Rewind: Colin Hay & Bruce Cockburn on Longevity, Loss, and Still Finding the Songs

Kyle Meredith sat down with Colin Hay at both Bonnaroo 2012 and again in 2017, and with Bruce Cockburn that same year, to talk about the strange gifts of staying power. Hay reflected on turning his between-song stories into a comedy tent set, losing Men at Work bandmate Greg Ham while hitting the 30th anniversary of their debut, and how songs can always be reborn if you bring fresh energy. By 2017, he was releasing a new album alongside the documentary Waiting for My Real Life, talking about “songs from being a certain age,” dodging the idea of retirement, and why his past never really feels like the past. Cockburn, meanwhile, was celebrating his Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame induction and the release of Bone On Bone, sparked back into writing after a tribute to poet Al Purdy. He spoke on spirituality as the foundation of his politics, compassion as the throughline, and how even after 25 albums, he’s still chasing that next inspired idea. Together, the conversations capture two icons who refuse to coast on nostalgia—choosing instead to keep creating, keep touring, and keep searching for the next great song.

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