Ask Chris Isaak how many times he's toured Australia and he will reply, with a self-deprecating laugh: ''I don't know but I would say not enough. I love coming.

''Someone asked, 'Do you like playing Australia?' and I answered, 'We're popular in Australia, which I can't figure out, but I love 'em for it.'

''Every time we go there we feel like we're going on vacation. It's warm. The food's great. We actually speak the language, pretty much. The people there are mellow.''

There is no question Isaak is popular in Australia. He tours regularly and the audiences, like old familiar friends, are happy to see him over and over again.

''Sometimes I ask, 'How many people have seen us before?''' Isaak says, ''and more than half the audience have seen us on previous tours. People come back. I tell my band that if I was a genius, if I was like John Lennon or Sinatra, maybe we wouldn't have to try so hard. But there is nobody in my band that is a genius. We just go and work our arses off.