & Mr. Jive".<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.discogs.com/Men-At-Work-Dr-Heckyll-Mr-Jive/release/1190874 |title=Men at Work – Dr. Jeckyll & Mr. Jive |date=September 1983 |publisher=discogs}}</ref> |- | "Shintaro" | Strykert | B side to "It's a Mistake" single |- | "'Till the Money Runs Out" | Hay, Strykert, Ham, Speiser & Rees | B side to "Overkill" single |- | "Sail to You" | Hay, Strykert & Ham | ''Two Hearts'' |}

==Release performance== Strykert took part in 13 singles released by Men at Work. Nine of them charted. He took part in three albums released. All three charted.<ref name=Encyclopedia />

==Awards== Strykert with Men at Work won the following awards: * 1983 United States Grammy Award for "Best New Artist" * 1983 Canadian Juno Award for "International LP of the Year" for ''Business as Usual''

Hay and Strykert received the following awards from APRA Awards for their composition "Down Under": * 1985 Special Award * No. 4 on the APRA Top 30 Australian songs list

==Solo release== In 2003, Strykert released a solo debut titled ''Paradise'' on compact disc. It was released by independent label Le Coq Musique and contained the following tracks composed and produced by Strykert:<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.discogs.com/Ron-Strykert-Paradise/release/2276148 |publisher=discogs |title=Ron Strykert – Paradise |access-date=14 December 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.bandtoband.com/artist/ron-strykert |work=Band to Band |access-date=14 December 2013 |title=Ron Stykert}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable unsortable" |- ! Track ! Title ! Time |- | 1 | "In The Air" | 3:06 |- | 2 | "Heartbeat" | 2:54 |- | 3 | "Do I Love You?" | 3:48 |- | 4 | "Paradigm Shift" | 2:49 |- | 5 | "Shiva Shambu" | 5:02 |- | 6 | "Show Us The Way Home" | 4:52 |- | 7 | "Love Train" | 5:07 |- | 8 | "Sunrise" | 5:42 |- | 9 | "Eternal Waves" | 5:26 |}

==References== {{Reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Strykert, Ron}} Category:1957 births Category:Living people Category:APRA Award winners Category:Australian expatriates in the United States Category:Australian male singers Category:Australian new wave musicians Category:Australian rock guitarists Category:Australian male songwriters Category:Australian lead guitarists Category:Men at Work members Category:People from Korumburra Category:Australian male guitarists