For someone who has written a song called Catch My Disease, Australian musician Ben Lee may not seem the likeliest choice to be fronting a campaign to encourage vaccination.

But the 42-year-old, whose 2006 single We're All In This Together has enjoyed renewed popularity as a de facto lockdown anthem, has thrown his support behind the music industry's #VaxTheNation campaign — and reflected on Guy Sebastian's attempt at promoting the cause.

In an interview with ABC Radio Adelaide's Ali Clarke, Lee spoke of the need for a pathway back to major live music events.

He is among more than 400 music industry figures rallying behind the campaign, encouraging Australians to get jabbed and reach the 80 per cent vaccination target agreed by National Cabinet.

"That's the path back. People getting vaccinated is the way we're going to get live music happening," he said.

As debate rages about the extent to which vaccination should be mandatory, Lee said he did not "proclaim to be any kind of expert".

But he said, as far as the music concerned, the carrot was likely to be at least as effective as the stick.

"It's more realistic to appeal to people's sense of fun. 'Hey guys – yes it's going to save our industry but it's also going to be really fun for you guys'," he said.

"There's a massive amount of people whose livelihoods depend on performance."

Space to play or pause, M to mute, left and right arrows to seek, up and down arrows for volume.

Listen

Duration: 4 minutes 10 seconds4m 10s

Lee, who is due to release a new single in a matter of weeks ahead of a full album release early next year, said the choice was a simple one for him.

"A pandemic is sort of like a train that's gone off the track and we've got to decide who to give the wheel to, to kind of get things back under control. And I personally don't want that responsibility," he said.

"I think we can have the humility to realise we're not all experts and even if scientists make mistakes, which they do because science evolves, we still stand our best shot of conquering this chaotic moment by letting them make the call on this and this is their advice, so I'm following it."

After his radio interview this morning, Lee commented on the decision by fellow musician Guy Sebastian to remove a pro-COVID vaccine post from his social media.

Sebastian has shared a video of himself on Instagram, defending a decision to remove the earlier post containing what he said was an "industry call-out with the best of intentions for our live music industry".

"I've always done everything I can to support my industry but the campaign was posted to my page without my direct involvement," Sebastian said.

"I just wanted to say I'm really sorry, it was not a post that communicated with love or compassion, which I feel is what's needed when it comes to addressing things like vaccinations."

The video has been shared on other platforms and Lee responded to a subsequent tweet saying it was a "sad example of what happens when your career is dependent on trying to be all things to all people".

Loading form...